If you don't understand by now - then you never will. We'll just have to agree to disagree on everything.

Best of luck to you also.

I love cinnamon but I have severe hypoglycemia so I can't do anything to risk it lowering more! Great idea though, thanks.

I gained 4 pounds yesterday from fluid! I did this last summer, I gained 10 pounds in 2 days and had to go on diuretics. Being the weekend and the fact that I've added plaquenil to my meds, I am afraid to do the diuretic until I first check with the doctor. I've had no salt, a huge salad, fish, and 3 pieces of shrimp today so sodium is low and I'm drinking tons of fluids to help flush this edema out. If it's not better in the morning, I'll call the doctor.

kebaldwin. I eat chicken, no skin, or turkey, no skin. I eat fish, of course no breading, and I eat broccoli, lettuce, onions, garlic, peppers, celery, an occasional carrot, cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage. I don't know how much better you can expect my diet to be. It's pretty darn good now.

Idrial,

I have been diagnosed with RA this year and started prednisone 20mg day early October now down to 5mg and also taking methotrexate. The doc knew I was weight conscious and they advised me that the problem with prednisone is it makes you feel hungry and you need to be aware that you may be getting confusing signals to tell you to eat. Luckily I have been able to lose a bit still. I freaked when I read the RX insert on the meth and it said it was an antimetabolite. I have just accepted that it may be a bit harder for me because of these meds but not impossible if I have the determination.

Incidentally, on the supplement front, I have read that the late James Coburn got fed up with his RA and he found great relief with 3 things: deep tissue massage (supposed to help break up and release stored toxins), electronic stimulation and MSM. http://arthritis.about.com/od/msm/a/jamescoburnmsm.htm

Hope all goes well with your treatment, and here's to a hopeful remission.

Sandy

Hi Sandy. I'm sorry to hear you've got RA too.

My problem isn't so much my appetite as it is that I gain fluids. Last time I was on prednisone, I gained 10 pounds in two days and had to go on diuretics. Right now I'm gaining about anywhere from 1/2 to 2 pounds every couple of days. My fingers look like they're about to burst. I"m tapering down and hopefully will be getting off it in the next day or two. I'm hoping I won't have to go back on it.

I've read about Coburn. His poor hands were so deformed, it was obvious he had real active disease. At one time in her life, Lucille Ball took horse serum shots for hers!

Idrial,

I forgot to mention, this. I did fast while taking prednisone. Two days, the packaging I got said take with food or milk so I took it with milk and nothing else the rest of those 2 days.

Also, while you are on this do you have any idea how much water you are taking in? I think if I had the problem you are experiencing I would cut out as much sodium as possible and be sure to get all of the water I am supposed to. (I have heard 1/2 oz for every lb of body weight).

So far my biggest problem is with the blood draws, because I'm not an easy draw but I guess I've been lucky so far.

Don't get discouraged, you know that it is mostly water weight and not anything that you are doing wrong.

Sandy

There is a strong link between estrogen and various autoimmune desease.
http://www.rheumatology.org/press/2...604.asp?aud=prs
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/88/99816.htm
I never had problems with achy joints, but now going through menopause my joints hurt really badly during my cycle, and it is always when estrogen is the lowest.
Diet is one thing, but hormonal changes have greatest influence on our body. I too used to take 2 handfulls a day of various supplements, and frankly, saw no diference.
JMO

I hope you pee off your weight gain right fast!

Dina,

A word of advice, the moment you think you may have a real problem with the achey joints make your appointment to see a specialist. It can take months to get in and usually the most damage is done early. I made my appointment in early July and got to see the doc in early October and I think I may have been lucky.

Sandy

P.S. Women are 3 to 4 x more likely to have RA, so I'm sure there is something to the estrogen connection.

I don't have RA. I have asthma and had pulmonary failure due to aspergillis fungus.

Let me just say: PREDNISONE SUCKS!!!

OK - sorry to invade the post with that...

I SO agree! I feel better on it but the weight gain/fluid retention is awful!

I'm now on 2.5 every other day, tapering down to 0. My joints are swollen which is to be expected, but I've already lost 3 pounds! I don't know whether to praise this drug or curse it.

I'm hoping the dr. won't put me back on it at the end of this month.

ugh ugh ugh.. I am SO sorry to hear this. I am just now getting off a script of this. I use it for my asthma.