current plaquinil user/ no diagnosis yet.

[freddiet50]

hi, my names Freddie….where to start. lets see I?m 30 years old and a performer in nyc. In 2001 I started to experience intense pain in my hands and knees and shoulders more so when I would sit down. Like an intense throbbing…almost to a point of intensity that I couldn?t sit in a chair and stand the pain. In the mornings my hands would be so stiff I couldn?t open my pointer and index finger without running them under hot water. And sadly for the first few years of feeling this pain mainly in the mornings and when I would lay down I was embarrassed and hid it from my friends and parents. I mean was 23 years old! How did I feel like an 80 year old man? Anyways I ate Advil like candy and somehow I limped along for 3 or 4 years. Finally one day I had had enough…without medical insurance….”god bless America”……I went to a free clinic, got tested for lyme disease, RA, sypilis, genera, anything that could have inflammatory properties reacting in my body?nothing. My doctor told me I was overdoing it?and taking Advil was ok.
After a year of this I got a referral to a rheumatologist and again got a full work up?genetic tendency for Ra, neg, RA negative?. everything came back?. however he did say ?there are things in the body which can cause inflammation that we don?t know about? so he offered to let me try plaquinil 100mg 2x a day?I agreed. And after a few months I started to notice a small difference?.and 6 months into it I really did feel like I was having more good days than bad?but still not better, then I had a bad week, I felt terrible?I ran to my dr. and he prescribed 25 mg of indomethacine 2 x a day. And I think I would have stayed on this regime for years and years?. the plaqunile took care of the aches and the methacine took care of the residual pain?until I got cancer.

Dramatic, I know?but I'm an actor?so I was diagnosed in November of 2006 with testicular cancer stage 2 b, which had metastasized to my lymphatic systems?about 8 tumors in all in my chest cavity. So oddly enough during my cancer treatment I learned a lot about my arthritis and my body. I did 4 cycles of etoposide/cisplatin and then a retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in March of 2007. (A really big intense 10-hour surgery). Today I'm cancer free. So anyways?during treatment they put my on decadron?. a steroid which kicked my arthritis?s ass. Not good for you long term ?but I felt the best I had in year?while having cancer. Weird right. Also after my chemo was done and I found out my cancer wasn?t quite gone. I prepped for the surgery, I remember being off the steroids for a few weeks and my arthritis started to hurt again. So, the surgery was long, and I had a few complications which kept me in the hospital for 2 weeks straight?when in which time I was given broad spectrum antibiotic?s t prevent infection?and wouldn?t you know it my arthritis was completely gone. I mean, I felt like I was 14 years old playing soccer and jumping around?I mean aside from the 54 staple seem in my chest?. but my knees my hands every joint was like a well oiled machine?and it stayed that way for at least 4 or 5 months?I wasn?t taking pain killers?
2 months out of surgery I started to notice my fingers getting tight in the morning again?.so I restarted the plaquinil. And 7 months out while working an intense week in NYC I had a horrible flare of arthritis?. my hands and feet wouldn?t stop throbbing. It hurt to walk?. forget dancing. I was so discouraged?. I beat cancer and know I felt like I was again crippled with this disease?I searched everywhere for homeopathic cures?I read book after book?one incredibly helpful one was?. Arthritis: the allegory connection?I followed the diet inside to a ?t?. Basically white fish, salmon, water for drinking, brown rice, green veggies?mostly root vegetables?no alcohol, no refined sugars, no animal fats. And among all things it has made the most improvement to date. I only periodically need anti-inflammatory. Maybe once a month?and I feel a lot better. I still have very bad days. And my joints just seem hyper sensitive to physical activity. Vie seem two rheumatologists who talk to me like im crazy cause I don?t test for any thing they treat?but they both admit that the plaquinil is helping me?I cant stop it, ive tried twice with the diet to taper off and ive felt just awful?my doctor doesn?t even believe the diet is helping, he says food doesn?t make that much of a difference?. it sucks when they don?t believe you?cause then?it?s like you against a doctor.
So anyway?to sum up?. I?m to know what should do to be treated or evaluated to get Antibiotic treatment? Im in NYC, and my current doctor wont treat me. I want to feel good again and continue my life without this much pain every day. It?s consuming. But im sure everyone here knows how that feels. Here?s to the future?I beat cancer, I know I can beat this too?.livestrong..and god bless!

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