PMR Weight Gain How to lose it!

@dsm68, @johnbishop, @megz, and all...Good conversation, but I have different experiences to report. I've taken Prednisone since I was 40 and diagnosed with Sarcoid, at that time heavy and long-term to put it in remission. I've had flares throughout the last decades and am on Prednisone as needed to meet the circumstances. At 77 now, I'm back on it for new PMR and GCA from Covid in July and was on another steroid following Covid, so now have gained 35 pounds since July! I gained 40 pounds with the Sarcoid diagnosis, had trouble losing weight, and developed other illnesses along the way, many from the steroid intake.

In the last couple of years, I lost 25 pounds, and now, the new gain is with Prednisone. I think my body doesn't process the steroids properly which affects my endocrine system causing weight gain with no additional intake of calories...although, during a painful flare I can't move as much, spend more sedentary time and so that surely contributes. I have found through the years I do well with low carb, low sugar, high protein, and now low gluten foods. I also have found my sugar is better controlled by regular, small food intake every 3-4 hours and nothing after 6-7 pm. This works for me, usually, but now I'm fighting the same issues as always...I suppose I accepted the steroid as a love/hate relationship and approached the weight with honesty and openly...Now, I'm able to have more activity so expect to begin to see the weight go down very slowly.

The doctor just changed me from Trulicity for steroid-induced diabetes, to Oxempic to help with weight loss. I also must take a diuretic any morning after gaining 3 or more pounds overnight, which I frequently do. I have primary aldosteronism, again endocrine system, and work hard to keep my blood sodium level down and my potassium levels up! It's truly a balancing act, I must stay on top of every single day, or I end up hospitalized.

So, I suppose I'm suggesting we have very different bodies and each requires we listen carefully to what it tells us, in whatever ways! Listen to our bodies, be proactive with our medical support teams, and with ourselves. We are somewhat limited in our ability to control our issues but do have the responsibility to advocate for ourselves and follow through to be our best selves. What a struggle it can be, but I am determined to get my weight down...my pain reduced, my fatigue lessened, my energy increased and my body better...

Blessings, Elizabeth

I gained 10 pounds when I was on the higher doses of prednisone but I was on the slender side previously so the extra pounds didn't put me in the overweight category by BMI. I'd like to lose the weight now that my dose is lower but I'm not going to worry about it. A little extra food can be comforting when dealing with an uncomfortable disease. I've never followed any particular diet. I have a garden, fruit trees and berry bushes and fresh organic produce nearby and it all tastes good to me. I avoid desserts, soda, snack foods, food additives, fast food and go very easy on meat. The higher prednisone doses made me feel hungry more often and I was used to eating when hungry. I need to slowly break habits I got into now that my prednisone dose is 5.5 mg. Pain keeps me from being as active as I would like but I love being outdoors hiking, biking and birding and do those things as much as I can. In my opinion, a specific diet is not needed to lose weight, just a focus on generally agreed-upon principles of healthy living, and moving away from the typical American diet and activity level as much as possible for each person.

I gained 15 pounds over a year and a half. I’ve only now started to buckle down and get serious about losing it. I’ve been a very athletic person most of my life and just couldn’t get motivated to stay active because of the pain. I signed up for a 28-day chair yoga program (I’m a yoga teacher) for weight loss and am sticking to it no matter what. There’s an option to add an extra, more strenuous workout each day and if at all possible pain wise I add one of those.
I’m tracking calories and water intake.
It’s all hard and a little sad but 6 days in I DO feel like I’m beginning to be more fit, redistributing my weight, and even (crossing my fingers) losing weight.

@dsm68, @johnbishop, @megz, and all...Good conversation, but I have different experiences to report. I've taken Prednisone since I was 40 and diagnosed with Sarcoid, at that time heavy and long-term to put it in remission. I've had flares throughout the last decades and am on Prednisone as needed to meet the circumstances. At 77 now, I'm back on it for new PMR and GCA from Covid in July and was on another steroid following Covid, so now have gained 35 pounds since July! I gained 40 pounds with the Sarcoid diagnosis, had trouble losing weight, and developed other illnesses along the way, many from the steroid intake.

In the last couple of years, I lost 25 pounds, and now, the new gain is with Prednisone. I think my body doesn't process the steroids properly which affects my endocrine system causing weight gain with no additional intake of calories...although, during a painful flare I can't move as much, spend more sedentary time and so that surely contributes. I have found through the years I do well with low carb, low sugar, high protein, and now low gluten foods. I also have found my sugar is better controlled by regular, small food intake every 3-4 hours and nothing after 6-7 pm. This works for me, usually, but now I'm fighting the same issues as always...I suppose I accepted the steroid as a love/hate relationship and approached the weight with honesty and openly...Now, I'm able to have more activity so expect to begin to see the weight go down very slowly.

The doctor just changed me from Trulicity for steroid-induced diabetes, to Oxempic to help with weight loss. I also must take a diuretic any morning after gaining 3 or more pounds overnight, which I frequently do. I have primary aldosteronism, again endocrine system, and work hard to keep my blood sodium level down and my potassium levels up! It's truly a balancing act, I must stay on top of every single day, or I end up hospitalized.

So, I suppose I'm suggesting we have very different bodies and each requires we listen carefully to what it tells us, in whatever ways! Listen to our bodies, be proactive with our medical support teams, and with ourselves. We are somewhat limited in our ability to control our issues but do have the responsibility to advocate for ourselves and follow through to be our best selves. What a struggle it can be, but I am determined to get my weight down...my pain reduced, my fatigue lessened, my energy increased and my body better...

Blessings, Elizabeth

"What a struggle it can be, but I am determined to get my weight down...my pain reduced, my fatigue lessened, my energy increased and my body better..."
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My sentiments exactly!

I also needed a lot of help and encouragement to taper off prednisone before I reduced my weight, my fatigue lessened, my energy level increased and I felt better.

Hello PMR-pals ! @dadcue @johnbishop @linda7 I gained ~8 lbs during my year of PMR. Size 4 clothing has been donated away ! I retired in Dec 2023 and now have the time to spend at JCC pool doing water exercises and I started swim lessons ! Whoa - adding that to my routine is a calorie burner and a core-work out. During the last 5 months of tapering off of Prednisone to 0.5mg/day , I am really tired. I have removed most snazzy cocktails that my husband is SO good at preparing before dinner or else I would be asleep at 7:30pm. Happy to say I have lost 6 pounds !