Holistic and Natural Treatments for RA | Arthritis Information

I've been reading about all the meds everyone is on with RA. I was wondering if anyone has tried holistic or natural treatments for their RA and if it is working. The thought of going on these strong meds is so depressing for me and to be frank I'm afraid of their long time effects on my body. Will the drugs do more damage than the RA?Hi Aleva, I've had RA and PsA for more years than I care to count and been on numerous treatments, including natural treatments. Because of fear and denial I have damage in my elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles. I have one new knee and will have the second one done next year. As I've said before, I fear the disease and it's complications and damage more than I do the drugs. That wasn't the case in the beginning of the disease. I ignored it and tried to live with it and I have the damage to prove how wrong I was. I also have pulmonary and cardiac complications from RA.

With RA you want to achieve clinical remission. You don't want just a decrease in pain and inflammation, you want them to be gone. The only way I know to achieve remission is with the medications. For me the disease is much worse than any effects that I've had from the medications. I'm in clinical remission with Humira and MXT.

I also use natural treatments but they compliment my RA drug treatment, they don't replace it because they can't. I wish it were that simple, but it's a complex disease with complex treatments. Keep reading the forum, talk with your doctor and really educate yourself about the disease and it's processes. Lindy

Natural treatments can compliment the drug treatments of RA. You should discuss each natural treatment with your RD before trying if you're taking RA medications. There can be interactions.

I've had RA for 9 years. I am finally, after trying various combos of the meds, nearing remission. I have never had any significant side effects from the meds. I did have an allergy to Humira, but I simply stopped using it.

Because it took so long to find the right med, I too have a lot of damage to various joints. In my experience, the damage and complications of RA are much worse than the side effects of the meds.

I want to be like you when I grow up

I'm taking the MTX and enbrel with the hopes to have the successes above... You may be able to find some relief from discomfort from some naturopathic remedies.. but, I am also of the belief that it cannot stop or control the disease and the crippling effects..

I look at this as a quality of life situation.. sadly.. there could be ramifications from the meds.. but, I would not be able to live without their help... I would only exist.

Good luck to you, Aleva

I have one friend trying holistic/natural with her disease and yes, it's working. But if she; slips at all, she flares so the disease is still there, held in check by diet, natural vitamins and herbs etc. She has had no attacks in over 6 months now. My goal is to hit remission with the Minocin, start the diets and herbs and stay there long enough to attempt to go med free.

Yes, the meds are scary. I freaked about Plaquenil when first diagnosed. Now, after researching and learning all I can, I'm like Plaq - bring it on! if my antibiotics fail.

IMHO - the beginning is where you have the most room to experiment. But be a scientist about it. Get regular Xrays and know what is going on in your body. Research you bootie off.

Hugs,

Pip

Pip!2008-07-22 07:58:10Aleva, even if people say they have success with natural treatments you have no way of telling if they have a mild case or the kind that comes and goes. I do all the foods that are anti inflammatory and it is still not enough to slow or stop the disease. All the recent research indicates if you hit it hard in the beginning you will more easily reach remission and get off the meds rather than wait and make it much harder to get to remission. I have had no trouble with any of the meds and consider any future trouble worth my now ability to enjoy life to the fullest.Hello!
I don't know how long you have RA. I have it for 5 years, and in the beginning I was scared of it and religiously took all the drugs I was given. Recently I found out that red wine has huge effect on my RA. SO DOES RESVERATROL (EXTRACT FROM GRAPES).Please note that I don't sell this product and I buy it at Sam's myself.I almost went off drugs and was OK for 17 days (NOT LONG ENOUGH TO SHOW SUCCESS). The folks on this website convinced me not to stop taking drugs. Anyway, with Resveratrol and red wine I manage to stay on one drug and even skip this drug for 1-2 days. A few months ago I went to RD and she was stunned that I DIDN'T HAVE any destruction of joints with all the mild meds I took in 5 years. In the past 2 years I became a bad patient: skipped drugs all the time, didn't go to RD for a year, but I am a healthy eater and work out 2 times a week.
I am trying Arthazen now: it is natural but its too early to say if it works. The thing is that everybody takes real drugs along with supplements and its hard to say what helps. I quit eating sugar on regular basis and I think it helps too. Yes you guys are right. I'm just scared. The RA has already destroyed my knuckles and middle finger on my right hand and now my knees are going. I guess I've done this to myself by being in denial for 20 years and going into complete remission 3 times. Well it's back and different this time around. I am going to make an appt. with a rheumy. You are right about just existing and not living. Thank you all for your replies. i think I've finally made up my mind now.I am under the beliefs that Lin & Lynn have nailed on the head. Diet and natural treatments may help compliment the drugs - but there is no replacement for the drugs themselves. Hugs

