I recently ran into a colleague of mine who has RA. I could not believe the difference in her. She looked pain-free and about 30 pounds slimmer. My friend is a 39 year old teacher has three small children and has RA. Can you imagine being on your feet all day teaching with uncontrolled RA? When I was first diagnosed with PMR she was quite ill as well so we would commiserate. ShevWas inflamed everywhere and was the only person who understood that “flu feeling”. Anyway I was at Whole Foods when I saw her and she told me she was 99% pain-free and her inflammation levels were all the way down to 4. There was no change in medication so it was strictly due to diet. She told me she went on the Paddison program. She said it was incredibly difficult But she saw amazing results and feels great. As she started introducing foods she realized she was allergic to certain foods which would cause her to flareup. Last month I had a horrific flareup that really upset me. I knew I had to make some changes, so I decided to try this program. Instead of going full throttle I decided to wean off slowly and then start the program which will be this morning. For the last two weeks I have been plant based. I also gave up coffee, wine, and dairy. The only grains I eat are buckwheat, amaranth and Quinoa. I eat beans and tons of greens. I allow myself 1 tablespoon of olive oil a day which was quite difficult for me being of Italian descent . I have been drinking cucumber and celery juice two times a day. The changes have been substantial. No heartburn ( which I never had until starting steroids ) absolutely no fatigue, and have been able to taper by 1 mg. I also lost 10 pounds. The only thing that has been difficult is my social life because socializing with my friends and family was always associated with food. Going out to eat was challenging but I think the benefits outweigh and feelings of deprivation. I also started Bikram yoga which is supposed to be really good for Rheumatic conditions. Unfortunately I bruised my rib from coughing so much when I was sick two weeks ago so I have to go easy with the Yoga. Other than that I feel fantastic. I will keep you posted on how the program goes.
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Marie1479
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Hats off to your self discipline! It is the other folk who sabotage these carefully laid plans isn’t it? So many relationships are built around feeding and being fed..
Good luck - doctors here are very "in" to the concept of plant-based diets for rheumatology patients. Except PMR isn't, it is a vasculitis.
The test I suppose has to be how well it is possible to stick to the diet long term. A study some years ago did show that a strict vegan diet reduced joint pain for 50% of patients. Even the slightest amount of reintroduced animal protein reversed the effect and after the period of the study where the patients had considerable help to manage the diet even the ones who had benefitted most strayed because it was so strict. It was about 15 years ago when being vegan was pretty hard work - a rather different matter these days I suppose.
I also am starting to think perhaps the gut has something to do with autoimmune disease. I suffered as a kid with my stomach only to find out dairy was the culprit. I also was given antibiotics for everything back in the day!
Sadly, we were born with it and we are stuck until we die, is my theory nowadays. Whatever we do or eat, enjoy while we can as life without enjoyment is a prison. Life without the disease is nice but there is no cure. The only cure they say, is to turn the risk genes off. At the moment, there is no way. Food control, you should try if that makes you happy.
At the age of 13 my daughter (now 46) was struck with what we were told at the time was rheumatoid arthritis. Her fingers were most affected and she had to give up her two main hobbies, learning the flute and synchronised swimming, because of the fine finger movements involved. The only treatment on offer was a painkiller (Ponstan I think) which didn't help much. At age 14 she became vegetarian, then about 6 months later she became vegan - as a matter of principle rather than because she thought it would help her condition - and has remained strict vegan ever since. The change in her condition was remarkable and almost immediate. Since then she has had a couple of what might have been relapses, one fairly severe, but these were transient. I say 'might have been' because confusingly she was recently told that whatever she had wasn't rheumatoid arthritis. Whatever it was, it was frightening and I envisaged her becoming wheelchair-bound. However most of the time she has been relatively painfree and always very active.
Thanks an amazing story. Glad to hear your daughter is doing well. I’ve reading about so many success stories plus my college’s. It can’t be hype. There just has to be a connection. I guess I will find out. 😊
My granddaughter did almost exactly the same, veggie first and then vegan, at the age of 17. Result - the asthma that was threatening to kill her and was unmageable has all but disappeared. Only mild attacks. She was allergic to dairy as a baby, developing eczema but it appeared to go away. Apparently not.
My daughter's health certainly didn't improve during her few months as a vegetarian, possibly because I tended to overcompensate for the lack of meat and fish by feeding her plenty of eggs and dairy products. It was definitely the vegan diet that made the difference, so maybe her problem was dairy. She never showed any signs of an allergic reaction and, when she was a small child really loved cheese and yogurt. We'll probably never get to the bottom of it, but it's interesting that a decision taken for ethical reasons led to such a huge improvement in her health.
My daughter suffered with eczema too. She became vegan when she went to college for ethical reasons as well meanwhile her father is a Hunter ! To her surprise the eczema and her irregular bowel movements completely cleared up !!! I don’t think we are meant to drink cows milk. I was never able to tolerate it either. The only cheeses I was able to eat was sheep and goat. But now I gave it up all.
