Losing weight... Prednisone...

rsrocker
rsrocker Posts: 12
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone. I'm new here, although I've been to the site a few times looking for help. :3

I'm trying to get my old self back. I am 19 and used to be 190-200 pounds. I have a kidney disorder that causes me to swell and retain large amounts of fluid all over my body, and can only be counteracted with the evil Prednisone. I had my last big relapse in August and was discharged from the hospital at 185 pounds... bit low for my liking. I started an oral treatment of Prednisone for almost 5 months and it put me to 220 pounds. I've sense had ANOTHER relapse and hospitalization, and now (I have fluid on me as of right now) I sit at 245 and still taking the oral Prednisone. I'm sick of this increased weight and have decided to take extreme action into losing it and rebounding my metabolism that Prednisone killed. I want to be back to 200 even if I have to fight this Devil Drug.

It's really hard for me to do much in the way of cardio (apart from bicycle machines) because of the swelling in my legs, and the doctors advise against it until the swelling is gone. I'm cutting my calories down, eating healthier, and doing toning exercises with a 20 pound dumbbell. I just need to know if you guys know of anything I can do for cardio or to try helping my legs out best I can in my current shape. Even walking isn't advised until the fluid is gone, but I can't just sit here and watch the number on the scale keep rising. Any help for a desperate teenager? LOL.

Replies

  • angieleighbyrd
    angieleighbyrd Posts: 989 Member
    Honestly I am hesitant on giving advice here. I would speak to your doctor and get his advice.
  • jsiricos
    jsiricos Posts: 340 Member
    If you are "just sitting there" get your legs/feet above your heart (cushions/pillows) a few hours a day.

    Next, get on that bike and ride like your life depends on it. - you have to get the fluid moving out of your legs.

    There are plenty of upper body exercises (that I'm sure someone knows better than me)

    Prednisone, can be either very good, or very bad, sounds like you aren't one that does well with it, - me.. turns me into a maniac, as in cleaning the entire house, including polishing the floors in 3 hours with energy to spare.

    The extra fluid is putting a strain on your heart, you need to be asking your Dr some serious questions, such as "Is this the ONLY med that will work? If so, why isnt't it working?"
  • rsrocker
    rsrocker Posts: 12
    I have, and I'm doing what I was told. It just isn't enough and it needs more of a boost.
  • rsrocker
    rsrocker Posts: 12
    If you are "just sitting there" get your legs/feet above your heart (cushions/pillows) a few hours a day.

    Next, get on that bike and ride like your life depends on it. - you have to get the fluid moving out of your legs.

    There are plenty of upper body exercises (that I'm sure someone knows better than me)

    Prednisone, can be either very good, or very bad, sounds like you aren't one that does well with it, - me.. turns me into a maniac, as in cleaning the entire house, including polishing the floors in 3 hours with energy to spare.

    The extra fluid is putting a strain on your heart, you need to be asking your Dr some serious questions, such as "Is this the ONLY med that will work? If so, why isnt't it working?"

    I do elevate my feet best I can. If I'm laying on my bed I have my feet on my footboard, haha.

    I've got the upper body part down... push ups, dumbbell reps, crunches (with and without exercise ball) and such as that. It's the lower body (and the fluid all over my body) causing the issues. A good 25-30 pounds of this is actually water... and sadly I can't take diuretics until I stop spilling protein... which the Prednisone has to do. It does work, we just hit a speed bump with my other medication (Prograf).

    I hit the bike 2-4 times a week, I only have access to it at the college and I ride for half an hour like my life depends on it... went almost 10 miles the last time I was on it. I've never had good reactions to Prednisone, and it pretty much is about all I can take...
  • jsiricos
    jsiricos Posts: 340 Member
    Are you diabetic?
  • docsharon
    docsharon Posts: 55 Member
    I'd ask your doc if you could swim, do water aerobics, or walk in the pool.
  • Angiebabe2
    Angiebabe2 Posts: 25
    Hello

    Poor you not much fun!

    But although many people will tell you that you cant lose weight on pred I have done so but it is harder.

