From Unable to Walk to Complete Recovery: Mike’s Carnivore Journey
Mike, an IT infrastructure manager in Las Vegas, spent nearly a decade battling mixed connective tissue disorder, an autoimmune condition that left him walking with a cane and unable to play his guitar. After multiple medications failed him, he discovered the carnivore diet and experienced a remarkable transformation.
The Devastating Diagnosis
In 2015, Mike began experiencing pain in his right hand that gradually worsened, spreading to his wrist. After visiting multiple healthcare providers, a rheumatologist diagnosed him with mixed connective tissue disorder, a rare autoimmune disease with markers for rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s, and Raynaud’s syndrome. The condition progressed rapidly over the following year, severely limiting his mobility.
“I couldn’t even put shoes on. I was sleeping in my recliner because I couldn’t get out of bed, walking with a cane, and wearing slippers to work,” Mike recalls.
A Decade of Failed Treatments
Over nine years, Mike tried numerous medications: prednisone, methotrexate, Enbrel, and Rinvok. The methotrexate caused severe sickness, while Enbrel controlled symptoms for several years before his body developed lupus markers. The Rinvok cost $5,000 monthly, and his insurance eventually stopped covering it.
Throughout these years, not one specialist asked about his diet or suggested nutritional changes. Instead, they told him his condition would progressively worsen, could never improve, and was likely genetic – there was nothing he could do about it.
The Turning Point
Desperate for alternatives, Mike began researching and discovered carnivore diet success stories, particularly from people with rheumatoid arthritis. His girlfriend had previously encouraged him to try keto, and they were already using some low-carb products like keto bread and low-carb tortillas.
“We decided to give carnivore a try for 90 days,” Mike explains. “That way, it didn’t feel like we were giving anything up. We’re just trying this for a little bit. If we don’t see any benefit, we can go back to what we were doing.”
The Diet that Changed Everything
Mike’s carnivore diet consists primarily of beef and eggs. His typical day includes two pieces of sausage for breakfast, ground beef or a burger patty for lunch, and thin-cut ribeye steaks for dinner, all seasoned simply with butter and salt. He occasionally adds Tillamook cheddar cheese as a snack.
After years of medications, the carnivore diet accomplished what pharmaceuticals couldn’t. Within the first 90 days, Mike noticed significant improvements that convinced him to continue. Now, a year into the diet, he’s completely off all medications, has lost 50 pounds, and is symptom-free.
Beyond Symptom Relief
The benefits extend beyond Mike’s autoimmune condition. He reports less dry skin and improved sun tolerance during a Jamaica vacation. His girlfriend, who started the carnivore diet simultaneously, has lost 40 pounds.
Mike finds the diet surprisingly sustainable and affordable. “I think it’s roughly about the same cost,” he says. “You’re not buying all the other stuff you would have bought. We’re not spending any more than we were before on groceries.”
A New Perspective on Food
The most revealing aspect of Mike’s journey is how his symptoms return only when he eats certain foods – particularly those with carbohydrates and seed oils. He discovered that even coffee creamer containing vegetable oil triggered his hand symptoms.
“All these things they told me I was going to have to live with permanently and were only going to get worse, I was able to essentially completely reverse,” Mike shares. “The only time I ever experience those symptoms now is when I eat something I shouldn’t have.”
Looking Forward, Not Back
While Mike acknowledges feeling frustrated about the decade of life quality he lost, he’s focused on the present and future. When asked if he plans to continue the carnivore diet long-term, his answer is clear:
“There is no way that I want to go back to feeling the way that I felt just so I can have an Oreo or just so I can eat broccoli. Like, that just sounds horrible. Why would I want to do that?”
