Constant Hunger on Prednisone and How to Control it

Hunger! What a frustrating side effect of Prednisone! The higher the dose you're taking the more your body seems to be constantly craving some sustenance. First, I'd like to share with you a bit of my story with Prednisone and what I learned from my own constant hunger and then I will get into some of the tricks of controlling your hunger. (Skip down a few paragraphs if you're looking to get straight to the tips lol) 

I remember the first time I was on Prednisone - I was only 9 and I'd been sick for quite some time. Now, I've always been a tiny girl;

also I clearly was born in the 90s and had some terrible short shorts... but that's another post lol... I've always been a small girl and when I became sick I lost all of the extra I had - which was next to nil -so I was literally skin and bones. When I was finally diagnosed my doctor put me on 60mg of Prednisone immediately. Now because I was on such a high dose and because I was sooo thin the side effects showed up very quickly. I went from a child that could barely keep down a child's fry at McDonalds to a child that was famished at all times of the day.

My mom recalls watching me eat breakfast one morning not long after going on Prednisone. I put away 5 generous bowls of cereal before I had had my fill! She was shocked. But that's the reality, that's what Prednisone can do. I ended up staying on large doses of Prednisone for the next 2 and a half years. During those years I really struggled to control my weight. I just responded to my hunger like it was natural - I ate and ate. However, the older I got and the more times I went on Prednisone the more I was able to understand how Prednisone was affecting my body and, consequently, my weight. So I talked to my doctors and I did TONS of research on what I could do to decrease that constant nagging from my stomach. 

So, finally lol, here are the tips for getting rid of that constant hunger and controlling (at least to some extent) your weight gain. 

1. Understanding WHY you're hungry

It is extremely important to understand that most of the time when you feel hunger on Prednisone, your body doesn't actually need to eat. The Prednisone has a nasty habit of tricking the brain (and eventually the stomach) to feel as though it needs more nutrients even when you have eaten more than enough food. Understanding that your body is fine without more food can get your head in the right place to fight off the feeling of hunger. Understanding that alone may keep you from mindlessly eating because, in essence, your body is lying to you lol. 

2. Small meals throughout the day

If you are going to feel hungry more often throughout the day then one way to trick your body is by adjusting your meals to smaller meals more often. You are still eating more often which makes your stomach feel good but you are doing it in a way that keeps your body from gaining a lot of weight. It's a win win:)

3. Chew Gum

A lot of people that struggle with over eating will tell you that when they chew gum it actually helps you to control cravings, manage hunger, and even promote weight loss. When you reach for a stick of gum instead of a candy bar your body still gets the feeling of chewing and taste which can quite your hunger for a bit.

4. Brush your teeth

Okay I know this sounds ridiculous but scientific research actually shows that when people brush their teeth they are more likely not to snack. First, the snack doesn't taste right (try brushing your teeth with minty gum and then drinking some OJ, eeeww! ) with is discouraging. Also, people tend to not want to undo the work they have just done my eating when they have just brushed their teeth. 

5. Finally, eat foods that are less sugary and more nutritious

To many people this may be common sense but when you eat things that have no nutritional value, you not only gain more weight but your body also cannot use what you are giving it. If your body can't use the food it's given, then it'll keep craving food until you give it something it CAN work with. Eating food like lean meats and eggs will give you a fuller feeling without loading your body with calories which really takes the edge off of your hunger.

Also it's important to just stay active, whether physically or mentally (or both). Boredom can cause you to focus more on your hunger, which, of course causes it to be much more of a problem. Keeping active will keep you focused other things and allows you to ignore your cravings - and you're more productive so, again, it's a win, win situation:) 

I hope these tips can help you a bit throughout the day, especially when you're dealing with all the other side effects of Prednisone. If you have any tips that have worked for you or someone you know, we would love to hear it:)!