:wave:
In 1997 I was diagnosed with RA shortly after giving birth to my third child. Sadly, he only lived for 21 hours. I took supplement of glucosamine sulfate and multi-vitamins, and it eased the pain. Then 6 months after giving birth, I conceived again and during pregnancy, my RA symtoms subsided, but flared up after 1 month of giving birth. This time the pain concentratred on my left ankle, extremely painful. Medications I took from my rheumy at that time made me more ill (no stamina at times), so I stopped taking them and started to take glucosamine sulfate with chondroitin along with multi-vitamins. After reading a few books and researching a little on the internet, I also changed my diet. I stopped eating meats, but fish and chicken. I ate a lot of japanese cucumbers and also ate more fresh fruits and vegetables. I shunned food from nightshade plants like eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers. I felt a little better except my ankle was still painful. It was hard to walk normally even with a cane. Then almost 1 year past, I tried this supplement called CM gold, and after taking it for 2 weeks, I was painfree. That was over 5 years ago.

On February this year, I gave birth again and after 1 month, guess what--
it's baaaack...and this time it came in full swing. Every joints of my body was affected from the base of my neck down to my toes. For 3 months it was hellish to take care of an infant, but she constantly reminds me of hope. Taking glucosamine and vitamins just wasn't helping anymore, and it took so long to get an appointment for a rheumatologist. I guess rheumies are hard to come by here in Hawaii or are there just too many patients to accomodate? So now, after 1 month of taking prednisone(5 mg) and methotrexate, I feel a little better or I wouldn't be able to post this at all. I'm able to mobilize my upper portions freely, but my knees and ankles are still painful. My rheumy suggested upping my dosage of methotrexate but actually I wanted it decreased. I don't want to be too dependent on western medications and also want to add that I'm allergic to anything that's aspirin-based which most of arthritic medications have. I did try to find that CM gold(contained cetyl myristolate) again but found out that it's no longer available. I do know that you can purchase CMo(cetyle myristolate) online but it's not the same brand and quality because I tried it. It's hard to be sure that it's the real McCoy. I really want to try natural remedies. HAS ANYONE TRIED ARTHRO-7 or any natural remedies?

Hi Birhen, Have you tried detoxing your body and changing your diet so that your eating completely natural? I have known several people that have been able to stop their RA pain with these methods and reverse their symptoms. Also do you know anything about Leaky gut symdrome or candida?

You may want to try a homeopathic remedy that I use!! Bryonia --- Take it 3 or 4 times daily for a few days. You will know if it works!! I use the 30X potency and you can buy it at a health food store. Also, Potatos is a nightshade veggie that affects alot of people.

I haven't used Astro-7.

Peace---Harry

I too have RA (I am only 24) and I am on the same meds as you. Exact same amount of Pred too. I don't want to be dependent on western meds but unfortunatley being a single mom who has to be able to function to work and be a mom I needed relief. So far I am on the same meds as you and an anti-inflammitory. I can see some progress but I am still in pain, some days are better than others. I do notice that the Pred really helps with the swelling. I too know that when I go into the doctor they will up my meds more and more and I don't like that. How much Metho are you on? I was just upped to 4 pills once a week now.

As for the gold I have never heard of it. I was just diagnosed in July 2004.

As for diet....I still believe to eat healthy natural foods is best for everyone. Sick or not sick, to get natural fiber, protien, eat lots of fruits and vegtables, and making sure you are taking the right and proper amount of vitamens is the way of life. I would like to share with you that I have not been eating read meat for 6 years and chicken/turkey for 3 years. I eat only fish, veggies, fruit, eggs, and dairy. I used to work out 5 days a week too. But sure enough I was still diagnosed with RA. So...as for diet and using that only to help with RA, I am very doubtful just going off my own experiance. Of course I do try to pay attention to see if anything makes me feel worse but that is about it. Like I said, everyone should try to eat healthy, natural foods in good health or bad.

I went to a Chinese medicine doctor and got a special herbal medicine made for me. But I have not tried it because I am on western medicine. I don't know what route to go. I am scared to go off one medicine and be in the pain and agony again. I am also doing Reiki which is helping me at times. I do plan to try to make an appoitment with an all natural doctor but I can't get in until Dec!!!

Take care and I hope you keep sharing any information you have in your quest to helping your RA.

I've played with homeopathic and conventional and find that conventional works best for me. As nice as homeopathic medicene sounds, ala natural etc etc it really isn't much different from western, all drugs come from some plant or tree, maybe western is more far removed from the original but it is there. I do like my drugs under more scrutiny than what homeopathic offers, I prefer more clinical trials thatn homeopathic offers. Not saying that the homeopathic or chinese medicene is impure but it does lack the regulations required for western meds, such as dilution, other fillers etc and all homeopathic meds were found to have high dilutions and fillers that were not desirable as well, while costing you more for very little. Not to mention that homeopath drugs were very far from the original tincture that has been used for thousands of years, we just don't have the plant life like it was long before man started over running the earth. I stuck with homepathic medicene and chinese herbs for 4 years and went back to western where I do feel a little better and I have RA and Osteo throughout my spine and limbs and nerve degeneration. Neither one is capable of a cure or remotely close to it. Homeopathic medicene is just as expensive in the long run as western if you really add it up. I try to not use much of anything as often as I can anymore. After working in the homeopathic field for years and seeing how it was done, made me realise they are just another organization trying to get into our pockets just like the pharmacuetical companies.

