My first experiences with RA was in my left shoulder in January of 2020. The inflammation came out of the blue and hit the shoulder causing me to be unable to use my whole arm. This would happen every few months for a year before being diagnosed. NOTHING would touch the pain. It was the worst PAIN. In January of 2021, I had my first blood test. By this point the inflammation had taken my left shoulder, left hand, right knee and my feet and starting on my right hand. In February of 2021, I was given the news as if I was given a death sentence. I was certain that at the rate RA was taking over my body that I was going to be died by the end of the year. In that moment, I chose to NOT take any meds for pain and RA until I had time to read the paperwork on the drugs. Upon reading the paperwork for the first time in my life – I chose to go without.
I immediately started the Paddison Program after seeing someone on social media mention that they wish they would’ve done it. I said to myself – “I’m not wishing – I’ll do it.” This perhaps was the best place for a newbie like me to start. This program is jammed packed with information. I needed the support, the motivation and knowledge. Through the program I was able to learn about diet, leaky gut, the health of our gut microbiome and was able to lower my inflammation naturally.
My first doctor for RA was a Functional Medicine Doctor. She provided me information on the other ROOT causes of RA on Stress Management, Releasing Environmental Toxins and Metals. I took part in different therapists to release this trauma. I cleaned my home of any environmental toxins that I come in contact with. I had ALL of the Mercury taken out of my teeth. See, I had grown into the mindset that I have nothing but TIME to try all of these things.
I worked the Paddison Program for almost a year. To this day, I maintain a strict diet. I don’t eat sugars, gluten or dairy. I eat alot of greens and vegetables. During that first year, I read everything I could get my hands on for RA. I became my own advocate and researcher. It was while doing this research that I was following a string of conversations on Social Media. One lady said her RA was in remission. Of course, I had to ask HOW!! She directed me to THE ROAD BACK FOUNDATION and the books. I shared this Information with my Functional Medicine Dr. She got me on Minocycline M,W,F right away in Feb. of 2022. At this time I still struggled with flare ups.
I saw my first RA doctor in March of 2022. She was very upset about everything I had been through and all that I have done. She doesn’t believe that there is a cause to RA. By this time, I had learned alot about RA and understood that I needed a medication to control my immune system from attacking other body organs so I agreed to a small amount of Methotrexate. She also helped me to understand that I was too far behind the pain I was dealing with for my body to catch up on low doses of prednisone. So she prescribed Prednisone starting with a very high amount and decreasing over the span of a month and a half. This whole process took me right of through the Herxheimer Reaction. So I never had to deal with this. After all was said and done, I made it through to the other side – PAIN FREE and have stayed this way for over a year.
I recommend this protocol to everyone. Please stop suffering and try this.