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Healing my chronic muscle pain/inflammation thru antinflammatory diet


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Chrys

I've heard that the diet in the book called Solving the IC Puzzle is basicallly an anti-inflammtory diet and follows the same principles as this one--haven't read it myself but it may be a good resource for you if your IC is still active. I know of at least one person who has recently seen a reduction in symptoms using the diet in that book.

 

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I sent you a message earlier but it apparently didn't post. Thank you for all your information. I am looking forward to getting my books and vitamix- hopefully within a week. I wanted to ask you about your diagnosis of IC. Was it AFTER you were on a Benzo? or before? I was given Elavil when I was diagnosed with IC and when I c/t off of that I was given Klonapin :( I am only off of it for two months and I feel a lot better, but of course not quite back to normal.

What was your original goal in starting this diet? What has been the hardest part? Is it something you plan to stay on for awhile or is this a short term commitment? Thanks again for all your great information. I appreciate it!

LOVE, :smitten:

Chrysanthemum

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Hi Chrys-

I'm excited for you to get your blender. You're gonna love it!! :yippee:

 

I had used ativan sporadically, not daily, in the months before my IC first started up. But then my bladder sxs got so bad (didn't know it was my bladder causing all the pain at the time) that I was afraid to ingest anything so I rarely used the ativan and it was a year before I was dxd and prescribed some meds (elavil, pyridium, elmiron). Later on after my dx is when I started using xanax regularly. I can't really say that benzos caused my IC, but amazing that as soon as I stopped using them all my bladder pain went away! So who knows. I certainly think using them may have prevented me from going into remission before I did. All the stress coping techniques I've learned since coming off I credit for keeping me in remission. My bladder is fine now, good as new!

 

A relative told me about the diet and I started making modifications to what I eat the very same day back in September and within a week or two started on the smoothies when my vitamix arrived. My number one reason is for the muscle  pain and inflammation that has been ongoing and increasing in severity since I first began reducing my dose in March of 09 (cut my dose by 50% overnight and within a week or two began having severe muscle pain). Added bonus was I lost the 20# I had gained!! I'm loving this new way of eating!

 

So in my case I am planning to continue vegan and gluten free for as long as I feel necessry. If that means that I must follow it forever to manage my pain, then so be it...I've been to the brink of losing my sanity with the pain and really the only way to keep from going there again is for me to continue on the diet as long as it takes. I won't lie to you, while I am very outspoken about my diet these days and excited about the relief I'm getting, I am also alternating thru the 5 stages of grief as I come to terms with my fate in regards to what foods I can and can't have and that this may be a forever thing for me. While I did follow the IC diet well when I had to, I never really accepted that I was sick, and how important diet was for my longterm health. What can I say, I was young and living a very fast life, and couldn't be bothered with pain, at the time it was just a serious annoyance. But this muscle pain I have been dealing with since my withdrawal has been disabling, life changing, life ruining. I have to take it very seriously, I don't have a choice if I want to save my life.

 

I am not yet 100% pain free--close, but not quite there, and I still have flare ups--but they are definitely tied to food so I still have to watch what I eat very closely and I am still determining triggers. Just figured out that beer causes me tons of pain in my ab muscles.

The hardest part? Trying not to eat hot pizza when it's in front of me--so far I have failed that test three times lol

 

Really, I can't tell you how much this diet has changed my life. Back in Sept before I started the diet, I couldn't make plans for after work, the weekends, or even next summer, because I simply hurt too bad. I was in a really bad place, as depressed as I've ever been and seeing no way out of my situation with the pain. Then came the diet. Then pain relief. My life is back on track now and I can make plans for the future!. It's a great feeling, but overwhelming sometimes--you'll see as you get farther out in your recovery that with feeling better comes more responsbility for yourself and more expectations for yourself, as things that were formerly not possibly suddenly seem possilbe. I flew across the country to see a friend for New Year's--over 12 hrs traveling each way--I would never have been able to do that before I started this diet. Now, what's next?

 

How long have you had IC, Chrys? Are you still very symptomatic? Taking any meds for it at all?

