lab tests

[Maz]

[user=1212]APbeliever[/user] wrote:

Inflammation also causes plaque to deposit on your arteries and LDL and HDL chlosterol problems.

Hi APB,

Yes, but what causes the inflam in the cardio-vascular system in the first place? Studies out of Harvard recently tied chlamydia pneumoniae to myocardial infarctions:

http://harvardscience.harvard.edu/medicine-health/articles/chlamydia-pneumoniae-may-contribute-heart-attacks-strokes

Interestingly, CPn has also been tied to RA and heart and cardio-vascular risks increase in RA patients.

Therefore, the only logical question to ask is why would RA patients be more susceptible to cardio-vascular risks? Seems the research is pointing more and more to infections….and studies performed on males myocardial infarction survivors showed that their chances of having future heart attacks were greatly lowered and outcomes improved, if they received azithromycin treatment after the first event.

Unfortunately, it seems that mtx and the biologics are not going to improve cholesterol levels, but removing the microbial cause may. For instance, mycoplasma are known to be voracious cholesterol consumers (due to their outer lipid layer comprised of cholesterol). Say these microbes line arterial walls, causing inflammation and small tears in them. Cholesterol is like a band-aid to these tiny vascular tears and rushes to the scene to bandage them up. Trouble is, the mycos are sitting right there, causing the inflam in the first place…but they're all right, Jack…they have a ready food supply swimming right up to them in the blood. The problem isn't that cholesterol is repairing the damage…the problem is that there is too much bandaging going on. So, get rid of the underlying infection and no band-aids are needed.

So, it's worth considering….if, as the Harvard researchers have found, infections such as CPn are causing arterial inflammation in the first place, wouldn't suppressing immune function only allow the underlying infection to proliferate? If so, immune-suppressants aren't the answer to prevent cardio-vascular disease…in fact, they may even worsen the situation. Also, why would minocycline be found to have such beneficial effects in stroke patients immediately after the event, improving their outcomes, too?

Just following the dots here, APB, as food for thought, so please only take what resonates or not to you. 😉

Really happy to hear you stuck it out and are feeling better, APB. I know how unnerving those backward steps can sometimes be, but you made it!

Peace, Maz

PS Please don't think this is dissing anyone's personal choice of medication…these diseases are hard enough as it is and I support whatever an individual chooses for themselves. But, to be fair…this is an AP forum advocating for Dr. Brown's antibiotic therapy…so the discussion is bound to revolve around microbial causes for rheumatic diseases.

[spacehoppa]

Hi Carrie,

I agree with the others that coming off steroids will make you flare even if your condition is usually under control. It just upsets your equilibrium and your body then has to get back into balance again. This takes a few weeks. Also, I always flare, only a little these days, but it used to be a lot, just after ovulation and at my period when my estrogen drops.

Also, the stress of having the surgery is bound to worsen your condition for a few weeks at least. With all these factors at work I'm only surprised that your ESR isn't higher to be honest. I would give yourself at least another month to let your symptoms settle again before making any big decisions about treatment. You've been through a lot lately. It will all come good again soon.

[carries]

Thank you spacehoppa! I agree I need to give it more time….although it wont just be a month……I saw results and I will stay on this for as long as I can get the perscription. I believe it works!!! Thanks for the words of encouragement……I come to this board for that especially when I start to lose a little faith….well I dont even know if its losing faith because I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK!!!….TIME PLAYS A HUGE FACTOR……I guess I come here for that extra reassurance.

Maz, can I please borrow your brain and all the knowledge that is stored in it…especially when I am in the drs office rebutting this….you are truely heaven sent!!!!!

[NikiG.]

[user=1508]carries[/user] wrote:

Maz, can I please borrow your brain and all the knowledge that is stored in it…especially when I am in the drs office rebutting this….you are truely heaven sent!!!!!

HEAR HEAR!!!  I second that motion (esp. the last part)!

[APbeliever]

Maz, thanks for your insight. I never said MTX and Biologics will reduce or eliminate cholesterol. I only wrote inflammation being the leading cause of heart disease and cholesterol buildup. I verified it with a cardiologist friend when I discussed my test results with him. Incidentally, I had a mycloplasma test done also which came out negative. During the past 10 years, my LDL has always been below 100. Suddenly, it jumped to 133 which was rather strange since my dietary habits have not changed(In fact, I am eating more healthy these days and avoiding casein(dairy) ).

 I am only glad that finally I am feeling better and I think it is due to new LDN pills I got from another pharmacy. I was using the capsules from Skip's Pharmacy before and somehow it did not work well with me as the product that I am using now. Recently, I tried another pharmacy and it kicked in really quick. I tried a few days with Skip's(I had some still left from them) again and I went sick.  Experimenting sometimes with pills aquired from different pharmacies help. I am not trying to diss Skip's pharmacy. They are selling an excellent product and folks from LDN forum really like this pharmacy.

[APbeliever]

Maz, thanks again for the harvard link also. I had read this information before but I did not have the link anymore. I am going to show this to my cardiologist friend to see what he thinks about this one.

[Author]

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