Arthritis

I have had severe stiffness and knee pain due to arthritis.   My doctor recommended a knee replac ement in January. He gave me a cortisone shot which did not work, so I did  what has worked in years past and went on the Atkins diet. Within 12 hours, as always, the pain went away.  I saw the doctor some six week after the shot and he said that if I did not have pain or stiffness, he would skip the surgery.

 What works, he said, works and though there is no evidence of why  this should be, in my case quitting carbs has an immediate positive affect.

I posted this on the Atkins site and got four other comments  from people who had experienced the same thing. Why? We don't  know. It isn't weight loss - it's too soon for  that. Thought I would share and see if pthers have experienced the same thing.

Excuse the shoddy spelling - I am on a Mac and it isn't quite compatible with this software.  

 So, I am wondering did the Atkin's diet have a permanent effect? Such as - you have had no new flare ups of complications - or was it temporary?  I am wondering if it might work with me so please let me know.  I know that cutting out meat and dairy or just one of the two has a good effect for about three months - after that, the benefits ware off.

It is still good, even though I cheated a bit over the holidays. I do have a bit of aches (that knee is a mess so that's expected) but no pain when I walk and no stiffness.

 By the way, I kept searching and found a number of links between sugar and arthritis. I do eat a fair amount of carbs, just nothing processed (white rice, white bread, etc) and virtually no sugar. One wonderful thing is the huge amount of sugar-free products on shelves now. That part of my strategy is easy. The long-range goal is to lose weight, and that is so much harder. Let me know how you do.

 

Ever been tested for Celiac Disease?

It's a common, but underdiagnosed, autoimmune disorder of the small intestine. It's caused by the grain protein (gluten) in wheat, rye, oats and barley. I only mention it 'cause I know several people who discovered they had Celiac after starting a low carb/carb free diet and being surprised by the improvements in 'mystery symptoms' they had for years.

There are many possible symptoms, including arthritis, but with this disease you could have one symptom, a hundred, or none at all. Check out celiaccentral.org if you're curious.

I've had Chronic Juvenile RArthritis since infancy and was diagnosed with Celiac in 2005. Although my overall health has improved tremendously following a gluten free diet, it hasn't helped my RArthrtitis any. Ah, well. Who knows, maybe it'll just take awhile to kick in. I'm glad it's working for you! (whatever the reason)

I agree, a high protein, low carb, low fat, low sodium diet is the way to go to reduce joint pain.  Too much salt in my food nowadays causes my joints to swell.  So there goes the soy sauce and other stuff that make food taste so good, huh?

I have osteoarthritis secondary to post-polio syndrome.  Since the PPS set in, I've become less physically active due to fatigue and weakening, so I tend to pick up the pounds.  Of course, that's not to mention eating to try to escape issues of pain and the clinical depression/anxiety I've developed also secondary to PPS. 

 Hell, I sound like a real mess, don't I?

I am not one to surrender so quickly to circumstances, so I'm working on turning my whole reality around.  I've had to rely on a power w/chr to go more than a few blocks since the PPS set in, and worse yet, because of excess weight and the joint pain caused by it.

If you haven't already, start taking GLUCOSAMINE CHONDROITIN as directed.  The Walgreens brand, according to my physical therapist, is most efficacious.  It's expensive, but then, so many swear it works to keep the joints at least status quo, if not improving them.  A buddy of mine and I have been popping the stuff for years, and we both can testify that without it, we'd be much worse off.  So the expense is justified, and it can be written off as a medical expense, of course, with a note from the doc recommending use of it.

Best,

Justin

 

 

You are fortunate. Atkins aggravates my Gout and if anything makes the arthritis a bit worse.

I understand that is the usual thing, however, I used "Atkins" a bit loosely. What I have discovered is that the trick , and it's part of the diet, is to avoid sugar and refined carbs. I could not find any info linking Atkins to arthritis, other than gout, but sugar has got a lot of info available. I am very modified in what I'm doing now, down to the occasional half a donut or small piece of cake, but the problem is staying away. It's helped by the initial 10 pound weight loss at the onset (when I was actually dieting) and so far the weight is staying off, too.

 

mkiraly13:

I have had severe stiffness and knee pain due to arthritis.   My doctor recommended a knee replac ement in January. He gave me a cortisone shot which did not work, so I did  what has worked in years past and went on the Atkins diet. Within 12 hours, as always, the pain went away.  I saw the doctor some six week after the shot and he said that if I did not have pain or stiffness, he would skip the surgery.

 What works, he said, works and though there is no evidence of why  this should be, in my case quitting carbs has an immediate positive affect.

I posted this on the Atkins site and got four other comments  from people who had experienced the same thing. Why? We don't  know. It isn't weight loss - it's too soon for  that. Thought I would share and see if pthers have experienced the same thing.

Excuse the shoddy spelling - I am on a Mac and it isn't quite compatible with this software.  

 

 

I have osteoarthritic issues which my docs say are related to my Post-Polio Syndrome.  Several years ago I had to start using a power chair to go more than a block outdoors, because I had fallen, incurred lower back fractures, and there went my super-active lifestyle when I walked everywhere. I had heard a panel of polio experts say that the most efficacious food plan for those who are more sedantary, and especially for us who use chairs, is the high protein, low carb, low fat, low sodium, zero sugar kind.  It is basically the Atkins Diet.  It's also the kind of diet used by diabetics, heart patients, etc.

 

The fact is that the heavier our bodies are, the more wear and tear on the hips, knees and other joints, as well as generally on the body.  I had started taking Glucosamine/Chondroitin many years ago when I learned it actually protects the joints and perhaps even has a reparative effect.  I would swear by it, as do my friends, because we all agree that had we not begun using the supplement ages ago, our arthritic issues would be much worse by now as we approach midlife. 

 

I also use 800 mg ibuprofen, which has to be taken with food, or at least an 8 oz glass of milk or half-pint of ice cream or yogurt.   The stuff can cause major stomach problems if taken too often or without something to coat the stomach.

 

I would concur that there is something much more than mere coincidence about doing the high protein/low carb diet and suffering less joint pain.  If I exceed my ideal weight, I can feel the wear on my joints.  And the most successful diet for me time and again has been this one.

 

Justin