GG

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  • 4 months later...

--Update--

I'm a little over 33 months off.

I have not experienced a pain flare up in over two months, due to my success with this diet :yippee: i can even cheat a little here and there without much consequence, but I definitely pay with some pain and swelling if I cheat too frequently. Dairy seems to be my worst offender, so I try to avoid that at all costs, as well as processed foods with long lists of ingredients. I think the further I get away from all of this, my tolerance to my trigger foods will be a little higher, but I fully intend to stick as close to a vegan whole foods diet as possible, because it definitely works for me. It saved my life.

 

For those far out from their last dose and still suffering badly with the muscle pain, i can't enourage you strongly enough to try an antiinflammatory whole foods plant based diet. You  may not have to eat this way forever, but try it just as long as it takes to get you to a good symptom free place.

 

GG

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi GG....have def interest in all of this....partly for myself but also my Mom who has been on Prednisone for over a year now for the PMR....my Dad does most of the cooking now so this could be a huge challenge for them....we will see.

 

As for me....off the Klonopin now just over a month and a half, have Fibro and OA.  Would love to keep in touch as I am very serious about this change in diet.

 

Thanks again for sharing your journey so far.

 

BB.

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  • 2 months later...
I will post more of an update later but for now just want to celebrate my 3 yr anniversary which was a couple weeks ago :) All is well, still moving forward and most importantly PAIN FREE! :smitten:
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Greengirl - congrats on your 3 years and especially on finding an answer to your pain issue....isn't it so empowering when we find we can help ourselves just by eating correctly.  The answer is right there in nature's own provisions and not with Big Pharma and the poisons that they push on us.  So greatful for your posts.

    While I don't have alot of pain issues, I do have some....and while I do eat very well, I see some things on your list of foods not to be eaten, that I do partake of every day.  Bananas, potatoes, tomatoes.....I put a banana in my smoothie every morning and now know that I have to increase the veggies and decrease the fruit....I was a bit confused by the link with the inflammation measurements on it - couldn't figure out if mildly inflammatory was OK....it seemed that coconut milk was very high....but yet it is on the list of acceptable foods on that link.  I do have coconut or almond milk in my smoothie every morning.

      Do you have any thoughts on that...what kind of liquid do you use in your smoothie.  I also bought some coconut water to try in the smoothie - have you ever used that?

      Thanks Greengirl for sharing this information with us and so glad of your success!  You are an inspiration to many of us....diet is so important...now if it will just help with the other w/d sx....

Hoping2BFree

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hi

I haven't paid much attention to the indivdual inflammatory factors. A whole foods plant based diet is inherently anti-inflammatory, so there's not much need to identify the inflammation factor of a single  food, as it all balances out if you are eating the right things. So while the inflammation factor tool on that website is interesting to look at, it's not really necessary given the way I'm eating. The main reason to avoid coconut would be because of it's high saturated fat content!

 

The only liquid I use in my green smoothies is water. Occasionally I will use carrot juice. My smoothies are VERY green and not very sweet. I love coconut water but haven't tried it in a smoothie. Was meaning to but I forgot, so thanks for the reminder!

 

Thanks for posting! :)

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Hey GG....i am hanging in there....my mind is a mess, body is a mess and well....I am just mess.  It is now 4 months off of the K.

 

I have not looked into the diet as of yet.....too exhausted and just having difficulties with even the easiest of my daily routine.  I am still very interested as I mentioned....just want to be more focused.

 

Hope you are well and congrats on your 3 years!!

 

BB.

 

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Thanks BB :smitten: I am very well. It's really been an amazing journey.

 

Hang in there! Before you know it so many more months will have passed and you will look at this early time off as a big blur! Please keep faith that you will heal, the many success stories here attest to that. It just takes so dang long getting there. And believe me I know from my own experience! But you will, the healing can't help but happen, but there are certainly things that can help it along.

