I Have been on steroids for rheumatoid arthritis for about 6 years. It was the reason I had the surgery. My goal was to get off of them completely. Although I have greatly reduced the dosage I am still on them. Recently I have had to increase my dosage a little bit to deal with a flare up. My hunger has increased as well. I woke up at 1:30 this morning and felt so hungry.

I am so scared of gaining the weight back due to this stupid drug. I have decreased my dosage now that the flare up is done, but the fear remains. I worked so hard to lose the weight, and as everyone fears don't want to gain it back.

Thanks for letting me vent a little, I know everyone on here understands my fears.

About two or three times a month I have "hungry days". I've never been able to identify any pattern or cause. There are just days when I seem to be hungrier than most other days. When than happens I focus on eating solid, relatively bulky foods. Usually meat - chicken, fish, turkey and even pork or lean beef. eggs and low fat cheese are also good but not quite as bulky as meat. If I'm really hungry I sometimes eat only meat for a meal or two. Very filling and fullness lasts considerably longer than softer foods. And they are very high in Protein and low calorie.

If you do a little experimenting and log your meals, you will likely identify solid, bulky meals that are within your calorie goals, exceptionally filling, and that you can fall back on when you're struggling with appetite from the steroids. There are also some excellent Snacks out there - Pacific Gold Teriyaki Turkey Jerky (Costco/Amazon) and Old Wisconsin Turkey Sausage Snack Bites (WalMart/Amazon) being two of my favorites. Hummus is another one that I find very filling.

Have a great day Music!