    Firstly it sounds as though a huge part of your weight gain is fluid and as your condition improves this will change. But pred can also make you retain fluid so deal with it by eating really clean and watching your salt intake so no chips crisps etc. -check this out with the docs as you have a different condition to me! as counterintuitive as it seems drink plenty of water as this will help flush the excess fluid out of your body - this really works!

    Your appetite will increase crazily but think of it as head hunger not body hunger

    There is a book called coping with prednisolone i got from amazon which may help

    Also listen to the docs pred can make you tired rest now and exercise when you improve

    Good luck and dont hate the pred it can save lives but beat the b!! At its own game




    Pred can really up your appetite in a crazy way that unless you have taken it no one understands Im talking eating the fridge door not just whats in it!
    There is quite a good book on amazon called coping with prednisolone which has some useful info

    As to exercise listen to your docs!

    I would follow your docs advice re holding off on the exercise until you feel better and concentrate on feeding your body healthy stuff
  • rsrocker
    rsrocker Posts: 12
    Are you diabetic?

    No, thankfully. Haha.
  • rsrocker
    rsrocker Posts: 12
    I'd ask your doc if you could swim, do water aerobics, or walk in the pool.

    That might be easier with the summer months coming up, but I have no access to a pool regularly. :/
  • rsrocker
    rsrocker Posts: 12
    Hello

    Poor you not much fun!

    But although many people will tell you that you cant lose weight on pred I have done so but it is harder.

    Firstly it sounds as though a huge part of your weight gain is fluid and as your condition improves this will change. But pred can also make you retain fluid so deal with it by eating really clean and watching your salt intake so no chips crisps etc. -check this out with the docs as you have a different condition to me! as counterintuitive as it seems drink plenty of water as this will help flush the excess fluid out of your body - this really works!

    Your appetite will increase crazily but think of it as head hunger not body hunger

    There is a book called coping with prednisolone i got from amazon which may help

    Also listen to the docs pred can make you tired rest now and exercise when you improve

    Good luck and dont hate the pred it can save lives but beat the b!! At its own game




    Pred can really up your appetite in a crazy way that unless you have taken it no one understands Im talking eating the fridge door not just whats in it!
    There is quite a good book on amazon called coping with prednisolone which has some useful info

    As to exercise listen to your docs!

    I would follow your docs advice re holding off on the exercise until you feel better and concentrate on feeding your body healthy stuff

    Haha, oh I know. I've been on and off this medication sense I was just 2 years old. It makes you want to eat the paint off the walls! xD

    I'm drinking large amounts of water to help - drunk a literal gallon yesterday alone and alright at 4 cups and it's just 12pm here. I'm trying to sweat (hard to do without cardio I've found...) and flush anything out of me. I'm in decent shape despite all of this, so doing exercise itself isn't hard... it's just very difficult with the added weight and my legs as big as they are. I can still lift, punch, swim, etc... so it hasn't made me COMPLETELY immobile, thankfully. I'm so used to being able to burn off weight like that -snap- but the Prednisone has crushed my metabolism and so it's becoming increasingly hard to just get a normal weight.
  • lorilwayne2
    lorilwayne2 Posts: 33 Member
    What things did your doctor tell you to do? Prednisone unfortunately is one of those drugs that adds weight just by looking at it. Kind of like me with Chocolate cake. We all face challenges with weight loss and things that mess with our metabolism. For me it is working nights and switching back and forth from the night shift pattern and the "normal" day routine the rest of the world follows. I was never one to believe in the Circadian rhythm pattern. Hang in there try to minimize the gain that Prednisone naturally gives and know that when the Prednisone is weaned it will get better. In the meantime light walking is something you could do- maybe take stairs instead of the elevator if you live in the city. Eating a kidney friendly diet. Those are just some thoughts that come to my mind. Good luck and will be thinking of you.
  • lorilwayne2
    lorilwayne2 Posts: 33 Member
    Maybe try some circulatory socks for the legs- that helps me when I work long stretches of 12 hour shifts and notice fluid retention in my legs. Just a thought. If they are too much you can use ACE wraps up the legs it will help the same way. Ask your doctor about this and see what his take is.
  • amyoliver85
    amyoliver85 Posts: 353 Member
    Hi RsRocker,

