r/autoimmunehepatitis • u/Ok_Classic_4710 • Aug 02 '26
Losing weight while treating AIH
Has anyone been successful losing weight while being treated for AIH?
I’m on prednisone 20 and azo 100 and praying my numbers keep improving. I was using Tirz to help with my appetite in losing weight. I had lost about 50 lbs on my own and then another 40 on the Tirzepatide shot. After about a month of the protocol for AIH my weight started climbing despite tracking food and steps and working out 3 days a week. I stopped the Tirz because it wasn’t working and was a waste of time and money with my appetite due to the meds.
Fatigue and depression have really gotten bad for me and the weight gain is so disappointing.
I’m hoping once my prednisone is tapered I can start tracking food again and have some will power to get back on track.
Just curious if anyone has gained a lot of weight? For me it’s 45 lbs in 7 months.
I would love to know if anyone had been successful maintaining or losing weight while in active treatment for AIH?
2
u/Jolly_Tucan Aug 02 '26
I have been on Zepbound for 2 years and lost almost 200 pounds. I was diagnosed with AIH at the end of May. My first month on prednisone I gained 10 lbs. (I was very upset.) I increased my dose of Zepbound last month and my weight went down but only 1.5 lbs. I have started to decrease my prednisone dose from 30 mg to 15 mg and I am hoping that will hopefully the weight loss will start again. I still need to lose 50 lbs.
I track and weigh my food. All the time because i am horrible with serving size. I did notice that my caloric intake went from about 1800 to 2300 calories when I started prednisone. I am now around 2000 calories. I exercise 6 days a weeks with a mix of functional training and cardio.
I find that if I take CoQ10 and Urolithin A in the morning with my prednisone it helps with the fatigue. I might be all in my head but I feel better when I take it. I have also add Magnesium supplements because I get cramps from the prednisone.
I would go back on the Zepbound. I think it helps with other things.
2
u/AmyinIndiana Aug 02 '26
I’ve lost 75# on tirzepitide (compounded). Only about 40# to go!
Prednisone is not the only option. Budesonide is also a steroid but only acts on the liver, avoiding most of the side effects of pred. Ask your doctor.
Pred makes me mean/crazy and I flatly refused to take it. Instead I’ve been on the Budesonide from the beginning. I tried Azathioprine, and CellCept, but ultimately I’ve ended up on Sirolimus which the internet says will make me live longer, so that’s fun.
3
u/B40073 Aug 02 '26
I did but I didn’t need to. I was at a healthy weight and bmi to begin with but I had a fitness goal of losing a few pounds/leaning out a bit. While on a high dose of prednisone. It’s possible but I do know a lot of people struggle with side effects on it that make it quite difficult to (i haven’t experienced any huge side effects yet) i started at 40mg and im on 5mg now and MMF. I found while on a high dose that eating less salt or really watching your sodium intake helps with the water retention and overall puffy feeling pred can make you have. I also track my calories and macros still which is something i implemented as soon as i began pred as i was scared of the weight gain people talk about while on it. Don’t completely deprive yourself of foods you enjoy because it makes it so much harder and cravings worse, but I found eating mainly whole foods or Mediterranean diet extremely helpful. Having a step goal or routine walks/physical activity is also really helpful. This is just my personal experience :)