is the word to describe the fat distribution you are facing, Cathie.

Steroids are notorious for this.

The fat in the abdomen is very hard to get rid of once it is there.
Some of the research in obesity is finding that fat actually creates chemicals and hormones to perpetuate itself...so once there it is hard to eradicate for this reason.

Fat also retains water. Dr. Kittley (Jensen) on the net has suggestions in losing this water weight. She did it herself and with other professionals.
www.obesitysanswer.com
She believes that certain foods contribute. If anything can work, she is the best in the business IMO. Doing the elimination diet however is drastic, and many people can't handle that. So it is your choice.

When losing weight especially as you age, you HAVE to exercise and do resistance workouts. This tones muscle and helps to get rid of excess areas. A total wipe out however, is not realistic IMO. When science gets the skinny on the chemical changes in fat cells, I think we will see a more likely success with weight control. We just haven't reached that spot yet.

I am reading the other posts slowly, and am relieved for you that your biopsy was negative. I bet you are relieved! (I was too at the ultrasound results I had). I had a negative autoantibody test as well. But the lab screwed up and the TSH was not run, so I am going back in 2 weeks for that. I am going to a specialist after that as well, for some adjustments before the cold weather sets in. A gal at work had multi-cysts on her thyroid that she had drained a couple of times. But they came back, and grew so she had them removed ultimately. You may face something like that if yours increase in size or interfere with breathing. There is a connection between adrenal function and thyroid...so if you are tapering off steroids, you may have thyroid issues for a time as well. I don't understand the whole in and out of that, but it is mentioned in the literature.

So good for you that you are out of that "cancer" woods! I am relieved for you about that one!