Discussion Board

I have some great news! A woman contacted me a few months ago thru the PMR forum that I used to post on. That board overhwhelmingly supports the use of longterm steroid treatment and the members there have responded very negatively about my use of and success with diet to manage my symptoms. The woman who contacted me asked for details of the elmination diet I used as she too was looking for alternatives to steroid treatment. Within a month she began seeing improvement in symptoms, first in her shoulders and later in her hips (which is similar to my own progression of improvement). Not only that, but she's had her inflammation factors tested at least twice since beginning the diet and has seen her Sed-rate or CRP (can't remember which) decline to near normal levels!!!

She ended up reintroducing lean meats into her diet because she didn't feel well without, but the whole foods plus elimination of dairy, gluten, etc., was enough to make these improvements.

Additionally, her daughter, who also suffers from autoimmune conditions (she didn't specify which but I will ask) is also seeing improvements following a whole foods diet.

Can't tell you how thrilled I am with her success! I hope that this gives hope to others here suffering from chronic pain or autoimmune who are just beginning on this WOE. IT WORKS!

Wow, what a blessing!

I have just recently been told that I have PMR & GCA. After watching Forks over Knives, I started researching diets that might help me.
My doctor is trying to treat me without steriods because of health problems from over use of steriods shots when I first started getting sick 6 years ago, my adrenals are not in good shape.
he is working with a naturalpath doctor and I am going thru a detox for PMR, GCA and aluminum.
I asked a doctor 5 years ago if I could have PMR and was told no, my sed rate was not high enough. They did not even test anything else. I went thru back surgery, a number of physical therapies, pain meds, etc, with no help. Each doctor would come up with something else to try until I just stopped. Started going to a ND and she helped some but she was the one who listened when i told her what was happening. I also have Lupus.
I am already gluten free which has helped some but not enough.

Could you please send me any info that could help? My hips hurt so much that I can't sleep, walk up steps or hills well. My whole body actually aches.
Is this diet possible for some one that is gluten free? Seems most of the recipes call for wheat or fake meats which are mostly gluten. I have been on an organic diet for a long time. Grow my own veggies but do drink organic milk products and eat some grass fed meat.

Thank so much for posting. Gives me encouragement that I am on the right track.

Welcome aboard, TNgal! I know many nice people in the Volunteer state!

I hope you can find the help you need here.

Please see:

http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_allergic.html

Please keep us posted!

Hello!

Glad you found us

Many here are not using any of the fake meat products that you mention. I have not. It's actually preferable that you don't, from what I understand, as those are highly processed foods, and this way of eating leans towards whole unprocessed.

I think I have bought and eaten tofu just once but found even that wasn't necessary for a healthy McDougall diet. If you are concerned about getting enough protein, just do some reading around this site and forum, and you're concerns will be eased that whole foods starch based that is promoted here provides adequate protein. Plenty of GF people and recipes available here, too.

I too was shoved from doctor to doctor, tried to be put on this med and that, and had a heck of a time trying to get a diagnosis. Finally steroids were in my future when thankfully I discovered this way of eating and it has helped me so much--haven't had a real PMR flare up in several months! My body has definitely healed a lot and is healing still since I began the diet early last fall.

We currently may be the only PMR people here, but there are quite a few managing other autoimmune pain conditions successfully with this diet. I can point you in their direction if you would like. And here is a link to my journal here if you want to take a look:
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=27656
It doesn't chronicle my entire journey but will give you a good idea of where I was less than a year ago and how far I've come since then.

Please continue to work closely with your medical professionals. The vision issues associated with GCA should not be taken lightly.


Hope this helps some. Welcome to the board Blue

PS Dairy has turned out to be my worst offender, which seems to be a common theme among us autoimmune folks. It took a strict elimination diet last fall to determine that plus my other food triggers. You can do a google search to find links between dairy sensitivities and inflammatory arthritis, including PMR symptoms and lupus, doesn't seem to matter if the milk is organic. It's definitely something to research and consider.

Thank you so much for the encouraging words! it is really hard not to get depressed. The GCA does worry me. Did you go to a eye dr after you were told you had PMR? I have considered this just make sure because I do have vision problems.
I went once and was told it was just aging and floaters but that was a year ago.
Seems everything for the past 6 years, according to doctors, have been aging, hormonal and stress - so here is a pill for pain, depression (even when i wasn't depressed), or hormones. i was even told that my Lupus positive test was hormonal because of my age (57).

What recipe books do you use? Are you completely meat & dairy free?
Thanks so much!

Tngal
There are so many here finding relief from so many health conditions, I think if you take a look around you'll find it very encouraging!

