Prednisone and Weight Loss Surgery

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Katy Wieland - 15 Dec 2006 05:44 GMT

Hi, My name is Katy and I haven't posted in years. I am 44 yrs old and
was diagnosed with RA 9 years ago.(probably had it for several years
prior) I used to have a job I loved(as a violinist)and was much more
active and weighed almost 100lbs less.

Among MTX and other meds, I have been on prednisone for the whole time.
The weight not only makes me feel bad ABOUT myself it makes it really
hard to move around and makes my feet, which are my worst joints, much
worse. Ihave done weight watchers, etc. etc. and on the prednisone and
without be able to do strenuous exercise, my weight comes off at an
agonizingly slow pace until I get to about 200lbs(I"m 5'4") at which
point I can't seem to lose further. I f I begin to eat at all normally
the weight comes back on twice as fast!! I always had to work to keep my
weight within healthy bounds(I was a lifetime Weight Watcher member
before getting RA and going on prednisone) but I can not seem to tackle
it while on prenisone and inactive.

I have begun to think about weight loss surgery(probably the lap-band,
because it can be reversed if it causes too many problems and can be
done with a laprascope instead of an open abdominal incision). What I
don't know is if
1. the pred. itself will disqualify my from the surgery
2. I will still be hungry all the time because the prednisone does this
to my brain, so the surgery will be no help
3. the surgery might cause some kind of malnutrition that would be
detrimental to health-or make my RA worse

I am really afraid also that I may be on the brink of diabetes and the
whole host of problems that obesity can cause.

Has anyone researched this, or had WLS while after being on long-term
prednisone?

Thanks for listening--any thoughts on this subject are much appreciated,
Katy Wieland

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gail - 15 Dec 2006 07:10 GMT

Hi Katy,
I can really understand how you feel - you are so young. Everyone use
to tell me life begins at 40 and I was really looking forward to be
able to do things for "ME" - you know, kids left home etc. Well life
almost ended when I got RA at 42. Yes, I got a big tummy from the
prednisone and the doctor said I would never loose it - then the
prednisone gave me brittle bones so I had to go off it slowly - it is
not good to be on it long term the doc said and I had been on it longer
then I should have been. Well, my whole family decided to help - they
took all the sugar/fat products out of the pantry, we even stopped
having butter on our toast - I got down to 54kg and my tummy went
without exercise - it was hard enough getting up on my two legs let a
lone walking. One thing to remember is that your stomach has stretched
so now it has to shrink and you will feel hungry with or without
prednisone. I would continually nibble on carrot and celery sticks
plus drink lots of water (I put lemon into the water). Being immobile
was a little boring - so my wonderful daughter enrolled me into a
University course to , as she put it, "to take my mind off things".
How I got to and from university is another drama story.
My mother would just say "there were no fat people in the concentration
camps" - not at all sympathetic. I am back on predisone so I must
watch every mouthful and that is so difficult. I know how difficult it
is to get around when you're heavy - I'm still down to 62kg and I have
to weigh myself every day - it is a real battle. I am also on MTX and
cyclosporin. Having a tummy tuck is something one really can't rush
into - like a last resort - make sure you understand what it is all
about. Talk to your doctor about the dangers of the operation in regard
to your medication and malutrition. Maybe someone is this group can
tell you their experience. This operation may be an answer to your
prayers.
Please keep in touch Katy
I live in Australia.

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RhondaM - 15 Dec 2006 20:42 GMT

I too have considered the lab band surgery. I have been on pred for over 4
years now at 5 mg a day I weigh 80lbs over what I should weigh for myself
which is 105 lbs over the doctors chart of what I should weigh. I was told
by my doc that I would qualify but he never said anything about the pred.
This is a good question to ask him. Maybe I will find out some info or
something.

> Hi, My name is Katy and I haven't posted in years. I am 44 yrs old and
> was diagnosed with RA 9 years ago.(probably had it for several years
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
> Thanks for listening--any thoughts on this subject are much appreciated,
> Katy Wieland

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Cindy M - 16 Dec 2006 13:09 GMT

I have no answers about the prednisone...However if you want to ask me
questions about WLS I will Happily answer...I had Gastric Bypass Surgery 3
years ago...I lost 140 lbs and I feel so good for it...Too bad FM doesn't
really care what you weigh...And my OA..well my knees do not have to carry
around an extra person... But I can only imagine what my knees would be
doing now had I not lost the weight...My other joints...well let's just
say...I am way too young to feel this dang old...
Cindy

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Kate - 17 Dec 2006 03:55 GMT

I have been losing weight on nutrasystem. It seems to be a pretty fool
proof method when followed. It is designed to lose weight without
exercise. I lose very slowly but always have. I have RA, am 49 and on
10 mg pred daily. Kate

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Kate - 17 Dec 2006 03:55 GMT

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