Hello All -There is a treatment for RA that has been PROVEN in NIH sponsored clinical trials. It does not have the side effects that many RA drugs carry. It has the potential for remission, even cure! Yet many rheumatologists never tell their patients about it. Why? Do they want to keep their patients coming back forever? Are there financial considerations from the drug companies that make the heavy-duty drugs? I really don't know. It is not some far-out alternative medicine. It is standard, safe therapy that dermatologist put their patients on long-term every day. I am a scleroderma patient who has been seeing a rheumatologist for 10 yrs, gtradually getting worse, now have lung involvement. Yet my rheumatologist never mentioned it. I found out about this treatment by stumbling upon a website. I now have a new rheumatologist and have started the therapy. You owe it to yourself to at least look into it. There are 2 websites: www.roadback.org and www.rheumaticsupport.net
I wish you all good health in the future!
Thanks. I'm in the middle of reading "The New Arthritis Breakthrough" right now, which has "The Road Back" in it.gimpy,
you can post a message on the roadback.org message board for the name of a doc in your area and one of there staff usually rich will email you the name and phone number of a ap doc in your area
Hi Gimpy - I have been on AP for almost a month. I know it is working because of the herxing (die-off) I have experienced, starting about the second week. I think it will take a very long time for me, since I have had scleroderma for at least 10 yrs, but Raynaud's for 25. But I am OK with that. I am hoping to at least stop the progression, which now includes lung involvement. The only treatment my old rheumy told me about for lung involvement is Cytoxan, which is a very powerful anti-cancer drug. I certainly don't want to go that route. My new rheumy started me on doxycycline, rather than Minocin, which is more commonly used. I will give it 6 months, then if no improvement is apparent, I will ask to switch to Minocin, and may also decide to have IV treatments with Clindamycin. I don't think my current rheumy uses those, so will have to travel to Iowa or Georgia for the doc that does. Good luck with the names from the roadback site. It is a good starting point, be sure if you call to make an appointment, to ask if the doc uses antibiotics for your disease. Some use it for only some diseases. Best of luck and health! Pat