Dear Lisa V.,

I was on Prednisone for 32 years and I like our Pred, Dex, Hydro because without them ...where would we be?

 I now take Hydrocortisone because me and my Endo for the last three years feel it’s much better for my case- it’s the closest and most natural plus not as potent as the other two - limits the side effects.

My weight is more genetic and I don’t exercise to the level that I need to- Mine is a body that needs to eat mostly veggies w/ some protein and water plus really haul when I exercise. Something to do with CAH or the fact I’m from thick German stock?   I’ve taken up jogging which is good.

I think prednisone excelerates a person’s personality that is already there - My feelings only ....I’m not a doctor. I think that I’m much more even keeled on the hydro and focused but if levels are better on the Pred then the pred is the best way to go. I knew someone that has SWCAH and went thru medical school taking her Pred. She is really pretty also 5’5" not a toothpick but not fat either.

The Pred at times gave me a feeling of flying and that was taking the 7.5 . I’ve never had bad levels and went into puberty on time and my height is close to what it was supposed to be. Never had any trouble with periods either and my weight goes up if I have sugar or bread. For me it wasn’t how much food but the food choices - does that stop me from eatting what I want? nope. Also, I have more muscle mass compared to fat. I had excessive hair from age 12 until 23 and now faint hair but the doctors still don’t like that hair.

I’m more mellow on the hydro (25 mgs/day)  vs the pred - I’m nice but sometimes I would blow aggressive .....ok I still blow but not as much - a heck of a temper.  I asked one endo to change the pred from 10mg to 7.5 and he would laugh ...brushing me off until I went off on him in front of a drug rep - then it was like OK I’ll change it.

I have Osteoprosis and is that from the years of pred or just genetic and was ment to be? who knows : ) i have an article that was in our local newspaper that talkes about long term cortisone use- it’s sorta scary but I have a condition that needs the cortisone. Does she like activities like jogging? weight bearing stuff? this article goes on about mussle weakness and extra weight around the middle but it doesn’t have to be our destiny because there are things one can do to counter act that.

I also have Borderline Hashimoto’s Thyroditis (two side effects being infertility and early menopause )which is now hypo-  that may contribute to weight trouble but I haven’t gained either.  

I like the idea of a journal for the Endo.  

If I want to lose weight, I really have to be active. I ending up getting a complex over my weight becasue of the focus of the endos and students. I’m honest about that and it isn’t right but I did- The Endo/ students all happy that I lost a pound and when I was a kid I would walk to the general store to get candy that nobody knew about. They are standing over me checking out my body making weight comments - it was to much for me.

Even to this day with my endo that i like will make weight comments and because of that I’ll go eat something that I shouldn’t have or wouldn’t have. The NP is a tooth pick also.  That isn’t your kid but that is how i felt about all of em harping on my weight. The pred fueled and anger that was already there. You want me to weigh WHAT? yeah we’ll see about that! Left to pick or given good food choices and really active? I’m 120. Oh yes another thing about the pred is that I would never sleep and weird though but off the pred? Any anxiety that I had went ...poof!  me loves the Hydro but if the pred works then that is great.   Is she into anything at school like soccer? At work now - I’ve started jogging around the building.

Good luck.