Advice - water fasting and joint pain

Hi all,

I was hoping someone out there could offer some wisdom on my situation and possibly advise re: water fasting.

I have been experiencing symptoms for the last six months similar to Rheumatoid Arthritis (pain and swelling in all of my fingers, pain in the balls of my feet, sometimes my shoulder, knee, and recently wrists - progressing). After fighting through the red tape of my HMO for months, I finally have an appointment with a rheumatologist next Thursday.

I don't know that it will definitely be RA, but I am afraid that the doctor will diagnose me that way and then put me on heavy meds for life. The only thing I have read about online that seems like it could actually help with stopping it is Water Fasting - and I am willing to do one - but I am worried that it would not be safe for me because I spent a few years with little appetite hardly eating. (I would think back one day and realize, hey, I've only eaten one meal a day for the last five days.) Should I be worried about being malnourished before water fasting? I am 127 lbs, 5'6", female. I recently had a blood test from my PCP which came back normal except for slightly low Vitamin D - so does this mean I am nourished enough? If so, I would stop eating tomorrow. I just want it to go away. I've been trying a gluten-free/vegan diet for a little over a week that hasn't had visible effects yet.

In other news, all this I'm reading about gut health and autoimmune things has me feeling like I'm putting together pieces of a puzzle that I don't know if I can solve. For the past long while, I have had loose stool. Nearly the only time I have normal stool is when I am eating Soylent (http://soylent.com), which I have been using as a way to measure and make sure I feed myself enough, which I wouldn't otherwise. Could this be related? Sorry if that's TMI. The stool has been loose even on the vegan/gluten-free diet, although maybe a week is not enough. But with Soylent it is always an immediate improvement (with the stool, but I haven't noticed with the joints). I've also been struggling with depressive symptoms and stress for the past while. (I see a therapist for this.)

So yeah, um, would it be safe for me to water fast? What do you think? I am admittedly really nervous about this situation, and at a bit of a loss.

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