Can this help with inflammatory arthritis due to Crohn’s

[fossil.color]

I’m wondering if anyone knows if the antibiotic therapy can help with Crohn’s arthritis. I’m currently on Entyvio and Imuran but am flaring. My gut symptoms are in check but I’ve been dealing with iritis and migratory arthritis. I’ve had success in the past with Cipro, but that was when I was on Remicade & Humira which kept my arthritis at bay, so I’m unsure if it would’ve had any effect on anything other than my gut symptoms.

Also just a few other questions:

1. Has anyone tried the protocol alone and not under the supervision of a doctor? I purchased some tetracycline and was going to try it.
2. What is the average time to find relief? I’ve read a few stories and it seems like 8 months is how long it takes to see improvement?! It seems like a very long time to wait to see if a protocol is working, but maybe my expectations are just not in line with what is normal.
3. Along with question 2, what do people do in the meantime for pain relief and mobility?

I have a lot of questions, but I should probably read through a bit more to familiarize myself with the protocol.

[Maz]

Hi Fossil Color,

There have been a few Crohn’s patients who have visited this forum who have co-existent arthritis issues. Although Crohn’s is classified as GI autoimmunity and the rheumatic symptoms seem to a part of resultant symptomology, a lot is being learned about the gut/rheumatic connection and autoimmunity in general, so you may well find some interesting info on this site that is relevant to you. For instance:

Here is the info to Redhill and their triple abx called RHB-104

RHB-104 triple antibiotic in development for Crohn’s

The following study provides info on the percentage amounts of each of the 3 abx in Redhill’s RHB-104 formulation:

RHB-104 triple antibiotics combination in culture is bactericidal and should be effective for treatment of Crohn’s disease associated with Mycobacterium paratuberculosis

”RHB-104, a drug formula with active ingredients composed of (63.3 %) clarithromycin, (6.7 %) clofazimine, and (30 %) rifabutin.”

As leaky gut is likely at the root of Crohn’s arthritis, would suggest finding a doctor who can help with gut healing and diet, as well as provide combination antibiotic therapy. There is a leaky gut specialist in NYC who has an interesting website you may like to browse.

LEAKY GUT SYNDROMES: BREAKING THE VICIOUS CYCLE

Also, if you haven’t heard about it yet, LDN (low dose naltrexone) has been studied to help with Crohn’s gut healing and many rheumatics add it to their AP (antibiotic protocols):

Low Dose Naltrexone

There are many helpful supps for gut healing (collagen powder, curcumin, probiotics, etc) and one that seems to be very helpful and worth researching for Crohn’s is bovine colostrum, which is full of anti-microbial substances and growth factors.

Just a fellow patient suggestion, but having seen a lot of folks suffer unnecessarily around here with drug rebound and Herxheimer (herx) reactions to AP, if already taking immune-suppressant medications, it isn’t wise to stop these cold turkey, but to wait to get established on AP, before attempting to taper off other medications (to revert to the safer drug over time, in other words) while working with an experienced AP doctor.

Hope this helps a bit?

[fossil.color]

Hi Maz,

Thanks for your reply and information. I’ve had Crohn’s for almost 10 years now and have done a lot of research, so I have come across all of the information you gave, but I really appreciate your taking the time to give me all the information.

I’ve been on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet since just a few months after my diagnosis, but recently I just tried to add back in nuts which I hadn’t had in 2 years and my arthritis really flared. Apparently my gut isn’t as healed as I thought.

I did also try LDN but it didn’t seem to help, unfortunately. Antibiotics, specifically Cipro helped my gut symptoms when nothing else would, but at the time I was on Humira which kept my arthritis in check, so I don’t know how antibiotics would help my extra-intestinal manifestations. This made me interested in the Triple-antibiotic therapy, but the progress of the RedHill Bio pill has seemed to have stalled. Thankfully I’m on a med that helps my gut, but the arthritis is what is flaring now. Thankfully I think it’s finally starting to die down after a few rounds of prednisone and a cortisone shot, but I’m wondering about future flares if antibiotics would help.

Would you mind my asking how long it took for you to notice a difference in your symptoms after you started on antibiotics? Have you had any side effects?

[Author]

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