You can prevent or reverse weight gain from prednisone through lifestyle changes. This includes eating a healthy diet, exercising, and avoiding longer courses of prednisone. Other side effects of prednisone include feeling irritable, trouble sleeping, and stomach ulcers.
Fortunately for most people, as prednisone is tapered and stopped, the weight gain will stop and reverse. However, since everyone is different, it is difficult to say how long it will take to achieve prednisone weight loss. Learn More: What Is Body Mass Index?
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.
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.
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.
Prednisone is a steroid-type drug. When a person stops taking prednisone or other steroids abruptly, they may notice symptoms similar to adrenal insufficiency. These include lethargy, low appetite, weight loss, and a general feeling of being unwell.
Fluid retention
“You can also get swelling in the legs and midsection.” What you can do: “Prednisone alters how the body processes salt, so staying on a low-salt diet can help to some degree,” he says. “And exercise can help keep excess weight off.”
Weight gain while taking prednisone is typically due to fluid retention and increased calorie intake because of increased appetite. In addition, those with lung disease have more difficulty maintaining physical activity.
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.
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.
Steroid drugs, such as prednisone, can cause weight gain in the face. They can make a person's face look swollen, puffy, and round. These symptoms usually go away once a person stops treatment. A lower dosage of steroids may also reduce the symptoms.
You can reduce the risk of certain side effects like insomnia by taking the drug earlier in the day. Other side effects like weight gain, mood swings, and osteoporosis may be reduced with lifestyle changes like diet, exercise, and improved sleep habits.
Side effects of corticosteroids taken by mouth
A buildup of fluid, causing swelling in your lower legs. High blood pressure. Problems with mood swings, memory, behavior, and other psychological effects, such as confusion or delirium. Upset stomach.
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.
Topical steroids
The fear of using corticosteroids is so common that it has its own name: corticophobia. For topical steroids, this fear stems from well-known and severe adverse effects like Cushing syndrome and permanent skin atrophy.
Prednisone has many side effects. You're more likely to experience these side effects with higher doses and longer courses of treatment. Common short-term side effects include changes in appetite, mood, energy, and sleep. Long-term prednisone treatment can lead to weight gain, osteoporosis, and cataracts.
It takes approximately 16.5 to 22 hours for Prednisone to be out of your system. The elimination half life of prednisone is around 3 to 4 hours. This is the time it takes for your body to reduce the plasma levels by half. It usually takes around 5.5 x half-life for a drug to be completely eliminated from your system.
As you begin the tapering process, it is normal to feel mild withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms generally last one to two weeks as you are tapering. Make sure to avoid other medications unless your doctor says it's okay. The psychological symptoms can stick around longer than the physical ones.
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.
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.
Weight gain from prednisone often appears as fat deposits on various parts of your body, such as at the base or back of your neck, around your abdomen, or as what's called “moon face,” when changes in where fat lies make your face appear rounder and wider.
It takes approximately 16.5 to 22 hours for Prednisone to be out of your system. The elimination half life of prednisone is around 3 to 4 hours. This is the time it takes for your body to reduce the plasma levels by half. It usually takes around 5.5 x half-life for a drug to be completely eliminated from your system.