Hello Hannasnana,

I've never heard of Leaky gut syndrome or candida till you mentioned it. Reading a little bit about it, it has to do with having yeast or bacterial growth in different parts of your body like the mouth, intestinal walls, and in the vagina. It mentioned that you tend to get this when the body is low with immune cells. I wonder if arthritic people are susceptible to this who take medications like pred or metho because they both suppress the immune system. For that matter, we (who take these meds) are susceptible to anything from cold to heart failure. I don't think I have that condition (yet), God forbid, I have enough on my plate. In addition to my meds my rheumy have me taking folic acid and extra calcium to prevent or minimize the side effects of the medications. She suggested taking omega-3 fatty acids also, which I do. She said it's the only natural supplement she knows that's been showing good results.

I too would also like to say thank you to mentioning "leaky guy syndrome". At first I thought it was a joke with a name like that. But after researching it on the internet I am going to be asking my Rhuemy doc what he has to say about that and if it might apply to me.

Hi thescaredest,
I feel for you. You're so young to have RA, but then again there is such thing as "junior arthritis" that affect even the youngest children. It's heartbreaking. At times, I feel that arthritic pain is like a slow torture in life, but then dismiss the notion when I think that there must be a purpose for having it. I could try to reason the possibilities but it's probably useless. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack.

With my doctor's approval I tried to decrease my pred to 2.5mg/day for a couple of days but I couldn't stand it. My knees tightened up so badly that it felt like my first phase. So I went back to 5mg again and it's better. I take the same amount as you on the metho(4 pills at 2.5 mg ea.). Perhaps if I start taking 6 pills, I can lower my prednisone. I have to see if my bloodtest is ok on my liver which I have to take every month. By the way, I also take milk thistle to prevent my liver from deteriorating. You can get it at healthfood store.

What is the healing power behind Reiki? Is it a class to take like taking 'tai chi' or something? Is it costly?

I appreciate everyone's reply. Thank you so much, much mahalo. :bouncing:

Hi Birhen,
Sorta a relief in some weird way that someone else is on the same exact dose of some of the meds I am on. Don't ask me why and I wish none of us were sick and had to be on anything but....I too am hoping once the metho kicks in or I am upped I can go off that Pred. I go to get my blood work/liver tested this Friday and I am anxious to hear what the doctor has to say. I am going to by a day/monthly planner to record how I feel and at what times...pain, stiffness, headaches, feel good, queasy, stuff like that. I will ask him about the milkthistle too. Thanks for the suggestion.

Reiki is energy healing. Tai chi is sorta like yoga were as in Reiki you lay on a bed and a Reiki master performs it on you. Sorry it is hard to explain especially in writing. But they believe that there are many forms of energy. Right now in my Reiki experiance (everyone's is different and it can very from session to session) yesterday we worked on pain. And helping the energy flow to relieve the pain. With Reiki it to takes time but it is not so much as working on just pain and the disease but working on healing with in oneself. Maybe to sorta help, since I am just learning about it myself (I have only been doing it since I was first diagnosed-1 month) I am reading a book that I highly recommend. It is called, "You can heal your life" by Louise L. Hay. It may look sorta cheesy but I am learning from it. My friend with an auto-immune disease recommended it and the person who does Reiki on me:)
Take care everyone. I hope that helps you birhen.

hello nancy,

i'm sorry to hear about your condition. it sounds more serious than my state. i see your point that pharmaceutical products are just as good or just as bad as the natural ones. i guess some people like myself are just trying to prevent from getting too dependent or addicted to western medications which properties tend to do. it seemed to have etched on my head that natural remedies are a lot better for the body to absorb and do less damage. i believe there are such thing as those healing naturals because i tried it once and worked. maybe my condition wasn't that severe as now but i'm sure there are people out there that might benifit the same if their condition is not at that point of no return. still, i'm not giving up on the natural remedies, although, for now i'm happy with prednisone and metho.

i appreciate your reply. it does make me think twice. :)

i just want to add that my regular doctor mentioned that often times, RA condition seems to get more severe with more pregnancies. that seems to be true in my case and wonder why my obgyn did not warn me about this sinced this was my third pregnancy sinced i was first diagnosed with RA. of course i'm not sorry for having my child, she's so precious, but i should have been given a choice ( i don't mean abortion but just not get pregnant anymore.) I just wanted to mention this because i had my RA under control and i was painfree for five years after taking natural supplements for a short while until i got pregnant again.

