Rheumatoid Arthritis

Hi- I am 37 yrs old and new to the site. I am desperately hoping fellow ra sufferers may give me the advice I can't get from my rheumatologist. I was diagnosed with ra 4 years ago and am starting to see the damage to my hands, wrists, feet, ankles and knees. I have large nodules on my wrists and feel I will have to have surgery soon as they are restricting my movement. I've already had 2 knee surgeries. I have been on methotrexate injections for the entire 4 years. I was on prednisone for 3 years and have been off the prednisone for the last year. I started on plaquenil but had terrible abdominal problems and was taken off. I was put on Remicade which worked great but soon I had debilitating daily migraines, constant infections and then shingles on my left hand. I was taken off. I was put on Orencia which literally made me feel ra-free within hours. It was amazing. The side effects became more severe than the remicade and I was taken off. I have permanent nerve damage in my left hand and have regular shingle outbreaks that I have been told I will have for life now. The pain is excruciating. I asked to be put on minocycline after reading Dr. Brown's book. I am still determined my ra started with a terrible bout of food poisoning. (I know there are other believers of this out there). I started having severe headaches and ended up being taken to the hospital after calling 911 due to becoming incoherent with the most severe severe debilitating headache I've ever had. After the first ct scan, they determined I had an aneurism and if it burst I would die or be paralyzed from the waist down. After staying at the hospital, several injections and more tests, they shrunk the enlarged blood vessel. After several days, I figured out it was the minocycline. I determined this, not my doctor, by reading on the internet, as I know so many of us do. I took myself off the medication and the headaches went away. After researching the drug, I discovered how close I was to dying if I remained on the drug. Today I am on methrotrexate only and I feel it has stopped working. I am a single mom and life is really hard. I buy books and I read constantly. My latest discovery is the McDougall Plan, which is essentially a dairy free diet. (I am a HUGE dairy product consumer). I just received the books yesterday and have not had a chance to read them yet. I have read people swear they are in remission from RA with cutting dairy completely from their diet. Since I consume so much dairy, I am wondering how I will do this. Has anyone tried this and what were your results? Also, anyone else with the side effects of meds, especially the migraines, that have found a med that works without the side effects? I should also say I am a malignant melanoma survivor and all of these meds scare me to death. I am scared and I do not know what my future holds for me. My dr. tells me she doesn't have any more answers for me. How can that be? I want to live a long healthy life. Any feedback would be so appreciated. We have to depend on each other, I feel the medical field is letting us down. Thanks in advance. Stephanie

Hi, Stephanie I read your post and have heard many stories like yours. after all the pain and all the medications, joint destruction and possible surgery, I can't help but want to tell you about the place I work, and the amazing things they are doing. I work for the Helen foundation based out of Mesa Arizona. Before I go any farther and you delete this before reading, please know that i am not a drug company or magic potion pusher. We have helped thousands of people with your exact disease. You mentioned that you think this all started with a food poisoning. You could be very close. I want to share more with you if you are interested, all I know is I can offer you a life free of most of your pain, no surgeries, and stop our AR in its tracks. If you would like to know more about what we at the helen foundation can offer please e mail me at irsinaz@yahoo.com. I know your pain is severe, and what I offer is real. Please give me a chance.

Isaac