I am a 57 year old woman. Six years ago I was diagnosed with a very fast progressing and debilitating form of RA. Doctors gave me methotrexate ( my body rejected) gold something ( my body rejected) and a few other toxic drugs. I was in excrutiating pain and could not get out of bed without taking heavy duty pain pills. My life was unbearable and I seriously considered suicide.
One day, loaded with pain pills, I surfed the web for hours trying to get more info on this horrible disease. I came to the website of Joseph Hackett and it gave me hope and led me to the elimination diet that saved my life. Here is the site: http://jhackett_ra.tripod.com/
and here is the elimination diet site: http://www.frot.co.nz/dietnet/reviews/mcferran07_elimination .htm
I followed the elimination diet of Robert McFerran ( had a small set back, my vitamins had gluten in them and I didn't think to check their content until well into the elimination diet and had to start at day one again with gluten free vitamins) and after cleansing my body,for the first time in years I was totally pain free. I followed a gluten free, lactose free diet for 5 years and had no rheumatoid arthritis during that period. Whenever I cheated, the pain would return. I cheated very seldomly and very seldomly had the pain. Then after 5 years, I started to cheat a bit more regularly, I thought I had beaten the RA. Finally the toxins accumulated and I was out of my 5 year remission and back in full blown RA. I am now trying to get back to the pain free state by following a diet that is good for me. So far I know that gluten, lactose and meat are definitely bad for me. I also have found that if I get constipated, toxins build up and that makes the RA worse. I used to love peanut butter and nuts but now I must prevent constipation so I avoid them. I have also read a bit about Bromelain which is an enzyme found in pineapples that supposedly slows down or stops the RA over time. Anyone tried that ? I understand it takes at least a month to take effect. I may start next week.
I am beginning to think that RH and Ankylosing Spondylitis, and IBS and perhaps Lupus are all bodily responses to toxins that we are inadvertenly putting into our bodies under the guise of foods. And the drug companies do not make money if we change our diet and get well so they feed us their toxic drugs which sooner or later kill us. And most doctors are too busy to research diet and disease. It is much easier for them to hand out a pill. And when it is discovered that after 15 years of the pill use, the patient dies from the pills, they switch to another pill and the drug companies blame the patients death on something else. As a last resort, I may have to take the pills someday as a last resort, but certainly not before I have exhausted every possible dietary change or natural remedy.
any comments appreciated.
Cestmoi -
Welcome (assumming you're not a spammer or a pyramid sales person). I've was 'prescribed' Bromelain by my Integrative Med MD. I took it for a month but forgot to get more. I've been meaning to go get more as it's supposed to be very good for you.
Glad diet is working for you. Have you looked into delayed onset allergy testing?
Pip
Cestmoi, welcome.I was wondering why you don't do the diet again?Also I thought that diet was a cure for the guy who had RA.
Well I know Joe Hackett is real and his story is true.
gary
Even though it's hard to have a gluten free, dairy free diet I think you're kind of lucky. I wish I could find my triggers, because then I could avoid them. I do believe, more and more, though, that diet and gut issues can really make a difference in "autoimmune diseases".no, I am not trying to sell Bromelain. It is a natural enzyme produced by many different vitamin companies, so I guess I would have to be a lobbyist for the pineapple companies which I assure you, I am not. I am a realtor. I could suggest that the person who accused me of spam is an undercover drug company lobbyist trying to deter people's attempts to find natural cures. But I won't.
I started a major vitamin program including Evening Primrose, the B's, Omega 3s and others, am only on my second week. Thinking I should give those a month before starting something new. As for the Bromelain, after a month, I will try it for 2 months and let you know how it goes. I am back on the diet but the RA is reluctant to leave. I have stopped the excrutiating pain with the diet, (it was up to a 7 on a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being dead), so far but I still have pain (scale 3) on finger joints, wrists, shoulders and knees. Not enought to give in and take pain meds but enough to puncture my happiness bubble. Tomorrow the doc wants to prescribe pills and give me the results of my hand, wrist, shoulder and knee exrays. I know he is doing his best with the knowledge he has. Will probably accept the prescription as last resort but will certainly give the Bromelain 2 months try.
Gimpy-a-gogo, have you tried to find your triggers? It takes at least a week on the elimination diet. If the pain leaves totally after a week, you know it is something you are ingesting that is causing the pain. One change I would make to McFerran's diet is I would exclude yams or sweet potatoes. They give me a reaction.
thanks for your comments
And JJ54, am trying diet again but think I may have really compromised my immune system with that extended period of cheating. gotta find the time to do the full 10 days and proceed very slowly. will try this week. thanks again everyone.
P.S. for the elimination, instead of using the drug laxative, use 8 oz of prune juice with 4 tablespoons of psyllium mixed in. Drink in morning. It is better than any laxative and less toxic on the system. And no, 6t5friane, I am not a lobbyist for the prune juice companies either. Or the natural foods companies. I gotta think cestmoi is on to something. I've eliminated a few things from my diet and feel great. I got rid of dairy and diet soda and most processed foods in place I put seltzer water, soy milk (or almond milk), and veggies, fruits and whole grains. I urge you all to try to eliminate one thing at a time though and see if you notice a diff.
I have celiac and am extremly dairy intolerant (milk protein
and sugar) since I was a baby. I have been gluten and dairy free for many
years and yet I have developed RA. Believe me, I take my diet very, very seriously,
as I have ended up in the hospital more than once over the years for mistakes I
carelessly made. No doubt, the diet is
very healthy for many folks, but please excuse my skepticism. Have you considered that it’s possible that
you just had a remission and the diet was a coincidence?