I have had no appetite for weeks now I can only stomach plant-based. Oddly enough, I've gained weight .Not sure if it's due to eating fruit ( I find it almost impossible to stay low carb on a vegan diet) or due to diminished physical activity.whatever it is, the weight gain has been completely unexpected and really disappointing.Hope it is just water retention.
I haven't eaten grains in ages kexcept the occasional paella) and looking for a grain free bread, I came across this recipe .It is really delicious bread and hits the spot. I add some flax meal, pumpkin and sunflower seeds to increase the fiber to make it lower in usable carbs.I also like adding Caraway seeds, which makes it taste like rye bread. It is also fermented .
When I was first diagnosed I was too sick to eat and lost almost 20lbs. When I finally started to feel better I had to be more mindful of my diet because the steroids increase my what was once normal cholesterol and sugar.
The Paddison diet is very low in sugar & fat Which is believed to aggravate RA. I’m not sure if it applies for PMR as well but it’s worth a try. Nuts are out. My guess is the fat and allergens. The first phase of the diet there is no fruit at all. Oil is not permitted at all.
I wouldn`t know where to start, would try anything (within reason!) to feel better....lots of things affect me (stomach wise) so don`t eat lots of food that others do....and haven`t had alcohol since my twenties, so wouldn`t miss that.....
You know, the thing which concerns me most is the suggestion that fats and oils are bad for you. We know a certain amount of healthy fat is absolutely essential. Extreme diets which cut out a large portion of one of the major components of our food are probably a bad idea for most of the population. We shouldn't eliminate protein, or carbohydrates, or fats. But we must choose wisely what kinds of protein, carbs or fats we are consuming.
I believe the elimination of oils and saturated fat are because they have shown to aggravate RA. The second my friend introduced fat into her diet the inflammation returned. Another interesting thing is when she introduced fish especially salmon which was wild her knees blew up. For me It’s worth a try. The worse thing that could happen is I lose a ton weight. 😊.
Interesting. I suspect it's not all fats that are bad, probably animal fat isn't good, and a few others, especially trans fats and oil from GM plants, but I can't imagine, myself, giving up olive oil, for example.
Worth a shot, I suppose. Let us know how it works for you.
You don’t eat this restrictive forever. It’s just to get back your gut health. I’ve suffered for the past two years and think it’s worth at least trying.
It's certainly a revolutionary approach. But I doubt I can. I already have a well deciplined diet due to autoimmunity. We sadly got to eat and drink. You can swallow air and fast, but we would die even if the disease would be suppressed.
I am genuinely pleased that, hard though it is, you have found something which gives you a great deal of relief from your RA symptoms. Long may it continue.
My problem though, is not RA but GCA coupled with two heart conditions - neither of which are life-threatening at present. When I was first diagnosed with the heart probs. I was given a 'good/bad' diet sheet and then when I was eventually(!) diagnosed with the GCA I was given another. Guess what ? They almost completely contradict each other! I am on Warfarin( blood thinners, since I think you may be American) and leafy green veg are verboten unless the same quantity is consumed each day. Spag. Bol. with a healthy serving of cabbage? I Love all green veg. but about the only one I'm "allowed" are green beans. Only palatable when grown by oneself, picked and steamed within a couple of hours.
At least I do not experience much pain for which I am forever grateful but the dreadful fatigue of the last seven years and now the imbalance which prevents me from getting out, even by taxi is something I could well do without.
I'm 79 soon and was still doing more or less the same things i'd done for years, without thinking about it, prior to this Auto Immune invader.
I wish you well and everyone else who is suffering with these little-known conditions.
Even while I was on a warfarin-type drug I ate leafy green veg - I'd starve without them! As long as you are fairly consistent it is fine - and here in northern Italy where I live the doctors looked at me as if I was crackers when I asked about diet!
Thanks, as always, PMRpro for your response - even though you have labelled me a 'cowardy custard' on a couple of occasions, referring to my PMR when I have always made it plain it is GCA which is my problem!
However, although not a Vegetarian, I do very much like green, leafy veg and shall try to fit in a moderate amount every day and take account of the result. I am confined to my flat now, and have had two falls due solely to imbalance. Tore my very delicate forearm skin {the result of long-term Pred on both occasions}, the last one on my right arm. It "must be" dressed at least every three days the A & E nurse said - my surgery said a month was the first availabel appt.!
I also spoke to my Warfarin nurse who said she'd have to arrange for a District Nurse to take it and they only have 2 'automatic reading' devices between them couldn't say when that would be. She also said that she would enquire whether I met the criterion for the once-a-year assessment. I don't understand what that involves but it is discounted on grounds of cost! Have heard nothing in three weeks.
I am so un-enamoured of the NHS. The GP who knew my last 13 year history 'moved on'.
because of all the pointless meetings and paper work. An appt. has to be booked a month in advance but can't be done for 6 monthly treatments like Prolia. One needs a secretary to sort it all .out!
I've given up.
Apologies that this developed into a rant PMRpro and please don't feel you have to respond. It relieved me to have a moan!
