Had some blood work done last week. Got my results back today. My rheumatoid factor went from +89 to +38. That's a decrease of 51. The goal is the normal range of <14>
Every year since I was diagnosed, I have had severe pain in my joints in August and September. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst, my pain was always right around 9+. This year it has been at about a level 2. Two years ago after having had to have a liver biopsy because of the drugs I was taking (methotrexate and Plaquenil), I decided to stop taking the medications my rheumatologist recommended. He wasn't happy, but at the same time, I was not feeling any better. I did not want to ever have another liver biopsy. I chose to follow a health and wellness program and the results are paying off.
This may not work for everyone, but I think everyone should give it a try. No meds, healthy food, lots of fluids, minimal sugar (the effects of sugar accumulates in the joints) and exercise. Oh yes, and get in touch with a Maximized Living Chiropractor. To find one where you live, go on line to http://www.maximizedlivinghealthsite.com/. Or, you can sign up with my chiropractor, Dr. Dan Yachter at http://www.maximizedlivingdryachter.com/. He will work with you on sending your RA packing. I plan to be completely healed in the next few years.
It's important to give up smoking, do not drink alcohol and avoid sugar. Nutrasweet is also a bad choice. It is also recommended to eat only whole grain breads in small quantities. Grains are known to cause inflammation. You can get recipes and other information at the websites I mentioned. You don't have to live with RA forever. Lifestyle is an important causative factor in RA and if you want true healing, try chiropractic care and lifestyle changes.
Sign up for Dr. Dan's free newsletter at http://www.yachterhealth.com/ and he also has a fitness club online. It's only $10/month and you will learn a myriad of things to do to get healthy and put your RA into remission. http://www.healthandfitnessmembership.com/.
It takes time. I've been working on this for 4 years now and I'm finally getting the results I have been praying for. I want my RA to go away. I don't have confidence in the medical community anymore. Drugs are big business and I don't want to be part of someone else's wallet getting fat.
Stay tuned for more.
Showing posts with label RA side effects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RA side effects. Show all posts
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
RA and Pollution: Is there a connection?
Copy and paste the web site below into your browser. New research is showing that people who live near highways or heavily traveled roads tend to develop RA more often. Whether this is a cause or not is not known yet for sure. More research is needed.
I lived on a busy road for about 20 years of my life. T his is an interesting study to say the least. Pollution is not good for us no matter where it comes from. Is this something we can believe when it comes to RA? Can we de-toxify? I am looking into just that. I've tried the RA drugs. I stopped taking them 2 years ago. They didn't help. I am told that even if the drugs help, they don't work past 5 years, then they wear off. The best I can expect from poisonous drugs is "remission", but that is only temporary. Then what? Remission is not a cure. There are also side effects from these drugs. Two of these side effects can be fatal: tuberculosis and lymphoma. No thanks. Some clinicians suggest that the patients who develop TB or lymphoma would have developed it whether they were on the RA drugs or not. Really? That's scary. It reminds me of the statement "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" What surprises will medical science come up with next? I know they mean well, but when Big Pharma is involved, I'm sure the almighty dollar is involved too. Don't experiment with my health, thank you very much. Why do they insist on releasing drugs to the public just to be recalled in a year or two? We're guinea pigs for the pharmaceutical industry. Did you know that you don't have to be a nurse or physician to be a drug rep? That's scary too!
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2009/0800503/0800503.pdf
In conclusion, I guess what I'm trying to say is "do your own research." Don't just take a pill because your doctor prescribes it. He/she doesn't really know for certain if that pill will work anymore than you do. They just have the "experimental science" and the drug reps to rely on. So, I have provided you with some of the same. This report may be hard to understand, but do your best. I think it's time for patients to try to cure themselves. Patients should still visit their physicians. I do not recommend stopping your doctor visits. It's important to have your blood checked and x-rays taken of your joints every so often. However, trying the healthy approach can't hurt either. Check out http://www.youcanbehealthy.org/ and http://www.maximizedlivinghealthsite.com/ and see what natural health care can do for you.
I have this vision: What if RA patients started to improve or better yet, their RA was cured? And, all they did was start eating healthier, exercising, and avoiding pollutants and medications? Wow! That would certainly open the eyes of the medical community, wouldn't it?
