Newly diagnosed with RA – help wanted please

[chantelle_sa]

Hi I am new to this forum, and so glad I discovered this website. I was diagnosed last year with RA. My Rheumatoid factor was 309. I was on cortisone at the time for Chronic Bronchitis. I have a very limited income, so decided to deal with the Rheumatoid on my own, taking four ibuprofen tabs a day (200mg) and the cortisone helped a lot. About a month ago, I landed up in hospital because my blood pressure went sky high and I felt like falling over, and had blurred vision. After having many tests, and not finding anything wrong I decided to do some research on anti inflammatory diets, and started a very strict anti inflammatory diet. After about a week, I noticed that my incessant cough was much less frequent, and so I decided to quit the cortisone, and go cold turkey. I also quit my inhalers for the chronic bronchitis. After a few days, my r.a. was so painful that I was writhing in agony. Couldn’t sleep because both shoulders were on fire, my feet felt like concrete blocks, and I couldn’t walk, and my wrists were being so bent out of shape. I was a mess. In desperation I went online and searched for a cure for the arthritis, and thats when I discovered this website.

Since I was in such pain, and it was only getting worse, I decided to go and see a Rheumatologist, and with the limited amount of knowledge I had about the antibiotic therapy . The rheumatologist was reluctant to give me antibiotics, and said that if they worked, at best I would experience a 5% improvement, if any. She also gave me a perscription for methyxlate. sp.

I decided to take the doxycycline, just as prescribed, 100mg every day. I had to go back onto the cortisone but only did so for 3 days, and then quit. I have managed to stay off the cortisone so far. Today is the 10th day on the doxycycline, and I have managed to keep the pain to bearable, without any cortisone, just taking four aleve, two in the morning and two at night.

I am a bit confused about dosage, as in Dr Browns book, he says he perscribed 100 mg of minocycline twice a day. Should I increase my dosage to twice per day.

Is the doxycycline sufficient to bring about a remission, since I cannot afford any iv treatments.

thanks for any help in advance.

For anyone suffering from chronic bronchitis, I can only say that getting rid of my inhalers, and cortisone and following an anti inflammatory diet has turned my life around.

all the best to everyone,

beth

[Parisa]

Hi Beth,

Welcome to the Roadback. Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers tend to have alot of inflammation and do better starting at a low dose of doxy and when they are doing well slowly increasing to 100mg two times a day.

[beth_sa]

Hi Parisa,

thank you for your reply. I went off my diet, and all my symptoms returned. the rheumatoid got worse, and so did the chronic bronchitis, and I had to go back onto cortisone, 4mg per day, plus 2 x aleve morning and night. I used the docycyline for a month, and then switched to a generic of moncycline, ranbaxy. I went back to my non inflammatory diet, ie no meat, dairy, or wheat. In the meantime, I had been out to lunch and had some red wine, (not a drinker per se) and discovered that evening that I reached for the aleve much later than usual. I made a mental note of this. I decided to stop the cortisone and use the aleve only when needed. The next day I did the same had a glass of red wine, and noticed again that I was not as inflamed as before, still no need for cortisone. It has been two more days since this, and I have now not had any cortisone or any aleve, and am beginning to feel the swelling going down in my hands, and my feet.

There is only one solution, become an alcoholic. lol, no!!! I am kidding. I believe its either the minocycline working or the wine or the diet. easy enough, stop the wine and see what happens. I already know my diet plays a role, so I guess thats something I have to maintain for life. I am really resenting the diet change, as I do enjoy meat, and potatoes, and all the other inflammatory foods. But if it helps with my long term inflammation, I guess I’ll have to learn to adapt. (or die)

I am taking the minocycline, 100 mg, mwf. If things progress the way they are, it seems that is a very good dosage for me. I am also taking a probiotic. I cannot wait to let my rheumatoid doctor know, as she was so very against the idea that anything besides strong drugs would help. In fact when I questioned her about the methytrexate, and asked her if taking it would put me into remission, she stumbled. I caught her completely off guard. I honestly believe she had no belief in it healing me at all, only a temporary way of delaying the obvious.

I will post another update in a month.

thanks again,

god bless!

[Author]

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