RA for six years

[mariemcminn]

I was diagnosed in May 2005 with RA but didn’t start Plaquanil until 2006. My doc added Methotrexate when the Plaquanil wasn’t enough. In the meantime I eliminated gluten and most sugar. I improved somewhat on that regime, but last year also eliminated dairy. All diet changes helped, but then I developed bursitis in my knee and then my elbow, with a frozen joint in the elbow. I had two or three rounds of prednisone over the years and a cortisone shot in my right wrist, but the situation continued to go downhill. My symptoms are assymetric, with my right knee/wrist/elbow being the worst. I was tested in October, 2010 for food/chemical sensitivities, and I have a lot of them. I avoid gluten, sugar, dairy, sulfites, coffee, peanuts, alcohol, corn, beef, eggs, processed foods, and a few others. I eat 80% raw organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed chicken and turkey, wild-caught fish, nuts, and seeds, and drink filtered water and tea. I have green smoothies every day. I also take lots of supplements, including cod liver oil, and am being monitored by a naturopath.

I started on AP therapy on December 17, 2010, and stayed on the Plaquanil and Methotrexate. I was prescribed Minocen 100 mg BID, but I’m only taking 300 mg/week, MWF. After six weeks, I don’t see any improvement; I’ve only gotten worse. My right wrist and arm is so bad it is difficult for me to type, and I’m a technical writer. I’m very depressed, but hope my symptoms improve soon. My husband wants me to quit “the experiment” and go on the biologics, but I’m convinced, after reading The New Arthritis Breakthrough and The Infection Connection that I want to give it at least three months.

[mariemcminn]

I quit my methotrexate 2 weeks ago. I had only been on it 4 weeks after having been off of it for 8 months. I don’t think I’ve suffered at all, the best I can tell. I also want to taper off the Plaquanil, but I think I’m going to wait a month or so. I got my labs back from a week ago and everything was normal–SED rate, C-Reactive protein, CBC, and CMP. Next time I’ll also get the RF and IgG antibodies, because to me, that’s the real test. Sleeping 8 hours a night, no brain fog, lots of energy. The only thing that is plaguing me is my right wrist. It’s not inflamed, just sore. It hurts to do things that require rotation of my wrist (like eating). I will wait a couple of months to see if it resolves; otherwise, may have to have an MRI to check it out.

[mariemcminn]

June 19, 2011- Here’s my six-month update:

This therapy works! I’m telling everyone I know about the antibiotic protocol ❗

I continue to improve. My right knee has not swelled in over two months (it was chronically, intermittently swollen for nine months), and my right wrist continues to get better, even though it still hurts to rotate it. On June 1, I could actually run without pain in my right knee, which has not been the case since 2005. I actually did a jig in the street, in front of all my neighbors, to celebrate. 🙂 I also have virtually no pain in my feet, which had also been chronic and intermittent. I can hike again! 😀 My right elbow is almost straight and continues to improve. 😉 My appetite is returning, so I’m eating better and able to do strength training to restore much of my lost muscle strength. I’m still a warrior when it comes to cardiovascular workouts and can return to the hikes I enjoyed regularly before I was diagnosed with RA in 2005. My goal is to hike Pikes’s Peak again (for the 6th time) at the end of this summer.

On May 23 I visited an integrative medicine doctor who added Naltrexone 3 mg and some homeopathics (Syntrion SyCirque and SanPharma Firmus), both of which are supposed to up-regulate the immune system. I returned to this doc on June 16, and he started tapering me off Plaquanil, so I’m now on 100 mg BID. He’ll cut me back again in 2 months if all goes well. I’m continuing with diet recommendations and the Minocen 100 mg MWF. I am the energizer bunny once again!

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