What a week. Multiple days of getting to the office at 6:30 am and not leaving until 9:00 pm — with nonstop meetings from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm in between. Sheesh. The late hours I can handle, but sitting in meeting rooms for nine hours is not good for my joints.
Anyway, because of these meetings, I was trapped and wound up eating non-Paleo lunch two days when the team brought in food instead of breaking for lunch. The good news is that even though I didn’t lose as much as I wanted, I’m still down a pound so far this week and hope to make another 1/2 pound since I’m now “back on the wagon.” The really, really good news is that the relief I’m experiencing from the pain and stiffness in my joints continues, despite my diet slip. In fact someone in the office dropped something and I knelt down to pick it up before I even realized what I was doing. Kneeling used to be something I didn’t do without a lot of deliberation of whether it was really, really, really worth it.
On the Arava front, I was in a panic. My pharmacy called and said that they hadn’t gotten any in to refill my prescription and didn’t know when they would. I called three other pharmacies (in between all my meetings) with the same result. However, today, I stopped in to talk to them and they said they could get the brand name (rather than the generic I’ve been taking), but that it would be a higher co-pay. Not a problem. I’ve been very happy with the addition the addition of Arava to my medicine mix and I was more than a little upset to think my doctor might have to prescribe something new for me. And even though it’s a bit more out of my pocket, I’m more than happy to pay it for the relief I get.
Hopefully my life next week will be quieter (although I don’t hold out much hope at this point).
I hope that your next week brings you health and joy. Thanks for checking in.
So glad you got your prescription!
You’re doing great, Carla! I’ve been reading Cathy’s posts about the paleo diet, too, and find it rather intriguing. From what I understand, it’s very similar to a low-carb diet–cutting out (or at least way down) on grains of all kinds and beefing up (pardon the pun) protein and vegetables, all cooked fresh. With a healthy diet like that, you almost can’t help but drop excess weight and start feeling much better in many ways.
I’ve been on the Nutrasystem low carb/diabetic diet since February and have lost, to date, about 22 pounds. Am I dancing? Well, yes, at least in my head. This food, while healthy and ultra-easy to prepare (Nutrasystem provides frozen and shelf foods, which you supplement with lots of fresh veggies and limited dairy) is highly processed. My blood sugar is great, but I’m fighting RA flares and mild bursitis in my hips all the time. Maybe Paleo or a traditional Mediterranean low-carb diet would be better for the RA. I like to cook, so I think I’ll do some more reading up on it and switch over, now that I’ve got a good start.
I’m glad, too, that Arava is working for you. I’ve been on it for several years now, along with sulfasalazine and plaquenil (the most recent addition). It would be nice if the cocktail would do away with the pain and stiffness, but I’m pretty satisfied. My symptoms remain fairly mild most of the time, and I know how much worse they could be.
Here’s hoping you’re staying cool and comfortable in spite of the searing heat your part of the country has been wilting under for so many weeks, now. Don’t forget to watch those killer hours, eh? Hugs for you–and best of luck with the continued slimming!
Thanks, Wren. Basically on the Paleo, you eliminate all grain, all dairy, and all legumes (although I think some versions let you have green beans). You get all the vegetables and fruits except white potatoes (you can have one sweet potato per day). You also get all the lean meat, fish, and poultry you want. You need to avoid processed meats. Note that you can have limited amounts of beer, wine, and spirits as well. It’s different than most low-carb diets because you can have fruit and you avoid fat. For me, losing is a great side benefit. The real reason I went on it was relief from pain and stiffness, and I have been amazed. I’m certain it will also help with my triglycerides and blood sugar. I’m actually looking forward to my next checkups in July.
Thanks for the hugs! Back atcha.
It sounds like the new eating plan is good for you. That’s terrific! I’m glad to hear that you’re doing okay, despite sitting in meetings for endless hours.
Pharmacists are great, aren’t they? It’s so nice to have someone who can help out and figure out a way for us to get the meds we need. It’s great to hear that you were able to come up with a solution.
It is wonderful to read that you are having success with both the diet and the ra meds. I have been doing a “diet” of sorts for awhile now…very similar to yours except I do eat brown rice sometimes and no red meats. I had my thyroid removed years ago and those meds are messing with my weight along with the low dose pregnisone which I have been on for years. It is all a battle and I am glad to know that you are winning this battle. Keep at it and let’s hope it continues to work for you!