I find it difficult to imagine I called anyone a cowardy custard but I apologise if I did. If it was it was in fun. But bear in mind I read over 100 posts every day and answer a fair number!
The arithmetic apparently makes the new generation anticoagulants a feasible alternative. They are expensive but not having to have the monitoring and blood tests means they pay for themselves in 10 months here where I live in northern Italy. Not having my finger stuck every month is a relief!!!!
No, you didn't use those exact words to me. You just told me I COULD go to Chicago on my own when suffering with GCA - dizziness, away with the fairies and fainting. You were talking about PMR. No harm done though, and no need for an apology. I really do think you are an asset to this site.
In fact, my rant tonight didn't include what I really wanted to say.
Having been on 25mgs of Pred. (one tablet) per day for months and months with no guidance from either GP (useless) or Rheumy (useless) I decided I really must take a stab at reducing again so I took one fewer tablets a day! - a reduction of a fifth per day and I did not feel good.
A light bulb moment only a few days ago, I realised what I was considering a reduction of one was actually a reduction of five! My practice, without reference to me, had cancelled my previous 'ones' and '2.5s' and it took 10 days to sort out.
The NHS does not care for elderly people who have been paying for it for, in my case, 66 plus years. Italy sounds so much better, although no system is perfect, I suppose
Even within the UK it does vary a lot from practice to practice and a lot of us on the forums have had excellent care. I'd say some practices don't look after any of their patients, irrespective of age. At least, judging by the care my 35 year old paramedic daughter has had from HER practice! She had a life-threatening asthma attack in the practice - all they could do was dial 999! Luckily her colleagues had a better grip of emergency treatment for severe asthma - an attack caused becuase the GPs couldn't diagnose a chest infection.
Hi everyone, I am down 11 pounds and have completely adjusted to a dairy free, coffee free, alcohol free, and no animal products including eggs. It gets easier each day and I’ve become quite creative. I still have not gone full throttle with the plan which starts with a two day cleanse. I need to really dedicate 2 days of not doing much during the cleanse. I can’t really tell if there’s been a change until I get my blood work done. Physically I’ve noticed a huge improvement in fatigue. I bought myself air fryer. What a wonderful invention!!! I slice up sweet potatoes throw them in the air fryer and they’re done in 10 minutes. They are crispy and delicious. Cauliflower tastes really good as well. I’ve been juicing ( cucumber, celery and ginger) every day but I have to do it when I get home from work. I get super bloated which I was told I will eventually adjust to. To be continued...
I do enjoy raw veggies, but coffee doesn't affect me. It has Heath benefits as well as not so great effects. I only take skim milk for my coffee. Life's simple enjoyment. Eggs give me allergies, hives. I rarely dink, even if I did, a very small amount to help my circulation. This is why I don't want to pay for any dietary program. Also, I saw med. journals somewhere there is no scientific basis for eliminating dairy helps inflammation in arthritis. Studies showed it made no difference. I hate to say, but these people charge fees, for their commercial gain. They make their program convincing because they know how desperately you want to get better. You can do these things without these programs you would need to pay. It makes it even more convincing if this chap had arthritis. Some of what He says are probably true, but you don't need to pay for these things with some common sense approach and looking at other Autoimmune diets you can make it your own.
Independent of this site, I found the Paddison Program tonight on the internet. This in turn led me to search PMRGCAUK to see if anyone had experience with the Paddison Program, and that led me to this thread which is now three years later. So I would love to know how the program worked out for you, Marie1479. Can you share an update of how it affected you as you gave it a try?
I myself tried a different program, Goodbye Leaky Gut, before I found this forum. That program advocates a different elimination diet, very strict at first, for 30 days. After that, it begins slowly adding foods back in. It starts those 30 days with a 3 to 5 day water-only fast. I found that two days into the fast, I was pain-free, but two-days later I was pain-intense. Since I had reached 4 days, I then began their strict diet (lots of leafy greens, lots of olive oil - "think of the leafy greens as a sponge for your olive oil" - no nightshade veggies, no carbs, small amounts of protein from fish and grass-fed beef). I followed it carefully for 45 days, not just 30, and then began adding foods back in the order they allowed. My conclusion was that the fast briefly relieved my pain and that I had no leaky-gut problems as far as I could tell (I did not react to anything I added back to my diet). I have continued my increased consumption of omega-3 foods (olive oil and fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines), believing these to be generally healthy dietary changes. But this particular program did not cure my PMR. (I find it very interesting that the Paddison Program's diet disagrees fairly strongly with the Goodbye Leaky Gut diet. That makes me wonder whether I should the Paddison Program a try, but from what I've learned, it seems to require quite a bit more commitment and more extreme change.)
But back to my question: How has the Paddison Program worked out for you? (Thanks for sharing 3 years ago, and thanks in advance for any reply now that 3 years have elapsed!)
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Rheumatologist appointment and confirmed disgnosis
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Hi, I’m new here, and having trouble weaning off prednisone 
GCA, now PMR & Rheumatoid Arthritis as well