~Brenna

Lin, you are right. I went to Russian RA website (I can read Russian), and was horrified: they don't have access to good drugs over there or the cost is too high for people. Some people don't even go to RD at all. % of Disabilities is huge while there are less cases of RA among population (800 000 vs. 2 million in US). I am bad about taking drugs and rebel from time to time but I do understand that I will take drugs for the rest of my life.Pepper, those statistics don't surprise me at all. Like I said earlier I've tried it all over the years. I even worked with Dr. Weil at his clinic many years ago to set up a complimentary profile to use with my drugs but nothing helped. His diet worked the best for me. I use no sugar or sugar substitutes, little sodium, and low fat, mostly fish, chicken and lean beef. This type of diet is best for me. It doesn't matter if I eat the nightshades or not. No difference but sugars really cause me more inflammation. Lindy [QUOTE=Aleva]I've been reading about all the meds everyone is on with RA.   I was wondering if anyone has tried holistic or natural treatments for their RA and if it is working. The thought of going on these strong meds is so depressing for me and to be frank I'm afraid of their long time effects on my body.   Will the drugs do more damage than the RA?[/QUOTE]

Fish oil works well for me. I got by for years with nothing more than fish oil (10g/day) plus occasional naproxen and medrol as needed. I've recently had to add in plaquenil, but perhaps one day I'll be able to stop using it.
Keep in mind that just because something is "natural and holistic" doesn't mean it is without risk.Hi Aleva
I think I'm fairly "holistic", I do a very serious no gluten and no dairy or red meat diet (very very healthy diet), take flax oil, vit c, vit e, magnesium, and also take epsom salt baths 2/weekly.   Have also tried other stuff as well, some of which was downright dangerous (herbal treatment).

As you will see from my signature I take large doses of drugs, Enbrel, Methotrexate and Pred.    I couldn't do without the meds, as I'd be really ill, but I'm convinced the alternative stuff also helps.

My doc always says I'm extremely healthy except I have RA!!

Anna UK
to everyone here with RA, i admire you all. my wife has it and i cant even begin to imagine what it is like.

she's had it since we first met 8 years ago and she has gone through her ups and downs. we began taking her diet into real consideration only a year ago because we wanted to start having kids soon. about october of last year, we started on her on a gluten free diet. we are not as good as we should be but we try to avoid most everything. overall, i think it's working well for her. with the better diet, a decrease in her medication hasnt increased her symptoms. she only recently began having pains due to her coming of metho completely. we have been on the edge of starting a raw foods diet... but as many know, that can be very tough. hopefully it will all be worth it when we have a healthy kid :)

good luck to everyone!

side note: thank goodness for this site. i wish i found it sooner!

How do you know when your in Clinical Remisson? Do they test your blood? I have had RA for 12 years and just now with taking Orencia and Mthx. I feel I can move exercise and go shopping. I have been on this combo for over a year. Will it take another 5 years to be in remission. This is scary.. Hi Seabreezy, If it were as simple as what we ate or didn't eat do you think I would be on all of these drugs? There are all kind of announcements made about cures but there isn't a cure. Yes, you can achieve clinical remission but that's not a cure. I stick to my diet because it cuts the inflammation and swelling, not because it's a cure.

What your mom has and what you have could be very different. We are all different with the disease. We react differently, we even have different diagnoses, our medications are different. What works for me may not work for you. You have to be proactive with your disease process and find out what works and doesn't work for you, all the while taking your RA meds. I don't know what your diagnosis is and I don't know what meds you're on but I do know that to feel better and reach remission is a crap shoot. Lindy

Brenda is correct. RA affects everyone so differently. Sure, some holistic and natural treatments work for some people, but those may be the people who have very mild disease. That is not the case for most people. It's also true that the disease comes and goes for some people, so it may be coincidence that a certain treatment "worked" - the disease may have just stopped flaring naturally. My opinion is its all about finding what works for you.
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