I have muscle leakage and severe inflammation which causes severe pain weakness.The every specialist has a different opinion I also have several deteriorating disk which surgery is out of the question cause of my muscle disease which effects my lungs which also are inflamed from unknown source.I hate the side effects from Predisone

How very important for us to keep moving as you say any way we can. The more we move the better it is for us.

Hi, here is my story...I have been struggling with stiff, sore joints and unexplained pain for about a year and a half. I was told I have fibromyalgia some time ago, but have always had doubts about that. A year ago in September I had a severe flareup in both of my wrists and hands and was told I had pseudo gout. Last May I injured my hip running sprints and couldn't walk for several months without extreme pain and then had two more flareups at different times in both ankles. Nothing showed up in x-rays of my hip except the usual arthritis, but a couple of months later I started having increased lower back pain, and it became harder and harder for me to want to exercise. (I too have degenerative disc disease.) I had lost 20+ pounds on MFP and didn't want to gain it back, plus the exercise was crucial for keeping my blood sugar levels down, so I was getting quite depressed.

A recent blood test showed high inflammation, so I was sent to a new rheumatologist who said she did not think I have pseudo gout at all, but may have an autoimmune disease called Palindromic Rheumatism. I am allergic to ingredients in the two medications that are used to treat it, so instead she gave me an anti-inflammatory elimination diet that is quite a bit more restrictive than the Whole 30. I have been on it for almost three weeks and after discovering that nuts are a problem for me, I eliminated those as well and amazingly most of my aches and pains have dramatically diminished. It's the hardest diet I have ever been on, but I am finally adjusting to it and the fact that I am feeling so much better makes it all worth while. I've also lost the weight I gained over the holidays, am starting to do yoga again, and can walk now without terrible pain.

I am really amazed at how much what I eat determines how I feel. It may be something you might want to try. Hopefully I will be able to eventually add back in some of the foods I like , but if not, I think I can live with it since it is making such a huge difference in my life.

Hi Friends~
My name is Vicky. I have rheumatoid and osteoarthritis and have been treated for symptoms of Lupus (I don't have the antibody). I've managed to lose and keep off about 35 lbs. I started here 13 days ago and have lost 9 lbs. My pain is not bad most days. I have found that a lot has to do with what I put in my body. After I eliminated Diet Coke from my diet, much of my pain decreased. I also notice that if I consumed something high in sugar that I tended to have more pain. My goal is to lose 95 lbs. total. I hope to have reached half my goal by the end of this year.
With all of this going on, I do find myself lacking in stamina for exercise. But you know what? I'm going to start out slow. I have some Leslie Sansone walking videos, some stretchy bands and free weights. I'll pace myself and I will do this. It just seems good to finally find a group that "gets" the frustration of the limitations this stuff puts on you. I hope to meet others in the same boat and maybe we can encourage each other and reach our goals. Well, thanks for letting me ramble. I look forward to meeting you.

Take Care,
Vicky

wow--I just looked up this diet, and actually have found myself eating this way in the last month after my mom was diagnosed with diabetes. There are some differences, but basically the same diet. I really miss bread, butter and deserts though...sigh...

I am so happy to hear of someone who has had good results with this method of eating...do you envision it as being a lifetime type change of making food choices?

Feel for you - you are where I was about nine months ago. I too was worried about the meds - but now take them regularly. Without them, I would be unable to do anything. Stairs would be impossible - and sleep? Forget it.

I now take so many tablets it's a wonder I don't rattle, but it does mean I have my life back. I can't walk very far at all, and I limp badly with a crutch - but to not have that all-encompassing pain 24 hairs a day is wonderful. I didn't realise how much pain I was in until the meds worked properly. This took quite a few months to sort, and several trips to the doctor.

