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Monday, November, 09, 2009
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Has anyone had any luck with any homeopathic meds for RA?

tamcoolidge
09/09/08
tamcoolidge
Topics:alternate treatments for RA

I was diagnosed with RA in Oct'07. I've been on methotexate since then and began Enbrel in April.I am a cashier in a grocery store and work about 39 hrs/wk. I seem to be sick all the time. My RA doc said using immunity boosters(echinacea) just works against the Enbrel. Short of quitting my job, what's a person to do? I also have three children (ages 3,8,10). I'm constantly surrounded by germs!!  Thanks for any help.

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Answers (3)
mkmac4
mkmac4
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Married, 4 adult kids, 7 grandkids and a dog named Solomon

My name is Marie. I am 59 years old. I have had RA since my 20's. I...

Thursday, September 11, 2008

The more you build your immune system, the worse your RA will get. Try taking a B100 complex at night before bed. It will help a bit. The whole idea of these drugs is to knock down your immune system. I've seen some people with RA wear rubber gloves and use hand sanitizer all the time. Maybe something like that will help you.

Lene  Andersen
Lene  Andersen
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Lene Andersen is wondering how to clone herself

Lene Andersen is a writer and photographer living in Toronto,...

Friday, September 12, 2008

 

Boy, you are surrounded by a cloud of germs, aren't you? Have you talked

to you rheumatologist about how to manage the infection issue?

 

There are things you can do to be as healthy as you can do while not counteracting the effects of Enbrel. Eating a well-balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, cutting down on junk, getting plenty of rest (yes, I know - as a mother of three small children, that's a challenge). You don't mention what kinds of illnesses you get, but I've been on Enbrel and I suspect that a fair number of them are sinus infections due to the increased mucus production and inflammation of your sinuses. There are definitely things you can do to stay ahead of this particular problem and in a neat coincidence, my latest post was about managing side effects of medication, including tips related to taking Biologics. You can read it here. Aside from frequently using hand sanitizer, you may be able to talk to your boss about protective measures, such as wearing vinyl gloves or a mask, although given that you're in a customer service job, they may not agree to that. Again, your rheumatologist should be able to give you some tips on how to manage infection risk in public.

 

You may also want to consult a doctor of naturopathy for supplemental alternative treatments that won't interfere with your medication. Check your Yellow Pages to see if there's one near you. If you live in a large urban center, there may be a naturopathy college somewhere where you can be seen by a student (supervised by a naturopath, of course) for less money.

 

Lastly, based on my own experience, I found that when I was on Enbrel, I was sick quite a lot, as well. About a year and a half ago, I switched to Humira and am doing much better - I feel healthier and am not sick nearly as often. At some point, if the side effects of the medication you're taken become intolerable, you can consider discussing switching meds with your rheumatologist. The whole point of these medications is to help you get back to your life and if you're sick all the time with side effects and not functioning well in your life, then it's not working

 

Angie
Saturday, September 13, 2008

Bing Cherries, Olive oil and Mediterranean diets work excellent to curve the inflammation of RA. Water Aerobic exercise also helps a lot.

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