    Prednisone is not the only steroid that you can take for a kidney disorder. If this is what your doctor told you then you need to get a new doctor. I have Lupus and it is in my kidneys so I also have a kidney disorder. I happen to be allergic to Prednisone, so obviously, they're not giving it to me. There are also plenty of natural ways that you can treat your kidney disorder as well. Talk to your doctor and ask to be put on something else. If they deny you the right to try a different medication, then get a new doctor. I know that that can be really hard, especially when it comes to specialists. They're hard to come by. I rely much more heavily on my family practitioner, who has known me my entire life than I do on my specialists because he has a tendency to WANT to help me, not to tell me that "that's just the way it is".

    Also, when you have a kidney dysfunction you should NEVER exercise like your life depends on it, because your life depends on you NOT doing that. Combining kidney stress with overexercising can cause myocardial dysfunction. Stick to light cardio for longer periods of time. Sustain a safe heart rate when you are trying to exercise. This means in your middle HR zone. I never try to go above 140.

    Also, check your diet. Your kidney problems can be exacerbated by excess protein. So make sure you're not getting too much protein. When you have a disorder like this, you may not get to do the things you want--bulk up, slim down, get lean, etc. You have to do what is right for your body. This may not be what you want and you may not like it, but you have to live with it or you might not live to hate it. Remember that protein comes from many sources and you have to be really aware of that fact.

    Cleansing your body is a really good way to help your kidneys too. And I don't mean doing a body cleanse. Those are very dangerous for kidney patients. What I mean is doing a special elimination diet. Find the foods that cause your inflammation and symptoms to get worse. So eat safe foods. This is like brown rice, veggies, fruit. ZERO meat proteins and carbs for about two weeks. Oh, and NOOOO dairy. Then add ONE food at a time every three days to see how your body feels. You may also need to talk to your doctor about taking digestive enzymes, especially pancreatic enzymes. This is even more important if you've been getting too much protein.

    Look. The thing is you have to remember that right now you're focusing on the wrong thing. You want to get fit. You CAN'T do that until you get those kidneys under control. And the only way you're going to do that is by getting the right medications, the right supplements, and the right foods in your body. Also, btw, it sounds like you may need a diuretic waaaay more than you need prednisone. Have you ever talked to your doctor about a diuretic? Have you been tested for an autoimmune disease? If your ANA is high, then you DEFINITELY need to get on a gluten free diet, at least for a little while. You have got to restart your body. When was the last time someone checked your creatinine? How about your liver?

    I know that this is hard to hear and that it's not what you want to hear, but I'm breaking it down for you because no one ever bothered to break it down for me.

    1- Talk to your doc about switching medications, the possible need for a diuretic, an ANA test, and digestive enzymes.
    2- Get a second opinion, even if it's just from a family practitioner. This doctor can also do an ANA test.
    3- Cut meat proteins, dairy and gluten products out of your diet for two weeks. Also cut out unhealthy fats and all processed foods.
    4- Add foods back in slowly, one at a time to see if any of them are contributing to your kidney problems.
    5- Cut out all liquids except for FRESH fruit juice and veggie juice (this means you have to make it yourself) and water.
    6- Reduce your exercise to 50% push. Never get out of your middle cardio zone unless you're going lower. Maintain that by doubling your exercise time.
    7- Remember that you need to drink a lot of water.

    Anyway, I am going through all of this right now myself. I have done an elimination diet once before and it did wonders for my body. I have little willpower though. I am starting again next week because I know that I need to do it to save myself and keep myself healthy.

