County Fair time?

[Lulu54]

I'm thinking of all those side show games at the carnival or fair that involve guessing weight.  I'm wondering what's the most anyone has packed on in a short time, thanks to the lovely steroids often used to treat relapses. I have just finished a five day round, stepped on the scale, and have gained over 10 pounds in one week.

hopefully the gaining will now stop and the scale slips back the other way.  

it's usually not polite to talk about weight, but do tell - what's the most you have gained on steroids and how long (if at all) did it take for it to come off?

~Laura

[kwarendorf]

Does it have to be steroids, or do other meds count? I put on 15 LBS after switching from gabapentin to Lyrica. Over the last 2 months I've lost 12 of the 15. It goes on much easier than it comes off!

Kyle

[SarahL2491]

I take them 5 days a month for infusion, and then 5 days if I have a relapse. usually its only about 2# a month unless I have both occurrences in the same month.  I've cut back on my neurontin, trying to see if that was my sleep problem, but have managed to lose 10# with 2 relapses in 3 months (those 5 day "fasts" can take it off of ya when I have stomach spasms

[essdipity]

Actually I haven't had weight gain on steroids, though I've only had 2 rounds thus far. I have to say I haven't had relief of symptoms either, so I may not be opting for the IV stuff again.

Steroids have produced the world's reddest face on me, and that's it. That goes away quickly each day. I'm thinking your weight gain is from fluid retention, and will remit pretty soon. Make yourself drink at least a quart of water more than usual to help flush out that stuff.

Have the infusions worked?

ess

[essdipity]

I sure have had problems with weight gain in recent years, maybe the last 6 or 8 years. Possibly that's from metabolic changes due to age, a complicating factor. Some was certainly due to Lyrica. I only have to look at Lyrica to gain. Neurontin, on the other hand, hasn't had this effect on me, luckily.

Another complicating factor, for me, is fairly long periods of relative inactivity due to MS, especially the fatigue. When you hardly move, you hardly burn calories, sad to say.

I've tried Provigil, Amantadine, even Ampyra, with no relief from fatigue. The only thing that's worked is Adderall. I was really hesitant to start that, but have been closely monitored all along. My dose has been high, at 40 mg, and has not produced any racing heart or other 'high' symptoms, but it has made my life more normal, and looking back, has allowed me to accomplish a lot more. And between the appetite suppressant aspect and increased activity, I've been able to take off quite a few pounds.

However, I've had to wean off of that since I've had extreme dryness in mouth, nose and eyes. I've experimented, and Adderall is the culprit. Curses, foiled again.

This is getting off topic, I know, but the problem of weight gain with MS never seems to have a solution. I hope others have good ideas.

ess

[Lulu54]

15 pounds on Lyrica, huh?  That sounds wicked, too.   The prednisone dose for this time is the 50mg X25  tablets , all 1,250mg worth for each day.  I haven't had this beached whale feeling with IVSM or the compounded Decardon.  

When we women get older, that weight thing can be tricky and the MS and all the drugs just compounds the big picture.