 

In the meantime, take good care of yourself. I look back now and see so many things I wish I had done differently that maybe could have helped me to heal faster. Someone had suggested a plant based diet when my pain was peaking, but I didn't ask why or look into it, so it was a whole 'nother year before someone else suggested it and by this time my pain was so bad I was considering disabilty from work, could barely walk or function, was facing longterm steroid treatment. I so jumped all over this diet at that point lol but just kills me to think that I had missed the opportunity to begin helping myself a year prior and how much pain I could've avoided. Believe me I have learned to put my health first now!

 

But I also completely understand how you are very much in survival mode in the first months off, so give yourself lots of breaks and do what you can to get thru this  critical time. Once it has passed you will be better equipped to make any necessary changes to better your health and help your healing along. Take good care, GG

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Thanks Greengirl!,

 

I am glad you are doing so well! That is wonderful! I just want to say thanks! You have given me hope I can get better from this awful pain-fibromyalgia. Thank you for your posts!

 

I know lots of foods bother me but could really never figure out what to do until now. I would avoid this and that and so on but I see I was still eating many things that were making me sick.

 

I have prayed and prayed and told God I would do any food plan that I needed to do to get better. I don't want to lose any more weight as I weigh 122 now. I am very small boned though and only about 5'5".

 

I have had such awful pain that I can't stand it any more and it has kept getting worse. I can tell how much worse many foods make me. I have felt better sometimes not eating and know now that I was eating many of the wrong foods before. I get so much pain it is hard to eat sometimes.

 

I am trying to start this now as as much as I can. But next month I will work even harder on it. My daughter and grandson are coming in soon for 2 weeks.

 

I do have a couple questions and am not sure if I should post them here or in the other posts?

 

Do you have to eat all organic? I can't really afford it. And do you have to have a vitamix blender? I can't afford that now. I do need to do more reading and will do that as soon as I can.

 

If I can get better I would be able to work and afford to buy more organic food.

I do feel this will really help me. I too think my diet will have to be very restrictive for me to get better and stay better. I am willing to do that to get better. I do have a long road ahead of me getting off meds but I do think that the right food will help with that and my pain.

 

I better get some rest. I have so much to do. Still getting ready for my family that are coming in.

 

Thanks again. I will keep you posted how I do and will check back when I can.

 

OH I wanted to add that I have IC too but it has not bothered me as much as it used to for some reason. I still have it, but have been much worse in the past. It does flare up some off and on.  But I have noticed a lot of the foods that I should avoid on the lists bother me.

 

Connie

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Do you have to eat all organic? I can't really afford it. And do you have to have a vitamix blender? I can't afford that now. I do need to do more reading and will do that as soon as I can.

 

I rarely buy organic, there's not much availability where I live. Plus can't really afford it. We do have a seasonal farmers market where I like to buy my greens during the fall months. The prices and the quality are very good. Otherwise I do most of my shopping at Super Walmart! My eating plan is very simple, just whole foods, so shopping is easy. 

 

The vitamix and green smoothies aren't mandatory. What's important is to eat whole plant based foods while avoiding processed, preservatives, additivies, animal products, etc.

 

I know lots of foods bother me but could really never figure out what to do until now. I would avoid this and that and so on but I see I was still eating many things that were making me sick.

 

A systematic approach thru following an elimination diet like the one on the whole life nutrition site is the best way to determine sensitivities. Phase 1 is the real anti-inflammatory part, that's why it is important to stick with that phase for 3-4 weeks to calm the inflammation down, or longer if necessary. If your IC involves foods that aggravate the bladder, the only ones I can think of in phase 1 that may be an issue are the fruits. If that's the case, stick to blueberries and pears, as those are pretty low acid and usually well tolerated by IC bladders. I've run across quite a few people who have IC on these benzo forums. Sadly lots of IC patients end up on benzos to help them cope with the symptoms. I'm glad your IC isn't bothering you much these days!

 

Hope this helps! Good luck :) Keep us posted.

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Thanks so much.  :) I am glad you figured this stuff out and you are doing so great! I have been reading about it and understand more. Still working a lot on my house right now and real tired though. So trying to start this now but will be doing even more later on. I appreciate your help.

