9 replies to this topic

[FrankEd]

Hi, friends. I really need some help from you.

 

I have a friend, 36 yrs. old that has rheumatoid arthritis.

 

I read several articles on several papers and places, but at the moment there´s no sign of cure or real relief of this disease.

 

Some NSAIDS and DMARDs carry a lot of bad side effects that can worsen clinical stages of a patient, so I would like to avoid them.

 

He´s already taking curcumin and fish oil but with poor results.

 

Are there some other good alternatives in the treatment of that disease?

 

[Darryl]

I've come across numerous studies suggesting a benefit from vegan or meat free diets. Reduced arachidonic acid, reduced endotoxins, and NF-κB inhibition may contribute.

 

As for other supplements, Andrographis and rose hips have demonstrated benefits.

[FrankEd]

Thank you very much Darryl.

 

Unfortunately fasting and vegan diet show some temporary relief of RA symptoms.

 

I don´t remember exactly where, but I saw an Ayurvedic doctor talking about a case of RA that was cured with fasting and a vegan diet.

 

The most incredible is that my friend is a Christian (Pentecostal) and usually is fasting 12 hours a day before his dayli prayers, and he has RA !!!

 

He didn´t eat meat, sugar, chocolat and other things. 

 

I will take a look at Andrographis and Rose hips.

 

 

[smccomas01]

I have RA I am sorry about for your friend. Right now I am Enbrel and it has made a world of difference compared to the other meds I was on.

 

Best advise I can give is "Do not stop moving." I lost a lot of muscle mass when I was first diagnosed there are some hypothesized disease specific process as to why this happens however they do not know. Google RA and Cachexia to get an idea. At first it hurt like hell in the AM essentially woke up nearly crippled and it would get easier as the day wore on if I moved, keep moving.

 

There are a lot of websites and articles out there most of it is crap a good clue is when they say "cures rheumatoid arthritis" there is no cure. Somethings will help "some" people but not all. Some one I know swears by diet all the things that she says causes her to go into a flare i.e. milk does not bother me hell I crave milk.

 

Vitamin B is about to become you friends good friend embrace your friend. Until the flare and disease process is brought under control your friend has a war raging inside the body, that battle takes a lot of energy. I once slept for 14 hours vitamin B helped some so that I could be somewhat productive at my job.

 

Tell you friend eat, sleep, move and do not give up It will get better. It is going to be discouraging and maddening for a while until it is brought under control it is also going to take time. There is a whole section here on C60oo I take it and it has helped me tremendously it is not something that I would tell someone I did not know to do. It has helped me a great deal the information is there so they can make up there own mind as to what is best for them.

 

For my own curiosity was your friend ever in the service and were they given the anthrax vaccine?      

 

[niner]

I would encourage your friend to see a rheumatologist.  If an anti-tnf monoclonal like Enbrel is indicated, I'd use it in a heartbeat.  These things work like nothing else, and the side effect problem is IMHO overblown.  If he's not insured, then maybe he could try eating type 2 collagen from chickens.  This helps you develop tolerance for collagen autoantigens.  It "shouldn't" work, but it has been tested and does work for some people.

 

There is a condition known as "reactive arthritis" that is caused by an infection with a microbe that presents an antigen that looks a little too much like parts of us.  This can be cured with a broad spectrum antibiotic.  This isn't all that common, but your friend isn't in a high RA demographic, so it's worth looking at other possibilities.    Which joints are affected, and when did the problem begin?  That could help narrow down exactly what it might be.

[FrankEd]

Thank you all:

 

To smccoomas01: 

 

No, he didn´t take anthrax vacine

 

To niner:

 

He began feeling these simptoms one year ago, but he thought it was due to his job.

 

A heavy and manual job.

 

Joints afected were: wrist, small joint in the hand, knees, shoulder and feet.

 

He has loss of energy and appetite and fatigue.

 

I read some wonderful posts about Embrel, but its side effects scary me.

 

Please excuse my typos ´cause I have eye problems.

[smccomas01]

What Niner said first thing is first see a Rheumatologist. The sooner the better what you are describing are the some of the symptoms of when RA is not being controlled.

 

The goal is to get it under control and prevent joint damage he may have days where the swelling is down a little and very little pain and think it is not that bad I am ok. He is not, the disease process is still going on the joints are being damaged. That is what my Doc told me when I said "oh it is not that bad I am ok." His words were that it was not under control damage was still being done and he was trying to save the joints.

 

Unfortunately for him they are not going to start him on Enbrel, typically they start with Methotrexate and Prednisone. MTX is one of the oldest medication used for RA that is what they go to first along with this they will give him folic acid. The dose I was on was 12mg a week (6 2mg pills.) They will try this for about 3 to 4 months then evaluate.

 

For me the switched to Arava 3 to 4 months evaluate finally got on Enbrel been on it ever since. The only side effect I have (taking Enbrel) is I get a little bit of a runny nose when I eat that is it. No pain at the injection site no swelling heck I do not even bleed.

 

When it comes to the side effects of the various RA meds liver problems, heart problems and cancer  the person is already at a higher risk for those conditions with out treatment.      

[smccomas01]

Side note Enbrel has a support program he can sign up for (if he gets the prescription), my co pays for the first 6 months were free as in free beer. After that it is 10 bucks a month with my insurance. 

[smccomas01]

FrankEd

 

I was doing some research on Enbrel's method of action today and I stumbled across this. I highly recommend your friend take a look at this.

 

http://selfhacked.co...t_Influence_TNF

 

 

[FrankEd]

smccomas01

 

Once again, thank you very much for helping me. Will follow several of these advices.