I shall answer both of your questions here. First, I had to take steroids for Chron's disease for almost a year. I was 91 pounds when I started, and 130 when I ended - and I didn't grow any. Yes, they do make you gain weight. It's just a regular thing that happens with these meds, but if you're putting on 3-5 pounds a week you should stop taking them and try a different route. If you want to e-mail me please feel free; my address is: jmanwaller@hotmail.com. Thanks!