Just a few questions as new to rheumatoid arthritis

Morning everyone I would just like to ask a few questions as this is me just starting my 4th week with sulfasalazine and don't want to keep asking my gp is it okay to take vitamins and joint care supplements also I have been trying to stick to a anti inflammatory diet that am finding really boring should I keep it up or is it a waste of time

[Boxerlady]

Asking about diet is tricky as everyone is different - or at least, has different views!Personally I just try to stick a relatively healthy diet (I have improved it since diagnosis nearly 2 years ago) but don't eat things I don't like and allow myself naughty treats. Maybe try reintroducing things you miss but one at a time and see if you feel any ill-effects. For everyone who finds that avoiding a certain things helps them, there'll be another who finds that there's no difference. 🙄😁

[Hidden in reply to Boxerlady]

Thanks Boxerlady what I have been doing is eating lots of veg but without salt and they just don't taste the same

[bienassis in reply to Hidden]

Just read Evie3's reply and agree absolutely with her, having had the disease 53 years and coming up shortly to 54 years. In the 1960's you couldn't move for the amount of quackerie and snake oil stuff on sale. Well, people were desperate - only aspirin and gold available.

Don't deprive yourself of treats but just be sensible - healthy diet and watch your weight. I only started biologics at the beginning of last year, having been well on methotrexate until a very aggressive flare after an accident in August 2109. The biologics are wonderful.

As Evie says, everyone is different. The great change from the "olden days" is the choice available. If you are going to have this disease, this is a much better time than 1967 (my diagnosis date) but still not something to look for, of course!!

I wish you every success with the treatment and you have every reason to be positive - leave snake oil with the snakes. Vitamins - take your rheumy's advice.

Happy New Year,

bienassis xx

[Hidden in reply to bienassis]

Thank you so much for your lovely reply bienassis

[Evie3 in reply to Boxerlady]

Agree with you....having had RA for 39 years did exclusion diets and tried every non medical stuff out there.....been there got the teeshirt as they say. Have found, for me, just have a normal healthy diet with treats too. The only thing that has helped me is Biologics. However, we are all different and have to follow our own journey trying alternatives...it might help.🤔

[Hidden in reply to Evie3]

Thanks Evie3 will stick to normal diet but eating more fish see how I go

[Happy5 in reply to Boxerlady]

So true

[allanah]

Hi Coisty. You do what you feel is right for you as you are long term with this illness. If the diet is boring change it to something you like as you do have to have a life too! Nras website has lots of advice mainly saying follow a Mediterranean style diet is good.I always take a multivitamin daily and it's been fine. You can ask your pharmacist for advice about specific vitamins and supplements too xxx mine us very helpful and if course they are bang up to date on drugs.

Hope you feel you are getting into the swing of it now xxx

[Hidden in reply to allanah]

Thanks allanah I am getting on okay with medication so far🤞great I can take multivitamins it's the salt I miss more than anything but as my inflammation doesn't seem to be getting much better I will just have to stick with it

[Boxerlady in reply to Hidden]

Are you cutting out salt completely? I haven't read anything about it being inflammatory but I may have missed it 🤔😂 I don't salt vegetables when I cook them or add salt at the table (made that change years ago) but I add salt to sauces and gravies. I also add salt to roasties/chips/wedges and to poached eggs but that's just a quirk of mine.

[Hidden in reply to Boxerlady]

Yes Boxerlady I have tried to cut it out completely as I used to be addicted to it would salt everything without tasting it but might just try cutting it down

[Boxerlady in reply to Hidden]

I cut it down gradually about 30 years ago and don't notice the lack of it now. I remember that I used to feel irritated when my father-in-law salted (heavily) the meals I cooked without tasting them first 😂

[Oshgosh in reply to Hidden]

Perhaps cutting down would or better.I use a little salt in cooking,but don’t salt at the table.

I’ve not had a salt cellar for over 30 years.

[Hidden in reply to Oshgosh]

Thanks Oshgosh will just cut down instead of doing without altogether at least I will still enjoy my family have been telling me for years about the amount of salt I ate think it just really got to be a bad habit

[Oshgosh in reply to Hidden]

That’s the way to go. Wehaveto enjoyout lives as much as we can,especially now.Take care.

