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Extending and Modifying to W30 AIP?


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Hello W30 friends.

 

I am currently on R1D20 (Yay! 2/3 complete!)

I feel more energized (Finally, thanks to some support from the Mods and other members and their insights). I feel as though I look more refreshed and I sleep very well.

 

My concerns however...

I am a diagnosed Celiac and suffer from psoriasis as well. Not as bad as some people I've seen (thankfully!) but enough to be self concious of it.

The last couple weeks I've been noticing some major gas and bloating and I feel like this might be due to the increased fats/veggies. Didn't worry too much about it. Then I noticed my psoriasis seems to be coming back after having faded the first 2 weeks. I have done some reading and the AIP suggests cutting out the nightshades, coffee, eggs, and a few other possible trigger foods. 

 

My question is, would it make sense to transition to the AIP protocol and extend the W30 to a W50 (the existing 20 days plus a new 30). I have read that it might be better to finish it as is, try to reintroduce, then reassess. But I also wonder that due to my medical history, would it make more sense?

 

A couple meals:

 

M1: Frittata with eggs, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms. compliant bacon, veggies (usually tomatoes and peppers) and sometimes a fruit.

M2: Chocolate chili (tomatoes, onions, elk meat and beef), guacamole, more veg - cukes and peppers usually.

M3: Salmon coleslaw with mayo and dill and steamed broccoli.

 

M1: 2 Fried eggs over a baked potato with some ghee, left over chili, tomato and peppers, maybe an apple and a tbsp almond butter.

M2: Salmon coleslaw with mayo and dill. mini cuke, snap peas, carrots.

M3: Steak, onions, mushrooms, mashed cauliflower

 

M1: 2 Fried Eggs, 2 compliant sausages, roasted veg (zucchini, peppers, sweet potatos, onions)

M2: Roasted veg with compliant chorizo chopped into it 1/2 avocado diced into it.

M3: Zoodles with a pesto-esque sauce (garlic. olive oil, basil,cilantro) with a dozen shrimp.

 

 

 

Any thoughts or support would be fabulous!

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I have psoriasis as well. I saw no change during the 46 days I've been on Whole30 (still going - I have psoriatic arthiritis as well and that *might* be a bit better so I'm hoping to get more improvement). I've also done AIP for many months with no change. I'm tempted to try the combo of the two as well. I look forward to knowledgeable comments on this!

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I have psoriasis as well. I saw no change during the 46 days I've been on Whole30 (still going - I have psoriatic arthiritis as well and that *might* be a bit better so I'm hoping to get more improvement). I've also done AIP for many months with no change. I'm tempted to try the combo of the two as well. I look forward to knowledgeable comments on this!

Your PA... Where did you notice the pain mostly? I have felt a weird achy pain in my big toe for the last year (?) on and off. And kind of feel lame going to the dr for a sore toe that doesn't hinder my life.... Symptoms suggest gout or PA but I'm not sure if I'm playing WebMD you know?

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I know all too well about self-diagnosing online!!! :)

 

My PA was super sudden onset and crazy intense. About 3 years ago I woke up one morning feeling like someone had slammed all my fingers and toes in a door. Throbbing pain in the last joint (called the DIP joint) of all the digits. Shooting pains when I flexed my hands. Of course, this was 3 days before Thanksgiving and I was cooking for 30 people! Over the next couple of days, EVERY joint in my body began to ache and I ended up on the couch crying in pain. Did you know that the "joints" between your sternum and ribs can be affected? I'm talking EVERY joint in my body hurt!

 

It took 2 weeks to get into the doc and by then my pain was at least tolerable. Doc confirmed PA (looking online, it was really the only thing that fit), took x-rays to see if I'd damaged my SI joints yet (between sacrum and pelvis) and prescribed prednisone which I had every possible negative side-effect of. Sigh. Follow up visit showed no joint degradation and I basically got the advice to live on advil until the pain got so bad I would need to go on one of the crazy immunosuppressant drugs. I haven't been back since.

 

There are 5 classifications of PA (you can have more than one). My main PA symptom is the DIP pain and it is a daily struggle. It's the background pain that is constant and what I want to see the most improvement from. I also have the asymmetric type that will affect several large joints at a time. So any morning I can wake up with a painful left knee, or right shoulder or a hip (that's the worst!). It usually only lasts a day or two for whatever joint it is. I do NOT (thankfully) have spondylitis or the mutilans varieties that are particularly bad.

 

So, looking back on my life pre-diagnosis, I realize I was showing symptoms of the asymmetric type for years without knowing it. I would get a "shoulder injury" when I didn't do anything to it. I was diagnosed with mastitis twice with my second child because my chest hurt and I was achy all over. First round of antibiotics didn't work but the second did (or, as I think of it now, the arthritis flare went away). Etc, etc.

 

An achy big toe fits the symptoms quite well. How long have you had psoriasis? The chances of PA go up significantly 10 years after first signs of the skin disorder. Do you have pitted nails? I can always tell when I'm about to get a big flare because my nails start pitting. I've never had anything like that first time.

 

A doc will run tests and take x-rays and diagnose PA by ruling other things out. It's not a very important diagnosis to have unless you need medication for it. And it's got to be BAD to go on those crazy drugs in my opinion! If you have lower back pain that you think might be associated, it could be worth going in. If your SI joints are affected, you will want to do something to slow that damage down!