    You need to know that changing your body when you have a problem like yours can take 5-10 times longer than a normal person. Don't get discouraged and don't push it too hard. You're only making it worse.
  • rsrocker
    rsrocker Posts: 12
    What things did your doctor tell you to do? Prednisone unfortunately is one of those drugs that adds weight just by looking at it. Kind of like me with Chocolate cake. We all face challenges with weight loss and things that mess with our metabolism. For me it is working nights and switching back and forth from the night shift pattern and the "normal" day routine the rest of the world follows. I was never one to believe in the Circadian rhythm pattern. Hang in there try to minimize the gain that Prednisone naturally gives and know that when the Prednisone is weaned it will get better. In the meantime light walking is something you could do- maybe take stairs instead of the elevator if you live in the city. Eating a kidney friendly diet. Those are just some thoughts that come to my mind. Good luck and will be thinking of you.

    Told me to follow a low sodium/low fat diet, try to keep off my legs best I can until the fluid is off me, and keep doing what I'm currently doing (lifting weights, etc).

    As long as I've been on it here recently they said it may be Christmas before I see the weight start to let go. I can't sit back and wait on it to do that. I'm ready to be myself NOW... it's April and I've had increased weight sense August. I don't want to wait any longer.
  • amyoliver85
    amyoliver85 Posts: 353 Member

    Haha, oh I know. I've been on and off this medication sense I was just 2 years old. It makes you want to eat the paint off the walls! xD

    I'm drinking large amounts of water to help - drunk a literal gallon yesterday alone and alright at 4 cups and it's just 12pm here. I'm trying to sweat (hard to do without cardio I've found...) and flush anything out of me. I'm in decent shape despite all of this, so doing exercise itself isn't hard... it's just very difficult with the added weight and my legs as big as they are. I can still lift, punch, swim, etc... so it hasn't made me COMPLETELY immobile, thankfully. I'm so used to being able to burn off weight like that -snap- but the Prednisone has crushed my metabolism and so it's becoming increasingly hard to just get a normal weight.

    Don't overdo the water. Remember the standard rule is roughly 8 ounces per hour when you're not working out. Don't drink a ton more than that or you'll just freak out your kidneys even more. Unless your doctor has specifically told you to drink more than that.
  • jeanababy2
    jeanababy2 Posts: 14
    You should really talk with your DR about this and if you feel he/she is not doing enough I would look into a 2nd opinion from a NEW dr. Also watch your sodium (salt) intake It will also make u retain a lot of water let alone with your devil drug LOL. I know Prednisone sucks it does the same thing to me when I have to take it. I think it does to just about any one. Hang in there it will all come together. One upper body cardio you can do it just tossing a ball up in the air (basketball or a weighted ball 5lbs ) over and over again do it at a faster pace that will raise your heart rate or toss it back and forth with another person again at a pace that raises your heart rate. I do this with my brother-in-law b/c he has ALOT of problems with his knees and its been helping him. I hope things get better for you!! Keep us posted ok :)
  • rsrocker
    rsrocker Posts: 12
    Hi RsRocker,

    Prednisone is not the only steroid that you can take for a kidney disorder. If this is what your doctor told you then you need to get a new doctor. I have Lupus and it is in my kidneys so I also have a kidney disorder. I happen to be allergic to Prednisone, so obviously, they're not giving it to me. There are also plenty of natural ways that you can treat your kidney disorder as well. Talk to your doctor and ask to be put on something else. If they deny you the right to try a different medication, then get a new doctor. I know that that can be really hard, especially when it comes to specialists. They're hard to come by. I rely much more heavily on my family practitioner, who has known me my entire life than I do on my specialists because he has a tendency to WANT to help me, not to tell me that "that's just the way it is".

    Also, when you have a kidney dysfunction you should NEVER exercise like your life depends on it, because your life depends on you NOT doing that. Combining kidney stress with overexercising can cause myocardial dysfunction. Stick to light cardio for longer periods of time. Sustain a safe heart rate when you are trying to exercise. This means in your middle HR zone. I never try to go above 140.

    Also, check your diet. Your kidney problems can be exacerbated by excess protein. So make sure you're not getting too much protein. When you have a disorder like this, you may not get to do the things you want--bulk up, slim down, get lean, etc. You have to do what is right for your body. This may not be what you want and you may not like it, but you have to live with it or you might not live to hate it. Remember that protein comes from many sources and you have to be really aware of that fact.

