Judywalks

[Judywalks]

I have been in remission from PMR and GCA for a few months now and am beginning to feel hopeful. However I cannot get rid of my “Methotrexate “ midriff.

Any advice please.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Well done!! Long may it continue.

Are you still on MTX?

My MTX weight gain was due to the MTX having made the pred effect on appetite greater - which suggests to me it is pred-directed fat deposition. If that is so, trying a very low carb diet may do the trick.

I gained a lot of weight with methydprednisolone, never with plain pred, but as soon as I switched to prednisolone and went low carb the midriff bulge slowly but steadily melted away and within a couple of months my trousers started to fall down!!!

[Judywalks in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for your prompt reply. I’ve been off MTX for a few months now and off Pred for longer. I actually lost weight while on both maybe because I was experiencing other health problems too. I’ve put the weight on since. Yes I do need to try a very low carb diet. I think I knew that but doing it is always harder!!

Thank you for all the help and support on this forum. I wish I had found it when I was first diagnosed.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Judywalks]

Good luck with the weight loss!! I'm staying with my vegan daughter at present for 2 months - I will have to go on a very strict diet when I get home. Food here seems to be carbs with a side of carbs!!!!!

[Sharitone in reply to PMRpro]

That's all you get if you go to arestaurant as a vegetarian. Vegans have ruined everything for us - no cheese any more - and all there is is a variety of carbs with carbs, carbs and raw veg.🤢 Sorry, just sounding off.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sharitone]

Her partner eats meat - so he's enjoying himself while I'm here!! I think it depends where you are - lots of cheesy things up here and the village pub has got vegan "ch**ze" to use in their veggie options if they can be adapted. Personally I struggle with vegan - really don't "do" ultraprocessed foods, and vegan stuff is most UPFs when it isn't beans and stuff.

You'd think they'd try to appeal to veggies, lots more of you. But maybe not as vocal?

[Sharitone in reply to PMRpro]

I think it's just to cover everyone with fewer options. Vegan meals are usually cheaper to produce; after all, they don't have much in the way of ingredients. Conspicuously low on protein.

I cannot think of anything even nearly polite to say about vegan 'cheese'. It's horrible!

[Rubha in reply to Sharitone]

I couldn’t agree more Sharitone ….as a vegetarian of almost 50 years , I groan these days when asking to see the vegetarian options in a restaurant and am offered the vegan menu. Full of carbs, chemical « cheeses » and pretend meat substitutes . I usually ask for REAL cheese, REAL yoghurt etc then explain I want LOW carbs , not full on !

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rubha]

I spend my life trying to avoid chemical food and my vegan daughter uses it in her belief she is saving the planet and animals. She also uses more cleaner than me - also buying stuff claiming it is "chemical-free" - and she has done enough science to know better!

[Rubha in reply to PMRpro]

Exactly.....a vegan friend suggested I try Jackfruit. I explained I'd rather have a free range egg from a few miles up the road than a food which is a staple diet for some people and brought 10,000 miles .

[Sharitone in reply to Rubha]

Do you get anywhere with that? I've found that waiters don't often even know the difference between vegan and vegetarian.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sharitone]

Time to worry when the chef doesn't know. And ironically - at home in Italy the waitress sister who part owns the hotel in the village claims to be vegan but recommended a dish with milk and possibly eggs to the vegan daughter. Nat isn't fanatical but ...

[Sharitone in reply to PMRpro]

😆

Our local takeaways all have 'vegetarian' dishes containing oyster sauce.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sharitone]

Hmmmm ....

[Rubha in reply to PMRpro]

I was at a tasting last night , explained when booking I was a veggie....then asked if I'd be OK with fish 🤔....the chef works in one of our big hotels 😖

[Rubha in reply to Sharitone]

Sometimes I do ....I usually explain ....very nicely and patiently .....that Im not sure what chemicals are in the processed vegan burger, cheese, sauce etc etc . It depends on the eatery to be honest. I get frustrated by the misinformation out there about "healthy" and "environmentally friendly" vegan food.

[Grammy80 in reply to PMRpro]

Sound more like a Keto diet....carbs, carbs....eat peanut butter and bacon?? It also sounds delicious💞

[Pippah45]

I am an advocate for low carb too. Years ago I paid for a Low Carb diet that shifted weight I had put on following a family trauma. But I didn't enjoy it. I am currently just cutting out a few carbs - nothing drastic and I can do it without too much will power. Only Berries for fruit and I don't shy away from Butter and Full Fat cream. So much Low Fat food has a lot of carbs in it. Real food too whenever possible.