Hi thescaredest,
I feel for you. You're so young to have RA, but then again there is such thing as "junior arthritis" that affect even the youngest children. It's heartbreaking. At times, I feel that arthritic pain is like a slow torture in life, but then dismiss the notion when I think that there must be a purpose for having it. I could try to reason the possibilities but it's probably useless. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack.

With my doctor's approval I tried to decrease my pred to 2.5mg/day for a couple of days but I couldn't stand it. My knees tightened up so badly that it felt like my first phase. So I went back to 5mg again and it's better. I take the same amount as you on the metho(4 pills at 2.5 mg ea.). Perhaps if I start taking 6 pills, I can lower my prednisone. I have to see if my bloodtest is ok on my liver which I have to take every month. By the way, I also take milk thistle to prevent my liver from deteriorating. You can get it at healthfood store.

What is the healing power behind Reiki? Is it a class to take like taking 'tai chi' or something? Is it costly?

I appreciate everyone's reply. Thank you so much, much mahalo. :bouncing:

How long have you been taking prednisone? My dr. would only prescribe it for 2 weeks. It worked a miracle for me! I have OA AND RA and always in pain.
However, my dr. said prednisone has too many side-effects to take it for a long period of time. I wish I could take it every day!

How long have you been taking prednisone? My dr. would only prescribe it for 2 weeks. It worked a miracle for me! I have OA AND RA and always in pain.
However, my dr. said prednisone has too many side-effects to take it for a long period of time. I wish I could take it every day!


hi AusiJulie,

i've been taking prednisone for about a 1 1/2 month now. it's helped me tremendously with the upper portions of my body. before that, i couldn't brush my teeth or my hair good. at one time, i was so frustrated trying to take my blouse off and couldn't that i just cut it down the middle. i couldn't hold my newborn too long and had to prop her bottle when i fed her. it was very depressing. i cried every morning when the joints were usually their stiffest and the baby crying at the same time. after taking prednisone for a couple of weeks, i felt a little bit hopeful that i was going to get better after all, but scared at same time anticipating the side effects. i'm taking 5mg a day on the prednisone and 4pills(2.5mg ea.) of methotrexate once a week. that seems to control my RA pains. i still have stiffness on my ankles, so i walk with a cane. my doctor said that it should feel a lot better when the methotrexate kicks in, in maybe a few more weeks. she wants to increase dosage on the metho so i can wean off the prednisone because like your doctor said, it is very damaging especially if you're on it for a long period. right now i don't feel any side effects yet but READ THE ANSWER BY KISSA ON THREAD--Prednisone question (pg. 4 on ARTHRITIS and pg.1 reply).
dated 08-02-2004.

i have to add that besides the medications, i take vitamins and supplements that seems to be helping me with the moodswing. today i picked up a new supplement called FLEXCIN from a healthfood store. it has multi formula for joint aids and is natural. you know, my ankles felt better today. i will post about it again after taking it for two weeks or 1 month. IT WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER IF WE ALL GOT OFF THE MEDICATIONS, DON'T YOU THINK?

Hi AusiJulie and Birhen,

Ausijulie....about the Pred, I like Birhen had to take the Pred as a necessity to get by. I was so against taking it but then I was unable to do anything from simple things (Like Birhen brushing teeth, makeup, holding anything) to bigger tasks as driving or being a Mom to my 7yearold. I took it and saw immediate relief (but not pain free). My swelling was reduced and the stiffness and was able to go back to most of my daily tasks. I was taking 5mg a day then they tried to up me to 10 but that made me feel anxious, jittery, irratable, and I hated it. So I am back to the 5 mg a day.

I want off the Pred now. I am on it because I have to be but I hate it. I don't want to be on a ton of meds and the less I am on the better. I like Birhen am waiting to feel relief and see progress from the Methotrexate. We are basically in the same boat doc/med wise.

If it isn't necessary I would say do not take the Pred or anyother med for that matter.

Hi Birhen-is your hair falling out from the Metho? Mine is and I hate it. I am taking plenty of folic acid. I agree with your last statement...I so badly wish I did not have to be on any:)

hey thescaredest,
sorry to hear about your hair. i'm going through the same thing but mine have different factors behind it--drugs, RA condition, postpartum, and yeah--aging.LOL
it's getting better though, must be from the folic acid. my hair used to fall off so much that it would be all over my baby, the floor, and clogging up drainage. scary!
another thing that i notice that's scary is my eyesight. i might need to see an eye dr. i wonder if it's one of the drugs' side effects. as i remember, plaquenil would do that but i don't know about pred and metho.

today, i took only 2.5mg of pred and i didn't go up on the metho like i planned to and so far so good. i'm excited about the FLEXCIN. i feel that it's working. i keep you posted. heck! i'll keep everybody posted if something wonderful comes up that might help us.

-maria