    Cleansing your body is a really good way to help your kidneys too. And I don't mean doing a body cleanse. Those are very dangerous for kidney patients. What I mean is doing a special elimination diet. Find the foods that cause your inflammation and symptoms to get worse. So eat safe foods. This is like brown rice, veggies, fruit. ZERO meat proteins and carbs for about two weeks. Oh, and NOOOO dairy. Then add ONE food at a time every three days to see how your body feels. You may also need to talk to your doctor about taking digestive enzymes, especially pancreatic enzymes. This is even more important if you've been getting too much protein.

    Look. The thing is you have to remember that right now you're focusing on the wrong thing. You want to get fit. You CAN'T do that until you get those kidneys under control. And the only way you're going to do that is by getting the right medications, the right supplements, and the right foods in your body. Also, btw, it sounds like you may need a diuretic waaaay more than you need prednisone. Have you ever talked to your doctor about a diuretic? Have you been tested for an autoimmune disease? If your ANA is high, then you DEFINITELY need to get on a gluten free diet, at least for a little while. You have got to restart your body. When was the last time someone checked your creatinine? How about your liver?

    I know that this is hard to hear and that it's not what you want to hear, but I'm breaking it down for you because no one ever bothered to break it down for me.

    1- Talk to your doc about switching medications, the possible need for a diuretic, an ANA test, and digestive enzymes.
    2- Get a second opinion, even if it's just from a family practitioner. This doctor can also do an ANA test.
    3- Cut meat proteins, dairy and gluten products out of your diet for two weeks. Also cut out unhealthy fats and all processed foods.
    4- Add foods back in slowly, one at a time to see if any of them are contributing to your kidney problems.
    5- Cut out all liquids except for FRESH fruit juice and veggie juice (this means you have to make it yourself) and water.
    6- Reduce your exercise to 50% push. Never get out of your middle cardio zone unless you're going lower. Maintain that by doubling your exercise time.
    7- Remember that you need to drink a lot of water.

    Anyway, I am going through all of this right now myself. I have done an elimination diet once before and it did wonders for my body. I have little willpower though. I am starting again next week because I know that I need to do it to save myself and keep myself healthy.

    You need to know that changing your body when you have a problem like yours can take 5-10 times longer than a normal person. Don't get discouraged and don't push it too hard. You're only making it worse.

    I'm so very sorry to hear that you're going through that...it's never tough with a vital organ isn't working to it's correct standards.

    My disease is a tad different and uncommon. It's called Nephrotic Syndrome... it causes me to leak my internal protein (specifically Albumin) out in my urine, which in turn causes my body to sell large amounts of fluid in it's joints and muscles. They have checked all my other functions and they are at 100%, and even my kidneys are in AMAZING working order... it's just this disease inside the kidney itself. The doctors call it MCD; Minimal Change Disease; because it can only been seen under an electron microscope and does very little physical damage to the kidneys itself. They label it as "The least damaging, but most annoying to deal with."

    I've only ever been told of another medication I could take besides Prednisone one time, and that was just a few days... ciclosporin I think she may have called it... I'm not entirely sure; she didn't touch on it much. They were able to rebound my Albumin levels from 2.1 to 2.8 (you're supposed to be 3.5-4.5) in 3 days of IV Prednisone and Albumin before sending me home with the oral Pred again. They don't want me taking diuretics because of the damaging effects they have on the kidneys. All my other levels and functions are good (apart from my magnesium being a tad low due to the Pred, but it was only about 0.2) so at this point I'm kinda in a deal-with-it situation. I'm just trying to fight it best I can.

    I eat protein best I can to help counter the loss of it, as well as low fat and sodium because of the Pred. These doctors have been helping me with this sense I was 2 years old, and I've had no complaints with them. I think it's just gonna take time, but at this point I'm just highly discouraged to see myself in the mirror or a scale.

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