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:)! 

Tips for managing weight gain

For many of us on this crazy drug we have encountered a very frustrating side effect called weight gain. Weight gain in people taking high doses of Prednisone is different from normal weight gain in a variety of ways. This weight gain is caused by numerous factors, edema (fluid build up), increased hunger (think cookie monster when he sees cookies, except for us it's every food!), and unavoidable strange fat distribution (neck and shoulders known as "buffalo hump", face and neck known as "moonface" and tummy). Needless to say it can change the way you look for sure especially on higher doses.

But never fear guys and gals, there are a number of us who have had to deal with Prednisone time and time again and we've come up with some good ways to combat this annoying side effect!

Moonface (facial swelling)

 - Reduce salt intake

- Wear your hair so that it slims your face (find hair styles for people with round faces) Create lines for your face since the pred. is making it round, uneven, choppy cuts are good. Try to keep your hair at a medium to long length but give it some lift. You don’t want your hair to be plastered to your face that will accentuate your roundness. Textured blended styles to take extra bulk out of your hair. If you wear you hair up, create more volume at the top, it’s key but keep extra hair away from the sides of your face that can make it worse. Don’t wear your hair slicked back but rather with loose, waves or wearing your hair half up which elongates the face. Layers that hit the cheek to create a more oval face (these are LONG layers) Side swept bangs can help create angles for your face (my personal favorite) Avoid overly short or chin length hair, this will widen the look of your face by drawing out the eye.

- Wear makeup that contours your face.

 How do you do this? A bronzer is key since it’s a couple shades darker than your skin, apply diag. under your cheekbones or parallel to your jaw line (this is helping to create an illusion of a cheekbone, Apply on the sides of your nose and straight down the center of you nose (it appears longer and thinner make sure to blend well!), Apply on your jaw line and under your chin( any that you have). Apply blush right above the bronzer on your cheeks remember diag. The biggest trick in the book is a makeup highlighter. This adds a pop to your face. Dab a bit to the upper and bottom of your lips to make them pop and give them more shape ( making some of your facial features bigger (eyes, and lips) will make your cheeks look smaller) Dab some on the small bump on the tip of your nose, apply to your brow bones to create a larger looking eye and you can even add the highlighter above your blush to create even more of a more oval shape.

- This sounds crazy but try to lay equally on your left and right side of your face when you sleep instead of all on one side

- Wear some awesome glasses if you need them

- Drink lots and lots of water

Buffalo hump (Back Edema)

- Reduce salt intake

- Wear a hoodie or something that isn’t super snug that way you don’t accentuate it. In the summer wear a nice tee shirt that is higher in the back.

- Wear your hair down. That nice beautiful hair of yours can help hide that little extra back there!

General Weight gain

- Try to limit your food intake by eating smaller meals more often

- Again, Eat healthy with less salt

- Exercise however you can

- For edema and water retention weight gain talk to your doctor about taking a diuretic that can rid you of all that extra water.

- Get rid of your addiction to pop! Single biggest factor of fluid retention, you can guarantee less weight if you rid yourself of that pop!

- Wear clothes that shape your body but don’t cling to it but also avoid really puffy or baggy clothes that can make you appear bigger.

Weight gain can be a very uncomfortable side effect of Prednisone but it's important to remember to love yourself even when you are enduring these physical changes. Remember to stay as positive as you can and to keep looking at all the beautiful features you have that the Prednisone can't touch - your beautiful eyes for example. Most of all remember that Prednisone is only temporary. It might be something that you endure more than what you would like (to put it lightly) because of a chronic illness or condition. I've sure been there! But it certainly didn't last forever for me and it won't for you either. Just keep your hope and your head high! You'll get through this!