Belated happy Christmas but early happy new year

[JulieR2]

Hi everyone

Hope things have been as good as they can be! I thought I would wish you a happy new year early I will never make 12 midnight tomorrow! I am now officially a year in from when my symptoms started and I have been reviewing progress

Down to 5mgs of prednisolone! Up 14lbs in weight. Up to 7 for cholesterol! Off alendronic acid! Lost the shoulder stiffness. Still have hip and shoulder tenderness. Bloods normal

Oh I mustn’t forget the loss of my front tooth

Can’t count how much money I spent looking for the magic bullet! What a waste as you all know

Have worked full time and not had a day off sick since the initial month of diagnosis and starting prednisolone.

So my aims for 2018

Off prednisone

Cholesterol normal

Weight down ( I have been sent to diet club at my GPs)

Tooth implant!!!

Thanks for all your support! Will let you know how I do! For all those new to this it gets better but we are all in this for the long haul unfortunately.

Here’s to an improving 2018!!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The best weight control approach for PMR plus pred is low carb - and there aren't many diet clubs that "get" the problem of pred and carbs. A lot of the people who run them don't understand the physiology. But good luck - maybe you'll be lucky but if you don't lose and they accuse you of not sticking to the diet - that could be why.

[JulieR2 in reply to PMRpro]

Hi there thanks for this. Did you do a specific diet? I am getting confused I know bread and potatoes rice and pasta but what else do I stop thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to JulieR2]

Just google low carb diets - loads of sites on the internet.

The dietdoctor page is "for beginners" so doesn't assume you have all the figures in your head and shows you on the basis of pictures - so much more memorable!

dietdoctor.com/low-carb

I've just been having an explore - it is really good!!!!

[SheffieldJane]

All sounds good Julie happy healthy new year to you too!

Don’t be racing to zero with Pred though, you know it’s a mugs game. Slowly, slowly catchy monkey!

[JulieR2 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Thanks Jane I had planned to drop to 4 tomorrow but have decided I need to stay at 5. That Monkey is so hard to catch but we will I know

[Rugger in reply to JulieR2]

Julie

Try 0.5mg steps at this low dose. I didn't and at 4mg I flared and had to go back to 10mg. Now on 7mg tapering DSNS to 6.5mg from tomorrow!

Pill cutters available from the pharmacy if you're on plain pred, otherwise coated pred comes in 5mg, 2.5mg and 1mg tablets, which mustn't be cut.

Happy New Year to you too.

[JulieR2 in reply to Rugger]

Thanks good point!

[markbenjamin57]

Hi Julie

Thanks for the update :-). So, the usual Snakes and Ladders-ish process, like for many of us with PMR and GCA?!

I like your Health 'shopping list' for 2018 - a good time for all of Us Lot to plan and look forward to more positive things? Fingers crossed for you!

MB