Has anyone had any luck holistically?
I don’t like the idea of having to take medications the rest of my life. I don’t like the idea that someone is saying here take this you will feel better but have to stay on it until your body adjusts and gets used to it then we ave something else for you to take. I am starting to it trust the doctors and med makers.
My PsA came to light while I was taking a pretty harsh antibiotic for epididimitis. I think the name of drug was cipro but not sure. Five days into the meds I felt like I’d been run over by a truck it hurt to move anything. It took two months and three docs to say ok you have this…we think. Prednisone followed making me feel way better within hours only to slowly go backwards over the next few days. I’ve been on MTX for almost a year started to feel pretty good but that only lasted 7 or 8 months and slowly getting worse.
My wife in an RN so we know the risks of biologics. I work construction so pain make it hard to work well but not always the cleaner of jobs and can also have me outside in inclement weather at times. Leaving me open to infection. We ave an almost four year old son and a two and a half year old daughter so the cancer risks bother us.
I’m lost. I feel like antibiotic got me here and lifelong meds will keep me here.
I am sorry you are dealing with this. It's a rude awakening, isn't it? I am taking some supplements, which is holistic and I am doing accupuncture which is holistic. I can't say for absolute sure that either has helped. I'm in bad shape myself, but I am not giving up. I saw my rheumy today and I should begin Humira tomorrow, after taking Enbrel since last Sept. I am a nurse like your wife. I know all of the side effects, drug/drug interactions and all that. But I have a family and a career and will take a prescription if that's what i need to do to function. Good luck to you, and I think you'll find a trend that is this: better to risk with a prescription than deal with the ramifications of this disease. My progress of this disease in 2 years is astounding. At 43, I am counting my days of being able to work. Take care, Michelle
Also a huge reds fan. You aren't going to find good data that supports holistic therapies. Some say that is because of a lack money to do research. Others say there is.no proven holistic treatment. The studies showing higher risks of.lymphoma and other cancers are contraversial at best and many believe there is no association. Many people who take.biologics simply get acne and colds easier. My PsA makes me so.miserable that I couldnt imagine life without the biologics.
Rich
The risks of infection on biologics seem overblown for the average person. I get maybe one more cold a year. I've had PsA for 31 years, and been on biologics for 11 years. I'm not dead from the meds, my psoriasis is somewhat improved, my disease is definitely improved, joint damage has slowed down dramatically, and I haven't had a single odd or severe infection.
Not a single one of us WANTS to take medication every day. We do what we have to do to survive. I've had PsA since well before I had children, and I have a 15yo and 12yo. I take the meds I need to so I can live to raise them. If I hadn't taken the meds I would have been completely disabled and damaged beyond being able to care for them.
Even WITH heavy duty meds, you will have some disease progression over time. This is a progressive disease. Whatever time you take not on the medication with flaring PsA is a time damage is being done.
I'm sure all of us have tried other things to moderate our PsA: diet, acupuncture, vitamins, etc etc etc. For those that get help, it is usually SUPPLEMENTAL to the medication. There is no fix for this disease, or we would all be doing it.
So in summary, my answer is
a) you need medication, and that sucks
b) other things (diet, acupuncture, vitamins, etc) may help you, but not fix or stop your disease
c) your children and work need you now. fear the disease, not the treatment.
I agree completely with Marietta. The best option is medication. I will either live the rest of my life on a DMARD or a biologic, or I will live it taking more ibuprofen than a human should ever take in a day, getting the minimal results I've had for years on NSAIDs, and probably destroying my kidneys in the process. AND my disease will continue to progress as it has done while I've lived for years being told I had osteo, "just like your mother and your grandmother." I welcome the slowing of the progression of this disease, although at this time I'm still waiting to see if the Sulfasalazine will help or not. If biologics are the answer, I'm in!
The biologics ROCK, that's all there is to it. They work and they have very low side effects. They've had NONE for me. Except that they put my PsA completely into remission and TBH I expect it to stay there.
I have a good friend that put her PsA into remission through tumeric, Vitamin D, lowering her stress and mostly attitude. I respect her greatly but I count her as very lucky. I don't plan to experiment with my body. Unchecked this disease damages not just our joints, our skin but also our inner organs. For instance it markedly increases our chances to have a heart attack. Thankfully the biologics cut that risk in half again.
If you want to try holistic, do it fast, and go all out. If you do it half-assed you won't get anywhere. If you go at it fully, you have a chance. The placebo effect seems to work on PsA about 20% of the time.
TBH though, except for the cost, the biologics are very user friendly.
I am a mother of three and I could not function and be the person I want to be without Biologics.
I just noticed that I eat every day. I also drink and sleep. I can't imagine life without those things, There wouldn't be any. Not so hard things to the list, wine, scotch, sex, fly fishing. Whats so weird about meds.
