Oh for goodness sake, 4 days is NOTHING! Please don't be disheartened that you haven't had a miracle result just yet - most people don't.

My husband Jon started the diet and went extremely strict straight off. He had a lot of swelling in his peripheral joints and within a month the swelling was greatly reduced but he still had very high pain levels. It took 9 months before was able to completely come off the NSAIDS. Pain began to reduce within a month but really started to leap ahead after approx 3 months. It took us this long to get the diet fine tuned and elimate everything that was hurting him.

So come on now, don't you give up - you've just started. You can do it I know you can and it is WORTH IT!

Yes, you would think doctors would promote the diet but as it's had no clinical trials etc they won't (apparently very difficult to do accurate trials as diets are difficult to police and people cheat etc not like with medication trials where they just have to take a pill at a certain time). I told my hubby's Rhuematologist we were going to try the diet and he said OK try it for a month and then Jon can start taking this medication because the diet don't work. Well, Jon started the diet and hasn't looked back since and has never been back to the Rheumy and is off all pain/inflamation medication. He doesn't take sulphasalazine or methotextrate or anything like that. When he started the diet he literally could not walk or work due to severe pain and swelling in his knees, ankles, feet, heels, back, neck, shoulder amd toes and he has been back at work full time after being on the diet for about 4 months. He's been on the diet for 13 months now.

Please ensure you test everything you're eating with iodine. If fruit isn't ripened properly it can be starchy. Sauces are often starchy. Many cooked vegies are starchy. Raw carrots can be starchy - TEST TEST TEST!!! If in doubt don't eat it.

Good luck, stick with it and be determined. You can have a life taking toxic meds that hardly impact on your AS progression and then more toxic meds for their side effects or with some discipline and patience you can get your AS under control. It is true that some people find the diet doesn't work for them (some with genuine reasons and some not) but don't you give up before you've even started. It all starts with your attitude.

This is your life so make it worth living.

All the best my friend,
Chelsea