Puffy eyes

[Aqua47]

I’ve been having trouble with my eyes being puffy and swollen looking. Could it be coming from the Pred? I’m pretty sure it isn’t allergies.i go to eye doctor tomorrow. Just wondering if anyone else has this effect?

[123-go]

Puffy eyes have been mentioned many times: see Related Posts. There is helpful information in PMRpro’s link:

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[SnazzyD]

It can be Pred which causes you to retain sodium which then caused fluid retention. It can be necessary to reduce salt intake. I had to reduce mine drastically in order not to have puffy eyelids and bags.

[Aqua47 in reply to SnazzyD]

I also have swelling in the ankle and foot on my right side. I have some back problems that were causing pain in my right hip and leg, but I no longer have those pains after several epidurals and an ablation. Still have lower back and buttocks pain. Not sure if that’s from PMR or the nerves in my back. My doctor had me on several blood pressure meds, and advised me to stop amlodipene, but that hasn’t helped the swelling.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Puffy eyes can be due to dry eyes - which can be exaccerbated by both the sutoimmune part of PMR and pred. It is amazing the difference that regular and frequent use of eye drops for dry eyes will make.

I have developed swollen ankles for years if I eat away from home more than 2 days in a row or use processed foods, including ready-meals for any reason. Even staying with family or friends will do it. Entirely due to the salt content which I am not used to since at home I cook from scratch and use no salt except in the mixed herbs I use in dressing salads.

The level of puffiness reduced dramatically after I had a cardiac ablation procedure in January until I drove for several hours each day a couple of weeks ago when driving from northern Italy to the north of England - and suddenly my left foot went up like a football!! After a couple of weeks it is improving slowly - and we assume it is something positional affecting my left foot which is not moving at all as the camper is an automatic!

[Aqua47 in reply to PMRpro]

I know it would be hard for me to cut out salt, as I use it some to bring out the taste of food. Seems I have lost some sense of taste lately. I eat very little processed food. If you don’t mind me asking, what was your heart condition? I’ve had problems with feet swelling for awhile, and I don’t think I have a heart condition.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Aqua47]

I have atrial fibrillation. And obviously it was affecting me more than anyone thought - they all muttered about the ankle swelling but never associated it with the a/f. Within days of the ablation - no swollen ankles!!! And I promise you - it is surprising what they find IF THEY LOOK!!!!!

My PMR caused the atrial fibrillation.

[Aqua47 in reply to PMRpro]

That’s good to know. I’ve never had any tests done for heart problems, just a treadmill test, probably 10 years or more ago.

[Naim1]

Hi, I get this as well. I have found this has been happening on a day when I crash with fatigue.

I have even been photographing my face to record what has been going on.

When I rest ( and spend the day sleeping on & off😖) my eyes & face return to normal over the following 24 to 48 hours.

[AtopicGuy]

Just a few mg/dy of oral steroids is usually enough to suppress hay-fever and other common allergies. The problem then reappears as the taper approaches zero.

[Mumdadlove]

I have baggy eyes and it’s definitely down to the pred, my mum had PMR and GCA on steroids and when I look at photos I can see the puffy face and eyes, I didn’t realise at the time what was causing this as she passed 16 years ago and there wasn’t the info that we have now, I have big chubby cheeks, my eyes are puffy and dark underneath, I do have dry eyes and use drops regularly day and through the night, the puffiness gets worse throughout the day as I become more tired, start the day with a really high colour and end it grey and drained looking, the joys!