Has anyone tried any of the following... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

Fibromyalgia Action UK

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Has anyone tried any of the following changes in nutrition ?

Mdaisy profile imageMdaisy190 Voters

Please select all that apply:

35 Replies
Carolinee71 profile image
Carolinee71

Hi had changed diet completely when became unwell

Don't use any package mixs etc. buy meat from butcher fresh, loads of veg and fruit

While I can't say it makes me any better I do feel more tired and unwell if I go back to more package foods

Daughter also used to get migraine of stomach and touch wood no attacks since being in diet. I also make all puddings and cakes from srcatch ( as puddings brought will always bring on attacks for both of us)

KeepingGoing profile image
KeepingGoing in reply to Carolinee71

Your comment is pretty-much the same as what I have experienced. My daughter was under the hospital for a while for stomach migraines. We were told to cut down MSG from her diet and since we don't have much we cut it completely.

As an indirect result (because I can't cook more than 1 set meal for the family, if I can cook that sometimes, and because we hardly had any in the first place), we all cut MSG out. We have butter as well, instead of margarine.

Her migraines went. My IBS is gone (and it was really bad) - well I only get it if I've had pre-made food, and my funny (not ha ha) low blood sugar feelings have reduced. All the rest is still there, except it seems worse when I do let any MSG into the diet of myself and the same with my daughter.

The effect of MSG is very fast - 12 hours - for both of us. Horrible stuff! It's in loads of things and comes under lots of different names and is really difficult to eliminate properly, but it's been a reward to get rid of it from our cupboards.

KeepingGoing profile image
KeepingGoing in reply to KeepingGoing

Having said that, I'm on Gabapentin, (Montelukast and Seretide) and have been put on that since changing my diet. That's reducing the pain (and breathing problems) so I can move around more easily. Fog is still foggy and flares are still flarry - it's just the IBS and blood sugar it has improved for me - but any improvement, anywhere in this body is very welcome! :)

fyrefly profile image
fyrefly

I've been doing the slimming world diet plan for the last few months. As well as the weight loss it has eliminated all the junk I used to eat. I now eat gluten free, additive free healthy meals. Lots of fruit and veg, no booze, no meat, little cheese and no chocolate...boy that was the most difficult bit but I do feel better :).

Lizzie559 profile image
Lizzie559

I have also eliminated gluten, processed foods and most dairy. i try to eat a natural healthy diet with organic or sprayfree fruit and vegetables. This is definitely helping as I had to eat gluten for 5 days to be tested for gluten intolerance and I felt awful after just 3. I was not gluten intolerant but the doc said I could still be gluten sensitive. Symptoms of gluten intolerance/sensitivity aching and fatigue.

ive been a vegan all my life and take vitamins tec i eat really healthy but i still feel like shit

Devavoce profile image
Devavoce

I tried having a more alkaline diet and this increased my pain three fold. It could have been I tried it too quickly, too much too soon.

I've been given a diet sheet from an alternative therapist which has really suited me. It was given following an EIS scan.

It's very similar to the 9 commandments for pain patients and fibromyalgia

loopeylou profile image
loopeylou

im a vegetarian, i am gluten free, dairy free and sugar free and dont eat tomatoes or potatoes, i did the elimination diet to find out what effected me and the change is amazing, i now no longer use a walking stick, i also take magnesium, vit C, and vit D.... if i have a bad day and cheat i find the pain kicks in within an hour and takes a couple of days to clear it....

AriadneJones profile image
AriadneJones

Bread is always a problem for me. Since cutting down I don't feel so bloated.

MikefromsouthNZ profile image
MikefromsouthNZ

We now grow our own vegetables (organic) and can now taste our greens, eating more fruit with wholemeal grains for breakfast(more fiber), fresh meat from butcher and more offal/hearts, kidneys and livers(more iron).. Biggest meal of the day is breakfast(brain food) to fuel up for the day.. Have noticed huge change in pain levels, plus I swim 90 minutes a week as well..

