- This topic has 15 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 1 month ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Sadly, Glenn Frey of The Eagles music band fame has passed away today, too young, at the age of 67. Reports are saying he died of the complications due to RA and a pneumonia following surgery for ulcerative colitis or diverticulitis, depending upon which news report is encountered.
http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/obituary/6844089/glenn-frey-eagles-guitarist-dies-at-67
http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/18/entertainment/glenn-frey-obit-feat/index.html
Is colitis sometimes caused by RA? I don’t know anything about it, and am wondering what the connection is. I did see it’s an autoimmune disease, so I guess that’s the connection.
Scary.
Very sad news – and yet another instance in which the gut plays a major role in the whole RA picture.
Saw the Hell Freezes Over open-air concert in Sydney some years back – in the privileged position of the front section. Wonderful night! So glad they had all sorted out their differences.
Be well! Lynnie
Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)Is colitis sometimes caused by RA? I don’t know anything about it, and am wondering what the connection is. I did see it’s an autoimmune disease, so I guess that’s the connection.
Scary.
Well, as Lyn says, there is likely a gut component to all rheumatic and other autoimmune diseases. It’s said that about 70% of the immune system is in the gut. It is what is one of the body’s largest players in interfacing with our environment.
It’s hard to know from all the reports whether Glenn actually had diverticulitis or ulcerative colitis and if the reports on either are accurate at this stage. We may need to wait for more info on what he actually had. Diverticulitis can affect anyone and is usually due to an infection in the tight junctions of the gut that become inflamed and cause outpouchings that can be painful and cause blockages. Ulcerative colitis, on the other hand, is considered autoimmune and can overlap with other autoimmune diseases. In those situations, it’s hard to say which is the chicken and which is the egg, because reactive arthritis can accompany ulcerative colitis.
The reports say, “complications from RA,” but did Glenn have reactive arthritis or RA? The two can sometimes be confused, because reactive arthritis can be mislabeled as seronegative RA. Also, it’s not clear what medications he was taking and if one of them might have caused gut damage that led to gut inflammation. There is a new oral medication, called Xeljanz that has a black box warning that it may cause gut perforations. And, unfortunately, if a person has pre-existing gut issues, many of the commonly used DMARDs and biologics can add to gut dysbiosis and gut overgrowths.
I suspect Glenn died of hospital-acquired pneumonia, as a result of needing to have his gut re-sectioned, and that his immunity was compromised by the surgery and any RA drugs he was taking, and he just couldn’t fight the infection. This is pure speculation on my part, of course, but it’s not an uncommon scenario. In other words, RA is a serious disease, but the medications used to control disease symptoms can sometimes lead to tragic repercussions. There was a lady who recently posted on behalf of her husband who also died of lung complications as he was using biologic drugs and, because these can cause susceptibility to fungal infections in the lung and he was using a CPAP machine, the combination led to his untimely death.
https://www.roadback.org/forums/topic/aspergillus-and-biologics/
Yes, it is scary, jasregadoo…I agree. I think this is why so many of here are looking for help with AP, a safer option in this context.
I had a similar thought, that maybe his RA drugs compromised his immune system and made it hard for him to fight the infection. I had a bit of shortness of breath a month or two ago, which I suspect was allergies causing a bit of asthma, and it has cleared up. But today’s news about Mr. Frey motivated me to go get the X-Ray my doctor suggested at my last visit. I’ve not tried any of the immunosuppressive drugs, so at least I have that going for me.
There are some supps that can help to protect the lungs, Jasregadoo, if it interests you to look into these?
Sure Maz, I’d be interested in knowing more about them. What sups do you know about that protect the lungs?
Sure Maz, I’d be interested in knowing more about them. What sups do you know about that protect the lungs?
The two main approaches are to add antioxidative therapies to help lower inflammation, like sodium ascorbate (buffered Vit C), for instance, which is also used by those on mino to avert hyperpigmentation as it prevents and disperses the accumulations of minerals in the skin due to the chelstive nature of minocycline.
In addition to antioxidative therapies that help to rid the body of free radicals that cause tissue damage, glutathione can be very helpful for anyone with lung issues. So, supplements, like curcumin, NAC, non-denatured whey protein (if no dairy allergy) and bovine colostrum, can all help to promote glutathione and one can also take liposomal glutathione in capsules. A more direct route of administration is to do intermittent IV pushes of glutathione. Glutathione is unstable and needs to be refrigerated or made up fresh, so the oral supps are more indirect ways to encourage the body to make its own glutathione in the liver on a daily basis and IV pushes are like direct boosters. Healthy lungs are full of glutathione but in chronic illness, it’s depleted, causing detox issues and there are now studies showing its efficacy in diseases like cystic fibrosis or lung fibrosis, which is why these patients can be given IV NAC or glutathione nebulizers, as they are mucolytic agents. As an example of how powerful Glutathione can be…if a person has an overdose on aspirin, the ER will give an IV of NAC to neutralize the toxicity and prevent liver failure.
