:wave:
Hi I'm new to all of this but there seem to be a fair number of people out there with a similiar condition to myself. I was sixteen when I was referred to the Early Arthritis Clinic. I am now twenty one and although I experienced a brief respite from the pain a while ago, it's back. I have Sero Negative Arthritis in my knee, so they tell me, and I'm at a loss as to how to proceed. After a cople of years on Salazopyrin and Plaquenil, my health had deteriorated, so I decided to go down the Homeopathic route.

It worked like a charm. We discovered I had a dairy intolerance. I cut out all dairy from my diet and the arthritis seemed to magically dissapear. For two and a half years I experienced hardly any pain. Then in September 2004, it all came back. I've been struggling with it for the past three and a half months solid. My diet does not include dairy anymore and I have grown accustomed to the fact that it is a contributor-but it cannot be a cause when there is none in my system and I'm suffering as badly now as I was four years ago. I have not felt much relief from the difene I'm on unless I take more than I am prescribed. I don't like doing this but a few times I had to -just to get around.

I'm a full time college student and trying to get an appointment with my homeopathist again was difficult. I met him in September, but haven't been able to see him since. He is in high demand and I kept thinking that if I just tried to keep my joint warm and take some extra supplements or something it would go away.

I read about glucosamine and choindroitin in a book about Osteoarthritis, but I have Rheumatoid. I decide to get them anyway as I figured there could probably be no harm in it. I tried not taking Difene for a few days, but the pain was really severe so I'm back on it. I don't know if these supplements are of any benefit to me because I cannot know if thety are helping my knee rebuild cartilage from the inside out. It is very frustrating.

I was hoping to find out if anyone knows much about glucosamine and choindroitin and if either of these can have an impact on someone with RA. I would like to stay out of the hospitals and clinics, because I have had bad experiences with the drugs that they put me on. I also found that they tried to dismiss my thoughts out of hand. It was also very annoying that I never saw the same doctor twice after my first few visits. If there are drugs available however that would be beneficial to a young sufferer of Arthritis, I am more than weilling to have a good look at my options. I just don't know what my options are.

Thanks for taking the time to read this...I hope someone will be able to point me in the right direction!

Fiona :)

poor you! hang in there! btw.. ive never heard of seronegative - what exactly is that? have you tried eliminating gluten from your diet as well? i heard some people have sensitivity to that when they also do to dairy.... also, have u tried predinose?

For what can a gal do...have you seen a rheumatologist lately? It took me a few tries to find one I really liked and if you find a good one, they should be able to tell you all your options, their recommendation, and then let you make the decision. On the homeopathic route, have you tried accupuncture and kinesiology?

As to the seronegative question, that is supposed to mean you test negative for RA. Apparently only 30% of people test positive for RA in the first few years, but eventually 80% of people test positive. So you can test negative and still have it.

I have been diagnosed for now, with seronegative inflammatory polyarthritis. Started with one knee and then 7 months later, the other knee started. Unfortunately I didn't see a rheumy until after having arthroscopic surgery for a meniscus tear, which obviously turned out not to be the problem...ah well, I digress.

Good luck!

I would not waste time with any treatment modality with a low chance of success, such as homeopathy or diet. Given the localized onset, I would consider aspiration of synovial fluid and either a dna analysis or an attempt to culture a microbe. Do you have a history of animal bites? Any skin surface manifestations of the joint pain?

For what can a gal do...have you seen a rheumatologist lately? It took me a few tries to find one I really liked and if you find a good one, they should be able to tell you all your options, their recommendation, and then let you make the decision. On the homeopathic route, have you tried accupuncture and kinesiology?

As to the seronegative question, that is supposed to mean you test negative for RA. Apparently only 30% of people test positive for RA in the first few years, but eventually 80% of people test positive. So you can test negative and still have it.

I have been diagnosed for now, with seronegative inflammatory polyarthritis. Started with one knee and then 7 months later, the other knee started. Unfortunately I didn't see a rheumy until after having arthroscopic surgery for a meniscus tear, which obviously turned out not to be the problem...ah well, I digress.

Good luck!
Thanks for your reply to my message - I'll definately take what you have mentioned into account. I have actually been taking a supplement that has choindroitin and glucosamine on it as well as other things (fish oils, vitamin E, Ginger, nettle leaf and Magnesium Stearate) and things seem to be looking up! I am taking some Difene every now and then, when I over-exert myself! I wish you good luck in your search for a pain-free life!

You can find doctors who do a blend of alternative and traditional medicine. There are new treatments for RA out there. I am also sero-negative and am taking Plaquenil and Methotrexate, which I hate, but it works. I have just started Remicade and after just 1 treatment I can tell a difference. The new biologic drugs are dramatic in the difference they make. If the homeopathic route stops working for you, please find a good rheumatologist that treats the patient and not the lab report.