The FastDay Forum

Wondered if any of you could answer this? I began fasting a year ago and had suffered lower back pain for years, whilst fasting it disappeared and I assumed it was due to my weightloss and was very happy not to have it anymore as although not severe it was a constant soreness in my lower back, especially in the mornings.
Anyway, I've had a break from fasting for the last month and the backache is back although it feels more like a soreness/tenderness around the kidneys and I now wonder if it was ever a back issue after all, is it possible that it's diet related and fasting cures it? Or is that just completely impossible? I'm starting fasting again tomorrow and obviously if it doesn't go again I will get checked over, but I have no other symptoms of anything and it's just odd how it went along with fasting, but returned when I've stopped.
Shed any light anyone??

[Debs]

It could be weight related but if you haven't piled any back on, it sounds a little odd. You may have to wait until some of the sciency people are around later, unless carorees is still suffering some insomnia and sees it?!

Wondered if any of you could answer this? I began fasting a year ago and had suffered lower back pain for years, whilst fasting it disappeared and I assumed it was due to my weightloss and was very happy not to have it anymore as although not severe it was a constant soreness in my lower back, especially in the mornings.
Anyway, I've had a break from fasting for the last month and the backache is back although it feels more like a soreness/tenderness around the kidneys and I now wonder if it was ever a back issue after all, is it possible that it's diet related and fasting cures it? Or is that just completely impossible? I'm starting fasting again tomorrow and obviously if it doesn't go again I will get checked over, but I have no other symptoms of anything and it's just odd how it went along with fasting, but returned when I've stopped.
Shed any light anyone??

Crivvens, we need Sherlock on this one

Seriously though, I'd assumed that the decrease in my back pain was down to weight loss: i.e. I started 5:2, lost delightful loads of weight and, instead of going to the doc as I feared I might have to for my *seriously crippling* back pain, didn't bother her as my back wonderfully seemed to get better, gradually but pretty dramatically, over six or so weeks.

Now you've got me thinking - will need to ponder this one xxx FatDog

Yes, my back pain had let up some and I thought was due to weight loss as well. Recently it had returned which I now think is due to me not getting in the long walks I was doing when the weather was nice.

At my start I was crippled with low back pain and had just finished phisio for a trapped pulled nerve which wasnt cured by phisio, however at the 2 months in stage I also noticed a reduction in my pains and obviously recently with my amazing weightloss is even better but didn't the good doctor say that this WOL produced inflammatory benefits.

[carorees]

I see that kencc posted some graphs about BMI and various health issues on another thread. One graph showed that back pain is more common with increased weight and decreases as BMI decreases, so clearly the weightloss alone will likely affected back problems, but whether fasting itself can do so I don't know. Interestingly, if one googles "back pain" and "fasting" there are lots of results about back pain being a side-effect of fasting. The received wisdom is that it is due to toxins leaving the body, which sounds like so much woo to me! However, perhaps if back pain is associated with the early stages of fasting and is related to metabolic changes, it is possible that stopping fasting might result in back pain as the process reverses. Not much help, I know, but please do keep us informed with how things work out!

Hi, just a quick input here for my own experience that a pleasant side effect of my fasting has been a huge improvement in both my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue symptoms. I had lost weight previously but not seen as much of an improvement as this time. Hope your back pain goes again soon!

Thanks for replies. Odd then, I just hope now I've returned to fasting it goes again! I did pile on 8lbs of festive cheer, but can't imagine that's the sole reason for its return as I'm still 3 stone down. I shall cross my fingers my unscientific side effect returns soon!