I'm also taking Mega Magnesium, CoQ10 max & 1000 mg Vitamin C supplements each morning plus Zinc+ 3x week as well..

More exercise and wholesome diet = less pain..

gardaqueen profile image
gardaqueen

I eat a healthy diet of fresh foods with no additives - but then I always have done, and it makes no difference to my fibro. The one thing that DEFINATELY makes it worse though is if I drink red wine.

mistymeana profile image
mistymeana

Eliminated artificial sweeteners and had big improvement in IBS symptoms. Also fairly recently started intermittent fasting (5:2 eating plan) - so far have noticed a significant reduction in the dreaded fibro fog, increased energy and flares seem less frequent and milder, although it's relatively early days. An added bonus is that I've stopped putting on weight from meds and actually lost a few pounds.

Whippetlover profile image
Whippetlover in reply to mistymeana

I'm about to star this misty - about to ;)

Anandavajri profile image
Anandavajri in reply to mistymeana

Which artificial sweeteners in particular, I use a lot of Candarel, ( nutrasweet) and I have read horrible things about it but I have a sweet tooth and I am diabetic, can't seem to give them up.

mistymeana profile image
mistymeana in reply to Anandavajri

Aspartame mainly. I find I get bloated and nauseous if I have too much. Never been able have saccharin as it makes me wheezy. Think stevia might be OK as made from leaves but not tried it. Use regular sugar if baking or fruit sugar if I want something on cereal etc.

hamble99b profile image
hamble99b

I stopped adding salt, any time I do have any it makes me bad.

I used to drink cordial & soda but had to avoid the soda too.

sandra.

I do eat a healthy diet but nothing makes difference to my pain

esagestapo profile image
esagestapo

Tried lactose free milk a few times, it made a slight difference to the digestive system over time, back on semi skimmed milk again to compare the difference, overall I feel much better. I'll be back at work saving the country in no time at all. :)

Plumcake profile image
Plumcake

I've not noticed a scrap of difference and I eat a very healthy diet mostly. I take supplements, and more now since i have low Vit D and Zinc.

It seems the more you try to help yourself the worse it gets .At present and since the beginning of this year I've never felt so ill.

Hi, nowhere to say no changes!

Mdaisy profile image
Mdaisy in reply to

Sorry Secondhandrose only space for 8 options, I did include 'other' for you to comment. There is the option of a Healthy diet too, which I assumed was the general diet for most people anyway ! :)

So, I wondered have you not tried anything because of a particular reason or you just choose not to ?

charlie_red profile image
charlie_red in reply to Mdaisy

Hello, I have not tried anything either - Just because I haven't been given any advice about any of the above, everything I research seems to have mixed messages! C x

phlebo123 profile image
phlebo123

I tried gluten free/ dairy free for a while -- this made no difference, but the soya milk I used with its natural oestrogen has helped my menopausal hot flushes so have continued using it. Now I eat healthy food -- I grow fruit and vegetables in my garden ( when weather allows!!!) Only eat dark chocolate as a treat, do home baking (flapjacks as they have oats) and no alcohol as that makes me feel rotten!!! I also find by eating small meals/snacks every few hours it helps to keep the fibromyalgia fog to a minimum. ( cannot cope with 3 course meals!!) I can't say that it really helps the fibromyalgia, but at least I am eating healthy.

Whippetlover profile image
Whippetlover

I changed to a diet called the Liver Diet -(not a liver flush which is very extreme) various books exist. It cuts out dairy and other things. Hard to know if it helped as I was also having TCM treatment.

Whippetlover profile image
Whippetlover in reply to Whippetlover

It worked great for the fatigue but see above.

SandyO profile image
SandyO

I refuse to give in so recently when I feel really tired but need to get to work I have started to take caffeine tablets - for some reason this works better than drinking coffee (don't get jittery). I don't take excessively only as a last resort, but staying more awake/alert during the day seems to be helping me to sleep through the night better.

i now it sounds stupid but the down side to getting 8 hours of carefree sleep is I feel cheated of all that time I usually spend during the night thinking, not even as if it was creative thinking, usually just fretting because I couldn't sleep - yet I still feel cheated!

