Hi buttercup, I sincerely hope you are better by now. I think there are other reasons other than diet for auto immune diseases. I went to mayo clinic years ago, when I developed alopecia universalis, total hair loss, the worst of three forms of the auto immune disease. My degenerative joint disease followed with osteoarthritis. Mayo sugested that you can indeed come in contact with a pathogen such as contaminated ground water. Some of the auto immune problems are very obscure also. If you cannot get to the bottom, please consider going to Mayo clinic. They provided me with the latest research and tools I needed to help myself. I hope they can find out what is wrong with you soon.ginnie