MS and Lupus + steroids = Big challenge

Was on oral steroids for a long time due to lung issues. Now on meds for chronic severe migraine. Both drugs notorious for increasing appetite - not weight, appetite.

Lost 104lbs to date.

I have lupus and diabetes, my brother has MS.

I would listen to your doctors who are worried you may not be eating enough - dieting too restrictively has triggered flares for me in the past. Slow and steady wins the race.

Logging has definitely helped me. I'm down 93 lbs from my highest weight currently, have normal bp now where it was high before, and as a result of weight loss managed to get off all lupus meds and diabetes meds except metformin. Of course flares are unpredictable and I could start one tomorrow. But you can definitely lose weight with an autoimmune disease if you take it one day at a time.

Even if you can't do much, do the activity you can - for one thing exercise is good for MS, and for another it will earn you a few extra calories to eat back.

Is there some reason you can't eat pasta? I have to restrict carbs because of my diabetes so I often eat pasta alternatives such as spaghetti squash and Zoodles. But a small serving of pasta is not that many calories.

I have MS and lupus. Right after my diagnosis exercising seemed next to impossible. I was taking 3 naps a day and then sleeping 9 hours or so at night. I had no energy for anything. I finally decided to go back to exercise. It was tough. I wanted to do what I had been able to do before and was very discouraged. I finally decided to do it in baby steps like ten minutes of walking on the treadmill (for awhile I had a trainer who taught me how to walk again...my body had forgotten) and one set of 7 reps on a couple of exercises.

It is about 10 months later and I am able to do much more. I now am able to be on the treadmill for 20 minutes, 5 of that running, resistance training, have brought back Zumba and even a little boxing. If you find an activity that makes you happy, it's easier to stick with it. It make be a stroll in your neighborhood, water aerobics, biking, or gardening. What I learned is that each time I tried a new exercise, my body would rebel. I would be extra tired and sore for days to the point that the rest of life went by the wayside. It was awful! I found that if I pushed through it, 2 or 3 weeks that it got better. MS is a tricky thing. We are taught to listen to our bodies, but if I listened to MS, I would be in bed all day. We have to find our individual stride, that balance between exercise and over doing.

I love the site: http://www.activemsers.org/home.html. There are tons of ideas of how to stay active and would apply to lupus too. It has the newest research, forums, and blogs to read. I haven't been on steriods, but was on another med that caused a lot of weight gain. I'm just barely starting the Macro diet, so I'm on a steep learning curve right now.

I wish you the best. It is the hardest thing ever both physically and emotionally. Hang in there. You will find your stride. Feel free to privately contact me if you have more questions.

I don't have either of those conditions but I can empathize with you. My dad was diagnosed with MS before I was born and has been on every type of medication (currently trying to get on an experimental medication). He did manage to lose about 50 - 60 pounds by limiting what he eats and exercising. He uses a stationary bike in his living room and weights on other days. It can be difficult because of how easy it is for those with MS to overheat. You will have to experiment with what works for you since the fatigue and other symptoms can be hard to work through.

I don't really have any advice but I wish you luck and if you'd like any support you can add me.