Mdaisy profile image
Mdaisy in reply to SandyO

Hi SandyO,

I personally would be very wary about taking Caffeine tablets with all the side effects, possibility of addiction and concerns about overdosing unintentionally.Here is the advice regarding Caffeine from the FibroAction website

'Fibro patients often find that stimulants are a double edged sword: although they might boost energy levels in the short term, they may cause more problems in the long-term. Caffeine and sugar are two dietary stimulants to be wary of. If you are noticing that you are needing more and more of these or that your symptoms worsen after consuming them or that you are becoming dependent on them, then it may be worth considering cutting down on these or even cutting them out completely'

fibroaction.org/Articles/Be...

I wondered are they any other way you can manage your symptoms without using stimulants as I feel this may cause more problems in the long term.

I hope you understand my worries are a genuine concern

Emma

Smily profile image
Smily

In my opinion the Blood Type diet is the first one take into a very serious consideration. It's not related to allergies or any illness in particular, EVEYONE should be aware that depending on your blood type O,A, B, AB / positives or negatives, you get on with some foods better than others, which should even be stopped. Everyone should have a varied rich diet, is just that depending on our blood type and immune systems development and genetics certain foods will be beneficial for you while others rather damaging.

In time, I am sure conventional medicine will start integrating this knowledge into their methods because it is essential to understand that food that might be highly beneficial for somebody can be highly damaging for someone else and it's all about your blood type.

If interested check dadamo.com/

Although the website is really helpful, especially when you know what's all about, I would recommend to buy the book in order to get to understand where all this come from. The book also offers a more complete guide for each blood type of foods that are good or not so good for you. If you have already tried food elimination and other ways to find out what food suits you best, you should actually find that this eating for you blood type totally agrees with your findings and why.

I have followed it for a decade now and thanks to this I actually eat more foods now than I previously did. My first big step as an A Type was to give up red meet, which I had already done but, not chicken or turkey, which I had not eaten in years!!!

Have a look and take it seriously - I'm convinced our health depends on this simple and basic understanding of who we are and what we are made of.

All the best,

jillylin profile image
jillylin

I am doing gluten free and it has sorted out a few problems for me.

Hugs

Jillyxx

I have struggled for years with my digestive tract. A free from diet has enabled me to sort out my IBS and I have lost weight even though I still eat the same amount. No processed foods anymore for me.

bodeia profile image
bodeia

I avoid processed food but then again always have. Fresh fruit & veg, fresh meat from butchers. Don't check if the fruit and veg are organic though if it's cheaper I get it. I also grow my own veggies but lately that's taken a back seat while I get my fingers fixed.

I've tried every type of exclusion diet going and early on every time I saw anything diet related I tried it.

I do know that gluten bloats me and I try to avoid eating too much bread and cakes - hard when you love baking like I do :P

I tried the high protein diet and it did appear to give me a little more energy but as I've never been a big meat eater I found it hard going so reverted to my veggies which I love.

So now I eat relatively normal, fruit, veg and a little meat, occasionally a take out. I drink a glass of wine on a Saturday.

Basically a fairly normal reasonably healthy diet.

nomad37 profile image
nomad37

Currently introducing Green smoothies..but looking at increasing Raw Food. Cut out or reduced Fastfood..changed to only using olive oil, increased vitamin B's currently not noticed a difference.

ZoeH profile image
ZoeH

Vegan diet has worked for me. Plus certain vitamins and a low sugar intake. When having problems with my bowel, i eat a bit of oily fish as its an anti-inflammatory food.

Mooma28 profile image
Mooma28

Also tried fruit and vegetable juicing.made me feel so much better. I have lost q a bit of stubborn weight bt eliminating sugar, refined carbs, potatoes and dairy.