I was living with RA and fibromyalgia and the fatigue and drugs and mind fog and all that other nasty crap that goes with it. It was the RA specialist visit that brought me to McDougall and kicked me in the arse to try it out. (No he didn't suggest I try to regain my health, he suggested I step up to the next level of treatment. I was frightened.)
I weighed almost 200 pounds and everything always hurt. I took etodolac, tylenol, celebrex, codeine, diovan and diuretics for BP, and a nightly dose of zopiclone to knock me out. Vitamins, supplements, decongestants, laxatives, fibre. Martinis. Ick. Chemical soup, no wonder I couldn't get my fat butt off the couch, I didnt WANT to! The last doctor wanted to add a "mild antidepressant" to the mix (is there such thing, really?).
Finally, finally, I said enough already. I googled and found this site, ordered the book, ordered the other book, and read everything recommended here. In March I took a bash at the lifestyle, and after figuring out how easy it was to eat this way, I committed in June to really really make this work.
My RA symptoms are virtually gone, as well as the fibromyalgia. I have been exercising each day and my lawn and garden are loving me for it. My dogs are losing weight too lol. My BP is below "normal" and in the past two weeks I have gone to bed each night and fallen asleep without tranquilizers... just like normal people do. I had not fallen asleep on my own in three years.
It's a new life for me, I mean that.
So this was my long way of saying that my energy levels are unbelievable, I am smiling where I used to have permanent frown lines, my elbows and ankles don't hurt, and I can't imagine ever going back to the puffy lazy fatigued and crashed SAD lifestyle. I have lost eight pounds since June (and eight before that), and I know that the weight will keep dropping away. Yesterday I took all my size 18s and some of my 16s and put them in the Salvation Army. Did my fat clothes happy dance.
My family can't believe the change in me so far, I tell them they aint seen nothing yet.
Cheers