Hiker Chick Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 The main reason I started the whole30 was to get some relief from this chronic debilitating pain in my hips, legs and feet. I have been suffering for well over a year and the Dr's are all stumped. I just finished day 23 and haven't slipped up at all. I have yet to have an increase in energy, I am sure I haven't lost any weight (need to lose ~ 40lbs), I am having pretty severe gasterointestinal issues and in the last few days, my pain level has actually increased to about an 7-8 on a 1 -10 scale. I am in tears as this isn't working at all. I feel like I am just torturing myself for nothing. Do I need to keep on, keeping on? Am I going to have have to extend this out to 45-60 days? I am feeling rather hopeless at the moment and I am going to have to cave and take some meds so I can actually sleep tonight. Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1121 Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Hi Hiker Chick, I am so sorry to hear how much you are struggling. As someone very active who was totally incapacitated by mysterious knee pain for over 6 months I can relate somewhat. I have not been here all that long, this is only day 30 for me, so I have only limited experience. I had a look at your other posts and threads and there were two posts that caught my attention. One was Shelly's post in your original "Debilitating Pain" thread. She mentions that on her second attempt to go gluten free she went a whole month, and only towards the end of the month the pain was decreasing. For some reason, I tried the no gluten thing again last December 1st, but for the entire month instead. By the end of the month, my pain was decreasing. In January, it was almost totally gone. So that would give me hope that extending will bring the desired improvement. The other post was one by you in the same thread where you said that on day 7 you felt significantly better. That as well would indicate to me that there is hope. The fact that it is worse again now could have many reasons. You felt the initial relief because you removed irritating foods. But then your body started to make some serious changes and the upheaval is causing pain again. I am a bit similar as far as my fatigue and depression is concerned. I felt improvement after the first week and only started to struggle after that. I am still struggling and am extending because I have complete faith that things will settle eventually. Of course my fatigue and sleep issues are nothing worth mentioning compared to your pain. If I was you, I would keep on keeping on, and take pain medication as required to make life bearable. Well, those are my thoughts on the issue. Others may have different views or better ideas. I certainly hope that you will find relief soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1121 Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 PS.: Forgot to ask the most obvious thing: Any foods you introduced or significantly increased after the first week? Nightshades? Eggs? Nuts? Coconut products? Avocado? Shellfish? ... No idea what might be triggering pain but reading this forum I've seen the weirdest things give people problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I've been whole30ing pretty much since november and my chronic inflammation has improved substantially. However I notice that the following are triggers for increased pain: coffee, cocoa, nuts, coconuts, fish and too much fruit. Not sure if any of these might also affect you? Coffee especially effects me... If I have a cup one day then another cup the next day I ache when I get out of bed the next morning and feel rusty/stiff/injured when I try to exercise. Good luck in finding the cause/cure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted February 7, 2013 Moderators Share Posted February 7, 2013 The Whole30 does not encourage you to stop taking medications. You should probably keep taking them as prescribed until you experience enough improvement to warrant making changes. Eating Whole30-approved foods exclusively almost always reduces inflammation and pain, but it is appropriate to take what help is available as you make progress. I had surgery last week. I appreciated the anesthesia in the hospital and the pain meds I came home with. The drugs messed with my gut some and caused "issues," but I think it was a small price to pay for my comfort. The fact that I maintained my Whole30 approach to eating throughout helped a lot, I think. My recovery has been quick and I have not hurt as badly as some friends who told me about their similar hernia repairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hiker Chick Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 Thank you all for your replies. B1121- I can empathize with being active and now being incapacitated. I used to run 25-30 miles a week, ski almost every weekend and hike all summer. Now I can barely get up my stairs. I haven't really done anything differently than I did the first 7 days. The only thing I have eaten in this past week that I haven't eaten until then is shrimp. I won't have it again and see if that will help. Juzbo - I'm not drinking coffee anymore (as I only like it with too much foo-foo in it) I guess I will have to try an eliminate things one by one and see if there could be another culprit. Tom - Thank you.. I hadn't needed to take any meds for the pain (as I have a very high pain tolerance). I usually only succumb when it gets to an 7-8 and I can't even sleep. I guess I had built it up in my brain that this way of eating was going to bring about some quick change for me, as I have tried everything else. I am feeling rather run down and emotional and I want a big vanilla latte to drown myself in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulucandoit! Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I can totally relate HC! I am on day 16 and each time I go through a bout of intense pain, part of me wants to throw in the towel. My hip pain is what wakes me up in the morning, and sleep fitfully at night. So annoying. I am now working on the autoimmune protocol, so see what might be triggering pain. It is even harder than W30, but I would rather be pain free and able to swim again. Yesterday was my first day of AIP, and I woke with terrible hip pain this morning. So it is clearly going to take some time. I am also the same way about pain meds. I have gone a day or two (unheard of before), and would like to train myself to stop viewing having to take them, as I did last night when it got to an 8, as a "failure." It isn't. It's a source of information. Good luck and congrats on your 24 days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hiker Chick Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 Lulu, I am sorry that you can relate.. I had to bring out the big guns last night so I could sleep. I HATE taking bazooka narcotics, but I have 4 kids and a business to run and I have to sleep. I hope this works for the both of us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulucandoit! Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I totally understand HC. I am now on day 3 of AIP and my pain is better today. It did not wake me up. I think this is going to take time. I used to be an avid swimmer and runner, and now I am lucky if I am able to take a decent walk. More than anything, I want a higher quality of life. It had not occurred to me that shellfish might be a problem. I made a green curry a couple of weeks ago that also had red peppers and green beans in it. It activated pain in a major way. I figured it was the beans or peppers. But maybe it was the shrimp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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