Another Newbie

[Time_of_my_Life]

Hey!  I would just like to introduce myself.  My name is Lori and I was dxed with RA in Oct 2006.  I was really big into running and I ran 6 or more miles a day.  My right knee started to swell some, but I continued running on it.  My first two initial Drs. thought it was a running injury and to give it time to heal.  Third Dr. referred me to an RD where 3 months later I got my dx.  A shot of cortisone took care of the swelling and I was given methotrexate 15mg once a week.  I have had no flares since my initial one and continue to lift weights and do cardio 2 hours/5 days a week.

My first visit with Dr. S in Ida Grove, IA was Tuesday (March 11th).  I had 10 IV treatments, each with 900 mg of Cleocin. (two a day)  All went well with the IV treatments.  I will now be starting minocycline 100mg twice a day X 7 days.  I went off the methatrexate a week ago.  So far so good.  I am not having any aches or flares, but I realize that this is just all beginning for me.

Any suggestions or advice on what more I should be doing would be greatly appreciated.  I am also taking probiotics.  I'm not real sure on how much of those I should be taking.  I take two different kinds once a day.  Any suggestions on a real good brand to take would be great as there are so many out there!

I will continue to keep reading and learning from everyone on this site. 

Peace and healing to all!

Lori

( My picture is the great Dr. S and I !) 😀

[superperroRA]

Hi Lori,
This is Bob, the guy that had the IV treatments the same week as you did. Happy to see you here!

[Time_of_my_Life]

Hello Bob!

How was your trip home?  Hope all went smoothly!  Most importantly, how are you feeling??  It was good to meet a fellow AP'er. 🙂

Lori

[superperroRA]

Hi Lori,
The trip back went smoothly. I had wheelchair service (free!) at each stop, and the airline (United) did a superb job. Thanks for asking.
Bob

[Maz]

Hi Lori,

Welcome to the RBF BB gang and love your piccie with Dr S!  😀  He looks like such a great guy. How wonderful that you found AP so quickly and were able to see one of the best AP docs to get you started on your road back.

As per your query re: probiotics, I use PB8 (veg caps) and take 8 per day, spaced a good few hours away from my abxs. Seems to work well for me and I've been on some hefty abx doses for Lyme this past year. If you decide to try these, you can buy them online at Vitacost.com quite reasonably.

Peace, Maz

[Time_of_my_Life]

Hello Maz – Thanks for the welcome and YES Dr. S is such a sweet man.  I feel fortunate that I was able to have him treat me.  You can tell that he really is devoted to his work with AP. 

Also, thanks for the info on the probiotics.  I see they are reasonably priced so went ahead and ordered some.  I am a real newbie with this AP so am grateful for any help I can get along the way!

Take Care,

Lori

[Maz]

Wow, Lori! You really are a woman of action :dude: and no doubt this quality has served you well….sounds like you're already well on your way to remission!  YAY for you!!!

Peace, Maz

 

[Kim]

Hi Lori,

Welcome to this board.  Obviously, after reading your post, a little thing like RA is not going to slow you down!  Love the picture with Dr. S. 

When I went to Dr. S. last year there was not another patient being treated that week that knew of this board, even though reading the book is a prerequisite for an appointment???  How nice you've been reacquainted with a fellow APer.

Best of luck to you……Kim

[Michele]

Hi Lori and Bob,

I'm a patient of Dr. S and had IV's with him 4 months ago. It's great to see your picture posted in the avatar with him! I have one just like it as he posed with me, too! 🙂

Welcome to the board!

Michele

[Time_of_my_Life]

Hello and thanks for all the welcomes 🙂  It really is amazing to me how many people go to see Dr. S from all over the country!  Is this because of his reputation as being one of the best AP drs out there or is it really that hard to find a Dr. willing to give IV's?  I was fortunate that I live close enough to him that it was not way out of my way to see him (3 hours).

