Why does medrol cause weight gain

This dosage information is for methylprednisolone oral tablet. All possible dosages and forms may not be included here. Your dosage, form, and how often you take it will depend on:. They should give your child the lowest effective dosage. The kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, more of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This raises your risk of side effects.

Your doctor may start you on a lowered dose or a different dosing schedule. This can help keep levels of this drug from building up too much in your body. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages. Always speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you. This drug may cause hormone changes. It can cause your body to stop making hormones on its own.

If you respond well to your dosage of this drug, your doctor may slowly reduce your dosage to reduce your risk of side effects. This drug can weaken your immune system. This makes it easier for you to get infections and harder for you to fight infections. While you take this drug, you should stay away from people who are sick or who have recently been sick.

This includes people who have chickenpox, measles, or the flu. These include fever, chills, or body aches. People who receive the smallpox vaccine while taking this drug have a higher risk of serious side effects. You should wait three months after your last dose of methylprednisolone before you receive the smallpox vaccine.

If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room.

Doing so can increase the levels of methylprednisolone in your blood. For people with heart disease : This drug can increase your blood pressure. It can also cause your body to retain salt and water. Tell your doctor about your history of heart disease. You might need to test your blood sugar level more often. Tell your doctor about your history of diabetes. For people with ulcers: This drug may cause stomach bleeding. Tell your doctor if you have an ulcer or have had an ulcer in the past.

For people with glaucoma : This drug can increase the pressure in your eyes if you take it for a long time. Tell your doctor if you have glaucoma or any other eye-related illness before you start taking this drug. For people with infections: This drug may make it harder for your body to fight off your infection.

Ask your doctor if this drug is safe for you. Trying to figure out how to deal with rapid weight gain can seem overwhelming at times, but there are a few things you can do limit weight gain from prednisone and slowly reverse the process. FSR understand that not all diets and exercise routines are right for everyone.

Any changes to your diet or exercise routine should be discussed and reviewed with your physician in advance. Gaining weight while on prednisone is commonly cause by fluid retention. One way to limit the amount of water you retain, is to eat a low sodium diet. Sodium binds to water inside of the body and helps maintain the balance of fluid inside and outside of cells.

When you have a diet high in sodium, your using the extra salt to also hold on to extra water causing fluid retention. The University of San Francisco Medical Center recommends keeping your daily intake below 2, milligrams.

Another way to control fluid retention is to make sure you eat enough potassium rich foods , about 4, milligrams daily. Potassium helps to decrease sodium levels and also increases urine production which helps flush out extra fluids. You should never stop taking medicine on your own. According to the Hospital for Special Surgery , rapid withdrawal of steroids may cause fatigue, joint pain, muscle stiffness, or fever. Your doctor may be able to prescribe a different corticosteroid , like budenoside.

Additional reporting by Jordan M. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn more about when they're used, what they treat…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm. How they work Why weight gain can occur Prevention Takeaway Overview. Commonly prescribed steroids include: prednisone prednisolone cortisone hydrocortisone budesonide These drugs are highly effective at reducing inflammation, but they also have some troubling side effects.

How do steroids work? Why can weight gain occur? Preventing steroid-induced weight gain. The takeaway. Read this next. The Stranger Side Effects of Prednisone If you need a little comic relief from the side effects of taking prednisone, check out these illustrated quotes from others who can totally relate. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. All About Anabolic Steroids.