Cortesone - Weight Gain????

[Vivacio]

I have used Cortesone for my asthma and allergies for 3 months. I have gained a lot of weight and believe it?s the cortisone. Have anyone experienced this ? and howlong will it take before I will loose this weight ? Do you know if it actually slows down your Metabolism ?

[Amanda76]

Orally taken corticosteroids are known for causing weight gain. I'm not sure whether inhaled have quite as bad a reputation as they're made to treat a more specific area, but I'm sure that since some will be absorbed into your blood stream it could have the same effect as oral corticosteroids over time. If you've been using inhaled cortisone, whether 3 months is enough time, I don't know.

If you had a lot of initial weight gain, a lot of it is probably just water (they're also known for causing water retention). Corticosteroids can cause increased hunger and thirst so be sure you are CONTROLLING YOUR DIET and not instinctually eating if that's what you are accustomed to doing. If you are controlling your diet and continue to gain weight, talk to your doctor. So long as the issue is just the medication, they'll wean you off it and your metabolism will eventually return to normal. You don't want to stop use suddenly because it won't give your body a chance to adjust it's own output to what you need.

I had asthma as a kid and honestly can't remember what was in my hand-held inhalers or the machine I had to inhale vapors from at home. If it was a corticosteroid, I wasn't a fat kid. Since then, for sinus problems I've been prednisone short-term (3-4 weeks) and experienced no noticeable ill-effects. Longer term, I spent a year on nasally inhaled budesonide and have been supposed to take one containing triamcinolone acetonide, but am really so crappy about remembering to use it regularly that it probably has never had a chance to really build up in my system enough to cause any adverse effects.

My mom, on the other hand, feels that prednisone causes weight problems for her, even short term. But honestly, she was already overweight and there are so many contributing factors (like her lack of attention to her diet), that I'm not sure that could be solely to blame.

[OrchidLady]

My husband has to take prednisone daily due to a kidney transplant. I don't think it lowers your metabolism, but when he was on higher doses it gave him a ravenous appetite and he did retain fluid - neither of which helps with weight loss. It got better when he was tapered down to only 2.5mg a day.

However, don't let it get you down. He actually started back dieting and lifting last year and lost the extra weight - even while on prednisone. Once he knew what to expect of the two side effects, he was able to consciously control them and has had no problems since.

I feel for you - I have asthma too. Fortunately, doesn't bother me much, but I hate it when I have to take so much stuff when it does!

[lilly_julia]

yes, it happened to me taking prednisone for a horrible skin reaction to a burn I received during a car accident. If you stop taking it, i think it returns to normal.. it did for me.

[Vivacio]

Orally taken corticosteroids are known for causing weight gain. I'm not sure whether inhaled have quite as bad a reputation as they're made to treat a more specific area, but I'm sure that since some will be absorbed into your blood stream it could have the same effect as oral corticosteroids over time. If you've been using inhaled cortisone, whether 3 months is enough time, I don't know.

If you had a lot of initial weight gain, a lot of it is probably just water (they're also known for causing water retention). Corticosteroids can cause increased hunger and thirst so be sure you are CONTROLLING YOUR DIET and not instinctually eating if that's what you are accustomed to doing. If you are controlling your diet and continue to gain weight, talk to your doctor. So long as the issue is just the medication, they'll wean you off it and your metabolism will eventually return to normal. You don't want to stop use suddenly because it won't give your body a chance to adjust it's own output to what you need.

I had asthma as a kid and honestly can't remember what was in my hand-held inhalers or the machine I had to inhale vapors from at home. If it was a corticosteroid, I wasn't a fat kid. Since then, for sinus problems I've been prednisone short-term (3-4 weeks) and experienced no noticeable ill-effects. Longer term, I spent a year on nasally inhaled budesonide and have been supposed to take one containing triamcinolone acetonide, but am really so crappy about remembering to use it regularly that it probably has never had a chance to really build up in my system enough to cause any adverse effects.

My mom, on the other hand, feels that prednisone causes weight problems for her, even short term. But honestly, she was already overweight and there are so many contributing factors (like her lack of attention to her diet), that I'm not sure that could be solely to blame.

Thank you for your reply! O? I was taking it orally and 5mg per day ? When my mom come to visit me and told me that I am really putting on weight is there maybe something she should know? I thought it must be the cortisone because pregnant am I not! Anyhow thank you so much for your reply and I will let you know what happens in the next 3 months, Cortisone free!!

[Vivacio]

yes, it happened to me taking prednisone for a horrible skin reaction to a burn I received during a car accident. If you stop taking it, i think it returns to normal.. it did for me.

That?s a relieve thank you so much for your reply!! Sorry about the car accident!! Now I can concentrate on the exercise and diet again ? and am not taking cortisone again!!

[Vivacio]

My husband has to take prednisone daily due to a kidney transplant. I don't think it lowers your metabolism, but when he was on higher doses it gave him a ravenous appetite and he did retain fluid - neither of which helps with weight loss. It got better when he was tapered down to only 2.5mg a day.

I feel for you - I have asthma too. Fortunately, doesn't bother me much, but I hate it when I have to take so much stuff when it does!

oeps and I was taking 5mg a day...

Yes, Asthma holds me back a lot!! I would love to do much more - but nothing worse when you can not brief!

[Amanda76]

Thank you for your reply! O? I was taking it orally and 5mg per day ? When my mom come to visit me and told me that I am really putting on weight is there maybe something she should know? I thought it must be the cortisone because pregnant am I not! Anyhow thank you so much for your reply and I will let you know what happens in the next 3 months, Cortisone free!!

Just make sure that you come off of it slowly (talk to your doctor!). Your body NEEDS to produce a certain amount of cortisol (the active form of cortisone) for your endocrine system to function properly. It produces it's own and may have adjusted natural output enough by now that it'll cause issues that'll interfere with your active lifestyle and life in general.