Food intolerances: Will they cure Fibro?

I have eliminated dairy, grain, nuts and soy from my diet in hopes that I will get rid of the joint pain
with Fibro. I have seen that dairy definitely increases my joint pain. But, even with these eliminations I still have pain.

I didn't have much joint pain in the summer but as soon as winter hit the pain came back even more. I have some
days when it's minor and then other days it's very painful. Am I still eating food that is causing the joint pain? Am I missing something? Should I be pain free if I'm not eating intolerances?

It can be discouraging. I feel like I'm flunking a test.

I have been doing a ton of research latel about Fibro. It is my own personal coping mechanism - empowerment through knowledge. I see a lot of diet claims about different eating methods. Like Lj said though, no proof around. I got a little angry looking through them as it feels like people are trying to hint that all will be better if you just do things their way.

Please dont feel bad about yourself. One thing I am learning here is that these things are very individual. Some find great help with diet, some with myofascial therapy, etc. I have limits on my eating. These days I focus on healthy withou extremes and I feel pretty good. Do what works for you.

winter sucks. I used to be okay with it, but Jan & Feb are NOT my friends. Joint pain is part of our lives, I fear. We have to keep moving even if it hurts.

Agreed with all who added their outlook.

It would be nice, right? If it were that simple? But it isn't.

Food may or may not have a role in fibro. Not clear--no links or studies. So, in other words, eating a certain way to cure fibro is akin to crossing your toes for luck, but a lot healthier.

However, people do feel better when they eat predominantly 'good' foods.

There is little clarity about this condition. Maybe, some day, the good doctors will have an answer. Right now, if it makes you feel better, do it.

I have to add one thing. In my previous life, I worked on food culture. Where we are now is the world of chronic pain, where whatever works, works, because we are desperate to feel better.

But food is far more complex and varied in both emotional, cultural, and even physical aspects. Each of us carries a food culture of some sort--and it is just not so easy to toss away as might be healthy for us. Food has personal meaning and attached ritual meaning and, especially in our Western culture, some fair amount of guilt.

It is one of those taboos; most people will not modify their diet without a significant chance that a positive change will occur, and instead rely on prescription help to correct much of their symptoms. Others, who might reject medical culture for various reasons, are more interested in making their diet elastic to hopefully incorporate positive change.

For much of my life, I rejected elimination of certain foods from my diet in favor of taste. My belief was moderate amounts of any food was not harmful. Even after diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, I continued on this path. Yes, I knew what my triggers were (or thought I knew), but moderation was key to balancing health with enjoyment. A decade later, a severe UC flare went on for a very long time. I was weak, vomiting, diarrhea, pain, the whole thing. GI suggested one of the new biologics. I chose to try diet first, because I was concerned about the greater potential side effects. I moved to a SCD/Paleo diet-cutting grains, starches, sugars, soy, raw dairy out. The UC got better. Not perfect, but better. With the fibro, little to no change.

I would suggest that each person brings to the discussion an individual but well-formed idea of what sickness and health actually means to them, and this idea is formed not only by their current health concerns, but also by their environment, expectations, physical limitations, culture, gender/sex, age, location, education, etc. There will be similarities and vast differences, with little to no consensus as to this vague prescription of change. I was looking at Weight Watcher materials last night, and learned that muskrat was a point an ounce. Interesting but not germane to me.

Also, fibro triggers are going to be different in each of us. The condition is likely a common set of misfiring nerves, but what caused these nerves to go off the tracks isn't clear.

If it works for you, rock on with your bad self. If it doesn't try something else. Try things that seem promising and do-able for you. Share what works and what doesn't.

Fibromyalgia is a very complex condition that is not completely understood. What works for one person may not have any effect at all on another. Also, many of us have additional chronic illnesses that play into how we manage it. Some people find that eliminating or adding certain foods helps with pain. Others don't see any difference at all no matter what they do or do not eat. I am one of those. Food has no effect on my fibromyalgia.

Because of the nature of the condition, there is a lot of pseudo-science out there on the internet concerning fibromyalgia. Treatments and cures run the gamut from special diets to herbs to certain types of supplements - none of which are necessarily bad in and of themselves, but none of which have been researched enough by the established medical community to be touted as a proven treatment for fibro.

The best places, in my opinion, to get information about fibro are the National Institutes of Health, Mayo Clinic, American College of Rheumatologists, and the Arthritis Foundation. None of them, at least from what I've seen, decry trying diet changes (they also don't necessarily denounce herbs or supplements as long as you consult your personal doctor first), but they also don't use a blanket approach to promoting them. I just don't think the science is there yet.

