Getting flustered with the military doctors...

[Macculloch]

So my husband is still in med hold and his doctor said he is going to take him off the preg medicine in 6 wks to see how he does...then he will write the med board and we will get results on that within 90 days...BUT
Im so angry when my husband first got sick he lost a ton of weight! NOW he sits in his room all day and eats!! and he is gaining soooooo much weight...HE is not worried...but i am, its just not healthy his circulation is already horrible and him sitting on his butt all day isnt helping. The doctor doesnt seem concerned but gaining over 100lbs within 6 wks is a big deal to me! i thought they sent him to balboa hospital for REHAB! meaning, exercise and getting sumwhat healthy again....

I finally took action and called someone to see if i could talk to his CO. but I just got a bunch of bull from everyone.

Uh...ok im done venting.

[crackers]

bethany,you vent all you want.we all do it when we get frustrated and at least you're venting to people who understand.as for the weight gain,that's what pred does then along with the weakness that comes with WG it's a double whammy.i'm a little concerned when you say they are taking him off the pred in 6 weeks and see how he goes.are they going to put him on something else or does his treatment just stop altogether?is the doc famlliar with WG,has he treated anyone with it before?the pred doesn't make WG go away it just quietens it down.i'd check with the doc and see what his plan is.i can imagine that dealing with the military is very frustrating but your husbands treatment needs to be ongoing and monitored regularly not the suck it and see approach which it sounds like he's getting now.you're going to have to be very vocal and become a real pain in the arse until you're satisfied with his treatment.i wish both you and your husband luck with this.
john.

[Doug]

http://www.medicinenet.com/congestiv...re/article.htm

One way to gain 100 lbs. in 6 weeks is to go into congestive heart failure: that may be fluid gain more than gain related to caloric intake. I just can't imagine anyone gaining 16-2/3 lbs. a week from caloric intake. Regardless, this is a dangerous change in your husband's weight and you are right to take on the fight to get him into treatment.

[Jack]

Renal problems do the same.

[Doug]

Yes, the renal issues are related, too. With WG, that's a prime candidate for a root cause to the rapid weight gain. In all cases, rapid weight gain or loss needs to be brought to the attention of a doctor before you cause serious damage to yourself.

[mucjud13]

I totally understand. I went from 130 to 220 in a short time after being on 80mg of prednisone!

[Doug]

Bethany, I went from 190 lbs. to 293 lbs. due to renal issues. They brought those renal issues into control at University Hospital-Denver through dialysis, bringing me down to 208 lbs. Prednisone (80mg/day) took me back up to 265. I saw my profile in my full length mirror (biggest enemy? best friend?) recently, I looked something like a turnip. Ha! I have an execise plan in works to deal with that, yet it won't be possible until all my family leaves.

Exercise, I unhappily note, is the only - spell that ONLY- thing that ever works for weight control of the ordinary kind. Along with exercise, dietary choices, of course, matter, but I usually - spell that "sometimes" (ha!) - mind my p's and q's. Bethany, whatever cause, you apparently have to be your husband's motivator to deal with it. Don't let up.

[jola57]

Bethany I too remember well how hungry I was on 60mg pred. It realy is o hard not to eat when all the cells in your body crave food and food. I was a trim 158 and balloned to 212lb, granted over a number of months but I did everything I could think of not to eat, I tried to starve myself in the morning and ended up eating more at night, I tried eating smaller portions, but ended up just getting more, then came midnights snaks with not just one sandwich but 3. I just simply had no will power. I now lost about 15 lb but I still go up and down even though I am on 15 pred now. For your husband it is early days and I guess his body hasn't reached that saturation point yet. Please understand him, but I am glad you are taking the action to help him, hopefuly it helps.