I am just curious…to the people who did go to see Dr. S what contributed to your desision?  Also, I'd really love to hear how you are doing now.  As I am really new to AP, I really don't know what to expect.  I would just like to hear some others stories…the good and the bad.

For those of you that have gone to see him, how many will be making plans to see him again?  Have any of you been sucessful in finding Drs. closer to home that will do the IV's?

Thanks in advance and I hope that my questions have not been too personal.

Healing thoughts go out to all of you.

Lori

[Cheryl F]

Lori,

I am not a patient of Dr. S, but as a volunteer with RBF, I get the chance to speak with many patients who travel to see him.  One thing that you might consider that I know several other patients of Dr. S are doing is to have him RX the IV and to find a home health or infusion center locally to admisiter it.  I know some of his patients who do one day of IV monthly, and go back to see Dr. S every six months.  These are all patients that are in their first year of treatment.  I have also heard of long term patients of Dr. S who go once a year for a week of IV therapy.

I realize that you probably already know this but you have the best of the best caring for you!!!

Cheryl Ferguson

[Maz]

[user=212]Time_of_my_Life[/user] wrote:

 It really is amazing to me how many people go to see Dr. S from all over the country!  Is this because of his reputation as being one of the best AP drs out there or is it really that hard to find a Dr. willing to give IV's? 

 

Hi Lori,

I haven't been to see Dr S personally, but have seriously considered doing so, if it got to the point where I stopped improving. He has a chapter in “The New Arthritis Breakthrough, one of the few doctors who trained with Dr Brown.

From listening in to others' experiences here on the BB over the past year, I understand, it's not easy to find a doctor who is quite as compassionate and knowledgable about AP as Dr S and the warm, welcoming feel of the hospital setting in which he works. He also offers wonderful follow-up by telephone for patients who are struggling or just need to ask questions (pretty rare)…just some of the reasons I have gleaned that so many travel great distances at some expense to see him.

I also believe I heard mention that he is retiring in the next year or so (but may continue to see some existing patients?). Losing his expertise will be a great loss, if so. :crying:

Peace, Maz

[Time_of_my_Life]

Maz – Yes, I have heard that he plans on retiring next year, but have also heard that he will continue to do the AP part of his practice.  It would indeed be a great loss to lose him.  He is a wonderful, compassionate man.  I wish more Drs. would work as hard as he does for his patients.

Cheryl – I am going to talk to my Family Dr. and see if he would support me in getting the IV treatments if need be.  Dr. S also said he would be glad to talk with him about it.  I am supposed to contact Dr. S in about a month to let him know how I am doing.  I'll talk with him more then on follow up IV treatments.  It would be nice to be able to have them done locally, but I am not that far from Dr. S so I am fortunate in that I can always make the trip back to him.

On a side note.  I have surgery wed. morning to fix a hernia along an incision line on my stomach.  Hopefully with all the antibiotics in me I should do great. 😀  I'll just be happy when things start to settle down a little bit!

Take Care,

Lori

 

[Maz]

Lori, sending lots of good vibes and best wishes your way for a successful surgery on Wednesday and hopefully it will all be up and up from there. Let us know how you're doing when you're home and up to it. Until then, you'll be in my thoughts.

Peace, Maz

[MaryP]

I'm a DrS patient and have seen him twice in the past 18 months-ish. He IS simply wonderful. I get IVs every other week. He said he would be happy to write the script, but my local hospital and home health were happier with a local (local hospital affiliated) doc writing the script, so I approached my internist. He wrote the script and shares labs, etc with DrS, and vice versa. I'm a lucky girl!

I chose him because I liked his experience, and his manner and approach. I just felt I needed that combo. I've met bunches of other patients, including a couple from Hawaii who fly in once a year. They can't get IVs at all at home. Made me realize again how very lucky I am. They said they feel lucky to have DrS.

Best of luck and your road back, and welcome.

[Author]

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