I've had PMR since April 2015. Started with 20mg of prednisone, and now down to 8.5 mg. I've gained 18 pounds! I know that our bodies process carbs differently while on prednisone, and I'm trying to limit the carbs. At what point does the weight start to come off? How low a dose does it begin at? I've been able to be active, walking or playing tennis every day of the week. The weight is around my belly and my neck/chin! I really can't stand it, but it is better than the pain PMR causes!
I was dx Nov. 1 with 40 mg. pred for 1 month then tapered to 30 mg. until the end of March. I have much edema in my feet and ankles and recently gained 8 -9 lbs in a veryi short time. I am watching my diet VERY closely, I do eat healthy, lots of veggies, salads, greek yogurt, fruit, little bread or crackers. I'm surviving OK, and I've been doing interval walking every morning for 1 1/2 miles. I did get my weight down in several days, but I've noticed I do have to keep this up. Yes, I've given up some of my favorite foods, and so many of them have salt causing me to retain fluid. So far this is working for me. It's a mind set, and I do crave other good foods but trying not to gain. Good luck to you.
As you say, Renee, our bodies process glycemic carbs differently and also salt and sweets. I try to drink a lot if water.
i have GCA there are three years.
Started on Pred 60mg and immediately cut salt, sweets and glycemic carbs.
i was drastic on my diet due to the high dose of Pred I had to take.
In the onset of the illness before being diagnosed I lost 12 pounds, regained just few pounds.
Most part of PMR patients I see they complain about the weight gain though- the Pred increases the appetit, too.
The weight gain must be hard to bear.
I have no idea when the the weight comes to normal - or if it doesn't while on Pred.
Anyway as you say, better Pred with less pain and less inflammation!
i exercise indoors doing treadmill while listening to the tunes which keep me going without feeling boredom.
Again, we are all different - I cannot walk miles and miles, or go for hiking and swimming as so many people are able to do.
I accept myself the way I am.
Renee wish you a healthy and happy 2016.
Take care.
i do not have symptoms of PMR.
The doctors (primary and Rheumy) scared me into a very strict diet, so I didn't gain weight, only had the round face and hump back until tapered.
no flour, no rice, no grains, no dairy, no sugar, no starches (potatoes),
basically only meats and veggies, some fruit, but I can't do fruit very often.
I'm shocked I lost 22 lbs, now I'm skinny, too skinny actually. I had to stop my wine drinking, so I really lost weight.
Flour or products really make us hungry, boo hoo, I miss them! Lately I've eaten some! But sure enough it makes me crave them more. Darn.
maybe grains do same thing, complex carbs I guess.
Doctor said always protein, healthy fats like avacados, almonds. Lots of dark greens, spinach, salad greens, ...
Good luck.
I was diag. 07-2015 on 17.5 mg. prednisone & same thing lots stomach weight, bloat, weight gain in neck upper back & puffed up "moonface". As you I hate it too but feel much better. Hope some answers come through on how people lost weight & on how low of a dose before weight loss happens.
changed from continuous travel and lean to sedentary at time of diagnosis. Baked lots of cakes and grazed when inactive. Added about 9kg. Felt uncomfortable. Eventually stopped cakes and bread and grazing (very hard) and reduced portion size - about half. Lost 200gm / week for 6 months. About 6.5kg. Extra exercise didn't increase rate of loss. Weighed every day - my weight can go up/down by 1kg in 24 hours - and watched the trend. I have an engineering mind so it made sense. How much pred didn't seem to make much difference, masked by change of lifestyle and inactivity, though the grazing was probably partly pred inspired as I've never been prone to that in the past.
Would like to add I eat nuts, salads, kale,broccoli ( cooked without any salt just a drop of olive oil, broiled veggies with a drop of olive oil, too, sprinkled with dried oregano, + eggs, some fresh mozzarella, some toasted pita bread, avocado, blueberries/ strawberries topped with a spoon of plain yogurts, etc.
Now and then I give me the permission of eating oatmeal with cinnamon and nuts toasted almonds.
I eat fish - specially like salmon, tilapia, whatever I can find.
When eating read meat what I rarely do, it is always organic.
