Prednisone - Weight Gain?

You have to take it for a long period of time. A past co-worker has been on it off and on for years at a time and it caused weight gain. Long term use can cause weight gain.

I took it for 5 days last fall for asthma/bad cough and if IIRC the scale did go up 5lbs but it went away again after I stopped the pred. It ticked me off but it must have just been water weight b/c it went away fairly quickly and I was not eating anywhere near enough to actually gain that amount.

Not weight per se, you'll just retain fluids and feel bloated and fat. I've taken it before, the fluid comes off in a few days after taking it.

It may increase your appetite so have healthy snacks at the ready. Be prepared for insomnia as well, which can also increase appetite because you'll feel tired. But for 6 days, I agree with the others -- no worries.

My son has taken it on and off over the past 3 months and did gain 6lbs in that time span (he just turned 10).

I took 30mg prednisolone (near enough the same thing, right?) for 14 days and while I was being very aware of what I ate due to the Dr warning me about an increased appetite and a family history of weight gain using it, I actually felt no more hungry then normal and lost 7lbs despite doing nothing different!

It is a steroid so it can cause mild weight gain.

My husband is on it ALL THE TIME, it feels. Right now he's on day 3 of 15, paired with 21 days of antibiotics for a sinus infection.

By day 2, he'd gained 7 lbs on his 6'4", 200 lb frame. Was it all from the Prednisone, probably not. But it seems to make him retain water. So whenever he's on it he increases his water intake from 12-16 cups to double that (I know that's a lot of water, but we don't drink soda, juices, etc....) Normally when it's all said and done, he's up a pound or two, but it comes off easy when he's off it.

My brother, on the other hand, is on a daily dose due to some severe medical conditions and it has contributed to his long-term weight gains.

So I went to the allergist yesterday and he said I am having a severe allergy attack. I live in lower Alabama and the pollen level here is off the charts - he prescribed me prednisone for 6 days. I have heard that this will make you gain weight but if I am only taking it for 6 days will it still make me gain weight?

i have been on prednisone multiple times; sometimes for longer than a month.

occasionally, my weight shot up fast. however, during the taper down, it fell just as fast. i will say that for me, it increases hunger. however, when i didn't actually eat more than usual, the weight was lost as soon as i tapered down.

my guess is that if you don't take in more calories, you won't experience permanent weight gain.

prednisone is not my favorite medication, but it has helped me out a few times, so i'm grateful that it is an option.

When I took it I was told that it would make me retain water and increase my appetite - and it did do both of those things. Thus, the "weight gain." Just know that you may be bloated while you're on it, but if you control your portions you should be just fine.

If it is the 6 day does pack where you start out with 5 pills the first day and then decrease the dosage each day, I wouldn't worry.

I have severe TMJ and when the joint gets super inflammed beyond what NSAIDs can correct, I end up with a dose pack of prednisone. I've never gained weight with them.

Wow I'm suprised people say it makes them hungry! My asthma used to be really poorly controlled so if I got a cold I would end up needing prednisone for 10 days and I was nauseous for the entire time! I remember it happened over Thanksgiving one year and I was so sad that I felt too miserable to enjoy any of the food. I guess I'm just abnormal though haha.

Prednisone does have an affect on insulin so if you are diabetic it will raise your blood sugars so you would have to keep that in mind.

The 6 day pack you will be fine, just watch your calories and shouldn't cause much problems. It will at high doses cause many issues. I was diagnost with Sarcoidosis of the lungs from soybean dust. Specialist started me at 5mg 2 times a day for 2 weeks, then 15 mg for 2 more wks., .then 30mg, then 40 mg 2 times a day for 10 and 1/2 months. I started at 180 lbs and at 195 I refused to be a 200lb person.. I stopped eating much and it threw me into medicated diebetes. At 11 months I weighed 231lbs. Had to bring the dose down slow just like they started. Altogether I was on Predinisone for 18 1/2 months and gained about 51 lbs. Bad stuff!

Steve

I just got a 6 day dose yesterday as well! I was worried about this...but the replies on here make me feel better. I think if we just continue to watch our calories we'll be fine!