[stbernhard in reply to Boxerlady]

You are not alone there!

[allanah in reply to Hidden]

I have a small amount of salt say on boiled eggs or I wouldnt be able to eat them. I think moderation is the key xx

[Hidden in reply to allanah]

Will start and do the same allanah as am not really enjoying my food and as you say we still have to have a life

[allanah in reply to Hidden]

Indeed , I felt the same about having to give up sex, they told you about that yet ?? 😂😂😂😂😂🤔🤥my husband still believes it lol xx

[Bootoo in reply to allanah]

😳 no one told me about that one 🤣🤣

[nomoreheels in reply to allanah]

Poor man, easily duped! 😂

[allanah in reply to nomoreheels]

😂😂😂oh ok I did tell him k was kidding lol

[nomoreheels in reply to allanah]

Never thought otherwise! 🥴🤣

[Niao in reply to allanah]

Not sure I'd been so quick to! 😁

[Niao in reply to allanah]

🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[stbernhard in reply to allanah]

Sex? What's that?

[allanah in reply to stbernhard]

Lol 😂😂

[Boxerlady in reply to allanah]

Have to have marmite soldiers with a boiled egg so that's my salt!

[helixhelix in reply to Hidden]

I am someone whose RA doesn’t react to food at all and AIP, anti-inflammatory, keto, etc diets did precisely zilch. But I have found great overall health an energy benefits from cutting out heavily processed food. Apart from that I eat what I want, and we had slowly reduced salt over many years. However OH now has very low blood pressure, so we have to increase it again! So you have to work out what’s good for you - and being bored of food isn’t good!

[Hidden in reply to helixhelix]

Thanks helixhelix that's good to know maybe I can start enjoying my food again

[allanah in reply to Hidden]

I agree with HH. Although keto has helped me lose weight and is enjoyable. Losing weight did help the old joints .

[Mmrr in reply to helixhelix]

I'm with HH too. A good freshly cooked healthy diet, avoiding anything that upsets you (sugar for me) is advisable, not just for RA but for general health.My gut, which was giving some problems has also improved since not eating after around 5 pm, until breakfast the next morning. I think you may find several people on the forum don't eat late.

Having put on 5 stone since around the time of diagnosis, I have now taken it all off and a little more. I'm now back to pre illness size.

A good diet can bring lots of positive health benefits, which all contribute to maximizing the quality of your your life with RA.

Best wishes.

[Hidden in reply to Mmrr]

Thanks Mmrr that's the thing I do follow a healthy enough diet and I have cut out sugar and salt and diet coke and am just not enjoying anything really so instead of cutting out completely I will just cut down and maybe enjoy my coffee again 😊

[Mmrr in reply to Hidden]

I have a latte most days, yummy ☕enjoy.

[helixhelix in reply to Hidden]

Mental health is just as important! Forcing yourself to eat stuff you don’t enjoy is just stressful and bad for your RA.

[Mmrr in reply to helixhelix]

Absolutely. Eating should bring enjoyment too.

[Hidden in reply to helixhelix]

To right helixhelix life is miserable enough just know without putting extra stress on ourselves I have just went overboard trying to get things right

[allanah in reply to Hidden]

Yep. We all did it C xxx

[nomoreheels]

Over the years I've found that only trial & error is the way to see if anything disagrees with RD. I used to live in the Med so generally follow the same sorts of foods which were plentiful & commonplace in the daily diet. The Mediterranean diet is the only one recommended for RD by those who know as far as I’m aware. I wouldn’t cut out salt but be sensible about it as food can be very bland without it & that's not enticing. Some find the nightshade family of veg cause problems, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers etc, though I don't personally. Sugar is best kept to a minimum as are processed foods, ready meals unless they're low in baddies.

