How long for Rheumatoid Arthiritis?

(Phil) #1

Hi, new to Keto, just started on my 10th day.

I’m doing this because I heard a testimonial of someone getting off their meds for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) by doing Keto diet.

I have taken Methotrexate for 8 years since diagnosis. It’s beginning to impact my white blood cell counts, so doctor told me to stop taking Mehotrexate and we’re about to start a biologic. I’m really scared of “upgrading” to an expensive biologic to control my symptoms.

So after hearing a testimonial I decided to try Keto for myself.

So far, I love the immediate changes. Weight loss and no more hunger cravings. I can easily see doing this for the rest of my life just for these two.

BUT… what I really want is anti-inflammation. Is there anyone else here who has an RA diagnosis from a doctor, who was on similar medication, who got free through Keto? If so, please, please share your story with me, and tell me how long it took to see benefits?

At Day 10, I see no improvement whatsoever in my arthritis.

Thanks,

  • Phil
(Renee Slaughter) #2

Ketogenic Diet and Rheumatoid Arthirits (My Story)

(Renee Slaughter) #3

Sorry I thought I could download the link it it didn’t work. I did fond it in the search box under the rheumatoid

(Lonnie Hedley) #4

https://www.ketogenicforums.com/t/ketogenic-diet-and-rheumatoid-arthirits-my-story/16021

(M C) #5

Phil I feel your pain. I think it is my story you are referring to. I am still meds free and have lost 100 lbs now. I was on keto for 6-8 months before I decided to talk to the Dr. about trying to go off my meds as an experiment. I had just noticed over those months the inflammation instances happened less and less frequently. I too had considered the idea of a biologic because methotrexate was causing me to lose my hair. I still have the rare flare up but it is short lived, as a whole I’d say my 99.7% symptom free. I will say I am not a doctor and be sure to talk to your doctor. Keto may not have the same results for you as it did me. Maybe I just got lucky. I’d stick with it though if for no other reason than to have more energy. I do wish you luck!

(Melanie Armistead) #6

Mine was Psoriatic Arthritis. It took a few months for the constant ache in the spine and random stabbing pains through the feet and knees to go but I’d alread stopped taking meds when I started (due to the script for them being packed up with my furniture and sent interstate and being unable to contact my Rheumatologist over the Christmas/New Year break). Fortunately I wasn’t starting from a flare.

CRP and ESR on Humira/Methotrexate were in the 20s, within 6 months LCHF, both were 8.

(Phil) #7

Hi Melanie,

Thanks for the reply. If I understood you correctly, you were on Humira/Methotrexate, but had cycled off the meds (it usually takes about 2 months for Methotrexate to completely leave the system). So you were already experiencing the pain again, and then when you switched to Keto, about 2 months later, you noticed a decline in pain?

Did I get that right?

(Phil) #8

Hi M_C,

Thanks for the reply and congratulations on such amazing progress. From what I understood from your story, you initially went to Keto for the weight loss, and after about 6 months, you noticed a decrease in your inflammation, so you then approached your Rheumatologist about cycling off meds.

Quick clarification question: Since you were on Methotrexate, approximately how long was your last dose? I ask because Methotrexate remains in the system for months and can continue to suppress RA (because of DMARD).

In my case, I have taken a mid-range dose of Methotrexate every week for the last 8 years, and have cycled off 2 or 3 times for health reasons. Each time I cycled off, my RA symptoms returned within 3 - 4 months after ending the drug. Its always a slow creep back, but is very severe when completely untreated. All the joints in my body are affected, and I have intense pain at night through the mid morning, and extreme fatigue all day, when totally untreated.

I am not presently overweight, and am only turning to Keto in the hope it may “fix” my RA. But it sounds like I have to do this for 6 months before knowing whether it will work. I can’t go unmedicated for 6 months, so I will probably have to follow doctor’s recommendation of switching to Orencia until then.

Thanks.

(M C) #9

It has been since June of last year since I took methotrexate. I was on a dose of 6 2.5mg tablets per week for 3-4 years. I’m sorry you are in such pain. My heart goes out to you. It is very scary to go off or even change medications. No one deserves to feel pain like that. It is physically and mentally debilitating. I wish you every success and many pain free days. I hope the orencia helps you. Maybe one day they will find a way to cure it, not just treat the symptoms.

(Melanie Armistead) #10

When I ran out of medication last January I had persistent pain through my spine and random stabbing pains at least weekly through my feet that would leave me unable to put any weight on the affected foot for between 10 & 90 seconds, then it’d be gone as suddenly as it started. I also had chronic exercise induced asthma.

I started dabbling in low carb around then but generally would still have high carbs st least a few days/week.

Around March I cut back further and between March and June dropped 20kg. Both pains eased gradually/became less frequent during that period and by July I no longer had asthma (could jog up a hill that made me wheezy walking up it in May).

CRP was still 22 in June but 8 by October. In November I had a long trip for a birthday and funeral, ate ‘normal’ food over a couple of weeks, developed psoriasis on my ankle, pains came back but to a lesser extent than before and I’d get wheezy when I walked quickly up a steep hill.

#11

Not formally diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis yet as I’m still waiting for the stupid rheumatologist to see me, but my GP is pretty certain that’s what I have. I also started keto for inflammation and noticed a reduction in my back pain about 3 weeks in. My hands still ache every day, but have not worsened, with exception to my pinky finger which was already kind of messed up anyway (So I imagine it’s worse there). I still have days where my back bothers me quite a bit, but this could also be because I’m still only in my 7th week of keto. Additionally, I was never medicated as my PSA showed up around 4 months ago (shortly after I had my first child).

To be fair, I’m also not positive I’m always in ketosis as I practice lazy keto and I don’t use a blood tester. I’m also wary of having too few carbs as my milk supply dropped significantly when I cut them back too much. I’m hoping to continue reducing carbs shortly (my son is beginning solids) in the hopes I have improved results…But I have to say the hand pain is far more tolerable for me than my back pain was, so I’m happy with my results thus far.