Taking Mobic aka Meloxicam and some questions.

I take many, many pills for the treatment of my very severe RA.  That being said if you do not feel comfortable taking these pills then you shouldn't.  I know how frustrating it can be to have all these doctors trying to pressure you into their choice of treatment for you.  But you have to have a part in your own treatment and a say as well as it is you that will be taking, or not taking the pills.  If you want to try the all natural approach and if that is what you feel comfortable doing then you should go for it!  Speak open and honestly with your rheumatologist about what you what you feel comfortable doing.  If your rheumatologist wont listen to how you feel, then you owe it to yourself to find one who is willing to listen to you and work with you on a more natural approach.  The only thing I want you to keep in mind is that RA can cause damage even when you have no pain.  But I would never suggest that you start a treatment that you don't feel comfortable with.  I hope you find relief soon and I hope that you can find a perfect alternative approach that will work for you!  Good luck and best wishes!

Also, a diet high in Omega 3 fatty acids (such as salmon) naturally combats inflammation which may help with your pain as well!

I too have been taking Mobic off and on for a year and it does not seem to help with the pain. I prefer Naproxen which does help more and doesn't trigger migraines but my doctor is concerned that Naproxen will cause stomach problems. I is nice to hear that someone else does not have good results with Mobic either. I am on Hurmira for two years and that has worked great for me.

Amy,

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis 3 yrs ago.  The rheumatologist wanted to put me on methotrexate but I had a positive lyme diagnosis and felt the methotrexate would suppress my immune system and the bacteria would take over and kill me.  I was very sick at the time with RA in every joint except my hips and spine.  I was completely housebound and could not be left alone because I could become trapped behind doors and couldn't open pill bottles.  I could barely dress myself , brush my teeth, hair, shower, etc.  Can you relate?

I, too, am a horse rider and I used to groom and show dogs.  I started searching the internet to learn all I could about RA and was I ever surprised to learn all the research out there that shows a clear connection between bacteria and RA.  Also, leaky gut and RA.  I changed to a vegan diet as per this doctor:  www.drmcdougal.com   I did not know him, just found his website.  He has done much study and research on the effects of diet and RA.  It cost me nothing to give the vegan, low fat diet a try.  Within two weeks, I was 50% better.  I could now walk two hours before having to stop.  It just made a huge difference.  So I sought out a doctor who understood leaky gut syndrome (google it) and healing the body.

I found a wonderful integrative doctor who is a member of ACAM. www.acam.org.  He would not use any antibiotics, but with him, I brought my RA from a high moderate to a weak positive. He focused on healing the gut and bringing the body back into balance so it could heal itself.   At the same time, I found www.roadback.org and www.arthritistrust.org which both believe in and have proof positive of an infectious cause to RA.  Clear the infection and the RA goes into remission.  I was able to get my rheumatologist to prescribe low dose minocycline, but he would not test me for bacterias.  Specifically, lyme, mycoplasmas and strep have been found in the synovial fluid of RA victims.  I don't understand why most rheumatologists will not give infectious cause any respect.  If my first rheumy would have tested me as I asked, we could have saved a lot of time.

After one year with my wonderful integrative doctor, he could do no more for me.  I learned of a lyme literate rheumatologist who believes in infectious causes to RA.  She runs bloodtests on a regular basis and I consistently test positive for Babesia (parasite in the blood  that comes from a tick bite), lyme, mycoplasmas, chlymadia pneumoniae, h. pylori (gut bacteria that was causing my leaky gut), Ebstein Barr Virus.  Clearly, I am a bacteria factory.

The really good news is I am again riding.  I started riding again 1 1/2 yrs ago while working with the integrative doctor.  Today I rode my 2 yr old on his first outing alone.  A hairy experience.  Point is, I am well enough to do it.

Start researching.  Go to the websites I have listed above.  Learn about the treatments that are targeting the cause, not just the symptoms.

BTW, my current rheumatologist does have me on Enbrel while she treats antibiotically and herbally.  Detoxing is a key issue for me. 

So much to learn!  But that is the good news!!!!!!  There is so much more out there for you than just taking dangerous drugs.  Eat mucho healthy to give your body the nurishment it needs to fight the disease and the side effects of the drugs. 

Take care of your gut.  The drugs and antibiotics wreck our gut and 70% of our immune system is in our gut.  People don't realize this.  Heck, doctors don't realize this and it was a study done by Yale that uncovered this fact.  If your gut is sick, you are sick.  You do not have to have stomach problems to have a leaky gut.  For me, my damaged gut was causing inflammation in my joints.  Healing my gut nearly brought my RA into full remission.

Note that I have a very aggressive form of RA, so what has given me back my life could very well cure you.  I have not had to take a pain pill of any kind for, gosh I don't know when I last took an aspirin,  two years or more.

Happy riding and healing your body from RA.  It can be done and you can keep riding!

Susan