Question re meds | Arthritis Information

Hi all....

I am doing fairly well most days on salazopyrin/tetracycline and making sure to avoid wheat (i hurt when I eat it).

I wonder though, should I be taking more (as in one of the biologics) to stop progression, I read everywhere early agressive treatment is the key. I don't want regrets when I have the opportunity to do more! Pls help :)

Tam

Tam,

Have you been diagnosed you with Rheumatoid Arthritis? It sounds like they are treating you for Reactive Arthritis which is cureable.

Some people are quite allergic to wheat, so you are smart to avoid if you are sensitive to it.

I think to answer your question, we need more info. I know you've posted before, but I can't remember your specifics.

Thanks Deanna,

Not diagnosed yet! But taking the meds for a bowel disease which are strangely the same meds... However i switched to the tetracycline as that is the antibiotic of choice for RA.

Diagnosis is only a matter of time, i tried to stop the salazopyrin for a few days and my knees ached continuously! So i quickly got on them again..

Tam,

I had a terrible bowel disesase before I was diagnosed with RA and I was put on sulfasalazine and protonix... still am on it and if I run out, it's horrible! Good luck with the tummy. I dropped 25 lbs before they could stop it and then discovered it may have been RA all the time.. now, as you can see, I'm on soooooo many darn drugs!

It is strange that so many people have Irritable Bowel, Chrohn's, etc. before developing RA. I had Irritible Bowel so bad a few years before developing RA that I had to take time off work to get it under control. These are also inflammatory processes.

Some doctors do treat the first symptoms of RA with tetrycycline in the hopes that it will stop it. It is called an "antibiotic treatment." You might want to research this further as it has worked very well with some people, stopping them from developing further symptoms. I believe they have even tried IV treatments of antibiotics. There is disagreement on this kind of therapy, but if you both had good results maybe it's worth checking out further.

Every since I've been on my RA meds, the Irritable Bowel seems fairly easy to control, as is my asthma. They are all inflammatory conditions. My theory (personal only) is that it begins with suppressed emotions/anger. I'm pretty high strung (high maintenance my son calls it) and if I could ever find that transcendtial calm (like Alan has suggested), I bet I would improve.

Just thoughts.

I am reading lots of positive self help books, they do help! You need to tell your body and your subconsious what to do, and believe that it will happen, and it will ! I believe it will.

Too late for me and my tummy (colon) - it's been attacked by my immune system and now thrown away into surgical heaven, oh well i was glad to see it gone, and you can live with out it. I look perfectly healthy, i just "go" a little bit more often. Oh yep, all so complicated!