Prednisone & Belly Fat

soontobeskinnysara

Hi there. I'm currently on 15mg of Prednisone (the devil), tapering down from 40mg. Although I've been eating really well and exercising almost daily, my belly is STILL BIG. It's just bloated and puffy, and I look pregnant! Has anyone experienced this bloating, and if so, how did you get rid of it (other than going off the meds)?

Thanks!

mombo322

Have you had any responses to this? I was on prednisone for several years and my muscle tone took a beating. I have the belly still, which they say women on prednisone can have, like a spare tire. I just want to get rid of it. What started out as a bloated look is now just a layer of fat.

stephkyp

I GO ON AND OFF PREDNISONE AND IT'S JUST NOT FUN - THE BELLY THING YOU ARE SPEAKING OF IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY SIDE EFFECTS. I HAVE FOUND THAT DRINKING LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER HELPS - MAKING YOU FEEL FULL AND REDUCING THE BLOAT. SOMETIMES WHEN I AM ON I CAN'T STOP EATING! THE EFFECTS LAST FOR MONTHS AFTERWARDS TOO. HOWEVER WITH ALL THAT SAID - IF YOU NEED THEM - YOU NEED THEM AND THEY ARE A BLESSING WHEN I HAVE A FLARE UP SO JUST GO WITH IT!! GOOD LUCK!

becka63

When I was on pred (also tapering, and I have great difficulty in coming off it) I found that my extra fat gathered on my face. All I can suggest is drinking lots of water, not giving in to the excessive bouts of hunger steroids can give you and being aware that this side effect can last for weeks or even months after you stop taking them, good luck!

tfancey

Water, water, water.
Thats the best advice I have though , it's easier to get it off when you're off it or even when you're around 10 or lower. It's a sucky side effect!!

HealthyLivingKathy

I do hate this drug!!! Moonface, beer belly (I've never even tasted the stuff) and look like the Goodyear Blimp. On prednisone at 5mg once a day now for 2-1/2 years to prevent rejection of heart transplant. Gained 30# the first 6 months and have stayed at that since. Lost 10# while in hospital for encephalitis and now that 10# is back.

Have been exercising like crazy the past four weeks, watching my calories and carbs. No weight lost, no inches lost. Nothing. Nada.

Really frustrated. Reading on internet today and didn't find any encouraging info. Limit salt and drink water is the best I saw. :sad:

Jenjaz1910

Pred is the route of all evil!!! I did 2 bouts of 6 months on it BUT it made me better which was the main thing!! Nothing specific really to suggest but drink plenty of water and core exercises! Good luck with coming off the pred Hun x

insane5150

I was taking 20mg of prednisone daily for RA, I gained 17lbs really fast. I know that you aren't supposed to just stop talking them, but I did. Workout on the reg could not lose weigh. All of a sudden i drop 9lbs!! Awesome i'll take it. Certainly has its pros & cons.

soontobeskinnysara

Luckily, I've been off it since March and the weight did come off and my face shrunk, but my belly, not as much as I'd like. It's got a REALLY long half life (six months?) so I'm just chalking up the few extra pounds to the prednisone that might be in my system. I've lost weight for sure since I've been off it, but it wasn't easy. Prednisone is the worst!

HealthyLivingKathy

I stopped eating sugar and wheat at the beginning of the month. As little processed foods as possible. I'm eating around 1000 calories a day and <100 carbs. Lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Watching sodium and drinking a lot of water. Eating every 2-1/2 to 3 hours and trying to stay below 300 calories in a meal. Have lost a total of 16 pounds, 2 from April before I started this and 14 this month. Also exercising 90 min a day 6 times a week. Going to Dr tomorrow so will see what he thinks. I had read online that with the prednisone you have to stay around 1000 calories. I know that they say this isn't enough and I'll go into starvation.

This is loosely based on the Thurman 6 week body makeover. I lost 100 pounds on it eating even less and never stopped the weight loss. It was much more restrictive with the food choices, combos etc. I'm being much more liberal with my choices. Because it was so restricted, I binged when I stopped and over the next 2-3 years gained all but 20 pounds back.

I'm not eating sugar because I'm a sugar-alolic. I can't stop if I start. I ate some sugar and wheat over the weekend and felt absolutely awful.

HealthyLivingKathy

they dropped my Prednisone from 5mg to 2.5mg Monday. Requires that I have a heart biopsy in Sept. but I'm willing if I can get off this evil drug. I've been on since 12/31/09. Wondering how long it will take to work the bad stuff out of me?

sexy_vixen

i have been taking prednisone for the last 3 months and gained a lot of weight. I have found out that by drinking 2 cups of Pu-erh tea and lots of water ( this tea is a natural diuretic) i have been able to lose a bit of the puffiness. I have only been drinking this tea for about a week and it helps with water retension and suppresses your appetite. just dont add sugar to it.

christinebtle

I am back on prednisone (40mg, tapering down over six weeks) and am feeling so discouraged. I wanted to lose weight and get healthy again, but just as I was starting to see results, my dr put me back on prednisone). I work out hard seven times a week and in calorie restricting to just 1200 calories a day (I cheat on weekends), but my weight is yo-yoing and Im quickly losing the motivation. Is anyone still struggling with weight loss related to the use of prednisone? how quickly did the weight come off? I need a support buddy.

SiXiam

I've been on prednisone for a long time now. Currently at 20mg, coming down from 35mg.

I can honestly say I've never gained weight due to prednisone. I've gained by eating too much pasta and cheese sauce!
Now that I religiously count calories I've been losing weight per my calculated calorie deficit. No fudge factor I can blame on my medication.

I've read the reason for the weight gain on the medication is that it can increase appetite, so maybe that is a factor for people.

