Cushings?

[Phoebenooby]

I lost over a stone over the few months I had undiagnosed PMR. Since being on Pred I have put it back on…. I have read about moon face and neck hump…I have both slightly…. I didn’t realise that could mean cushings disease? Is it serious or just a side affect of the steroids?

[SnazzyD]

It is a temporary side effect. It is not cushings disease but symptoms are for the same reason, a surplus of corticosteroid. In your case that surplus is a planned and induced reason (Pred) and will resolve as the dose drops. Cushings is a physical malfunction that needs the source of the issue treated so that the abnormally high cortisol level normalises.

you can mitigate it to an extent by reducing carbohydrates in your diet a lot and reducing salt.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It isn't Cushing's disease but Cushing's syndrome. In the disease there is something pathological wrong in your body and it produces far too much corticosteroid in the form of cortisol. You also have an excess of corticosteroid but it is due to an exogenous source, your pred pills. They know where it is from.