I thought I'd post an update of progress since I discovered this forum earlier in the year and converted to low carbing on the strength of the success stories here.
I was diagnosed with T2 and rheumatoid arthritis within a short space of time and no medical professional ever mentioned a connection between these two autoimmune diseases.
Having always been fit, healthy and with a happy disposition, never having been in hospital (except to give birth three times) or needed medication, and hadn't had a cold or flu in 15 years, my health suddenly deteriorated and was in quite a bad way healthwise at the start of this year. I'd had an operation cancelled which was to realign joints which had become deformed through a rapid deterioration in rheumatoid arthritis. I'd been unable to wear heels for about 2 years because I couldn't bend my toes sufficiently to walk in anything other than flat shoes and was told I'd never be able to wear heels again. So last year, with a heavy heart, I sold my lovely Russell & Bromley heeled shoes, boots and party shoes on ebay.
The operation was cancelled when my blood sugars at the pre-op assessment were considered too high to operate and I was referred to the dietician at the hospital who gave me my first glucose meter and showed me how to test my bloods by finger pricking. At 11am, the dietician recorded them at 13.9. My HbA1c was 85. The dietician also gave me a home monitoring diary, telling me only to test on alternate days.
I was already on Metformin by this time, having been prescribed it in late December 2013 when my HbA1c was 89, (in August the same year had been 97)
This told me that the Metformin alone wasn't having much effect and I was looking for ways to help myself, and return to my healthy state of mind and body, when a chance suggestion from a friend to give up bread, led me to this forum.
After reading about LCHF I converted overnight and within about 3 days my energy levels were returning and the mental fog cleared. I had none of the carb 'flu I was warned about, perhaps because carbs hadn't featured too much in my diet as I've never been fond of pasta or potatoes but bread and home-baking have been weaknesses. I rarely drink alcohol except on special occasions and never more than a single glass of anything, which is only really to be sociable.
While other posters here were recording impressive weight loss and lowered fasting bs readings, these two were slow to respond with me, but daytime readings have averaged between 5-7 with the occasional 4's and a few highs when I've experimented to see what I can tolerate in the way of naughty food and soft drinks but I always drop back to 6-7 within 2 hours of consuming anything bad.
Apart from losing just over a stone in weight, the most noticeable improvement has been in my rheumatoid arthritis. Since commencing LCHF in March this year, I noticed my inflammed joints were reducing in size and were less painful, so I tried giving up my weekly self-administered injections of methotrexate (a high dose of 25mg). I suffered no ill effects so gradually I gave up the other medications which were supposed to complement the Metoject - Salazopyrin, hydroxychloroquine and Folic Acid.
I then noticed I was once again jumping out of bed in the mornings like Tigger, with a return to the energy levels I'd always had before diagnosis, and I wasn't in any pain from my joints. So I began to wean myself off the 8 Co-codamol tablets I'd been prescribed daily.
This wasn't too pleasant and for about 3 nights I didn't sleep well due to an overly alert mind, but I think I got away lightly after reading some horror stories of withdrawal symptoms.
I had already stopped taking 40 mg of Simvastatin after consultation with my DN who agreed to trade off the statins against a higher dose of Metformin. After a 3 month "holiday" from the statins, she has agreed I have no need to go back on them. My last review in September this year showed my HbA1c had dropped from 59 to 51; my cholesterol was slightly up at 5,1; LDL was slightly up at 2.6 but HDL and Trigs were 1.77 and 1.6 respectively.
I consider I now have a grip on my diabetes and my arthritis. I no longer walk with a limp, but with a spring in my step and am a keen Nordic Walker, swimmer and cyclist. A frozen shoulder type pain which I'd had for months and was picked up at an ultrasound scan as an inflamed tendon and shoulder joint has completely healed and I have regained full use and movement of my arm and shoulder, which before I couldn't lift above the shoulder joint, or carry any weight or even a handbag in that hand. Dressing was difficult with only the use of one arm, as was showering and hair-washing
On Monday this week I went to my GP and requested a review of all my medications after confessing I had stopped taking everything on my 2 page prescription except Metformin. He told me never to apologise for giving up medication as it was my body and I was making informed choices. He could see from my blood results that my diabetes was now controlled and he was greatly impressed with my latest HbA1c results.
He explained in some detail why our daily bs readings are not important but went into graphic detail of the hidden damage diabetes does to our organs
Today I went for my 6 month rheumatology appointment, carrying a large shopping bag full of used sharps from earlier in the year, and 5 months worth of unused injection needles filled with the nasty Methotrexate drug.
The nurse practitioner showed me my blood results on the screen and told me there was a marked improvement which meant the increased dose of methotrexate must be working….. Hmmm! She also checked my joints for inflammation and noticed the improvement. She asked me to rate on a 0 - 10 scale my pain. I rated it 1. Previous recordings have been 8-9.
I then confessed to not taking any of my medications since commencing LCHF in March. She looked a bit bemused and said that the methotrexate would stay in my system for 3 months and was probably still working. I mentioned that it was well 8 months since I had taken any, and she agreed, saying well, diet will help you too…..
So I asked her to compare today's results with those in March.
My disease progression score in March last year was "off the scale" according to the nurse - a scale which runs from 2 - 5.00. In March mine was 5.02. Today it is 3.75 and is considered to have dropped to mid-range.
The inflammation of my joints which affected both hands, ankles, one shoulder and both feet have all improved - most are pain free with little or no swelling, except for both my ring fingers, but these are slowly returning to normal.
Yesterday while have a general autumn clear out, I found my favourite pair of heels which I was too attached to, to sell on ebay. Out of curiosity I tried them on. They slipped on easily and more importantly I walked easily in them! I CAN once again walk in heels. Great news since I have my son's wedding in January!
I'm sure the LCHF sceptics out there will find reasons to deny these massive improvements in my health and quality of life are not associated to my lifestyle changes, but the simple fact is that apart from gradually giving up a lot of medication, my food choices are the only changes I have made. There has been no detrimental effect on my health, only improvements.
I wouldn't advocate anyone else should give up medications without professional advice or supervision. I didn't intend to, but I couldn't ignore the improvements in other aspects of my health which I wasn't actually addressing. It was purely accidental. It is only after giving myself 8+ months to test that this was actually happening, that I began returning the unused medications and confessing to the medical professionals involved in my treatment.
I accept that I have 2 serious, aggressive (RA) and progressive diseases but the improvement in my joints, and feeling my mind, body and general health are once again all in sync. This more than compensates for my stubborn fasting blood readings and slow but sure weight loss, and removes any temptation to obsess about numbers on a monitor. The proof for me has been in restoring my health to where it was up until diagnosis almost 10 years ago.
So to any newcomers who may wonder if LCHF works (other eating regimes are available!) or who are becoming despondent by comparing their results with the results of others, don't be despondent. Don't obsess about numbers or weight loss. Always look at the bigger picture - is your quality of sleep better? Has your mental clarity improved and your physical energy returned? Do you have other health conditions which are improving? Is your complexion glowing again?
I can answer yes to all of these and there has been no other change in my life except a dietary one.
I also want to thank everyone who has supported and encouraged me, some on a daily basis, and those who have shared the benefit of their wisdom and experience to explain, motivate and inspire me.
LCHF is now a way of life for me, and something I am totally committed to for life. I could never have imagined that a simple change of food choices and exercise could have such monumental effect on my overall health.
A huge thank you to all
Yes, I've also suffered hairloss. Mine is thickening up again which I attribute to Vit D twice daily
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