My doc has switched me from prednisone to budesonide.However I still have swelling in the face and also tremendous weight gain specially in the stomach area.The doc says this will reduce gradually.Can someone confirm this as right now I feel like a pregnant cow!
Did anyone have weight gain and swelling from prednisone and did it go away?
Question posted by madiga on 22 Sep 2010
Last updated on 10 December 2019 by GeorgeOH
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22 Answers
GeorgeOH
10 Dec 2019
Yes. I gained about 25 pounds on prednisone over three-and-a-half months. Now I am on Budesonide.
maryellenpowers2014
30 Aug 2019
I have been on Cortef and Florinef since Jan of 2000. I have been hospitalized nearly monthly many if not most years with adrenal insufficiency or in crisis which required IV steroids of 100 mg every 6, then every 8 hours for as many as 10 days. At one point I was taken off Cortef and just put on Prednisone to see if that may work better as my maintenance dose of Cortef was 35mg a day and anytime we tried to lower it I became insufficient and at the hospital. That didn't work so it was back on Cortef with occasional prednisone for flares. Finally, 3 years ago I was put on both Prednisone and Cortef. I have still had adrenal issues, especially as I had to have a craniotomy in March of this year to have a brain tumor removed, but I have been in better control. I have developed Cushings with the moon face & the cortisol tummy and I hate it. The year I had a knee replacement and went into adrenal crisis 4 x's in 3 months I gained 65 lbs.
I lost 30 of it then had a fractured hip on that same leg requiring surgery, a rod & pin. Again, high steroids and again gained the 30 and more. I lost 40 just before my brain surgery in March and again given high steroids... this time I have only gained back about 5 lbs but given I started this whole thing model thin with a flat stomach even after having 4 very large babies I am so frustrated! To say I should eat healthy and exercise more is like blaming me. I have been struggling with anorexia & bulimia forever. I have days I swear I will no longer take these steroids - then I am reminded that if I do not take them it is simply a matter of days before I die.
Prednisone does cause weight gain. I believe that the weight can be lost with a lot of work once off of it. But... I also know that as much as I hate what has happened to my body I am so happy to have everyday with my husband and my children and my grandsugars!
Lesleyann42
30 Aug 2019
Hi have been on prednisolone for 31 years to start with my face blew at the side known as moon face. Increase in appetite which at the time was welcome then after a while you get bigger and bigger. Then after a year or so you lose that hunger feeling. I know you get water retention with steroids and they cause lots of terrible side effects if left on them as long as I have been diabetes auturitus and other however when you stop the prednisolone you will find yourself peeing a lot and the water leaves the body and you will return to normal as long as you haven't put on 6 and 7 stone you should be pretty soon back to normal after a week or 2 but remember you will feel very tired and irritable for a while.
autoimune symptoms try not to be on them as long as I have been all the best.
Rich7
25 Aug 2019
I know the stomach area gets the brunt of it. I’m trying to keep sugar to a minimum. And that’s about all you can do. Try to keep prednisone to a minimum amount. Far as mg.
danicali
25 Aug 2019
Hello. I have bowel disease and I have been thin all my life. Until I was put on Prednisone last September. Even though I only take 6mg a day now (tapering down), and in spite of regular strenuous exercise and not eating much, I keep gaining weight. I now weight 92 kilos. For me, that is unreal. I was always a size 10-12. Now I am a size 20. I feel disgusting. To make matters worse, the doctors lecture you about eating right, cutting out fatty foods, etc when you aren't even eating much anyway given lack of appetite and the fact I NEVER ate really fatty foods a lot. They won't admit it's entirely the Prednisone doing this, but what's incredible to me is that no matter how much you exercise, how little you eat, you STILL gain weight on this as long as you take it. And my belly looks 8 months pregnant it's absolutely ridiculous. I now HATE this drug. Started off loving it as it got rid of my UC symptoms mostly.
But knowing what I know now, I'd never have started it. AVOID it if you can. A "magic" pill that is really just a deal with the devil.
ann kastrinakis
2 Jan 2019
i take teva furosemide 20 mg and yes i have gained over 20 kilos which is a lot i used to be 74 kilos and now im 94 kilos over 200 lbs and i have swelling in the face and eyes and my lungs befor they gave me this pills i was ok yes my blood pressure was a little high it was just 140 now they made me like a very sick old women i have pain all over and cramps all over my body as well im just 57 years old and they have made me like im like 80 years old i used to be very actif now i can even walk to the corner with out any pain .i do not know your age but go get an other doctor opinion.
