Steroids and Weight Gain
Steroids and Weight Gain
Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation

The IBC Research Foundation can be reached by emailing information@mail.ibcresearch.org or by leaving a message with our answering service at 1-877-stop-ibc (1-877-786-7422.)


Adrenocorticosteroids (steroids for short) are included as Hormonal Agents within Chemotherapeutic Agents in general. These drugs are used in conjuction with some chemotherapy treatment, such as the Taxanes, Taxol and Taxotere; it is also used with symptomatic brain metastases and painful liver metastases.

Dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol, and others) is an adrenocorticosteroid many ibc patients are prescribed. Other adrenocorticosteroids include Prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone, and others) and Methylprednisolone (Medrol and others).

Toxicity and side effects (usually associated with long-term therapy)1:

Peptic ulcer disease
Sodium retention (edema, heart failure, hypertension)
Potassium wasting (hypokalemia, alkalosis, muscle weakness)
Glucose intolerance, accumulation of fat on trunk and face, weight gain
Proximal myophathy (increased weakness in the thigh muscles, especially when climbing the stairs)
Personality changes including euphoria and psychosis
Osteoporosis, aseptic hip necrosis
Thinning and fragility of the skin
Suppression of the pituitary-adrenal axis
Susceptibility to infection
1 Manual of Clinical Oncology, 3rd edition, DA Casciato and BB Lowitz

Lee Smith has been kind enough to share her pictures that demonstrate the weight gain that can be associated with these drugs. Lee wrote:

I gained over 40 pounds within a 2 month period on Decadron. I probably gained more than that over the time I was taking the steroids. I felt like I had turned into “Pig Woman”. I felt disgusting.

It’s much better now. The weight itself has not all gone but the swollen unwieldy body is gone. In the two pictures below you’ll see “Pig Woman” and what I look like now. As the pig, I had no neck and my eyes were just little slits. My abdomen was so bloated I could hardly bend. I sort of rolled when I walked.

I feel half normal now! that’s really pretty good because I was only ever half normal anyway! :)
It takes some time for the steroids to get out of our systems. Be patient.
Your hand in mine,
Lee





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