Until next time,
I lived on a busy road for about 20 years of my life. T his is an interesting study to say the least. Pollution is not good for us no matter where it comes from. Is this something we can believe when it comes to RA? Can we de-toxify? I am looking into just that. I've tried the RA drugs. I stopped taking them 2 years ago. They didn't help. I am told that even if the drugs help, they don't work past 5 years, then they wear off. The best I can expect from poisonous drugs is "remission", but that is only temporary. Then what? Remission is not a cure. There are also side effects from these drugs. Two of these side effects can be fatal: tuberculosis and lymphoma. No thanks. Some clinicians suggest that the patients who develop TB or lymphoma would have developed it whether they were on the RA drugs or not. Really? That's scary. It reminds me of the statement "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" What surprises will medical science come up with next? I know they mean well, but when Big Pharma is involved, I'm sure the almighty dollar is involved too. Don't experiment with my health, thank you very much. Why do they insist on releasing drugs to the public just to be recalled in a year or two? We're guinea pigs for the pharmaceutical industry. Did you know that you don't have to be a nurse or physician to be a drug rep? That's scary too!
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2009/0800503/0800503.pdf
In conclusion, I guess what I'm trying to say is "do your own research." Don't just take a pill because your doctor prescribes it. He/she doesn't really know for certain if that pill will work anymore than you do. They just have the "experimental science" and the drug reps to rely on. So, I have provided you with some of the same. This report may be hard to understand, but do your best. I think it's time for patients to try to cure themselves. Patients should still visit their physicians. I do not recommend stopping your doctor visits. It's important to have your blood checked and x-rays taken of your joints every so often. However, trying the healthy approach can't hurt either. Check out http://www.youcanbehealthy.org/ and http://www.maximizedlivinghealthsite.com/ and see what natural health care can do for you.
I have this vision: What if RA patients started to improve or better yet, their RA was cured? And, all they did was start eating healthier, exercising, and avoiding pollutants and medications? Wow! That would certainly open the eyes of the medical community, wouldn't it?
Until next time,
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
DRY EYE AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Last month, after suffering for months and months from red, itchy, burning eyes, I went to my opthalmologist. I knew that dry eye was a common complaint for people with RA, and I didn't want to destroy my vision by ignoring my symptoms.
I went to the doctor, and yes, I have dry eye probably related to my RA, although as people age, they can also develop dry eye. Mine is most likely as a direct result of RA. I was prescribed Restasis eye drops. We've all seen the commercials for Restasis, and they sound convincing. It is a very expensive drug. My co-pay is extremely high, but this drug is the only drug to treat dry eye. Other drops are just moisturizing drops.
The doctor informed me it would take about 3 months before I would notice any improvement. That was disappointing, but I began my journey to eyes that would once again produce tears. I've been on the drug for about 1 month now. The redness has improved, but the burning remains. Itching is minimal. Once I get to the point where I am producing my own tears again, my dosage will be decreased. I will be placed on a maintenance dose. I hope it works. I hate having to remember putting drops in my eyes every 12 hours. I am still able to use artificial tears in between if my symptoms get worse. I use my computer a lot and this is not good for dry eye, but this is what I do.
So, if you find yourself with itchy, burning, red (and I mean RED) eyes, consider seeing an ophthalmologist and be checked out. Left untreated, dry eye can cause abrasions on the corneal surface which could be extremely painful. If you happen to wear contact lenses, don't wait until you have pain. Get checked now. Contact lenses are not recommended when you have dry eye. That's disappointing for sure. But, with all the new styles of glasses out there these days, it's not a real problem for me.
In conclusion, there's always something to keep an "eye" on when you have RA (pun intended). This is just one more thing to deal with, but deal with it I will! My eyes are important. At least now I know there is a treatment for my problem. For that I am thankful.
I went to the doctor, and yes, I have dry eye probably related to my RA, although as people age, they can also develop dry eye. Mine is most likely as a direct result of RA. I was prescribed Restasis eye drops. We've all seen the commercials for Restasis, and they sound convincing. It is a very expensive drug. My co-pay is extremely high, but this drug is the only drug to treat dry eye. Other drops are just moisturizing drops.
The doctor informed me it would take about 3 months before I would notice any improvement. That was disappointing, but I began my journey to eyes that would once again produce tears. I've been on the drug for about 1 month now. The redness has improved, but the burning remains. Itching is minimal. Once I get to the point where I am producing my own tears again, my dosage will be decreased. I will be placed on a maintenance dose. I hope it works. I hate having to remember putting drops in my eyes every 12 hours. I am still able to use artificial tears in between if my symptoms get worse. I use my computer a lot and this is not good for dry eye, but this is what I do.
So, if you find yourself with itchy, burning, red (and I mean RED) eyes, consider seeing an ophthalmologist and be checked out. Left untreated, dry eye can cause abrasions on the corneal surface which could be extremely painful. If you happen to wear contact lenses, don't wait until you have pain. Get checked now. Contact lenses are not recommended when you have dry eye. That's disappointing for sure. But, with all the new styles of glasses out there these days, it's not a real problem for me.
In conclusion, there's always something to keep an "eye" on when you have RA (pun intended). This is just one more thing to deal with, but deal with it I will! My eyes are important. At least now I know there is a treatment for my problem. For that I am thankful.
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