Qwelot Dar Harris
14 June 2018
I been on prednisone since 2005 and today it is 2018 I have COPD, ASTHMA, ALLERGIES, DIABETIC, ULCERS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART DISEASE, ARTHRITIS,,, I HATE prednisone, I pray for everyone who suffers and I pray for self, and yes I feel ugly, un-pretty, Un-loved and depressed, sad and I feel like I get laugh at, but I don't know, all I can say is I am happy to see family, my grandchildren, great grandchildren, and SIBLING, nieces, nephews prayers for all
pamelaanderson09
8 May 2018
Yes. This is a late post bc I was wondering sort of the same answer but more about being able to lose the weight after off of the prednisone. Anyhow, according to my endocrinologist, it takes time. Maybe up to two years from when you finally stopped taking it.
I have always been slim to skinny. But I am now obese. I feel for everyone here. I have RA and was put on it for about a year, but it was a low dose. I also had a child which contributed to the wright gain, only instead of losing it afterwards I’ve not been able to lose hardly anything-even with extra work and dieting. It just sticks. And there’s nothing left I can do bc I already eat very healthy. I’ve gained 50 lbs. I don’t even recognize myself anymore. I feel disgusting. I’ve been off of it for 4 months now and have barely lost 3 lbs. I tried phentermine too. It’s dangerous for me but I was desperate. It didn’t help either. I think bc phentermine is to help reduce appetite.
But I feel I’m pretty in control of it though. I thought I had Cushing’s syndrome bc of all the symptoms I have and way I look. But shockingly I have LOW cortisol. It makes no sense. It’s basically non existent. Prednisone messes up the adrenals and the pituitary axis. She said it’ll take time for them to wake back up and then you will shed the weight. I hope she’s right.
danicali
25 Aug 2019
they are not admitting that Prednisone and other similar drugs are wrecking your adrenal glands and god knows what else so that even if you are off them, your body is still refusing to lose weight which is NOT normal. oh it makes my blood boil. makes me have contempt for the doctors, too.
mrsfeistel
22 March 2018
I’m so depressed about the way my body looks while on Prednisone. I was admitted to the hospital for DRESS Syndrome and was on IV 250 solu-medrol for two weeks until the rash started to dissipate and my liver regained stability. Then was discharged on 180mg/day prednisone. I was eating everything in site which everyone thought was hilarious because I weigh 115 and am 5’4” normally and don’t really eat a ton mostly because I just don’t get hungry often. My husband jokes that our food budget has doubled. But now I’m depressed. I’m up to 133 after one month. My taper schedule has me down to 80mg/day now and I have hopes that I’ll be off prednisone in the next month, but the doctors won’t promise anything. I also have a 3 month old. The prednisone has made me weak, tired, swollen and fat. I don’t even want to leave my room. I’ve taken a medical leave since I was on maternity leave when I was hospitalized.
I just hope that life will return to normal when I’m off and I’ll lose the weight. My face is 3x it’s normal size and I look like I’m 5 months pregnant again. I watch my calories and record everything I eat but I cannot stay under 2000/day for the life of me. I get so hungry I feel like I will die if I don’t eat at one point every day. I don’t eat after 7pm no matter what, but I’m pretty sure that doesn’t really make a difference. I do keep my calorie intake under 2600/day and I try my best to walk stairs in my house and cook for exercise and play with the baby and take him for walks, but my joints are swollen and miserable so everything is painful. 2 flights of stairs leaves me breathless and tachycardic.
So, I sure hope it gets better for you and for me. Sigh.
edodd1943
15 May 2018
I’m in the same position. This is a life changer. In addition to the deforming weight gain, I was exhausted to the point of being nearly bedridden; I became breathless from the slightest exertion.
Instead of being hungry, I completely lost my appetite. I used to have a waist that was replace by a belly so big, it looks to be in 3 sections. I’ve become a shut-in due to my appearance.
Is chronic fatigue caused by hydrocortisone?
Treborthax
29 July 2018
I have spinal problems and get steroid injections and also orally. My face is swollen and my abdomen is so distended I look like I'm 9 months pregnant. I always took pride in how I looked now I don't want to go anywhere I have nothing that I can put on to wear other than sweatpants this isn't living.
saken
8 Aug 2018
Oh my gosh. I am reading all of these comments and although I feel terrible for everyone posting the horrible side effects, I'm thankful that it's not just me experiencing this horrible weight gain. I have been on prednisone for 14 months, off and on, mostly on. I have had very bad asthma and prednisone is the only thing that has saved my life, literally. However, I too, look like I am 6 months pregnant. I have gained 15 pounds in 14 months. I eat fairly well, walk every single day but cannot shake the belly bloat. I decided to go on a cucumber and water diet for the next week to see if this helps get rid of the water weight :). Good luck everyone and I feel for you all! This drug is a blessing and a curse!
