My C reactive protein is 11. I know this is a cause of inflammation in the body, which I am indeed struggling with and constant pain in the mornings for around four hours and sporadically during the day. What I don't know is, what's causing it and how can I lose weight? Some days I feel completely a wreck physically and just want to have surgery, not so much for vanity reasons as I'm 50 now and just not bothered anymore. But I want my life back and long for a good nights sleep and to get back to work. My body is just so uncomfortable all the time and I just don't recognise myself.
Does anyone know if CRP can be reduced and how Also what's the prognosis and why hasn't anyone medical I've seen mentioned about all this inflammation. Or diagnosed how it's affecting me.
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LaurieRose
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C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is an indicator or a measure of the degree of inflammation in your body. CRP doesn't cause inflammation in any way. The only way you can reduce CRP is by reducing the inflammation that is causing the CRP to be high.
So, as an example, if you had a bacterial chest infection, that would be a cause of inflammation and your CRP would be high. But the chest infection wouldn't have been caused by the CRP. If there was a way of waving a magic wand and reducing the CRP it wouldn't cure the chest infection. But if you were given antibiotics to kill off the bacteria causing your chest infection then your CRP would go down as your chest infection improved.
The problem with having a high CRP is that it doesn't give you any indication of where the inflammation actually is. You have to do the detective work yourself, although many people will already know where their problem areas are.
Some common sites for inflammation are
1) The gut
2) The lungs
3) The joints
If you don't know where your inflammation is, or what is causing it, my personal suggestion would be to check nutrient levels were optimal (not just in range), and that your thyroid was functioning as well as possible.
Have they checked your anti ccp? This may need to be done by a Rheumatologist. If you are in the UK your GP would need to suspect Arthritis and refer you to a Rheumatologist.
I only says this as your stiffness and pain being in the mornings and lasting 4 hrs is very typical of Arthritis. There are obviously many more issues too but you do not always get all of them and they can come and go, etc.
Ask at your GP practice who has a particular interest in Arthritis and ask to see them. Do request an anti ccp blood test ( this is not the only test a Rheumatologist would carry out) but you may need to go private to get this screening?
Write a diary of your symptoms each day, any tiredness, things you struggled to do that day, any pain and how it feels, etc. If you suffer a swollen joint take a photo. You will find this invaluable if you get referred for further investigation!
I have successfully reduced CRP by doing what I call the 10 day jumpstart. Eating nothing but vegetables and whole grains - and water or unsweetened tea for 10 days. I’m not a vegetarian I like alcohol and I crave protein . But when I do the 10 day jumpstart everything just comes down and calms down.
This is not my idea I run across it somewhere on the Internet but it works beautifully it’s like a secret that only a few people know.
Having said whole grains and vegetables
- I have to modify it for myself to remove gluten. So for me I can eat rice and corn and Oates and barley. Yes I know some of these grains have gluten but for some reason it’s the wheat gluten that I really have a problem with. So feel free to modify it but my feeling is the real key to lowering the CRP is the vegetables.
I also add hard-boiled eggs during that 10 days if I just can’t get by without some protein. avocados are the main source of protein that I use during those 10 days. I can’t tell you what a change it makes - so unbelievable. I’m 60 years old and if I didn’t love proteins so much I would aspire to be vegetarian. Afraid it’s hopeless for me! But again I highly recommend 10 day jumpstart - lose weight lose inches, lose inflammation it’s a dream come true.
This sounds great. I have been eating and drinking healthy former years but so suddenly get cravings for carbs or sugar by evening g as my blood sugar goes like. However this little secret may be the answer. It's great to hear it's worked for you. I love success stories. I'm going to give it a try. Can I find it by looking up 10 day jumpstart or doing have to add something else to find it?
I did a search myself “10 Day Jumpstart” - found something from Dr. Oz and Dr Mark Lyman that looks close. I really think it might be Dr. Lyman - because they did an experiment and actually test and blood test after 10 days test on things like blood sugar blood fats and so on. Dr. Oz goes on about the green smoothies and so forth and so on and you know those are OK for people who have time and wonderful I just don’t. Be careful I found a lot of people wanting to charge for this diet it’s really simple . Just leave the meat off for 10 days. Don’t pay for any of those donuts please. Eat anything you want as long as it’s vegetable or whole-grain and remember to watch the gluten if your gluten free. So the wheat germ and someone will be out. Flaxseed is in and for me I can eat oats in rice for some reason the gluten in oats does not bother me. Please let me know how you do I love to hear success stories too!
I've started it, in feeling lighter. The pain seems to have moved down to my lower back ...I think it's trapped gas trying to escape. My metabolism is so slow. Yet to try flaxseeds, also linseeds. I'm worried about bacteria. Something I read on the packet about soaking them first. Not sure what to do. I think they help motility. But I feel too tired to function when my metabolism does speed up. Thinking of taking a liver tonic. But going to ask drs advice first. Do you find you have more or less energy when doing these type of cleansing diets? I suppose to work long term it's not just a diet but a permanent change, lifestyle modification. I'm mostly vegetarian anyway and have included giving up tuna now after food allergy testing said I'm 95% allergic to it 😮 to replace the vitamins I brought seven seas heart health they have been vitamins. Literally my day is made up of thinking what time to take my next tablet, spray, inhaler as I have to space them out from each other and also not with food or coffee for some and with food for others. Need to write it down and keep a journal of reactions. It's so confusing. I would probably find it simpler if I was doing it for someone else. Most of the time I have nausea and always pain or discomfort. Just don't want to take anymore to be honest. Sorry despondent not helping, just a little blip. Will come back on when I'm feeling more positive. Another endoscopy soon. Hopeful for a curing operation lol.
