UCTD -does gluten and dairy free help? Post knee surgery problems

Julieceann, this is in addition to my earlier post. If you decide you want to try a less restrictive diet, I believe it is also important to maintain a strict self maintenance plan and a diary dedicated to flare ups.
My diary includes the date, my stress level and why it may have changed, if I ate foods out of the ordinary, changes in daily self maintenance, etcetera. A diary is much better than my memory.
I have a baseline of foods I will never eat because a flare up is guaranteed.

My food plan is not for everyone. Many people in this thread have several scary severe autoimmune diseases and must eat severely restrictive diets to prevent flares and life changing symptoms.
Wishing everyone strength and tolerance in their journeys, and hope you have a pause or long-lasting relief of your symptoms.

@texasblooms I love that write about being creative, this is a kind of flexibility in life that reduces stress and opens new perspectives. Also: "the results are not perfect." Those two suggestions are very helpful for anybody living with chronic autoimmune illness. Thank you!

Yes, to the question does gluten dairy help with joint inflammation. I have eliminated gluten, dairy and soy from diet as I suffer from Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism. I also had 18” of my colon removed 3 years ago due to severe diverticulitis disease and already have a sensitive stomach. Eliminating those 3 foods have taken away body inflammation along with digestive issues. It’s been a huge help to me.

I have celiac disease and collagenous colitis, so gluten free (GF). Due to the colitis I'm sensitive to legumes, and NSAIDs and other meds. Consider contacting a nutritionist that has experience with autoimmune GI diseases, and keeping a food log to see if you feel worse after eating certain things. My doctor recommended a FODMAP diet for me, which helped with my cranky GI tract. Some people also start with an elimination diet and gradually add things back in (best done with a nutritionist). Gluten triggers the autoimmune system with folk that are sensitive, but they are also large complex protein molecules that are very hard to digest, especially for old or compromised GI tracts. With GF one needs to read ingredient lists because things like malt (from barley), spelt (also a wheat), soy sauce, and a lot of processed foods contain gluten. I can eat dairy, but in small amounts as part of the FODMAP diet. Mediterranean diets are recommended as well.

I had same hive reaction to medication as you had. I Try to stay off medication and find that if I stick to that strict diet it helps a lot. Good luck

Thank you all for sharing your stories and info! I’ve been out of town with my husband for a week, so I’ve been away from my “controlled” environment and diet and I think I can see the direct results aren’t good. Now I’ve been fighting a UTI even after a course of antibiotics and am wondering if this could be a sign of Sjogrens? My one and only exercise that helps me physically and mentally/emotionally is swimming and aqua aerobics. If I have to cut back on those because of UTI issues I really don’t know how I’ll cope! I’ve resolved to using a cane and lots of PT for balance and strength problems. Even simple walking isn’t enjoyable because I’m so focused on not falling! I guess I may have to find adaptive yoga and tai chi if UTI keeps me out of the pool? I got antibiotics from my PCP but it didn’t seem to help. Would my rheumatologist be the one to ask now in case it is related to autoimmune?

I hope you do not find this harsh, it's written with my best intentions after recently feeling dismissed, frustrated and angry, again. Writing this has been therapeutic for me.
If it was me, yes, I would contact my Rheumatologist. I would immediately call the P.A., write a note on the doctors Portal, and send an email. I've been diagnosed with dormant inflammation and learned the hard way communication is very important. I find doctors are more responsive if I stick to concise and simple facts, omit the fluff. If the conversation is not all business you will lose the doctor's attention. What are the symptoms that have gotten worse? What medications were prescribed? How many treatments? How long was each treatment? Lifestyle changes needed to cope (not why). How should we proceed? Let the doctor tell you what's next and why. Then respond with direct comments/questions about your symptoms/treatment, do not divert. I've stopped self-diagnosing. I found this works better but nothing is perfect.
With that said, keep advocating for yourself and go with your gut. I've felt dismissed and my gut was right. It's a delicate balance.
One day my Rheumatologist said to me, very diplomatically, "rather than talking about all of your symptoms tell me about the one's that have gotten worse". When we have an appointment I type out a list of new symptoms (this makes me feel better and we don't waste his time), any symptoms that are worse, and tests ordered by other doctors. Please know he is kind and I never left his office feeling rushed.
Although I want confirmation about my bizarre symptoms and to talk with some who understands, my gut is telling me concise communication helps and we accomplish more during appointments.
All of your doctors probably write notes after your visits. I've asked them to send their notes to my three main doctors. If I feel immediate attention is warranted, I will notify the main doctors to watch for XXX doctor's notes through their preferred method of communication. This provides me with peace of mind knowing they have all of my records and it has improved timely communication.
Wishing you the best.

@texasblooms thank you for this outline in how to communicate with a doctor! I needed it and appreciate it!

@texasblooms, thank you! Your story, advice and list of questions was extremely helpful! My rheumatologist wants me to follow up with PCP, get test results for UTI and then review next steps. In the meantime I just discovered that I feel immediate relief with antihistamine. I’ve always been prescribed an antibiotic with mixed results and never thought to try an antihistamine! I really appreciate your idea of listing any new or worsening symptoms. With each new piece of info I am hoping that the nutritionist and a new rheumatologist, my current doctor retires in a few months, we’ll be getting a fuller picture. It helps to compare notes and questions here to prepare for the doctor visits!

Re keeping notes re flare ups, I came across a free app when I had toxic B6 and dealing with autoimmune.
It's called Cronometer. It's an everything Counter, calories, nutrients etc. I keep it as a food diary and it has a section for note keeping. It is amazing and the free version is really all you need. It all helps.