It is a very individual process. If diet changes help, then that is great. If they don't, then you aren't doing anything wrong. There are many other avenues to explore.

All interesting posts. I, too, am not sure about diet helping with the pain aspect of Fibromyalgia. I have this year begun a way of eating to get the necessary nutrients into my body and cut out sugar. I am lactose intolerant. I stay away from dairy. I have not given up grains but I prefer non-white grains. I won't give up meat but we eat a variety which includes, fish, chicken, pork and beef. I do often cook my food differently that my Husbands. I always use Xtra Virgin Olive Oil for frying. We always have fresh fruit in the house and I love yogurt. Yogurt is the one dairy product that people with a lactose intolerance are usually able to eat. It is due to the bacteria cultures that help your stomach deal with the dairy.

If you feel better eliminating foods then why change. I tried a gluton free diet in past but went back to eating gluton when it was determined that I don't have Celiac Disease. If you have C.D. you must eliminate all gluton. I have I.B. still but find eating healthy fiber is a huge help to my stomach. I also found that magnesium supplements have helped my stomach.

For me what has triggered the mess I am living with was 3 things. Antibiotic use set the stage for my infection with C. Diff. I might have contracted the bacteria when I had a D&C. Hospitals are quite a source for bacteria. Another possibility was a Nursing Home. Nerve damage may have been caused by medication to rid of the infection. Next was a car accident. Was very hard on me and stressful. Took 3 years of my life in the courts until a charge was dropped. Osteoarthritis was found after the accident but would have been there a long time before. Was rear ended years prior, did heavy lifting in my job, repetitive strain from 90% data entry all contributed. So for me, not just food.

Loring

Osteoarthritis in Multiple Joints, Fibromyalgia, Neuralgia, Chronic Daily Headaches, I.B., Hard of Hearing...

I feel so blessed by all of your comments. I read each one and I appreciate everyone taking the time to respond. What a great group of caring people.Thank you, thank you.

As I was reading all of your comments it became more clear to me why I'm struggling with this. I've always seen the joint pain as related to food intolerances. This summer I had hardly any pain at all and thought I had found the Holy Grail. So when the pain flared this winter and my Dr. finally said it was Fibro...I guess I just didn't believe him because I hardly had any pain this summer. I just keep thinking it's joint pain due to food intolerances and not Fibro.

Is that normal for Fibro? To go for months with barely any pain and then have winter hit and have bad flare ups?

Also, I can take an anti-inflammatory and be out of pain for a few days. It sounds like most of you are in so much more pain than I am. Would Fibro go away like that?

I do have foggy thinking but I'm also 57 years old and that is a common symptom for women my age. No stomach issues like so many I read of with Fibro.

Am I just in denial?

P.S. I did read the Fibro 101. It was very helpful. Thank you.

All very interesting posts, I'm so glad you posted this topic. I am absolutely fascinated by the effect food has on fibro.

For myself I am convinced that candida and yeast play a large part when it comes to pain, gut health etc. because when I manage to cleanse myself of all candida provoking foods I feel like a million dollars but the craving for these foods is a constant struggle.

I've read that, as a society, we have become allergic to the foods most prevalent in our culture, such as wheat. We consume wheat in such quantities without balancing our food intake that our bodies reject wheat, and make us sick.

Same with sugar and corn and probably all industrialized foods, and I would bet with livestock, the foods they are fed such as corn effect us too.

It's just a theory but it does make sense if you think about a typical breakfast of cereal or pancakes, a sandwich for lunch and maybe pizza or pasta for dinner and ice cream for dessert. I ate that way my entire life growing up.

When I went away to summer camp as a child I always felt so great and now, I think the reason for that was, the camp grew its own fruit and vegetables or bought from the local farmers.

I remember a lot of vegetables in our diet, some that I would fight over because I didn't want to eat it, like zucchini. I hated the stuff but I did eat it because otherwise I would lose my activities privileges.

Which brings me to the other aspect of why camp healed me. We swam in the ocean, we rowed canoes across a lake and we hiked. We spent a large part of every day engaged in physical activities.

So for me personally, I feel that of I could maintain a candida cleanse diet which is very much like Paleo, and swim on a regular basis I would feel so much better. I do to an extent but not enough.

And as I write this I realize, this all took place in the summer too so there was not the cold.

I have been trying very hard to stick to Paleo and some days it's a win but not every day. I am a total sugar junkie.

Anyway, I wanted to chime in. I hope everyone stays warm this weekend. I just got some legwarmers and I am using them.