An interesting sidebar is that people with low thyroid function tend to have lowered stomach acid. This means foods in the stomach are not properly digested and gut motility is also slowed and foods are refluxed back into the esophagus. Aspirated stomach acid and undigested foods can also lead to lung disease. A large proportion of rheumatics suffer from poor thyroid function, either due to overlapping autoimmune thyroid conditions or simply sluggish thyroid. Not only this, thyroid issues can cause joint and muscle pain that mimics rheumatoid disease pain, so ensuring thyroid function is in balance can be a key factor, too. Digestive enzymes can also help in this context to help break down foods.
Happily, my X-Ray came back normal. 🙂
I was taking bovine colostrum for awhile, but ran out. I felt pretty good when I was on it, so maybe I’ll get some more. I tried curcumin and didn’t feel good on that. I guess it’s different for everyone, isn’t it, depending on what our body needs.http://www.thewrap.com/glenn-freys-medication-played-a-part-in-his-death-manager-says/
http://pagesix.com/2016/01/19/glenn-frey-had-been-hospitalized-since-november-says-bob-seger/
It looks like those who knew him best believe his death was caused by his RA meds.
Mom of teen daughter with Poly JIA since age 2. Current med: azithromycin 250 mg MWF.
“Azoff declined to specify the drug in question, saying that he had been counseled by an attorney not to do so.”
It is a great shame that this info is being suppressed. Knowing which drugs Glenn was using could help others to prepare well in advance of elective surgeries, for example. Perhaps black box warnings are considered enough, but doctors don’t always share this info and not everyone reads the small print.
Interesting article on Mercola today about Glenn Frey, less toxic approaches to treatment and the role of the gut in R.A.
Be well! Lynnie
Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)Lynnie,
Very interesting.
Maz, You have mentioned digestive enzymes. I have found natural alternatives to digestive enzymes /as you can become dependent on them/ by Dr John Douillard. Please see below:Now that you understand why we are lacking in these enzymes, you may ask, why not just decongest the bile and pancreatic ducts and improve the bile flow?
My sentiments exactly! Here’s how:
Step 1: Eat more raw beets and leafy greens. Greens should make up 2/3 of your plate. The cellulose in greens will attach to the toxic bile and escort it to the toilet like a non-stop flight!
Step 2: Drink fenugreek tea. It acts a decongestant for the bile ducts and helps support normal bile flow.
Step 3: Have cinnamon with every meal. Cinnamon supports healthy blood sugar while supporting health bile flow.
Step 4: Mix 1-2 tbsp of olive oil with 1-2 tsp of lemon juice. Shake and drink every morning or night on an empty stomach for one month. This will exercise the liver and gallbladder while supporting healthy bile flow in the bile and pancreatic ducts.
Step 5: Drink a big glass of water 15-20 minutes before each meal. This will super-hydrate your stomach, encouraging it to produce more hydrochloric acid and increasing the flow of bile and pancreatic enzymes.
Step 6: Consider regular detoxification of the liver and fat cells, which store toxins that are processed through the liver. Regularly cleansing these is an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to optimal digestion.
Linda L
RA tried everything: Methotraxate, Arava, Humira. Pneumonia three times. Anemia. Very low iron. Hypothyroidism
AP from April 2014 till August 2015. No luck.
Current medications: Natural thyroid, Mobic, supplements,
vitamins and minerals.
MTHFR heterozygousDr. Mirkin has written an article about Glenn Frey:
http://www.drmirkin.com/histories-and-mysteries/glenn-frey-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-ulcerative-colitis.htmlI hadn’t seen this anywhere:
“Frey’s wife of 25 years also developed an auto-immune disease called lupus that can affect primarily the skin and kidneys.”Mom of teen daughter with Poly JIA since age 2. Current med: azithromycin 250 mg MWF.
Suzanne wrote
I hadn’t seen this anywhere:
“Frey’s wife of 25 years also developed an auto-immune disease called lupus that can affect primarily the skin and kidneys.”Neither had I – very interesting!
Be well! Lynnie
Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.