Stephanie_hickner
20 Oct 2017
So I’ve taken prednisone 4 times in 2 years for my asthma when it turns into asthmatic bronchitis. I’ve always been a healthy person that doesn’t eat processed foods, drinks plenty of water, and exercises regularly. I gained 40 pounds taking prednisone and it’s been so hard to lose it. I mean so hard. Since I can’t really change my lifestyle since I was healthy before the weight gain, all I could do was exercise more and it still did no good. It’s gotten to the point I have to talk to my doctor about it and we have to figure out other means (like diet pills, ugh)
Aleema
13 May 2017
First time i was on steroids i lost weight once course stopped second time same but third time i look pregnant/distorted/none of my clothes fit/or boots... really this is frustrating me as i have always been size 10-12... now 14-18... these drugs cause more issues than the problem they were prescribed for... my body shape looks horrendous compared to my model figure previously... i have lost all confidence in myself and still after 2mths of coming off steroids and barely eating enough to justify NO WEIGHT LOSS or my face regaining its definition...
NessaY87
11 June 2017
I completely understand your pain. My life has changed drastically since I've been on steroids. I'm happy to be alive and taking something that can prevent me from having flares from my Cardiac Sarcoidosis but I hate what the prednisone has done to my body. I never would of thought that I would be in the obese category
edodd1943
15 May 2018
Does anyone know how to wean off hydrocortisone 5 mg pills taken 2 times a day?
Thank you.
ltwilliams72
9 Dec 2016
I gained 22 pounds, in two weeks after being prescribed prednisone. Prior to taking the Prednisone, I'd lost 94 lbs! I was taken off Lasix, due to Renal Dysfunction. I was Carb Cycling every other week, prior to the Prednisone but because my Cholesterol level is so high, it was recommended that I eat oatmeal everyday, as well as fiber and fruit. I was used to eating Carbs, every other week. It's disheartening because I just had a stroke on Thanksgiving and I can exercise like I want too. I keep telling myself if I was able to lose almost 100 pounds, I can shed 22 pounds.
Inactive
3 July 2013
Oh dear madiga, I have been on prednisone for the better part of 28+ yrs. It is one of my maintenance drugs for Crohns, any where from 20 to 40 mg daily. When I would have flare w. vomiting, diarrhea, etc I would be hospitalized for dehydration and prednisone was upped from what ever I had been taking at home. It did relieve symtoms, however, weight gain comes with it in high doses (different for everyonre. With additional fluids AND higher pred, hospital stays always left me with an extra 20-30 pounds in just a few weeks. Most was water weight, which they gave me Lasix for. Got rid of some, not all extra weight. I get sick and lose weight, get treated with extra measures and gain weight. Anything over 15 mg a day (for me) is extra weight no matter how little I eat. I literally have clothing from size 5 to size 16 due to the weight fluncuation. No way around it with prednisone, however, prednisone has pulled me out of some very rough flares.
The bad comes with the good. I'll be glad to talk more with you if you want. Take care, be well as can be...
Feelfat
5 Dec 2017
I feel for all of you who have gained weight on prednisone. Feeling fat when you were not before takes a toll on self esteem. Does anyone have experience with losing weight on prednisone? With diuretics? I was never informed by the doctor in advance or I would have declined. I have gained 15 pounds in a year, but am only 5 foot tall; it really shows. I have tried tapering, but then I can not function. I don't eat excessively either ; (not hungry)except for the steroid caused sugar cravings that come at night.I was a dedicated exerciser for 20 years and now feel very de-conditioned; almost bedridden; the idea of exercise frightens me because of the pain that returns with the taper. Feel between a rock and a hard place. I just don't know where to go from here; any guidance or support would be wonderful.
slrsydow
3 July 2013
Yes and Yes . my regular weight and size was 126 lbs and size 4 to a 6
and when I was taking the Prednisone I got up to 150 lbs and size 11 - 12
after I was taken off of it.. I am down to 125 lbs. and size 6 it took me a few months to get there and weight watchers.
johnnyOva
21 June 2013
After chemo given 5 days supply of prednisone. Gained 14 lbs. in first 4 days.
Then sixth day after chemo lost 16 Lbs. in one day. This drug is a nightmare and I pity anyone who has to take it on a regular basis.
Related topics
weight loss (obesity/overweight), crohn's disease, budesonide, prednisone, weight, swelling
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