Is it just my imagination?
Hi fellow RA suffers, I stopped eating sugar for a few weeks and saw a very positive change. I no longer experienced a daily dull ache in my wrist and hands.
I told my doctor and she attributed it to Methotrexate. She said there was no evidence that sugar effects RA.
So, I decided to try and experiment. I had desert for 3 days and noticed the ache in my wrist and hands returned. I immediately stopped the sugar and I feel better.
Has anyone else noticed this or is it just me and my imagination?
Hi
, Thanks for sharing! I would love to know more about what 'cutting out sugar' means for you? Does that mean anything with any sugar in it?
I definitely don't think it's your imagination. I find that food has a huge impact on my arthritis and many people would agree. I think sugar, alcohol, fried foods, dairy, and processed foods are the worst for me. I'll never forget when I asked my Rheumatologist if food has any effect on my arthritis and he immediately said, "that's bogus!" But he's not the one with arthritis...and I didn't/don't believe him.
You are what you eat!
Best,
Franki (RheumatoidArthritis.net team)Hi Frank, thanks so much for responding. I’m still testing the limits. Not sure if it’s all processed sugar or an accumulation of processed sugar (ie. eating sugar for a few days). Is it ok (on special occasions) to eat a plain donut or should I just go for the glazed because I’m going to suffer either way?
When I stopped processed sugar, I replace it with fruit. My latest obsession is red grapes. I am devouring red grapes, going thru almost a pound a day. This summer my focus will be watermelon. I am pretty good at picking sweet watermelons.
OMG, my doctor said the same thing. Why is it they don’t want to draw the correlation between diet and RA? It’s as if they think you’ll opt for the diet over taking the medication. Which of course is preposterous, although I wish we could. I believe their patients would feel much better if they talked about diet in their approach to treatment. I wish I could find a Rheumatologist who has the disease and can speak from experience.
All of the foods you mentioned except for sugar is no problem for me. Fruits and vegetables have been a huge dietary option for me for years. Although I do like fish occasionally. However, I feel deprived if I don’t have at least a little desert. Which is probably why I devour grapes by the pound.
came here to see if anyone else gets flare ups after having sugar! I went refined-sugar free in Nov 2024. Broke that for the first time this last weekend (March 2025) during our annual pie party (near 3.14) and this week i am paying for it. knees wrists, shoulders, jaw all flared up. i was nearly pain free and about to get off prednisone just before this. thanks for the affirming post
, as you can see, you are definitely not the only person with RA that finds sugar to be a trigger for a flare. While not everyone experiences this, lots of members of this community have learned to avoid suger, if possible. I love that you had a pie party for Pi day, but I am so sorry that you have been paying for that ever since!
Best, Erin, Team Member.
