No more Reboot for me

Well, I lasted only 5 days on the Reboot program.  I found that I had no energy and felt terrible while on the program.  I don't think it's a very realistic diet, at least not for me.  I am sticking with a vegetarian diet though.  My doctor definitely wants me to continue avoiding meats and dairy products.  I am drinking almondmilk, which I like.  I'm having a hard time with the notion of not having cheese though. 

It's been a stressful few days and I've been having more pain.  I finally filled my 800 mg ibuprofen today, so hopefully that will help keep the pain in check.  My refrigerator keeps going in and out, and I have already had to replace all the food in it once.  The repair man is coming again tomorrow, so we'll see if it gets fixed or if we're going to buy a new one.  This one is only 5 years old, so this is a real bummer. 

I have really been struggling emotionally lately.  It seems as though this disease is taking a different course for me now.  In the past, I have had more good days than bad.  Lately, it has been the opposite.  It's just really depressing.  No one in my family seems to understand. 

The Reboot continues...

Today was a good day overall.  This morning I started feeling weak while at work, almost as if I could faint.  I felt better after eating an early lunch.  Banana for breakfast, carrots, guacamole and pineapple for lunch, grapes for a snack...for dinner I decided to splurge and get a baked sweet potato and sauteed mushrooms from the local steakhouse.  I did have butter and cinnamon sugar on the potato, definitely not allowed, and I'm not sure what the mushrooms were sauteed in but I have a feeling butter was involved there too.  So now I feel a bit guilty and my belly feels full.  (I did not touch the rolls though, gave them to the kids!)

I have again felt little pain today, primarily in my feet.  I have a sore nodule on my finger as well.  I'm thinking of switching rheumatologists.  I currently drive an hour and a half to a university hospital.  I like my rheumy just fine, but it is a long drive and very costly.  He is partially retired and only available for appointments two days per week certain times of the year.  I have to pay a separate fee to the hospital and doctor, not to mention the gas.  And I have to take half a day off of work, which is inconvenient.  I've heard good things about a rheumy just 45 minutes away.  (I live in a small town and there is not one here).

2 days down, 13 more to go

Well, one more day down!  I've had little pain today, mostly in my feet.  Banana for breakfast, carrots dipped in guacamole for lunch as well as some pineapple and strawberries.  Dinner was a salad with oil and vinegar dressing, a few bites of mashed potatoes I wasn't supposed to have and raisins for dessert.  Those few bites of potatoes actually made me feel full for the first time since starting this...and tasted SO good!

I realize a dilemna I have.  On the one hand, it would be nice if this drastic change in diet actually works.  I would love nothing more than to get off of my meds and to live a pain free life.  On the other hand, if it does work, I would be deprived of so many of the foods I enjoy.  I just don't know if I could make this my lifestyle. 

Day 1 of "Rebooting"

For the first five days of the Reboot Standard program, I can eat, juice or blend fruits and veggies. No meat, dairy or breads.  I think I could live without meat, but bread and cheese..I don't know.  For breakfast, I had a banana.  Lunch-salad from Subway with only veggies and oil and vinegar (not sure if I was allowed the oil and vinegar, but I needed a little something to get it down).  Dinner-carrot, celery and apple juice, which I found disgusting; then tried peach, pear and strawberry juice, which was yummy!  I've been trying to drink water too.  Juicing is a LOT of work!  Rinsing, chopping, peeling, cleaning the juicer, and it takes SO many veggies and fruits to yield one glass of juice.  My kids got to eat rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes and rolls.  I confess- I ate one bite of potatoes, but no chicken or rolls.  The chicken smelled so good too.  This is going to be an expensive program! 

I did not sleep good last night as usual, not because of pain.  I just don't sleep well most nights.  I have a hard time going to sleep and then wake up several times.  I felt okay this morning, but have had pain developing in my feet throughout the day and I have a nodule on my pinky PIP joint that keeps hurting. 

Did I mention I'm starving?  Oh well...Day one down...14 to go!

Juicing?? Really?

It has been a challenging week for me.  I have had terrible pain in my feet this week, as well as extreme fatigue.  I somehow managed to make it through the work week though.  I am finding it more and more difficult to function on the job.  I am a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant who works with children in a school setting.  I love what I do, but am finding that I lack the energy that I desperately need.

I went to my family doctor today, expecting to get a rx for prednisone.  I also needed a new script for ibuprofen 800 mg and vitamin D.  As it turns out, he has just watched the documentary, "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead".  And he believes this is the answer for me, a juicing diet.  I must confess that I am a pessimist and a sceptic.  So, I am setting out to prove him wrong.  It would be nice if I am the one who gets proven wrong though.  I bought a juicer at Target today, as well as loads of fruits and veggies, so we'll see how this goes.  By the way, I am not keen on eating most veggies.  I am a picky eater, so not looking forward to this.

I am dreading the end of summer, as I love flip flop season.  My yellow box flip flops make walking less painful.  I did buy a pair of asics tennis shoes this week, and I am loving the gel cushioning!