I picked up my medical records from my former rheumatologist. Funny, they gave me an hour window to come in and pick them up. Turns out it was during lunch when there were zero patients in the waiting room. When I arrived at the office, my records were not ready and the woman up front disappeared while my four boys and I sat and waited and they did what they needed to do to get them ready. While we were waiting, my doctor walked by behind the front desk area. What are the chances of that? I would have loved to have been able to talk with him.
I love having copies of my records in my possession. LOVE it! So much is missing in my doctor’s notes. No mention of family history and allergies and nothing specific about the supplements I take consistently. Also said I was taking 5 mg of prednisone a day and that is so not the case. I tried the steroid route. Helps temporarily and then the pain comes screaming back. No thank you. Would rather deal with the pain minus steroids if I can get away with it. I remember him recommending that I take 5 mg maintenance dose. But in his notes it clearly says I have been doing that for some time.
My rash has completely disappeared without the assistance of anything pharmaceutical. Maybe the disease playing peek-a-boo. I finished the lymph cleanse and have continued to dry brush my skin to stimulate the lymph system. There was a study mentioned in a book I recently read about RA patients improving when their lymph system was drained. As soon as tube was removed, their symptoms increased again. I find this very interesting. I had my husband take a couple pictures of my rash while it was visible. I showed my eleven year old the pictures on my camera and asked him if I should put them on my blog. He said, “No way. It looks gross.” It almost kept me from posting a picture at all. I am going to print the pictures to take to my new rheumatologist in August. No rheumatologist ever saw my rash. My dermotolgist did, however. She also took pictures. Here it is. Lovely, huh? It was all over my breasts too. I looked like a strange Star Wars character in person. The rash was only on the front of my trunk, not the back. It disappeared gradually, just as it appeared.
Close up shot of a section of my trunk.
I have hope for the first time in a while in relation to my disease. I’ve had a certain peace about the fact that my body was being attacked little by little for a while. I am not happy about losing function and being limited. But I’m handling it well because now I feel hope in addition to that peace. It is such a good feeling. Feels dangerous too though. There is the part of me that doesn’t want to get hopes up only to have them dashed. But if AP therapy does not offer much relief or management of my disease, then I will just have to go from there.
The hope I feel now is due to a book I recently read–The New Arthritis Breakthrough by Henry Scammell. Within this book is the book written by Dr. Thomas McPherson Brown (pioneer of AP therapy), The Road Back, Rheumatoid Arthritis: Its Cause and Its Treatment. It’s fascinating, folks. I think it is an incredible read if you are either battling autoimmunity or know someone that is. The Road Back talks about the science behind the approach and the thousands that benefited from it. It speaks of the depression that many people feel (but don’t talk about) and how difficult it is to keep that to yourself at times because you get tired of telling people you are in pain. (And quite frankly, I’m sure they get tired of hearing about it.) I know for me–if I don’t talk about the pain every now and then, I’ll blow. We have to talk to someone sometimes. It’s a human thing.
I think this book is worth reading simply for the knowledge that can be gathered from it. I gobbled the book up. While I read it, I dog eared it like crazy and now I am going back through it and highlighting sections. I have to ask why AP therapy was never mentioned as a treatment option for me? My rheumatologist offered various drugs, but never antibiotics. The Arthritis Foundation has acknowledged that antibiotics can be an effective DMARD. American College of Rheumatology recognizes minocycline as a DMARD as well. The patient accounts from Dr. Brown’s book (he treated 10,000 patients successfully with AP therapy) and the current patient surveys taken by The Road Back Foundation further show the benefits AP can have for many. So, again, why are antibiotics never mentioned as an option? (I suspect the drug companies have a hand in this since antibiotics are inexpensive.)
I called Joe on air to ask him about AP and he said that I should go for it considering I am looking at either the methotrexate or Humira route–which is where I was headed once I weaned my little guy. Joe went on to confirm what I have found in my research–that there are legitimate cases documented of people benefitting from AP therapy. The experience that I’ve had with my disease and the history of illnesses that I have had in my lifetime are reflected in the patient accounts in the book from people that have improved with AP.
This is why I have felt hope. Hope that with trial and error and antibiotics, I may be able to reduce the disease activity in my body and manage my pain better. The interesting thing about AP therapy and my situation is that the class of antibiotics found to be the safest and most effective is the tetracycline class. I had a crazy reaction to tetracycline in seventh grade. There is a sticker on the front of my medical records from when I was a child that says “Allergic to Tetracycline”. I developed a 104 degree fever and a rash that covered my trunk. Interesting wouldn’t you say? This rash itched to kingdom come though–unlike my recent one. The symptoms would go away when the drug was removed and return when the drug was reintroduced. I have to wonder now after reading The Road Back, was it an allergic reaction to the drug or was my body killing off something extremely toxic to cause that kind of a reaction? Something so toxic that it could one day cause joint deformity and pain throughout my body? Perhaps. Will be interesting to see what happens if I begin taking an antibiotic within the tetracycline family. At least I have a few options to play with.
I recently received a call from my dermatologist. She is a popular doctor and is always booked solid. After she saw my crazy rash and the patch test and biopsy came back revealing nothing conclusive (big surprise) she asked if she could bring my file before a group of dermatologists in the city that meet monthly. I said, “Sure.” She called me at home the other day to tell me that they discussed my case and concluded that it could be anything from a bacterial fungus to cancer. Well, that helps. All that education and thousands of dollars between them and that’s what they come up with? I told her that I had recently read about AP therapy. She said she would be willing to prescribe minocycline for me. Told her I was seeing a new rheumatologist and would keep her posted. Good to know that I have another doctor in the picture that is willing to work with me and the AP route.
I am not doing so great with the weaning of my little guy in preparation for this. Knowledge really stinks sometimes. I transferred my other three boys to organic cows milk without a concern in the world, and they are very healthy kids with zero allergies. But now I know too much about dairy and it’s effect on our bodies. I am reluctant to introduce cow’s milk now. I tried goat’s milk with my little guy because it is much easier for the body to digest. He made an audible gagging sound after he drank it. It was hard not to laugh. And this little guy likes to eat everything. I’m a mess though and someone is going to be drinking cow’s milk starting tomorrow to put the weaning pedal to the metal. Fortunately, I have access to raw, organic milk from grass fed local cows through my farmer’s market. But that isn’t until Sunday.
Happy Baby!
Blessings to you!
Rheum For God 