sugar & arthritis

Sthiramani
Sthiramani Member Posts: 10
edited 18. Nov 2013, 14:25 in Living with Arthritis archive
I would welcome views on the effects of sugar relating to arthritis. I have osteoarthritis in my right hip and both hands. I take Meloxican 7.5mg daily, plus paracetamol up to 4 times daily. At the moment I have a lot of pain and admit to having a bit of a sugar binge around Halloween. A friend who has researched a bit suggested the sugar link, and its effects several days after consumption. Thanks...:wink:

Comments

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi. I'm not aware of any connection though a healthy diet and weight are both recommended. I think, in the early years of arthritis, we all try to look for reasons an causes. I think it's actually a waste of precious energy :) Much better to just do the exercises, use distractive techniques and take pain relief.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Different people find that different things act as a trigger for their OA. Acids such as fruit, vinegar and pickles aggravate mine so I avoid them unless it's a special occasion. Sugar is well-hidden in modern processed foods so avoid those as much as possible, healthy eating, good hydration and keeping gently active are probably the best route to take. I wish you well. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Sthiramani
    Sthiramani Member Posts: 10
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks for the responses received... I have been careful to avoid sugar for the past few days and notice the pain has decreased... but it might be just a cycle of flaring up and calming down. Best wishes to all.
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh this is bad news for me...I have such a sweet tooth..its only lately that I have been keeping a diary of things I eat and the levels of pain...so I will come back to you on this..
    Love
    Barbara
  • thistlegirl
    thistlegirl Member Posts: 229
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,
    I have recently been looking into diet and Arthritis and I believe there are some links. I talked to my consultant yesterday and she fully agreed with me and said she would have been telling me off if she knew that I was eating junk food. If you are interested in looking into this further there are some films/websites that I recommend you look at, all look at healthy eating and the negative effect of sugars and processed food.

    Film- Fat sick and nearly dead- this sparked my interest on all of this it looks at an extreme "diet" of just juicing that I would not do, but it covers what our body really needs to work properly and the effect of putting "bad" stuff in there. I think of it as giving my body top grade fuel to fight Arthur with instead of it having to dig through the sugars and processed junk food trying to get the basic nutrients to do day to day tasks let alone fight a chronic disease.
    The website that goes with the film is rebootwithjoe.com
    The other film/website is - Forks over knives, Food matters and Hungry for change. All these films look at heart disease, diabetes etc, all info transferable to our diseases.

    I am basically seeing and experiencing lots of good by changing my diet. If you are interested in this talk to your GP-mine has been very supportive of the changes I have made, I have lost over 3 stone since July and that is great for my joints.

    I am just now looking at things that I can eat to help Arthur, natural anti-inflimataries such as ginger and tumeric. I see it as I have happily taken hundreds of tablets over the years why not see what happens when I focus on food as well-it has to worth a try?

    Feel free to PM me if you want any information, I believe and love modern medicine but I now believe that I can help out too by giving my body the best fuel and avoiding things that make it harder to function. Complimentary not alternative treatment.

    I hope I don't sound too preachy, it is just nice to have found something that is helping and I am eager to share it?

    Thistle
  • Sthiramani
    Sthiramani Member Posts: 10
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Not been here for a while... but want to say thanks for the replies. Not great at the moment, trying to do the things I need to do but in more pain. Have been back to the doctor and had an increase in meds. Do others find drug effects reach a plateau and become less effective over time? best wishes to all. :?
  • Michelle63
    Michelle63 Member Posts: 63
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I don't appear to have any reaction to sugar but I am sure that tomatoes and tomato based sauces definitely affect me. Fairly shortly after consumption my arthur flares up in all my usual places. Very uncomfortable. Maybe it is the acidity?
  • thistlegirl
    thistlegirl Member Posts: 229
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, sorry to hear things are not going well at the moment.

    Yes unfortunately we do become tolerant of the pain killers. Paracetamol doesn't have any effect on me at all and hasn't for a long time. I didn't know your other drug so googled it, I see it is an NSAID, I worked my way through most of those a long time ago so can't help with that one.
    But generally yes drugs that work for a time can stop being as effective.

    How long have you been on them?
    Have they increased both? More importantly is it working?

    Try to listen to your body and not over do it. It took me 30 years to learn to ask my family for help, please don't wait that long!

    Thistle

Categories