anyone who’s given up sugar or drastically reduced.

Perhaps you won't need antidepressants if you return to sugar. Has it made a difference to your LS. I haven't changed my diet, but as an older lady I am not sure that I have quite such an aggressive form of LS.

OH I'm so sorry your GP is rather ignorant of the nutritional aspects. 

I've given up sugar entirely ... I was resistant 4 months ago, but Guppy kept on it and I finally went cold turkey... it IS hard but don't give up, BluePlum. Are you aware that stats show that sugar is as addictive as cocaine - and therefore jsut as uncomfortable to get off of?   

I recently discovered articles on the major deficiency of MAGNESIUM that is part of the depression, anxiety/and other issues. 

 I did go to my health food store and found xylitol that can be sed in place of sugar. I don't think it's causing problems for me.  I know stevia exists but I'm not fond of it's taste.   

Be Sure to take a large forkful of fermented sauerkraut or kimchi every meal. I think that will help us get over the cravings too. 

I take antidepressants.  They help me love life more.  

When I cut out sugar, my energy level stabilized and I feel better all the way around. It cut down on my symptoms too, so it’s easier to be in a better mood. I used to take antidepressants in my 20’s and 30’s for severe PMS, but now that I’m in my early 40’s, I don’t have that problem anymore.  I think that is due more to less fluctuations with hormones than anything. 

When you give up anything at first you will get some withdrawal symptoms.  In any case you dont need to cut out everythingg, I still eat potatoes and rice but I try not to eat cakes, ice creams etc etc.  Going on antidepressants isnt the answer unless you are seriously depressed which it sounds like your not really and that you're just going through withdrawals.

Blueplum,  depression is highly associated with MAGNESIUM deficiency.  Magnesium deficiency is also highly associated with heart problems for instance AND Magnesium is a known co-factor of Vitamin D that needs to be in a reasonalbe ration with each other AND with vitamin K2 and zinc and boron.  Autoimmune conditions of any sort apparently all have these deficiencies in common. We all have individual tolerances but I believe Guppy is really right when she ways that sugar is the biggest offender.  Getting through the withdrawal stage has been a bit annoying for me - not a s bad as you describe though. Try taking a whole lot os magnesium which should help greatly. 

In my case LS came along with diabetes....once you have an autoimmune disease, others follow. At this moment I have three autoimmune diseases. Treatment for LS usually takes 3 months....a flare can return anytime. Dryness, friction, stress and high use of refined sugar can start a flare.

Hi, I took antidepressants for six months. They were only meant to be a short term solution. I was getting up four or five times a night to wee (common post-menopausal symptom) so was exhausted which made everything else harder to cope with. The anti-depressants stopped that (which was why they were prescribed). I last took them a couple of years ago and sometimes get up once, but the broken nights haven't come back.

Regarding sugar, I haven't cut it out completely, but have drastically reduced it. I don't eat processed food which is where most sugar will be hidden. We don't have biscuits in the house or anything that's tempting to nibble, so I just can't. For breakfast I have toast (always sourdough bread) with butter and jam (home made, less sugar, a small amount). I have a glass of wine once or twice a week. I've learned to love the really dark chocolate 70 or 85%, and have a small square a day. That's my sugar load. I firmly believe that you heal better if you have some pleasure out of life, and with borax, moisturising, and keeping to my routines I am slowly seeing improvements and I don't have flares. I was in pretty bad shape when I was diagnosed. I do use steroid, a burst of three or four weeks every now and again to give my skin a rest from borax.  Maybe it would be quicker without the sugar, but this is what suits me mentally and physically. I also have a family, and it's difficult to keep to a strict diet with kids in the house, so I work around them. My daughter loves making cakes which can be a tough one as I don't want to upset her by refusing - it has to then come off somewhere else...

We are all different though, and everyone will have different reactions to things. Some people are more severe in their reactions, some less. I have found a normal that suits me, and it's not too difficult to live with.

Have hope!

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