Moon-face caused by Prednisone

[JTD]

Hi,
I have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I am 25 & am on Prednisone(60mg),salasapyrin(500mg)& Plaquenil(200mg) per day. I have developed a large moon shaped face. I am swollen in the face & neck & hate what it is doing to my face. Will this swelling & fluid go away when I come off the steroids in five weeks? It is causing me to be depressed & family have noticed the change in my face & are worried for my health. I have heard some scary things about these drugs, prednisone in particular. Please is there anything that can stop the Moon face & would I benefit from taking a dieretic too?? P.s I have had an eye twitch every day for the last 3 dys in my left eye, lasting for approx 20secs & about every 10 mins? Could this b another side effect & should I worry about it as it is annoying & starting to get sore?
Thanks

[tumbleweed1999]

I was started on 40mg Prednisone 5 days ago, so am just beginning. -:(  I have just managed to lose nearly 30 lbs and now this.  ugh!  At least it is encouraging that the "moon face" and weight gain are not a permanent thing as I tho't it might be.  Knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel is definitely encouraging..-:).   I was diagnosed with Bridging Firosis stage 3, non-supportive,destructive Cholangitis (still have to research this one)  all being AIH related.

Will look forward to more posts on this.

[janzie]

I have sarted to reduce my steroids from 40mg as iv been on them for 3yrs Im finding lots of side effects head achs joint pain tired all the time. does any one know how long this is going to take. I have managed to get down to 12.5mg but have had to go up to 15.0mg as I could not cope. am feeling a little better since going back up but am disapointed. please help if you can

Janzie  

[sunlover7]

how soon after going on the pred did you notice the moon face?  i was on 40 mg (2days) 30 mgs (2days) etc for 2 weeks about a month ago but my hives came back so my dr started me on 60 mg (3days) 50 mg (2days) 40mg (2days) and THANKFULLY today i started w/ 30 mgs for 2 days.  i just looked in the mirror and swore my face looks round - could it be from the extra lbs i put on from the pred or do you think the moon face could be starting after approx 10 days.  i'm sooooo bummed, i had just lost 9 lbs and have already put 5 back on from these 2 terms of pred....  drs don't want to hear complaints about weight either - i'm about 15lbs overweight and they just brush off my complaints of weight gain - ESPECIALLY the thin ones...;(

[Teresa409]

I am on my 4th month of prednisone.  I started at 60mg a day and then went to 100mg per day, back to 60, then 60 every other day because of muscle weakness caused by the prednisone.  The every other day regiment caused my disease (Myasthenia Gravis) to flare, so now I am on 30 mg every day.  While on every other day, my face returned to a somewhat normal shape.  I have been back on the 30mg per day and now my face is larger than ever.  I do not want to leave the house, and am starting to get a little depressed (the disease alone is bad, the prednisone is making my attitude worse).  Don't get me wrong, I felt AMAZING when I first started taking the prednisone, and I am enoying seeing and breathing :).  It just starts to wear on you after this long.  Also, the prednisone has caused my menstrual cycle to be every 2 1/2 weeks, which in turn makes my disease flare.  AAUUGGGHHH!  Autoimmune disorders stink! (Can you tell I am having a bad prednisone day?)  I am usually in very high spirits, I work with kindergarten children, have 2 girl scout troops and 3 very active kids, so I stay very busy and involved.  

[Sharon1964]

Teresa,

I too am on a high dosage of prednisone for over four months.  I can totally relate to what you are feeling.  I have been on steriods in the past for a different problem from now and I can tell you that it will fade and pass.  The menstrual cycle will once again become normal as you taper off of the steriods.  Hang in there, I promise you that there is a life after all of this.  I keep telling myself the same thing as I deal with a moon face and  a total bloated body which I experienced back in the mid-nineties.  It's not easy for anyone, trust me.  Hang in there!

[kaboree81]

i too am on predinisone- 25 mg every day for the past 4 months. i have sarcoidoisis. i have lost my insurance and have not seen my dr in a while to go back and see if the predinisone has made progress. i have been feeling a lot better though, and i was just gonna stop taking the med. then i found out that that would be dangerous. my questions are...                                                                                                  1. where does this gas come from!! the bloating is enough for me, and not to mention the weight i've gained. i was about 180lbs before taking the med- im now 200!  while im still taking the med w/o dr supervision, is there really a lot to worry about?                                                                                                2. i dont drink that much- but i do have a beer or two occassionally- is dat ok with the predinisone?