29 ms·

Fascinating and informative article. I'm wrestling with an unknown something that looks like it might be autoimmune, and this reads like the difference between

Fascinating and informative article. I'm wrestling with an unknown something that looks like it might be autoimmune, and this reads like the difference between "you're destined to a lifetime of palliative treatments" vs "there might be a something you can do to actually cure yourself". And I don't even have anything confirmed; I can't imagine what folks who actually have a confirmed autoimmune disorder must be feeling.

josefresco 3y ago
I'm 6ish years into my RA diagnosis. The first 2 years were very rough both physically but more so mentally. I manage the mental aspect better now, and my symptoms have stabilized which certainly helps the former. However it's easy to dip into despair when you know what the long term prospects are for life quality and expectancy.
EasyMark 3y ago
The biggest thing that helped me was diet (avoiding suspected inflammatory foods and drink). The diet that worked for me was very low carb (I keep it under 30g a day). Also, always getting sleep, no matter what 8-9 hours a night. I only eat in an 8 hour window each day (11-7pm). I only eat food that isn't processed to avoid artificial ingredients and possible triggers). For about a year I was seeing doctors and barely getting any work done, I was on crutches most of the time because it hit my knees particularly bad but it was a full body condition with swollen joints and lethargy. I tried several drugs, prednisone was the only one that made the slightest difference, but basically completely robbed me of the ability to focus on anything complex. Switching up diet and getting rest was what seemingly did it. After about a month of that most symptoms gone, after 3 all symptoms gone. It could have been strictly coincidence, but I dropped a bunch of weight and haven't had a recurrence since that happened. I got used to the diet limitations, but it took a while. It's been 6 years of no issues. Some things thrown at me by docs, "it was an unknown virus we couldn't find in your blood samples", "it was a food allergy, your radical diet cut out or greatly reduced whatever it was", "It's just in remission", but I'll keep doing what I'm doing since in general it got me back to my fighting weight, I have plenty energy, all my blood work and physicals show I'm in great health, so it is what it is.
- mieubrisse 3y ago
  This sleep thing is so intriguing. I've treated sleep as somewhat optional - try to get 8h... but if I don't, I'll make it up later at $unspecified_date. Unsurprisingly, my Fitbit registered that, for 2023, I got 6.5h of average sleep per night. Your post suggests that making 8-9 hours per night mandatory might do some good; I'm going to give this a go. Thanks!
  - EasyMark 3y ago
    I think it's worth trying. Not all people are the same but I think getting less that 7 for most people is a bad idea. It's pretty fascinating what the body does while you're asleep to "clean up" and rebuild after the day's activities, especially in the brain. 8-9 is just what I aim for and get.

josefresco 3y ago

I'm 6ish years into my RA diagnosis. The first 2 years were very rough both physically but more so mentally. I manage the mental aspect better now, and my symptoms have stabilized which certainly helps the former. However it's easy to dip into despair when you know what the long term prospects are for life quality and expectancy.

EasyMark 3y ago

The biggest thing that helped me was diet (avoiding suspected inflammatory foods and drink). The diet that worked for me was very low carb (I keep it under 30g a day). Also, always getting sleep, no matter what 8-9 hours a night. I only eat in an 8 hour window each day (11-7pm). I only eat food that isn't processed to avoid artificial ingredients and possible triggers). For about a year I was seeing doctors and barely getting any work done, I was on crutches most of the time because it hit my knees particularly bad but it was a full body condition with swollen joints and lethargy. I tried several drugs, prednisone was the only one that made the slightest difference, but basically completely robbed me of the ability to focus on anything complex. Switching up diet and getting rest was what seemingly did it. After about a month of that most symptoms gone, after 3 all symptoms gone. It could have been strictly coincidence, but I dropped a bunch of weight and haven't had a recurrence since that happened. I got used to the diet limitations, but it took a while. It's been 6 years of no issues. Some things thrown at me by docs, "it was an unknown virus we couldn't find in your blood samples", "it was a food allergy, your radical diet cut out or greatly reduced whatever it was", "It's just in remission", but I'll keep doing what I'm doing since in general it got me back to my fighting weight, I have plenty energy, all my blood work and physicals show I'm in great health, so it is what it is.

mieubrisse 3y ago
This sleep thing is so intriguing. I've treated sleep as somewhat optional - try to get 8h... but if I don't, I'll make it up later at $unspecified_date. Unsurprisingly, my Fitbit registered that, for 2023, I got 6.5h of average sleep per night. Your post suggests that making 8-9 hours per night mandatory might do some good; I'm going to give this a go. Thanks!
- EasyMark 3y ago
  I think it's worth trying. Not all people are the same but I think getting less that 7 for most people is a bad idea. It's pretty fascinating what the body does while you're asleep to "clean up" and rebuild after the day's activities, especially in the brain. 8-9 is just what I aim for and get.