Intermittent Fasting and medication
Posted , 12 users are following.
Hi all,
I'm into my 4 year and on a 2nd taper after getting to 0 two years ago and then relapsing. I'm 67 and like so many of you, have always been active. My PMR is mainly hip with stiff knees and carpal tunnel in both wrists. I was merrily tapering along on the DSND method and reached the 6.0 step but I knew the inflammation was building. After contracting a cold, I could feel the impact of the additional burden and had to reset at 10 mg for 3 days. Im now restarting my taper at 8.0.
I'd slowly started to narrow my feeding window to eating only between noon and 7:00 pm and I felt pretty good up until the cold. I'm now planning to gradually narrow my feeding window again, as soon as I'm sure 8.0 mg is a reliable taper start point.
Here are my queries.
First, is the fast broken by taking prednisone with a tbsn of skyr yogurt?
Second, someone I read online referred to intermittent fasting (IF) as prednisone without the side effects. Do any of my partners in PMR out there have experience with intermittent fasting? I would welcome your thoughtful expertise whether you've tried it or not.
Thanks!
0 likes, 20 replies
EileenH Harrie4
Posted
I've done intermittent fasting for years - though I do have 3 mugs of tea with a modicum of milk for breakfast. Otherwise I eat between 13.30 and 20.15. I'd say my PMR doesn't bother me as much as some people experience but it is very much still there and at present I am back on 15mg to manage various things.
Harrie4 EileenH
Posted
thank you both, ladies! And
how do you manage your pred? I've been taking my pred in a split dose with 3/4 of the daily allotment at 3 or 4 am (when my carpal tunnel syndrome wakes me up). I take early morning dose with Icelandic yogurt. Do you think this tblsp of yogurt breaks my fast? If so then I guess I'd have to take the whole dose with my last meal of the day. Any thoughts on timing wld be greatly appreciated!
EileenH Harrie4
Posted
I'm one of the few people using Lodotra/Rayos so it is taken at 10pm within 3 hours of dinner. Doesn't fit with any other form of pred. I would doubt a tablespoon of yoghurt would be enough to raise the blood sugar far.
jillian92038 Harrie4
Posted
I have done intermittent fasting for several years, even before the advent of PMR. I also, since retiring, have returned to not eating before 12.30 as I have always hated eating breakfast. I have been delighted to note that current thinking is that this may be positive after years of trying to force a bit of breakfast down!
Both diets suit my body and am now down to 4 mg after a flair brought on by trying to reduce to quickly.
I would give both a go but listen to your body.
Good luck.
andypolly Harrie4
Posted
Hi Harrie,
I've been doing 5/2 for many years. This entails eating fewer than 600 kcalories on Monday and Friday. It's supposed to be good for all sorts of things. I'm not sure it helps with PMR, but I'd like to hear other people's experience.
Can anybody tell me if missing breakfast and not eating late at night is good for PMR?
I'm a bit confused about what intermittent fasting is? Can that help?
I'm a fit 68 year old, 3 years into PMR and currently on 6.5 mg.
Andy
EileenH andypolly
Posted
Intermittent fasting is restricting food intake at intervals. The 5/2 is one form, so is eating within a restricted window during the day. The theory is that we were never designed to just eat all the time and that is part of the obesity problem - people don't know how to be hungry, think there is something wrong when they feel peckish and eat again when they don't really need to. The increased raised blood sugar triggers more insulin production and that leads to weight gain and insulin resistance.
This is a fairly good summary:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide#what-it-is
BettyE Harrie4
Posted
I'm amazed. I know all about fasting having been to a convent school and I'm all in favour of practising self control ( convent again! ) but I've never heard of intermittent fasting before. What I do know is that it would not have done anything to mitigate the side effects of Pred. for me I'd have passed out if I waited until the middle of the day.... still would.
I like to space out my feeding throughout the day. Early morning tea and plain biscuit, breakfast muesli and yoghurt and up of tea, mid morning tea (always weak with milk, no sugar, ), mid day fruit and wholemeal bread and butter, afternoon tea and cake or whatever is in the tin, 6.00PM a double scotch ( measured, no cheating ) with oat biscuits or home made cheese straws and olives if I have any, 7.30 ish supper... main meal. Meat a couple of times a week, fish once or twice, otherwise eggs or vegetarian. Nothing after 8.00PM ish.
BettyE
Posted
PS Forgot the mid morning toast!
EileenH BettyE
Posted
And you still don't have a weight problem do you!!!!!!
noosat BettyE
Posted
I am trying to restrict diet, but it is very difficult. My meals are usually meat free, unless some fish is considered "meat." Toasted English muffin with butter and coffee at about 6.a.m., At noon large green salad with walnuts, dried cranberries, some legumes, preferably Gabanzos with salad dressing (check the label for sugar.) Evening about 5p.m., whatever is in refrigerator and handy. Small piece of cooked Cod with rice fried with red, sweet peppers, some green veg. , maybe eggs done someway, with cheese etc. Part of my problem, I think, is that I have lost over 3 inches in height and believe all that flesh has to go somewhere. Within the next month I am starting on a gym membership. I find it difficult to exercise by myself at home and it is too cold, windy to walk out with Lily, the dog. Hope everyone is improving in every way possible.
noosat BettyE
Posted
Forgot to say To-morrow I plan to go to party and drink a couple glasses of good wine.
Anhaga BettyE
Posted
There's no way I could wait until afternoon to eat. I often feel a little bit unwell when I get up and perk up no end once I've eaten. I'm very underweight now so it's almost as though I should be doing all the things we're told not to lest we gain weight!
BettyE Anhaga
Posted
Yes, I know that " not 100% " morning feeling too. My BMI is just over 20 which I believe puts me in the normal range. I've never been a morning person but when young could skip breakfast if in a big hurry. No longer! Never go to bed before midnight as the hours after tea are my best and I like to prolong them. I know it's all against the rules but it's worked for me.
Anhaga BettyE
Posted
My BMI is under 18.
EileenH Anhaga
Posted
So is OH's now - qualified him for prescription supplements to try to fatten him up! High protein too - as he's lost a lot of muscle bulk as well.
Michdonn EileenH
Posted
Just busting into the conversion! One the things that I have found since have PMR no only have I lost muscle, but I have lost my ability to balance. I had very good balance, now my balance is quite poor. I did not realize it till I joined the Silver Sneakers program at the YMCA. But I am working on it! 🙂
EileenH Michdonn
Posted
My balance was appalling during the first couple of years with PMR - physios noticed but offered no advice. Pilates helped a lot.
Michdonn EileenH
Posted
Thanks EileenH, just starting down this new road. But as always I figure i beat it I better or I going to be falling a lot! 🙂
Anhaga Michdonn
Posted
I did tai chi for a couple of years. The courses aren't being offered any more, but I could and should get back into it and do it on my own. Very good for balance among other things.
noosat Anhaga
Posted
Many years ago I also did Tai Chi and absolutely loved it, then the instructor left and there were no more classes. Later on I did Zumba and enjoyed that, however, nowadays I cannot move well enough to do it. 😃