 

I also don't have many places to shop for organic here anyway, Kroger and SWM have a little. I still did not make it to the store but my husband is off the next 2 days so I am getting a list together. I do have a blender and some things that may help me.

 

Oh I got IC way after being on klonopin. But I have been on klonopin a long time. I hope I can get off it in the future. I have to taper off some other meds first.

 

Take care.

 

Connie

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi again, I am back. Daughter and

Grandson came to visit for 2 weeks. They had to fly home and my husband and I miss them so much. Just feeling so down. My daughter and I are very close. And I cherish my grandson. And our daughter is pregnant. They live over 13 hours away.

 

I was not able to start on the on the food plan like I wanted. But now I can. I have not had much of an appetite today.

 

I know I have to eat though. I did decide to order the book. I am trying to not lose any more weight. It keeps dropping where I was so busy. It is 121.

 

Hope to talk to you soon. I wish life was not so hard. I cried so much yesterday and last night. My eyes even swelled up. My heart hurts.

 

Connie

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Good to hear from you, C! Ahhh, the family issues are so hard, withdrawal makes the distance apart feel even farther. But all things have a way of working out in the end, one way or another. You;ve got yourself to focus on for now, and with more time and healing under your belt, so much will be possible. you will see.

 

So pleased to hear you are still intent on giving the diet a go! :thumbsup: It's really not hard at all. Just eat whole, plain, healthy. Don't overthink it, just do it ;) With strict adherence I can't help but think you will soon feel the benefits. Keep me posted!

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Greengirl,

 

How is going?  Are you still on the diet?  Any muscle pain left?

 

MY blood work says I have high inflammation, but we dont know where it is coming from.  I think it is my gut since i still have benzobelly.  The scopes say my GI and stomach are fine.  Maybe small intestine or liver?  We just dont know.  ugh

 

I just wanted to see if you have long term success with the diet.

 

Thanks,

Believe

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Believe! I have not had pain since April!  ;D I can now even sway from my diet and eat my former "trigger foods" without any resulting pain. I do still get some effects--swollen face and dark circles under eyes and very minor tired joints--if I sway too much.. But the deep aching disabling pain is gone gone gone.

 

But since I much prefer a non swollen face and no dark circles, I try to stick to the diet as closely as possible ;) This diet makes me feel REALLY GOOD.

 

Longterm success--absolutely.

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Im so glad to hear this!!!    :)

 

Im in that last phase where i now have muscle pain and ache joints.  I figured that I should try to change my diet and see if it helps. 

 

I'll look at the diet.  Since I have benzobelly I have also thought about GAPS.  Is this inflammation diet basically a low carb diet also?    Im assuming that it uses alot of the anti inflammatory spices.  It seems that anything I put in my mouth will rev up my belly.  Feel kinda in a catch 22 here. 

 

Believe

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Hi!

Just google The Whole LIfe Nutrition Elimination Diet and take a look at the phase 1 food list. It's very simple plain food. I did not use any spices or supplements.

 

I'm not going to get into the low carb thing here. This is basically a starch based plant based diet. I eat carbs if you want to call them that, but I call them starches, but only whole food starches like brown rice, sweet potatoes, winter squashes etc, nothing refined, packaged, or processed. I fill my plate with half veggies and greens and the other half whole starches.

 

 

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Thanks so much Greengirl! I am going to really try. So glad it helped you and I really think it would help me.

 

Some of my main issues though will be getting off coffee( I get so tired from the meds), still tapering off meds, and I am not that great of a cook lol. Also my husband will not eat much of what I eat.

 

But I am going to do my very best and do it. I do tend to overthink things. I know my food affects me.

 

Still losing weight though. My weight dropped again today down to 119. So I know I need the good carbs.

 

Thanks so much for your help. I don't have anyone where I live that eats this way. My husband won't eat what I do but is supportive of me doing it.

 

Will keep you posted. Sometimes the hardest thing is getting started!

 

Take care. And hope you feel better too Believe.

 

I have had enough pain!

 

Connie

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I'm starting to do this too. Already have the gluten free diet down.  ;)  Just need to learn the smoothies, etc.  I'm looking forward to it!!!
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