I feel lots more energy . Yes I feel like I like a permenant change would be better. But as I mentioned the protein Thing always gets me. Still the 10 days seems to balance everything out and gets me going down a better path eating less eating better things .
So the 10 days is better - then going on and on and on
I do hope you get to feeling better soon! Hang in there - post back as soon as you czn!
The only thing I know about CRP is that inflammation or infection can raise it, as can Hashimoto's.
I've noticed my CRP dropped having compared my last 2 blood tests. I think it might possibly be down to a number of factors, those being:- addressing vitamin & mineral deficiencies, not having had infections for a long while & going gluten free to help the Hashi's.
I'm also hoping the recent introduction of NDT must be helping inflammation.
Have you noticed an improvement? Yes, I've heard about it been possible causes. Infection has been outruled for me. I think it's down to allergy I've or Iga. Nearly every ailment in the body causes an inflammatory processes so I guess it's heard to diagnose. Especially when the blood test results keep coming back different and I am in a lot of medication. It hasn't been literally confirmed or spelled out in black and white yet just told probably drug allergy. I've also done private allergy tests and I'm allergic to several foods, trees, cats, dogs etc I can't avoid some of my allergens, but luckily I have a few days in a month where I feel better than others.
Do you have hashimotos? Is that the auto immune hypothyroidism? I started with subclinical hypothyroidism it got worse not better with T4 until lately where remarkably with a 25mch increase on the 50mcg I'd been taking since first diagnosed years ago, my TSH was down to 2 for the first time in years. So it's of some benefit although I don't feel better, I actually feel worse. I only went to the drs in the first place all those years ago because I was exhausted and about to drop. Think most of us here know that feeling. Also because I hadn't menstruated for six months do it was a shock to have to go on a medication for the rest of my life. Only to further find I have many side effects from it which have seen me in and out of the drs more often than not. So fed up now
....I do bang on about it but Magnesium Glycinate is so good for sleep, painful muscles & other things. I have found I really can't live without it. I use Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Glycinate, it's amazing stuff 👍🏻
Bang on as much as you like. I think we all are here for advice amongst other reasons like supporting each other etc. Is it safe to take the magnesium with most medications? I have a feeling it is but probably should check.thanks for the recommendation. 😊
Polly91 posted a couple of hours ago & a reply to her had mentioned the AIP diet has helped reduce CRP. I'm unable to send you the link to her post sorry, hopefully you'll pick it.
Thanks I will look it up. Would be good to have a diet plan to follow. I have the book the acid watchers diet. That was recommended by my mum who has similar issues.
I do have Hashimotos & yes it's auto immune & I have noticed an improvement albeit slowly. It's such a waiting game getting better 😫😉Is subclinical hypo the same as borderline hypo, I'm not sure? I've not heard the term subclinical before. Still learning 😊
You've got a lot on your plate with your other allergies and as you say they can be hard to avoid sometimes.
I'm 46 and my periods are all over the shop, it's not easy on our bodies or minds when changes are taking place, my mind can't keep pace & I'm having to chart my cycle to see what is going on.
In terms of taking magnesium, I'm no expert but I think it would be to take with other meds, just space the timings between taking it & your meds.
Seaside Susie is the gal to ask about vitamins, she's really knowledgeable about all things thyroid. Just tell her the meds your are taking & see what she says. Sorry I can't be of any further help Laurie.
Hi thanks, you seem to understand well. I empathize with your situation with the periods all over the place...usually a sign they are going to stop soon and that's a blessing. At 46 it's quite an early menopause but I believe this happens with hypothyroidism, not sure which came first. So draining but once the balance is right it's more manageable.
Yes my food allergies/sensitivities cause me a lot of pain as do the medication side effects. Some days I just think about not taking any as I was just exhausted before them now I'm in pain and exhausted. Nurse says if I don't take the steroid inhaler I will die. She literally said that the last two times I went. Makes me feel angry because my waistline us ever expanding and I eat very little as it hurts when I eat. I saw what I think is a giant gas bubble on my diaphragm on latest chest x-ray and I can feel it all the time. Oh sorry venting here. Just wondering if anyone else has the same with their inflammatory symptoms. Seems it's mostly down to hypothyroid and vitamin d deficiency. Which started in peri menopause.
Best healthy wishes
We can get through this. Together we are health warriors. So glad of this site and all the helpful responses. X
Yes subclinical is borderline and if I remember right it's when the TSH is almost normal but there are symptoms and other readings are out of whack. Maybe something to do with T4 not converting to T3 well as it's supposed to do. In UK T3 is seldom treated so ethics g to do with budget. T3 is free triothyroxine I think. I'm just saying this from memory, not looking up at mo. Borderline is when readings are almost within range. Some people can manage without medication and eating a healthy diet and exercising the usual prescription. However subclinical means T4 can still be within range but the patient will still feel like s**r because T4 isn't converting properly.
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