I am diabetic and have thyroid problems along with other aches and pains.

Hi Barbara

the northern hemisphere crowd when they are 'up' are very informed and helpful and will get back to you soon I know with some really useful info. But in the meantime try not to despair about the weight thing. Following some excellent advice on this forum I cut carbs back drastically 3 months ago when I started on a higher dose of pred for first PMR then later even higher for GCA and despite this have lost 10kg so far. I am now in 'healthy' BMI territory but I really could lose some more. It hasn't been as hard as I thought it might be:  for example try  for breakfast full fat big helping of greek style plain yoghurt with your Pred (this also helps to line tummy in morning) - hard boiled egg(s) for lunch - maybe one piece of fruit (mid afternoon - but avoid too much fruit as it really = sugar) and dinner of stir-fried, boiled, baked whatever veg with protein - I eat only white meat & fish or tofu. I drink a few cups of coffee a day with full fat milk too - I can't 'live' without that and generally just try not to snack. This may sound very boring and this is a simplified version but I do play around with everything - I just don't eat the bread, flour, rice, noodles, and processed foods most of the time (but never 'all' the time as I believe 'treats' are vital).  The main thing is you get the treatment you need to be well and this kind of 'anti-inflammatory' type diet can be helpful too. You will find many others here have tried this low carb approach which is easier as time goes by and gives a feeling of 'control' when feeling things are a little 'out of control' sometimes.

All the very best - you WILL get lots of support from this forum - people who are generous and full of invaluable info about their experiences of PMR and the current bio-medical resources. 

Best wishes

It does sound as if he thinks you may have polymyalgia rheumatica - and there is actually a forum on here as Rimmy has mentioned:

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/browse/polymyalgia-rheumatica-and-gca-1708

There are a few people with similar problems to you - for most of us cutting carbs drastically has helped avoid weight gain and even lose weight.

You have the added complication of diabetes so may have to discuss it with your medical team - but low carb is now being advised for helping manage diabetes too by the American Diabetic Association (I think that's what they are called). It makes sense - since carbs are what cause the problem in the first place, cutting them seems a good place to start!

Some of us have no blood sugar problems, others do, but there is no way of knowing until you start taking the pred. 

You do know you should take the entire dose at once don't you?

Barbara,

i understand the weight gain piece, I worried about it too.  But trust me on this one- the greater benefit is to diagnose and treat a potentially greater problem that without treatment could have far reaching consequences.  Yes, the weight is hard to lose but weight goes on, weight comes off.  I gained 40 pounds.  Just when I had taken off 24 I was put back on higher steroid dose and gained 19 back in just a couple of weeks.  Lot of it was water weight.  I have PMR.  Yesterday when complaining to my doc about it he said the alternative was to chance losing your eyesight and being blind.  

Generally speaking, doctors don't use steroids indiscriminately and for them to do so requires critical thinking skills where they utilize risk benefit analysis and I feel like your doctor determined that until you have a diagnosis it is the safest thing to do for you.  Honest, the weight will come back off.  Embrace your fear and it won't have power over you.  We are all here to help one another and that includes losing any unnecessary pounds that you get along the way.  Also, if permitted use recombant bike early on to help with some of the potential weight gain.  It will be ok.