This is a topic that I have taken a personal interest in since I have some
obesity issues. I have researched this topic extensively on the internet. I
went to a day long seminar a year or so ago that talked about the severe
whole body inflammation that can occur with being obese. It disturbed
me into action and I have been able to lose 35 lbs just by making some
basic life style changes/improvements. What i gained from all my
research is that if you are obese, with RA, you are at a tremendous risk
for so many other diseases. And it is difficult to get the RA inflammation
under control if you are overweight because you have more than just joint
inflammation going on. It is very important to improve your lipid profile
including the ratio. Once the lipid profile is improved, we will see
improvement in CRP and ESR. It is hard to tell if the CRP and ESR is
elevated from the RA, or the obesity. Has anyone done any reading on
the effects of obesity and elevated inflammatory markers? Any
comments?
Thanks for posting this. I believe that a great number of life threatening health problems can be attributed to obesity (and smoking). I technically fit into the category of obesity based n my bmi. I have struggled with my weight for 10 years now, losing it all a few years ago, only to gain it all back and then some. I dont think that it will neccesarily "fix" the RA, but I think you are giving your body a much better chance by taking away the extra stress that being obese or even overweight causes.
Do you have any good links or websites you can reccomend on the subject?
That is interesting. I am definitely obese (and have been for 20 years). My triglycerides have always been bad, and only recently my LDL has been as well. At the same time, my CRP and ESR have gone down. And yet I don't feel any better.
I think something is also going on with my thyroid, so that may be skewing things. Hope to find out about that next month.
I definitely applaud anyone who is ready, willing and able to make appropriate lifestyle changes and then comes up with a good result. I know from my own experience, that dropping 40 pounds in the past did not help me feel one bit better. That may be a drop in the bucket, but it was a big drop for me.
Anyway, I have been basically told not to exercise beyond simple stretching, and I am not well enough to cook (after working a full day), so I'm somewhat limited in what I can do about it at this point. I'm hoping to feel a little better through medical treatment so that I can make some changes in the future.
Lorster, I'm a couple of days behind in reading and posting and I was really surprised to read this post because this exact relationship between obsity and inflammation has been foremost in my thoughts.
I saw a picture of myself taken a year ago when I was on 25 mg. of Pred. and the biologics and dmards not working. I was swollen, obese, eyes were slits and puffy, and I had an engorged neck. I compared that picture to a picture taken 6 months ago and what a difference. The bios and dmards were working somewhat, Pred. was down to 15mg. I was still obese but my eyes weren't puffy and my face had a thinner look to it.
Stan took a picture of me today and I practically look like my old self again. I'm still obese but my eyes are bright and not slits, my face has thinned and my neck isn't engorged and I don't have those chins. I look healthy. The look of pain is gone. My biologics and dmards are working and I'm taking only 10mg of Pred.
What a difference in myself. I've also lost a total of 22 lbs. and have about 35 more to go. Because of minimal inflammation, swelling, and pain I look different than what I've looked since this flare from hell started almost 3 years ago.
I suggest that one should chronicle their progress by taking pictures of themselves. You'll be very surprised. My lipids and ratio have always been within normal range and to date no sign of diabetes. But I have developed PF and a left bundle branch block from what I'm sure are years of inflammation, swelling, obesity, Pred. and RA drugs. Am in the midst of cardiac testing to find out why I have a LBBB but you know we may never know the cause. The PF is watched closely with yearly chest xrays.
Yes, I firmly believe that RA, associated CIDs and obsity go hand in hand. Or at least the severity of the symptoms are related to obesity. Obesity doesn't cause the diseases but it sure hinders the progress to get well.