The only vitamins I take are 2 prescribed calcium/vitamin D a day (as I’m on low dose steroids), otherwise the only other is Omega 3 fish oil (2 x 1000mg/day) as I’m not good will natural sources though I enjoy the odd peppered mackerel or pate. Best to check with your Rheumy or nurse though, they may be able to recommend what else, if any, you'd benefit from. It is always best to get what vitamins etc we can, if we can, from a varied diet rather than buying supplements an expensive way if you add up what you could receive naturally.

Don’t deny yourself food or treats you like, just have smaller portions or have them less often. If you do deny yourself you'll never feel good about eating & RD!

Hopefully you'll start to notice benefits from your SSZ in the next few weeks & you'll settle into it.

[Hidden in reply to nomoreheels]

Thanks nomoreheels really good advice

[Niao]

Following specific diets seems to work well for many people with regards to various health conditions, for others not so much. I've certainly found benefits in the past from cutting out offending foods from my diet, but can't in all honesty say where the RA is concerned as I've been eating utter rubbish for the past while!An anti inflammatory diet can be great for the body as a whole, as can just eating healthily in general, but personally I think trying to stick so ridgedly to any diet, which I have before, can lead to a downfall. It's awfully hard to live your life this way and you need some enjoyment. I would just try to eat as well as I could but certainly cut out the usual nasties as much as possible.

Supplements should be fine, though I'm not on sulfasalazine so wouldn't know of any contraindications.

Hope you're getting on with the medication. It's early days but hopefully you'll see some benefits soon. Xxx

[Hidden in reply to Niao]

Thanks Niao getting on okay it's just so new to me but great advice from you all

[Niao in reply to Hidden]

Me too. Yes, it is great to have access to all this knowledge. We'll become experts before we know it too, but wish none of us had to!🙂

[Hidden in reply to Niao]

Yes Niao its just great to have this site maybe I will be able to help someone someday

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

My taste buds have changed a lot in the first 18months and find I don’t enjoy the food the same way. Salt is one of the first taste senses to lose too. I avoid like Mmr now overly sugary and salty products. So enjoy your food as there is nothing worse than eating and not enjoying, you maybe could use some different spices and herbs to boost flavour too.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Deeb2908 I am so glad I asked you all as I have not been enjoying my food at all so I will just try and be sensible about

[Tiverland]

I try to stick to a reasonable healthy diet, reduced alcohol. Take vitamin D and turmeric. But most important for me is regular exercise. Even on bad days do a very small amount. Rest when your body tells you. This has helped me a lot.

[Hidden in reply to Tiverland]

Thanks Tiverland I have actually just been able to go back out a walk after weeks not being able to so trying to keep at it depending on the weather anyway

[Wobbies]

Don't know if it is the meds, but my taste buds have totally changed but I do find that sugar sets it off, so that is the only thing I try and avoid completely. My rheumatologist advised me to eat as wide a variety of fruit, veg and pulses as I could find as that would improve gut health which they know is linked to RD. So, I now try and do that and have tried lots of things I had not eaten before. Otherwise all things in moderation for me, but we are all different.

[Hidden in reply to Wobbies]

Thanks wobbies I eat a lot of veg always did but now eating lots more fish than I did before anything that helps I will try my

[lucymead]

same info as everyone else. Just a note of caution if you are taking supplements that include Cod Liver Oil. It is not recommended as it is difficult for our Liver to process with our condition. good luck for the future.

[Hidden in reply to lucymead]

Thanks lucymead that's good to know

[Happy5]

Grew up with Mediterranean diet but ended up with RA about 8 years ago.Concur with those with so much experience and excellent input.

Salt is a new one on me however grew up with adding it (very small amounts) during cooking process, never adding it after.

Red meat seem to be my bete noire but even that I don't avoid totally for instance had some

to up red blood cells after recent surgery.

Regarding flares still unable to pin point what set mine off.

The RA nurse was helpful when I asked about supplements.

Wishing you pain free (as possible) times

[Hidden in reply to Happy5]

Thank you very much for reply Happy5 I will try and keep note of what am eating and see if it affects me am really just trying to get the inflammation sorted out as my ankle is still swollen but not as painful as it has been got another blood test today so hopefully inflammation down a bit as was really high last week🤞