As I said previously my diet was drastic at the very beginning of the treatment due to the a high amount of Pred for my GCA.
I keep cooking without any salt up to today.
I was unable to lose ANY weight until I totally got off the pred. Before that any attempts were fruitless for me. Now I am able to lose, but have to do the regular weight losing stuff of course.
iellen, I too lost weight before my diagnosis, and have regained very little of it over the past 7 months. I was very strict with myself from the very beginning, and a moderately high blood sugar reading made me even more careful. Considering how abstemious I've been, especially the last few months, plus regular exercise, I'm actually surprised I've put on any weight - guess it must be the pred!
Hi there
I started I September 20 MG and now 17.5 with a 7 week taper and that was tough will try a taper again in March after holidays.
My question is how did you get down so fast.
Mariane
I have been slowly loosing weight which I needed to do prior but literally don't eat bread, rice, pasta, sugar, but not counting calories and swim 3-4 days a week.
Started this just prior to diagnosis in Sept and list 23lbs and 23 to go.
Good luck
I didn't think it was so fast! I usually stay at a dose for 3-4 weeks then go down .5 mg at a time. I had gotten down to 7 mg, but messed up my dose for a few days and started to get a flare, so I went back up.
Yes, more likely must be the Pred.
On the other hand based on my own experience during these three years of GCA, cooking with no salt at all, avoiding to add salt to salads, or whatever I prepare, the size of the portions of anything I eat, being careful to avoid eating - even a little after dinner, all this put together make a good difference on the scale.
I drink tea - green tea, or ginseng tea and look for diuretic vegetables and fruits like asparagus and canteloupe.
OMG isn't something?! Patience, patience, patience, the mother of all virtues!
Please, read 'red' meat....Sorry!
You are fortunate, it took from my initial dose 2 months plus for my body to stabilize on the initial dose and then I dropped from 20 to 17.5 over 7 weeks and then it was to fast. Mind you I've had a lot of stress during this time period so that is probably having a key factor. I got down to 17.5mg weeks before Xmas and we leave south for a month so I will wait till late February to try again.
As for weight it's slow but as I said below and my Dr himself does it, we got rid of potatoes ,pasta, rice ,bread, sugar obviously most deserts and watch the fruits because most have high carbs.
Both my husband and I have min 2 eggs a day don't worry about bacon cheese etc and his check up the other day his cholesterol went down. In the past I always ate this way but when hubby and I met I worked and he cooked (retired ) and we both put on way too much weight. He love bread pasta and deserts and I'm a food aholic so I gained weight. We don't count calories and I have cheese sauce on my veggies daily.
We still get carbs you can't help it, we make great schnitzel and have it but we don't go out if our way and make pasta, I use spaghetti squash for noodles with my meat sauce and really like it.
My chocolate treat for Christmas was a great sugar free diabetic chocolate bar with hazelnut. I didn't eat the crust but had the pumpkin pie. It is easy to follow and with exercise to will see a difference, although mine is slow just over 1lb a week.
Good luck
well done Elijo and great tips .
Thanks, constant work! Good luck to you1
Thanks so much for the reply & information. Starting back to my walking routine today. I know the bloat, weight gain, moonface, is part of prednisone treatment & diet/exercise will not counteract these side-effects completely.
But it will help! We can't let ourseslves go! Yes, my face has "filled out" but everyone says I look good. (wrinkles are filled out! Ha!) My face does get quite red, does anyone else's face become red frequently? I don't need to wear any blush, veryi little make up, just some lipstick!
It's nearly a fulltime job, isn't it? Today I got up, did my physio and yoga exercises, ate breakfast and took my pred and vitamins etc. Then I had a little rest with a cat on my lap. After that I tidied up a pile of clutter. Had morning tea break. Went for a walk (about 1 hour). Had lunch, checked my email and played the piano. Had another little walk. Just enjoying afternoon tea and snack now. Soon it will be time to make supper. This evening I will practice tai chi, do more physio and yoga, watch tv and read, and have yet another snack before bed, with ginger tea. Seems that all I do is eat, sleep and exercise, although most days I do have an outside activity planned.