I always drink plenty of water. My 1 liter Nalgene bottle is my constant companion.
I've never experienced any of the puffiness. Not sure if that's due to my water habits.

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christinebtle

I know my weight gain is related to the meds. I was always thin until I started prednisone at 20. I led a very active life style and never gained weight. in the time I was using prednisone, I gainedabout 25# without any changes in my diet or life style. I was just packing on weight and my face became very large and swollen looking. when I stopped, it went away about five or six months later, but not all of it. I've been on and off it since then and after having my last child, I lost all my baby weight plus a few extra pounds. I wanted to tighten up my belly because my skin stretched abd I just wanted to get fit even more, but I've been packing on the weight. not as much as before, but calorie restriction and working out hasn't been enough for me to get additional weight off. I'm glad you haven't had any of the typical symptoms related to prednisone use.

fleetzz

I don't know anybody who successfully lost weight and got in shape while on steroids. Steroids suck.

IamUndrCnstruction

Over the past year and a a half I have been on prednisone, 10 mg a day (though I weaned myself down to 5 mg a day). I gained about 30 pounds at first. I have since lost 20 of them, however they have been the hardest 20 pounds of my effin life. If I had logged and was as careful of what I eat three years ago, as I am now, I would probably have lost 50 pounds by now :indifferent: I have a tummy that I never had before, even when I was heavier than I am now.

I guess you can lose weight while on the evil pred, but it is a long uphill battle!

nttun

I've been on prednisone for the past SIX years and am still on it. Thought diet and proper exercise, I've lost 25 pounds. But it is a huge uphill battle to do this . You must never give up.

OkamiLavande

I've taken prednisone before and it causes me to bloat up majorly. It's not caused me any weight gain because I've not taken it extensively, but I have been on an anti-psychotic that caused me to gain forty pounds in just under a month. You don't even realize you're eating sometimes with some of these medications. It took stopping the medication and six months to lose half of the weight I gained. The half-life of medication is why the battle to lose the weight is so difficult. It's still in your system thus retaining some of the effects of it and that makes your body's natural ability as a women to store fat even more so. You just have to clean up your diet and exercise as often as you can while drinking lots of water. Being honest about everything you put in your mouth makes a big difference too.

It took four years to finally find medications that didn't cause me to gain weight for my psychological problems and for the past year I've not gained weight except for holidays.

Just be patient. It's hard, I know, but you've got to do it.

Gingeylove

Prednisone is my love hate relationship. I know without it, I'm screwed. But on it.... Well, you all know.
I have been on it every day since 2007. I range from 60mg down to 5mg. I am actually on 5mg right now. Yay!!
My Rheumatologist told me that once I'm at 10mg and under, the swelling in the face will go down. I have found that to be true.
The tummy however, that is another story. I also have the blubber belly from the years of prednisone. I was always so lucky to not get much fat around the middle. Now, it's sort of glued to me. I would love to know if anyone had won the battle of the bulge after prednisone?

SDRob67

I've been off and on with prednisone. This time I drink water to take my meds and I feel full. I am also taking cyclophosphamide. I was told in the begging that I had RA, now they say I have Churgh Strauss syndrome with Vasculitis. My Dr (the fourth one) Says If I don't keep the vasculitis under control I'll die. I tapper my amount of prednisone myself and I don't feel a difference if I take it or not, I am down from 60 mgms in the begging to now 20 mgms a day. I hate prednisone. I will try the tea and drink lots of water to see what happens, meanwhile if anyone has any advice, I'm all ears, Thanks.

GiveMeCoffee

I don't know anybody who successfully lost weight and got in shape while on steroids. Steroids suck.

They do suck but yes it is possible. I was on a very high daily dose of prednisone when I started and for the first 8 months of my weight loss. It meant I had to carefully monitor my intake and deal with some water retention due to the prednisone. It does have a side effect of increased appetite which logging and just realizing that I didn't need more food helped me deal with. Finding my sweet spot for losing required constant monitoring and tweaking but yes it is possible.

Now that I don't require the daily dose and have only been needed it twice for 7 days each in the past almost year, it does make it easier.

It's not easy but it is possible.

gemflic29

I am a severe brittle asthmatic and am on high doses of prednisalone (40mg) monthly. I lost 3 stone after having my daughter and in 5 years i have gained just over 5 stone. I am repulsed by the way steroids have msde me look, so much so it has turned me into a recluse. Due to the severity of my asthma excersising is very hard for me as i am left short of breath doing the gentlest of exercises. I do not know what i can do to get this horrid look gone, the moon fat face, the beer belly look, it is dreadful, even my long term partner left me because of it. Any advice would be greatfully received x

t1313rock

gemflic29 wrote: »

I am a severe brittle asthmatic and am on high doses of prednisalone (40mg) monthly. I lost 3 stone after having my daughter and in 5 years i have gained just over 5 stone. I am repulsed by the way steroids have msde me look, so much so it has turned me into a recluse. Due to the severity of my asthma excersising is very hard for me as i am left short of breath doing the gentlest of exercises. I do not know what i can do to get this horrid look gone, the moon fat face, the beer belly look, it is dreadful, even my long term partner left me because of it. Any advice would be greatfully received x

I will tell u with my asthma being almost as brittle, I started looking into natural remedies to asthma. I found one that works for me very well and keeps my attacks at bay. Its clear lungs by ridgecrest herbals but I don't want to advertise for them. You can do your own research as I'm sure that there are other products like it. May god bless u and the health of you and your family.

StanW_19

I've been taking Prednisone for about 6 years for Multiple Myeloma. Starting at 150mg/wk. Now down to 15mg/wk. I've climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, lost 12 lbs but, still had a belly. Just trekked to Everest Base Camp. Lost 5-7 pounds. Still have a belly. It's become quite annoying