The good news is, once the steroids are stopped and your body readjusts, the weight generally comes off. This usually happens within 6 months to a year.
The drug is highly effective but can cause weight gain, muscle wasting, and other serious side effects. A new study in mice has found that a weekly dose of the same drug may have the opposite effect, building muscle strength and promoting weight loss.
In a research study over a two-year period, this usage caused patients to gain between 4-8% of their baseline body weight (Da Silva et al., 2006).
Can steroids make you gain weight? Steroids affect your metabolism and how your body deposits fat. This can increase your appetite, leading to weight gain, and in particular lead to extra deposits of fat in your abdomen.
Lean protein can also help promote weigh loss for patients on prednisone. Following a diet where approximately 34% of the calories come protein resulted in people feeling less hungry and promoted weight loss when compared to people on a high-carbohydrate diet.
Not everyone gains a lot of weight while taking prednisone, but most people gain some. The increases should stop once you're on a lower dosage or off the drug. Then you can focus on a healthy lifestyle that'll help you shed the extra pounds.
Fat redistribution will only go away after tapering off prednisone. Weight gain is more likely to happen when prednisone is taken in high doses or for a long time. If weight gain is bothersome, talk to your doctor about modifying your drug regimen.
When your moon face is caused by prednisone or another steroid, the simplest treatment is often to reduce your dosage. Your doctor can put you on a lower dose. Over time, being on a lower dose will reduce the appearance of moon face.
Reduce sodium intake.
Minimize canned and processed foods, soy sauce, cold cuts, chips, and other salty snacks, because high-sodium foods contribute to water retention.
A gradual reduction in prednisone dosage gives your adrenal glands time to resume their usual function. The amount of time it takes to taper off prednisone depends on the disease being treated, the dose and duration of use, and other medical considerations. A full recovery can take a week to several months.
Fluid retention is one of prednisone's most famous side effects. “'Moon face' is common, which is swelling in the face that can occur after you've been on steroids for a long time,” Dr.
Instead of higher-fat meats, choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Because prednisone may also increase blood sugar levels, you should avoid foods with simple carbohydrates and concentrated sweets, such as cakes, pies, cookies, jams, honey, and candy.
There is no set limit on how long you can safely take prednisone. It depends on the dose of prednisone and the condition being treated. It may be prescribed short term or long term. The dosage will be adjusted or stopped based on your response or lack of response to the medication.
This depends on your health problem or condition. You may only need a short course of prednisolone for up to 1 week. You may need to take it for longer, even for many years or the rest of your life.
Here's what we know: FDA listings for certain formulations using prednisolone mention thinning of the scalp hair as one possible side effect. Period. While scalp thinning isn't a common side effect of prednisolone, it's still a side effect — and one that you should be aware of.
Fluid retention can cause weight gain but as steroids are reduced, fluids will usually reduce as well, along with some of the weight gain. Drinking plenty of water and exercising can help with fluid retention.
Prednisone Side Effects
Taking high doses of steroids for more than a few weeks can start to affect how the body works. The body holds on to fluid, creating the 'moon face' look and change in body shape. Blood pressure can start to raise due to changes in your cardiovascular system.
But, although moon face is common, it's temporary. “When the patient stops taking the prednisone, fat distribution goes back to normal and moon face disappears after a few weeks,” Dr. Galligan says.
However, if you are someone who diets or exercises a lot, you may have little or no weight gain or moon face may be very slight. Treatment for Cushing's syndrome depends on what is causing it. In some cases, a surgeon can remove a tumor. In other cases, medicine, radiation therapy, or physical therapy can help.
Moon Face Treatment
Moon face symptoms typically resolve when you stop taking prednisone or other corticosteroids. Your face should eventually return to normal. However, it's extremely important that you do not suddenly stop taking the medication.