What is weird is I know have mentioned my mother in law he r 80 and90 year old friends practicing their cranio sacral therspy, I havent mention is I have been spending an afternoon a wek with them. They treat me and I ply them with my special health drink. (which is either lemon balm wine or geeen tea ginger wine) What ever they are doing seems to help.and they don't complain about the tonic I give them.
I'm a flower child of the sixties. If it makes you feel good do it. just don't forget to take your meds and do your exercise.
i went the holistic route with another condition i have. didnt do anthing except keep me from getting the proper medication. Had a certain placebo effect. But after having many years of residuals i wwent the orthodox medicine route. the only thing i regret is that i didnt go the orthodox route sooner.
The main reason most of us take Rx meds is to slow down the progression of PSA and to prevent damage to our joints.
There are many other treatments that you can use along with Rx meds. Alternative treatments can also often be so expensive and if there is no guarantees that they will work for PSA and so many don't work. Biologics have a much greater success rate of reducing your symptoms.
I do what I can after trying so many alternative treatments and diets. I now just stick to eliminating processed and manufactured foods which are full of chemicals and preservatives and I have increased the foods that are high in anti oxidants or Vitamin C. and have removed the foods that cause inflammation and add the foods and herbs that reduce inflammation. This could help you, especially with fatigue and overall health, you do not need to too fanatical when your in social situations or when you can't prepare your food, your body will cope. Reduce or eliminate stress if you can as that does play its part with PSA.
Massage for me has been helpful, but not in a flare as it is too painful. Try ice for inflammation and heat for bone pain or you can alternate them. A TENS unit can help with pain.
By posting and getting opinions is always a good way to help you decide which way you feel is best for you.
I just finished reading an article in this morning's paper about a woman who claims to have cured herself of RA with a raw foods diet. (She also quit a 60-hour a week job she hated, stopped drinking a 6-pack of Coke a day, stopped with the Cheetos for dinner, etc.)
I don't believe that one person's experience means anything. There is no definitive test for RA. Is that really what she had? Was it the raw kale (frankly, I think I'd prefer death), or the lack of sodas and quitting her job? If it was RA, will it come screaming back? No answers to any of these questions, of course. There is no scientific evidence for any natural cure for autoimmune diseases. There are plenty of people only too happy to lighten your wallet selling you supplements, books, and treatments that may or may not do you any good. Caveat emptor.
For anyone, ill or not, living a healthy life will make you feel better. It doesn't make you immune to any disease or disability, though. One person will tell you to go raw, the next says vegan, a third claims gluten-free will do it. You're left with nothing but raw kale. Shoot me now!
Set up my TB test for Tuesday and Rhumey applying my ins co for enbrel to get me an exact cost to me as we use an HSA. In the meantime I have a round of prednisone that I can’t take unil my TB test is read on Thursday. Hope that has a positive affect as now I cannot close my left hand all the way. Hoping for he best.
It will happen for you, I'm not thinking it will for the Reds. Tomorrow is a big day for me. I take both my MTX and enbrel in the morning, and then I drive north for my Cranio sacral treatment. Makes my mother in law happy. However Emma is btinging a sour cream raisen pie. that I think holds some promise of a cure.
The secret is to always take your meds on time everytime, change them when you need to always move and stretch so you don't rust and tail gate before (and during)every sporting event. ( your team may cause you to throwvthings kick the dog etc. and you want to be relaxed lest you set off a flare.
Best wishes fot thurs.
Thanks. I’ll be playing hooky on the 20th of june and taking my almost four year old to his first Reds game is a business man special at 12:35. Go Redlegs all the way to the WS.
Wow! Life doesn't get any better than that.............. Pisttsburg isn't it?
I am right here with you. I don’t like the idea of taking drugs. I don’t like the idea of being immunosuppressed. It scares me to the point of becoming paralyzed. I work in an ER. I could easily catch pneumonia or MRSA. I could die from one exposure yet I could be just fine. My anxiety has not helped me because I saw my friend start same meds for RA. She had asthma, worked as a Paramedic, and started the meds. She is dead at 31 yrs old. This is not helpful and this is not something that happens to everyone. All I know, she and I used to run and live happy lives. I watched her almost die a year ago with ARDS to catching pneumonia (a week prior to her death) which led to sepsis. She died 4/26/13.
My acceptance has also brought me to realize this… I do believe the medications are the only answer even though, I am scared and there is that risk. Food choices, exercise, vitamins, massage, supplements, holistic whatever may keep the disease from being angry BUT the medications are the only way to live a somewhat normal life. Medications are the only things that will prevent damage to our bodies. We don’t want to deal with medications but I (and assuming you too) do not want to be disabled either.
I am only stating that this decision is a very real and just concern in your life. I want encouragement for you but I am also a realist. I understand your current thinking. God Bless your journey.