Merry Christmas to everyone!

Since the start of February 2009 and up until now I've gained 18 kilograms (yes - you read right). Sure, I've retired and had a few trips about the place but surely that wouldn't be responsible for the whole 18 kilograms - would it?

During my last full-time year of work in 2008 I got glandular fever but wouldn't take time off. Silly me - who was going to do my job? Consequently I got so run down that I developed polymyalgia rheumatica - PMR - an auto-immune disease. (Look it up on the internet as it would take too long to describe.) Not to mention the very heavy staff infection in the lungs a couple of months after that! Around about September 2008 the doctor put me on prednisone, the miracle drug and it really WAS a miracle for PMR - not a cure, just masks the symptoms. However, prednisone is a nasty drug and is known for contributing to weight gain.

I didn't start to gain weight for 5 months after starting the prednisone but the doctor thinks I had a 'honeymoon period' with prednisone, a few months reprieve before I started to gain weight. I'm sure that the fact that I'm no longer as active as when I was working and I did eat quite a bit of 'naughty food' while travelling hasn't helped either!

However, if I give up sugar (starting New Year) will I be able to lose weight (at least some of it) if I still need to take prednisone?

Just maybe, when I give up sugar the PMR may substantially improve, along with the osteoarthritis ..... one can only hope!!!

I'm not just a sugar addict. I'm addicted to SWEET! I've been using artificial sweetener for years now (naughty, naughty!) anywhere I add sweetener -tea, coffee etc. So, I'm thinking I won't be able to use artificial sweetener as a detox aid as I've been using it as a sweetener for so long! What do you think?

Any way, I'd really appreciate your thoughts on the effect of prednisone on weight once sugar is no longer consumed.

Denise, Prednisone is artificial cortisol.  Long term use can produce many of the effects that cortisol spikes (caused by fructose consumption) induce ... everything from immune system repression to Type II Diabetes to osteoporisis to weight gain (and quite a bit else). 

Its going to be very hard to lose weight (or reduce any of the other symptoms) while taking prednisone.  Of course, stopping sugar is an excellent thing to do anyway and it certainly wont hurt, but you'll struggle to get the results most people do as long as you take the drug as well.

It might be worth talking to your doctor about the fact you are going sugar free and seeing if you can reduce (and ultimately eliminate) prednisone ...?

Hope that helps a bit?

Cheers

David.

PS Re the Sweeteners ... by all means use them as a detox ... but no detox will happen while you still have any sugar in your life ... after withdrawal, you really wont want the SWEET (artificial or otherwise) ... hard to believe but true :-)