Hives, what's that all about then?

[Ham]

Well, a week down the line I am now out of the emergency care system and into being able to see consultants who have the time to consider the issues. I went to a Rheumatologist last Thursday (and I have a dermatologist with special interest in HSP lined up tomorrow), overall I am infinitely better shape than a week ago.

The rheumatologist, having regard to my priority of walking my daughter  down the aisle next Saturday, prescribed  a course of Prednisolone steroids - 1 week at 15mg, dropping to a second at 10mg. It appears to be Good Stuff. Only, I have a few concerns.

I've been on a weight loss kick for the last six months, having cut out alcohol, and I've dropped from 107kg then to 91kg now before this kicked off, losing weight steadily and slowly. But, here are the datapoints since this thing hit:

June
11th  - 91.2
12     - 90.8
13     - 90.1
14     - 89.8
15     - 88.6 <- up to here no appetite but I was still eating, started steroids
16     - 87.8
17     - 87.2
18     - 87.3 <- made an effort to eat more
19     - 86.8

I don't know whether to worry or not. To me, it looks too much too fast to be healthy. Where's the loss coming from? But then again, I don't want to compromise the weight loss I'm managing, and then again, will steroids kick in and push it the other way? My target is around 80Kg (at which point I hit the top end of normal on the BMI scale). Right at the moment, I feel as alright as likely possible that is "OK but feeble and wiped out easily".

Oh, and what are the real world effects of mixing alcohol and steroids? Thinking ahead to Saturday.

[chrisbainbridge]

short term steroids will not make a major change to weight loss graph but will make a major change to your comfort standing, walking and dancing all day.

Generally just be sensible with the alcohol.  I do not know of any specific adverse events from steroid and alcohol

[Hot Flatus]

You might accidentally win a bike race too

[Kim]

IME the main effect of prednisolone is that suddenly (as in, within an hour or so) you can breathe properly.

[Ham]

You might accidentally win a bike race too

 

Sort of like "Launch the peleton"? (in French)

[Ham]

Well, a week down the line I am now out of the emergency care system and into being able to see consultants who have the time to consider the issues. I went to a Rheumatologist last Thursday (and I have a dermatologist with special interest in HSP lined up tomorrow), overall I am infinitely better shape than a week ago.

The rheumatologist, having regard to my priority of walking my daughter  down the aisle next Saturday, prescribed  a course of Prednisolone steroids - 1 week at 15mg, dropping to a second at 10mg. It appears to be Good Stuff. Only, I have a few concerns.

I've been on a weight loss kick for the last six months, having cut out alcohol, and I've dropped from 107kg then to 91kg now before this kicked off, losing weight steadily and slowly. But, here are the datapoints since this thing hit:

June
11th  - 91.2
12     - 90.8
13     - 90.1
14     - 89.8
15     - 88.6 <- up to here no appetite but I was still eating, started steroids
16     - 87.8
17     - 87.2
18     - 87.3 <- made an effort to eat more
19     - 86.8

I don't know whether to worry or not. To me, it looks too much too fast to be healthy. Where's the loss coming from? But then again, I don't want to compromise the weight loss I'm managing, and then again, will steroids kick in and push it the other way? My target is around 80Kg (at which point I hit the top end of normal on the BMI scale). Right at the moment, I feel as alright as likely possible that is "OK but feeble and wiped out easily".

20 - 86.8

So, whatever's going on seems to have stopped (or at least slowed ?) so just bank the weight loss and be happy.

[Lightning Phil]

Have you been inactive during the weight loss?  When I had a mountaineering accident years ago I was immobilised in bed for about 6 days.  Massive amount of muscle wastage  in a short time. Legs were like sticks I had to rebuild.

[Ham]

The truth is, my overall level of fitness is much lower than pre pandemic levels. Where for my current body shape, I would have weighed 5%+ more, and I would have been saying to myself BMI? ShmeeMI, I have had to recognise that my current level of fitness means it is probably accurate, and that's how I went into this. While I could cycle 6 miles with trailer and child up incline, I certainly knew about it at the end. I've certainly been taking things easy since this hit, as I have no other option, but I'm not laid up in bed. I didn't think I'd have that much muscle mass to lose