 

Sorry...didn't mean to write a book. :)

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I know all too well about self-diagnosing online!!! :)

 

My PA was super sudden onset and crazy intense. About 3 years ago I woke up one morning feeling like someone had slammed all my fingers and toes in a door. Throbbing pain in the last joint (called the DIP joint) of all the digits. Shooting pains when I flexed my hands. Of course, this was 3 days before Thanksgiving and I was cooking for 30 people! Over the next couple of days, EVERY joint in my body began to ache and I ended up on the couch crying in pain. Did you know that the "joints" between your sternum and ribs can be affected? I'm talking EVERY joint in my body hurt!

 

It took 2 weeks to get into the doc and by then my pain was at least tolerable. Doc confirmed PA (looking online, it was really the only thing that fit), took x-rays to see if I'd damaged my SI joints yet (between sacrum and pelvis) and prescribed prednisone which I had every possible negative side-effect of. Sigh. Follow up visit showed no joint degradation and I basically got the advice to live on advil until the pain got so bad I would need to go on one of the crazy immunosuppressant drugs. I haven't been back since.

 

There are 5 classifications of PA (you can have more than one). My main PA symptom is the DIP pain and it is a daily struggle. It's the background pain that is constant and what I want to see the most improvement from. I also have the asymmetric type that will affect several large joints at a time. So any morning I can wake up with a painful left knee, or right shoulder or a hip (that's the worst!). It usually only lasts a day or two for whatever joint it is. I do NOT (thankfully) have spondylitis or the mutilans varieties that are particularly bad.

 

So, looking back on my life pre-diagnosis, I realize I was showing symptoms of the asymmetric type for years without knowing it. I would get a "shoulder injury" when I didn't do anything to it. I was diagnosed with mastitis twice with my second child because my chest hurt and I was achy all over. First round of antibiotics didn't work but the second did (or, as I think of it now, the arthritis flare went away). Etc, etc.

 

An achy big toe fits the symptoms quite well. How long have you had psoriasis? The chances of PA go up significantly 10 years after first signs of the skin disorder. Do you have pitted nails? I can always tell when I'm about to get a big flare because my nails start pitting. I've never had anything like that first time.

 

A doc will run tests and take x-rays and diagnose PA by ruling other things out. It's not a very important diagnosis to have unless you need medication for it. And it's got to be BAD to go on those crazy drugs in my opinion! If you have lower back pain that you think might be associated, it could be worth going in. If your SI joints are affected, you will want to do something to slow that damage down!

 

Sorry...didn't mean to write a book. :)

 

Wow, such a wealth of knowledge! Thank you!

 

My first flare up of any type of psoriasis was guttate back 9 years ago. It doesn't get too bad unless I gluten myself or get strep. 

 

It's interesting you mention the SI joints and back pain. I am an extremely active person and run/play soccer/work out etc. So I often chalk it up to over exertion for the bad sciatica, or hip twinges, or back pain. Though it's still possible that's the main culprit, I will try to be more mindful of what activity i'm doing before hand. Plus - old injuries, I just assume it's me getting 'older' hah.

 

As for the nails, I spoil myself and get them done so I haven't seen my base natural nail for awhile...  :blink:

 

Maybe, if AIP is a suggested route (hello, mods) I'll assess if the symptoms get better or worse. If it's not, I'll talk to the doctor about it.

 

I really don't want to go on medication for life (I already have enough -lol) so if I can mitigate the symptoms by diet, I'd certainly prefer it.

 

Thank you SO SO much for sharing your experience. I'm sorry you have the struggle of it.  :wub:

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Hi TT, 

 

I'm not a mod but I've had my own go with AIP and an extended Whole30. I did my second round for 60 days and finally started to see consistent results. I'm not exactly sure what my AI issue is. I've done the full workups and been under a rheumatologist's care off and on before I finally gave up and let food and lifestyle be the defining components of my treatment. I had positive RA and RF tests as well as a few other markers but I was never able to get an actual diagnosis. I did have some of the same issues with my feet and lower legs. Extreme bone pain and fatigue. To the point of not being able to walk from the pain sometimes. AIP and reintroduction were what finally got me to understand the response of each food in my system. I will say that removing the nightshades didn't do anything for me personally but it's worth a shot. I think the extended Whole30 made the biggest difference. For me, corn and wheat are the two biggest culprits (and, as you said strep! what gives with that? I've never been in so much lower extremity pain as when my body is fighting something viral). You may never fully get the psoriasis to go away, but the gas and bloating component may be veg induced. I noticed broccoli and cauliflower on your list. I eat both like made too but the cruciferous vegetable family can certainly cause that response in a lot of people.

 

As for meds, I completely agree and didn't want to be one them my whole life either. I actually almost died from one of the meds they put me on and have since found out I'm allergic to NSAID's. Nothing like sitting through an ekg, echo, and cardiac stress test at the age of 34 thinking you're gonna die... I can't take anything (other than curcumin) for inflammation so again, food has to be the number one component of battling AI dysfunction. It may never go away but it will get better. And you're doing amazing things for your body by being on the Whole30.  

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