I find this website truely remarkable! I can not tell you how much I appreciate this website and the wealth of information here.

I commenced the NSD diet (or attempting) April 2nd. I was taken off my medication (Sulfasalazine 500mg twice daily) due to elevated liver enzyme levels and will be retested in two weeks (taken off med. after second test with elevated levels, I believe it must be the medication since I do not drink alcohol and watch my vitamin A and D intake which is also hard on the liver). I had been on the sulfasalazine (en) for approximately 6 years (I am now 33).

I am 5 days on the diet and I am relatively pain free. My right hip (which seems to be the largest problem area) has no pain what so ever. No pain/stiffness in the low back, but the middle of the back has some stiffness. This boggles me since I never had pain in the back while on the sulfasalazine. Why the stiffness in the back and not the hip when the hip always seemed the first to flare while on the meds? At times was difficult to even walk the right hip pain was so intense.

Couple questions from the posts I have been reading and gaining knowledge:
1) Where can I find the iodine that you use to test the food? Drug stores? Health food stores? This is new to me, but would like to do.
2) Any particular type of iodine to purchase?

I purchased the book that was recommended on this site, IBS Starch Free Diet and awaiting its arrival (purchased 3 weeks ago... got my confirmation of delivery last weekend). Guess it takes some time to get to Phoenix from England.

Last questions: I was fairly active with exercise while on the sulfa (swim 1/2 in lap pool, biking and circuit weights). Would like to continue with this exercise, have any of you been able to continue with your exercise regiment on this diet?

Thanks you all very kindly, I look to you as angels helping me along with the AS. Special thanks to whoever found the concord grape juice as a filler!!! I was on this diet for a month back in 1999 when I had to be taken off the meds (liver enzymes elevated from too much Vitamin A), I was always hungry. The concord grape juice seems to have taken care of this.

Thank you all again!!!

Tim







AS may win some battles, but I will win the war.

KONK - Keep ON Kicking