Steroids no good. Referral to rheumatology. What's next?

Ok, next stage in the saga! I have taken the prednisalone for just five days. They have definitely helped with the pain but the biggest difference is to my mood! These are like the best antidepressants I have ever had. However because I have bipolar mood disorder, the GP has instructed me to stop taking them. He is right to do so because I am definitely heading for hypomania. Ah well!

So he is referring me to rheumatology for a confirmation of diagnosis, or not. He says there are alternative treatments to steroids but that they are not used often and that it would have to be a rheumatology consultant that would initiate these "alternatives".
I didn't think to ask what these treatments might be. Any ideas anyone?