Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives NSD and diet-related; thank you all

Dear All,
Aloha from Hawaii..i am new to this site. I actually have followed it for quite a while, just no posts...A "lurker" i guess. Anyways, my name is Matt and i am a 26 year old graduate student in Honolulu, HI. My symptoms began when i was 18--SI joint pain, hip pain, stiffness, etc...Had remissions on and off for a few years then upon moving to Hawaii from Virginia Beach, VA i began have bad lower back stiffness...Diagnosed with early AS about 1 year ago...First i want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for all the valuable info you provide, particularly info on the NSD. Currently i am taking VIOXX (25 mg per day) and an antibiotic called minocin (100 mg/day). I have only been taking the antibiotic for about three months now. I have been on different NSAIDS--lodine , ibuprofen, indocin, motrin but my rheumy decided VIOXX was the best for me...
My symptoms have been pretty constant for the past year--lower back stiffness, SI joint pain...At times rib and chest pain upon deep breathing....

I tried a LSD before Christmas for about two months..i want to call it NSD but as soon as i would start feeling better those scoops of rice on the plate lunches out here found there way to my stomach.

To all you NSD'ers, how active are you?? I surf, swim, SCUBA dive, and do yoga twice a week and find that as soon as i begin a strict no-starch diet i get very tired, headaches, etc....I am eager to begin a NSD again as i am tired of being in pain and tired of taking pills.....Any suggestions would be welcome.

Again, thank you all for all your posts..Truly inspiring on those dark days we all know so well........

Aloha,
Matt


Matthew T Brown
Dept of Oceanography
University of Hawaii

Hi Matt,

Definitely give the NSD a chance! I'm 32 years-old and very active as well--mountain biking, yoga and weight training. I really find that the yoga helps alot! I tried the diet last summer with great results. However, I gradually returned to my old eating habits and the pain and stiffness returned as well. Having tried it once already with success, I'm truly a believer. I just started the diet again about 2 weeks ago and I do agree that at first you feel tired from the lack of starches, but just make sure to get your carbs from other sources and you will feel fine--probably more energetic. I eat lots of fruit, dried and fresh. I imagine you have a great selection of fresh fruit and vegetables in Hawaii! If you can find some almond flour, I have a few recipes for bread and crackers that really seem to satisfy my cravings. I also try to keep no-starch snacks with me to keep my energy level up.(Almonds, dried apricots, cranberries...)

Good luck and hope to hear you are feeling well soon!

Meredith

Aloha, Matt:

It is fantastic that you are starting to have some benefit from the LSD. It can take some time this way. Are you taking the minocycline that is manufactured by Lederle? I tried a different manufacturer and it did not seem to work at all, but The Road Back Foundation recommends that brand.

I hike and backpack, will SCUBA again when opportunity presents, lift weights, and have plenty of energy for more stuff. One key is aggressive supplementation. Starch cravings can sometimes be relieved by unsweetened concord grape juice, and this with cranberry juice gives me plenty of energy.

Welcome to the site, and I hope that you will keep us informed of your progress. Thank You,
John

Hey Matt , One thing you should get plenty of to eat is fresh Pineapple ! They do grow pineapple locally don't they ? One thing I found with my NSD (of 28 days now) is that getting enough water , at least 64oz for me , with 1/4 teaspoon of seasalt per quart of water helps me not be so tired. I am not as active as i should be , but I am working on it , this last sunday i went on a hike with the family of 2 miles total in the Smoky Mountains and had a good time . Talk Later.

Bruce

Hi Matt,
Nice to meet you. Oceanography related occupations have always fascinated me! Sounds like you live a charmed life -- with the exception of the AS of course. Not much opportunity for oceanographers in Illinois.

I was very tired when I started NSD as well. I tried adding more sugar (refined and raw) to my diet with little affect. I then read abvout adding more fats espescially in the form of nuts and cheeses. This improved the energy levels greatly. (above pre-diet levels) I try to limit red meats to very reasonable quantities. I feel like they slow digestion. I do however, eat fish regularly. I too have found pinapple helpful as mentioned in Bruce's response.

I also am very curious about the Minocin. My daughters were on it for a few years for chronic acne. The doc would only allow use of the Minocin pelletized capsules. These are manufactered by Lederle Labs as John mentions. The doctor said that this form would have a neccessary time-release affect. Maybe this just meant that they would get past the stomach before being activated. Any thoughts ? Please let us know how Minocin works for you.

Good Luck to You,
Ike

Hi Matt, stick with the diet you will find it very worth while once you get into it.On the Oceanography subject. I am the president of a company called Seatronics which is probably the largest company in the world hiring Oceanograpic and survey instruments. Previous to Seatronics I was President of Oceonics which was a survey company carrying out Marine survey and Oceanographic projects. Good luck George.

Aloha Ike, I was curious, how did the minocin work for your daughters' acne? My son has AS and also has some acne. His AS is steadily improving since it flared up again (the second time) in September. He is on azulfidine and a multitude of natural antiinflammatories as well. Thanks, Nicole

Aloha Nicole,
The Minocin pelletized worked very well treating acne. One or my daughters had "cystic" acne. She followed her treatment religiously with great results. The other had more general acne and was not so discilplined and she had struggles with breakouts. They both were also prescribed the mildest available Retin A at bed time. These medicines were expensive and I carry excellent health insurance so this was not a problem. I should also add that they were treated for about 4 years and for the first year or so they were prescribed tetracyline and that they had to limit exposure to sun. They also used a Benzomyicin ointment on "problem areas" through out.

I think that the discipline was probably the most important factor in thier treatment as in any endeavor. Belief that the remedy will work is also a way under-estimated ingrediant in treatment. This is illustrated in a recent study done on the use of anti-depressants to treat hot flashes in women during menopause. The drugs were given credit for improvement in 50% of the patients. (as Ely Lily provided funding) What I found particularly interesting was that the placebo alone was reported effective in 30% of the cases.

Wishing You and Your Son All the Best,
Ike