I had decided at my one year anniversary I would evaluate my journey on minocycline and post my story. I was diagnosed in the fall of 2008 with RA. My paternal grandmother had RA. As a young child we would visit once a year with my grandparents (we lived overseas). I don’t have any good memories of her and only saw a crippled woman who never had a smile on her face. So my first thoughts upon being diagnosed was I am doomed to a sedentary life and my life was not going to be what I once knew it as.
My factors were high as well as SED and CRP. I started off with MTX pills and then switched to injections, as I was told it was more effective and less toxic. My first rheumatologist had no bedside manners and I think she thought her job was to scare the hell out of her patients and tell them to suck it up. I left her after 4 months. I continued on MTX until it started to make me nauseous. Around April ’09, my current doctor put me on Cimzia (which is used more for Crohn patients). It worked well and my CRP fluctuated from .6 to 1.6. But the more I researched my fate, I didn’t like what I read. I had already gone to a Paleo diet and decided that I would discontinue my treatments with Cimzia and go the diet route. I found a holistic nutritionist to help with supplements. I stopped Cimzia April 2011.
I can say the diet helped but the inflammation started to creep back. I was still highly functional but could tell a difference. I continued my research and came across The Roadback Foundation. I purchased The New Arthritis Breakthrough. Read it before I called my rheumatologist. Knowing that a number of doctors will not prescribe minocycline, I was ready with all my information. He said yes, he would agree to go that route. Not being versed in AP, I knew that I was going to have to be on top of my game. I contacted Dr. S. in Iowa and he helped me get started.
When I returned to my doctor in February 2012 to start AP. My CRP was back up to 15 with a RA factor of 267.5. I continued with the Paleo diet along with AP. By May 2012, my RA factor was down to 110.2 and CRP at 3.4. August 2012 my CRP climbed to 9.2 but by November it had fallen to 4.3 with my RA factor of 91.4. At my one year anniversary it was down to 2.5.
All along I continued to work out and play golf. Kept a food journal and how I felt on the day. September 2012 I completed a 70 mile bike ride and a 45 mile ride. I spin 3x a week, yoga 2x a week along with TRX exercises and weights. I believe I am in the best shape of my life. And my golf game is turning around after my slump of last year. I am by no means in remission but my doctor told me to see him in 8 months!
Minocyline, diet and exercise brought my life back to me! Now my newest addition is juicing for lunch. I’ll report back in another year!