My meals are very simple, if you read thru my journal you;ll get an idea. I haven't really used many recipes as most meals are something like rice and beans, or steamed veggies and sweet potato.

You'll probably want to start with an elimnation diet for a few weeks to get the inflammation down and then determine your food triggers. I think the link Pinkrose provided above will give you info on the McD elimination diet. I hadn't found McD yet when I began this WOE, the elimination diet I used was on this site:
http://wholelifenutrition.net/elimination-diet
It's McD friendly as long as you don't add in meat or dairy. I found the food lists there helpful because they are divided into phases, makes shopping easy. I followed phase 1 for 4 weeks before moving on to the others. At 4 weeks I saw an 80% reduction in pain. It was amazing!!:) That site also has great recipes that correspond to each phase. The collard green wraps with sunflower seed pate are to die for

When you have a chance take a look at this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=29217
The post that Nicoles has there has a lot of good info and links that apply to us autoimmune pain folks;)

Good luck to you

thank you so much for your help! told my ND about the diet, she said it sure could not hurt me. Did find a book by Dr. McD at the bookstore which has some good recipes along with the 12 days diet. Have not had time to read it all but starting it.

I started on Tues - no dairy or meat. I really did not eat much meat - so that is not a problem. Fix some homemade black bean burgers and they were pretty good.

Now dairy - that is the problem. I love cheese, half & half in my coffee, & yogurt. I stopped coffee but did have a glass of sweet green/black tea.
I honestly think my coffee cream will be the hardest for me to give up - I just enjoy that one cup in the morning so much.
Figured that if I can give up gluten, i can do it - I loved bread! But I know how I will feel if I eat it.
I am stopping oils except flax seed oil. I just put alittle on my oats which I eat raw with a fresh from my garden peach.

I am afraid it will be hard to stop all oils - not sure what to do for salads and i did have to use some to oil a pan to make some cornbread. But I didnot put any in the bread nor any eggs, just cornmeal, alittle rice flour, flax meal & almond milk (plus baking powder & salt). Turned out real good, very moist.

Is the new coconut milk okay to use? They have a coffee creamer in it. Said no dairy on it.
I did get some almond milk to cook with.

My husband is trying to stop meat (hard though he walks long hours in plant) due to his blood pressure & other problems. Harder for him than me.
I watch the Forks over knives but he has not - gonna have him watch it. Might make it easier for him since he has already been told he has a 3 to 4 times chance of having a heart attack.

I like your journal - thinking about doing one and maybe a blog. Just to have a place to think out loud. I have one for my shop but have been really feeling bad and not kept it up like I should.
Thanks to much! I will keep reading your journal and will let you know how I do!
You will probably hear me the day I wake up pain free all the way from Tennessee...lol.

Tngal
Just keep making those changes til you are on plan. It took me a couple weeks to phase into the diet as I finished up some things in the fridge and ate a few SAD meals one last time.

I think the coconut milk that is sold now has a lot of fat, I'm sure the creamer does, too, and be sure to check it for hidden ingredients/additiives-- autoimmune folks seem to be extra sensitive to any listed ingredients besides the food, water, and maybe salt. I've been using almond milk in my tea, it's got fat but is pretty low cals at just 40 cal per cup and I'm tolerating it fine (read doesn't cause me pain or swelling).

It's taken me a while to phase out oil but it's been many months now since I bought a tub of margarine and since I don't have a good nonstick pan I use a paper towel to spread a TINY bit of oil when I have to, but that is it.

I've been playing around with making my own oil free vinagrette dressings and have finally made one with chia seeds that will cling to the lettuce like oil does and tastes good. I'll post it once I figure out the proportions I used. I'm sure there are recipes online if you look.

You may not have gotten to the page yet in my journal where I post about not having completely pain free days til I cut out ALL alcohol AND coffee. I've struggled with going on and off the coffee but am off now off again, thank god, because one cup of coffee will ruin my day. I seem to be fine with black tea.

Just keep at it! It may take a while to settle in as you figure what you like to eat and what you will actually eat, meals to make, your typical shopping list, etc. Read as much as you can, research recipes, and when all else fails just have a plate of frozen rice and green veggies, that will never fail you

Start a journal when you have time! I haven't made many posts on mine but it's good to look back and see where I was when I started it. I was doing pretty good already but there have been even more improvements.

Keep moving forward B

here are a couple of threads going on the elimination diet:
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=30684

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=27101

Did you have to go on predisone at anytime?

My doctor said it would be the last resort and is trying a detox on me but I really feel awful. My hips hurt so much that I wake up alot at night.

How long did it take for your diet to really kick in and you could tell it was going to work for you?

3 weeks