I think there's definitely something in this. I dont like diets per se but do believe that everyone has something their body just doesnt like. I'm allergic to garlic and make all my food myself from scratch (ergo anything from the bulb type of family irritates even if my tongue doesnt swell up and choke me). I practically live on fish, chicken, the odd steak and loads and loads of fresh veggies.
Hubby loves pasta but suffered for ages with 'wind'
I'm glad you've found something that helps you.
Hey Cestmoi!
Glad you're real. Can't blame 6t5, tho, we've had a bunch of spammers and 'I found the Holy Grail of RA cures' recently. At least you're not **! LOL
And good comment about undercover drug reps - LOL. I think they're here, too! I so dislike buying into other people's conspiracy theories - trust me, mine are much more colorful - but if it quacks like a duck...
Higgy - hate not knowing; who's Hacket and how did you know?
Cestmoi - No, none of these tests for anything to do with AI diseases are accurate. The delayed onset allergy testing is really controversial. Most allergists think it's bunk. Karin had them done and used split sampling (different labs) and the answers came up the same for her so I'm willing to go with it. I figure it's a place to start in healing the gut. You might have to tweak; but what don't we? I think the restricted diet is a real turn off for most people, and I like my food. I don't want to take out anything I don't have to. :-)
As for the doc - guess it depends on which pills. I'm like you, I wanted the most mild med and if I needed to go up later, I'd still have that option. I use Minocin for my RA and am starting to work on healing my gut. Check out www.roadback.org You'll find that even tho Minocin is an ACR approved DMARD, most rheumies pooh-pooh it and you have to wrestle it out of them.
Whatever med you use, you have to use it consistantly or you will get erosions. Unfortunately, it's not a 'I'm feeling bad today' kind of thing.
And please stay here and post your progress. This board used to be a bit feisty (my advice - stay off the political threads! LOL) and we kind of ran off the non-traditional diet people. But we've changed a lot in the last couple months and we're much more open to discussions. Most of us just want to heal. We could learn along with you.
LCarter - I don't think it's a coincidence (altho docs tend to say that whenever their meds aren't involved). Too many posts of people that have dramatically cut their inflammation with diet. Yes, most of it is anecdotal evidence...but enough anecdotes and you have a mountain. My question is...what would your inflammation level be if you hadn't cut the gluten and dairy out?
Hugs,
Pip
Sarah -
Garlic is a blood thinner - and an anti-microbial. My non-doctor opinion, that's not an allergy, that's a 'herx'.
Sorry - had to say it, hope you're not mad. Do you know how many of us have clotting problems with our diseases? It's a huge percent.
Pip
Pip, you are right. Who is to say if my gluten + dairy free diet has not been influencial in keeping RA at bay or even reduced. Perhaps I would have been dx's with RA sooner had I not already been on this diet. The celiac info groups say that RA is one of those common tag along diseases with celiac. Both diseases are autoimune, so it seems logical (at least to me) that they could be somehow related. Anyway, it is really hard to keep gluten and dairy free unless you cook most all of your own food and read labels to an obsession. A lot of people are gluten sensitive and don't even know it. Surely, a try with the diet won't hurt--just remember that it takes a while to know if it is really helping. For some, depending on how much gut damage has been done, it can take months, even a year or longer. A good site to look at for more info is: www.celiac.comThanks!
You all know I see microbes everywhere! Remember the thread with my odd theory on the 'hive mind' of these things? There were 3 systems they hit first IMO - the thyroid, the pancreas, and the gut (which I forgot until this post lol). All 3 lead to a disbling of our ability to fight these things off. We have an inability to absorb nutrients from our foods. Suppplements can't hurt us.
All I know is that there are people on the Marshall Protocol that say they are curing their Celiac disease. How is that possible if it were truly genetic?
Hugs,
Pip
I know several people with gluten sensitivity (not celiac) who have been able to reintoriduce gluten after extended periods without it.Hi Pip,
The doctor prescribed prednisone. I am not going to take it yet because I want to give one last try to the elimination diet. I have started it and not completed it a few weeks ago. This time I am going to do the elimination diet (without cheating and/or stopping) and then I will know if my system has changed completely and the arthritis is not a reaction to food, or if it still has those food allergies that trigger the RA.
I am on day one. I had prune juice with psyllium for breakfast, and a pear at mid morning. Will have celery and pear for lunch, more prune juice with psyllium mid afternoon. Supper will be whitefish simmered slowly, the only seasoning being sea salt. I might continue the prune juice on day two but probably not after that.
I love food so this is not easy. But the pain has become intolerable and the pain is my body sending a message wanting me to pay attention. So, at attention I am. Anyone else want to do this with me? As I mentioned in an earlier post, I cannot have the root veggies in my elimination diet even tho they are listed on McFerrins site. They cause a reaction in me, so no parsnips, turnips, potatoes, yams. It makes for a very boring elimination diet but if it gets rid of the pain, I can get past the boring.
From experience, I know it will take at least 4 to 5 days to clear all the food toxins from my system and the pain should start to leave by then. ( And when I say food toxins, please don't think I eat inferior food. I am a bit of a gourmand, loving good food, not junk food). Also, if anybody else decides to do it, make sure your supplements do not contain gluten as gluten is one of the most common triggers.
p.s. they should have an emoticon for HUNGRY
Hi Wills08,
Thanks for your welcome. Glad you found happiness thro gluten free. It is amazing, isn't it, that something as simple as changing your diet can affect so much.
No, I just can't do the diet right now - I need to do one but I haven't figured out which one and since my husband was able to join us he's doing all a the cooking again. Sigh.
Can you keep posting how it's going? I think a lot of people will like to know. Heck, I'd like to know.
Hugs,
Pip