After years of aches and pains along with GP visits I now have a diagnosis of PMG
I self diagnosed a few years ago but now have the official nod !
I've been put on pred and the course which I don't doubt everyone else is on.
Now I am deeply worried about putting on weight. I don't over eat now and never really have done I'm also a vegan and really love fruit and raw vegetables, houmoss, salsa and oats with almond milk.
Any tips welcome Thank you
David
Isn’t it a relief to finally have a diagnosis! Presumably the Pred had its miracle effect?
With your diet I wouldn’t be too worried. It’s white carbs and sugar coupled with sweet cravings and a voracious appetite (initially) that is our downfall.
Carbohydrates set up a craving of their own, so life is easier with very little.
I of course am a sentient being who breaks all the rules sometimes and gives in out of self pity and anger. With your disciplined intake it should be easier for you. Guard against boredom. Talking to myself here. Good luck!
Thank you Jane, I suppose I'm lucky being a vegan (I'm a very quiet one and simply don't like things like milk (since 1964) so being a v was sort of a life path path for me, so no banging on from me!
I'm on my second day of pred and can feel the pain subsiding. I do get bored very easily and am a bit of an out and about type. I still get very bored, always have done!
TY
David
Best of luck David. I find trying to stay away from simple carbs is only possible if I can have cheese, yogurt etc. I found the early days of Pred difficult as I was always starving and a chicken salad didn’t hit the spot. It had to be a curry with naan bread, fried rice and followed by apple tart! 😂
You sound like a disciplined person, so I’d say you’ll be fine!
"You sound like a disciplined person, so I’d say you’ll be fine!" not til recently. I would have the hottest curry and Mexican food around.
Ensure that you are prescribed a suitable Vit D/ Calcium supplement. Prednisalone effects the absorption of Calcium into the bones, we therefore need more of it. You will also need to pace your usual activities. Pred is not curative, it deals with the harmful inflammation and therefore the pain and stiffness. You will still have a serious systemic disease underneath. Good luck and keep in touch.
Yes I will - I was on Accrete a few years ago and must chase my GP. Anyone have a better choice of supplement?? D
Adcal seems to be commonly prescribed. I take Desunin 800u vit. D only because the Calcium set up bladder irritation. I do eat a dairy diet though.
Hello. I hope you’re getting the relief from Pred. Many have avoided weight gain or even lost weight by cutting out all pasta, rice, bread, flour based foods, potatoes. I just ate fruit, veg and protein and was fine. I take a mixed Vitamin B supplement weekly as being gluten free I miss out on some of the benefits of wholemeal. I never worried about fats and actually if you avoid refined carbs the fat that generally gets added doesn’t happen. Pred encourages the liver to break down its stores into glucose and you spike blood sugar. Your body has to pump out insulin that turns it into other stores like fat. If you eat more carbs your poor pancreas has to pump out even more insulin to keep the sugar down because the body doesn’t like it. Then you’ve got more fat deposited and you may develop insulin resistance. There is plenty of carb in veg and fruit. I treated myself with a bit of dark choc and two glasses of vino a week.
The other thing that makes one put on weight is fluid retention from salt because the Pred makes you hang onto sodium for longer. This gets better with dose.
Wow thank you for that! I do have a couple of homemade salad sandwiches with hummus dips ...sweet peas and celery. I have gotten to really like that. Also I eat raw oats with alpro almond milk, fresh fruit, seeds and chopped nuts. I suppose I have another guilty treat with the oats?
I appreciate any advice or tips. I am 10 pounds over my ideal weight and hate that :/
D
I seems to be that some can get away with the odd carb more than others. Some can’t even eat root veg, while I had a bit. It’s a case of keeping an eye and watching that bits a pieces don’t start adding up. Breakfast without carbs turned into nuts and or a greenish banana. Being a bit more flexible about what constitutes breakfast food might be necessary.
Thank you ! I've only just developed a liking for banana's and they are my new grab and go junk food.
My OH is vegan and while I'm not, many of my meals are vegan. I have porridge oats with nuts and seeds for breakfast, but about half the portion of oats I ate before PMR. I don't consider oats a 'guilty treat' - they are a staple food. At main meals, I've also halved my portions of starchy foods such as potatoes, rice, pasta, etc. Like you, I eat plenty of vegetables and fruit.
In almost 3 years of PMR, I've gained no weight.
All the best.
Funnily enough I have just ate half a bowl of oats with seeds and almond milk! Just a few minutes ago..
My oh is a chicken and fish eater and is careful what she eats too.
Thank you for that.... much appreciated.
David
Hi David
I had the same fears particularly about weight gain and diabetes. I am six months on pred and about two stone lighter. Just did as others have suggested above. Best of luck
Thank you Harbel. Here's hoping!
Hello David - welcome to the forum from a fellow vegan! I hope you are feeling the benefits of pred already.
When I started on pred I cut down on carbs and didn't put on any weight - in fact I lost some weight & felt better for it. You can still have your curries, but perhaps less frequently, or with less rice! Make sure you eat plenty of bone-building foods - pred can affect bone density.
Our usual approach to manage weight gain is to say cut carbs, especially processed carbs. The processed you should have little difficulty with - the carbs in general is a bit different for vegan but if you are like my daughter - who cooks - you should find it easier. My granddaughter, OTOH, is a junk vegan! Mhairi on here seems to do very well.
Junk vegan ha ha that's a new one on me! I consider myself to have been in that category. Now it's no junk although I would like one vegan sugar free bar of chocolate a week"!
I only got a diagnosis when I was frozen stiff and unable to move - my food intake was not the best for my health - I've made many changes and now my balanced diet sounds a little like yours although I'm not vegan. Your half way there and now you've found this site! You're in a roll! Welcome.
Greetings and welcome David, from another of the relatively few of us PMR / GCA 'Lads' here 
Thank you Mark
Welcome David!
I’ve been on pred 10 months but adopted a low carb/sugar/salt diet and lost 30lbs. Needed to as to help with knee issues, also didn’t want to develop diabetes.
I didn’t completely eliminate any food groups, and this makes it easier to stick to. Glad you found us!
Thank you Ma'am, I don't use sugar and am always aware of food labels. I love Puffed Wheat with nuts and almond milk
Hello David, and a warm welcome to the party that non of us wanted to go to. You will find all the help and advice you need on this amazing site. All the best, in hopefully a short journey. From another one of the few LADS on here. A BIG HI to all the ladies though. Trevor.
Welcome David. Great information & experience on this forum you've certainly found the right place. ATB
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