Losing weight on steroids

Lisajoannebarry
Lisajoannebarry Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm having to take prednisolone steroids in quite high doses after a severe asthma attack. I'm unable to be active because of my asthma while I'm recovering so my lifestyle is sedentary at best. In the first three weeks of taking prednisolone I have gained a stone, so I've dropped my calorie intake to 1400 a day in order to minimise my weight gain. It's slowed down to on average 2lbs weight gain a week. I can't really afford to consume fewer calories as I am still in recovery and need to fight a respiratory tract infection that's aggravating my asthma, but was hoping for a tip or two on what I can do to keep the lbs from piling on. I thought that perhaps if I cut out carbohydrates that the weight gain might slow or even stop? Any help would be highly appreciated!

Replies

  • mram3582
    mram3582 Posts: 2,482 Member
    I just got off of Prednisone about 3 weeks ago. I was on it for a month starting at 600mg a day and reducing 100 each week. I gained about a stone in a month. I wanted to eat everything in sight and had craving for stuff I did not normally eat. I didn't start losing until I was 100mg a day. Good Luck!
  • rach3649
    rach3649 Posts: 40
    I think the most important thing at the moment is your health improves. Maybe eat at maintenance, give yourself a rest and restart when you are off the steroids or they are reduced. I know that is probably not the advice you were looking for. If its unlikely they are going to stop the steroids all together then try and balance your desire to eat with things you can eat in quantity... like fresh veggies and fruit. Try snacking at intervals throughout the day to help ease the cravings.
    My son was on high doses of steroids for 3 years whilst undergoing chemo and he looked like a little butter ball :) He would eat anything.... laced with salt. It was so evil but at the time I was just happy he ate at all given our situation. I feel for you! I hope your health improves soon.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    I'm afraid the devil himself invented that one... been on it and the only thing you can really do is try to keep from tossing too many extra calories down the hatch. Luckily all the times I've been on it I was wanting all the soups so that cancelled a lot of it out. Do whatever the doctor tells you will help you to get well so you can get off the stuff soon.

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