I know my life will never be the same as it was, but it is now manageable - to the point where I have applied for a full-time job. That is something I wouldn't have thought possible 6 months ago. Now I am able to focus on losing all the weight that has piled on since I've been so inactive. I'm not doing any exercise apart from necessary housework, because I can't. On top of the pain meds, I'm also on steroids. After talking to the specialist, this time I am on a lower dose, which is still effective, and doesn't have me feeling as though I'm starving all the time. I'm counting calories carefully, and the weight is still coming off slowly - about 2 lbs a week.

So you can do it!

Hi everyone i have facet joint arthritis in my spine and lower back. Makes it almost impossible to exercise. Heck i can only stand/walk/sit so long before it brings me to tears. And when i do try to go out and have a little fun i pay dearly for it days after. Feel free to add me and maybe we can be support for each other! :-)

I was dx with arthritis of sacroiliac joints. Some days are better than others. Fish oil and glucosamine help the pain. I take acetametaphin for now but waiting for a referral to a specialist. I also Use topical pain creams which help temporarily. I've recognized that moving helps despite having to move inspite of the pain. So water arthritis classes in the warm pool help out a lot. Yoga is so helpful too for stretching.Heat really helps so I use a heat compress, or heat patches or Dr. Scholl's heat and massage chair. It's become my new BFF. Without it not sure how to get through the day. Ironically sitting for long brings pain so I need to keep moving or lay down on my side to relieve the pain on my tail bone. Saddened that long distance trips are out of the question for now. All of my family live far. Miss them terribly. Hope they can visit soon. Thanks to everyone in this group for opening up about your every day trials. Together we will overcome, day by day and from moment to moment. I hope we can all overcome our every day battles of pain and work towards better health and achieve our weight loss goals. Hope to lose 40 lbs as losing weight will help relieve pressure on joints. May God bless you with health and joy. I welcome any suggestions as I am new to learning how to live with arthritis.

I have stage 4 osteoarthritis in both knees. It's been over 11 years since I last took a single, solitary step that didn't cause pain. Some days the pain is only a 2 or 3 and I do pretty well. Most days it's around a 5 and sometimes it's up higher that that. I can tolerate very little walking or standing (I'm talking only a few minutes at a time) without serious pain. In fact, I went grocery shopping yesterday and got to the car in tears from the pain.

All that being said, I've used my pain as an excuse to become lazy. I avoid getting up and moving because of the pain and have become comfortable in that. I know I need to adjust how I do things. I need to take more frequent breaks when I'm doing those things I have to do like cleaning the house, etc. And I know I need to avoid some of those activities that aren't necessary and will cause me pain. But I also know that I can't help myself by plopping myself in my chair and not moving.

I'm the only one in my family that deals with chronic pain so while I know my family wants to help me and sympathizes with me, they don't fully understand and they can't. I would love to have some friends who deals with the same things I deal with and who understands the unique challenges we face.

Hi, I live in California, above the Bay Area. I find that walking helps most parts of my body feel better, but it makes my lower back (where I have the DDD) hurt more. So then, I rest too much and then the rest of my body gets achy again. I have been on pain meds for about five years and I am trying to wean off, since I still have pain anyway! I would love to get rhizotomy done on my lower back, but so far, I have not had an insurance that would approve it. I have just heard about a stem cell study that I could do that uses my own plasma injected near the nerves of trigger spots to induce healing, but I would have to pay $1000.00. So, I doubt that I will do it. I don't make much on disability.
A couple of years ago, I did really well dieting. I lost twenty five pounds without even exercising. But, because of the extensive time in the kitchen washing, chopping, and cooking vegetables, and also being the only one in my family eating that way, I gave up and of course I gained it back. I did not have any less pain after losing the weight, but it was nice just to look better. Now, I am menopausal, in addition to having fibromyalgia, severe allergies, asthma/bronchitis, and migraines.
I need a miracle! If I could just get started losing weight, that would be great. The few diets I have tried lately just are too stressful. I am happy to take it slow, very slow. I just haven't been able to deal with the discipline lately. I am very fatigued and want the comfort of what I am used to. I fear the pain, I do. But on the other hand, I will not give up on myself! I enjoy making healthy choices and being active when I can.
Best wishes, everyone!