I'm very confused.I am a 46 years old female with a very active lifestyle.A year ago I was diagnosed with RA. I was in pain all the time, my joints were swollen and my left knee was very sore to the point I couldn't bend it. Within a year my Rheumathoid factor lowered from 64 to 42. I'm using alternative medicine and accupuncture,cupping and Moxa burning. I'm taking the usual Collagen + C, Glucosamine w/ Chondroitin, my vitamins and a few days a week I take Cat's Claw and Ganoderma mushroom. I've been doing this for a whole year straight and I feel so much better. My joint inflamation is mostly gone to the point my rings are loose and so are my shoes! Went to my Rheumatologist and he didn't want to tell me that the reason all my tests were so amazingly low is because of my alternative medicine treatment. So he proceeded to prescribe me a Muscle realxer (Soma) plus an Anti inflamatory(Meloxicam) drug and told me he wanted to see me in a month. Why? Why should I take a muscle relaxer? has anyone been prescribed this medicine for RA before (Soma). Also he told me that he couldn't diagnose me with RA any longer since all my tests look so good and that I might've had a "Rheumatoid Episode" last year instead. Is there such a thing? Please I need to know if anyone have been in this same situation. Thanks!
Hi N.R., I don't take Soma so I can't answer to that question, but I am left wondering why your RD didn't dismiss you as a patient if he couldn't diagnose you with RA any longer? How can he not admit your alternative meds helped you when he has been treating you for the past year? I mean, obviously he was on board with your alternative treatment as he didn't (apparently) prescribe any other drugs until now, right? Did you ask him why you needed the scripts he was prescribing?
Maybe you have PRA and the episode you had was that... I tried alternative treatment the entire first year and a half I had RA because I had no insurance and it helped me not one whit! Not to say its not working for you, but it did nothing for me. I will say, early on my RA ebbed and flowed from feeling fine to not being able to get out of bed; this did cause me to question (during good times) if I truly had the disease!
I know I haven't help, but your post does leave me asking questions. Either way, good luck to you if you truly do have RA...