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Post by woodman on Dec 17, 2017 18:07:54 GMT -5
No, not when it gets too short and you burn your lips. I think i'm getting arthritis, probably have had for years but this winter it's really turned up the volume. Any diet or exercise tips that might help? I'm not into pain killers / meds and couldn't afford to look at a doctor if i passed one on the street. I read that coffee is thought to worsen RA but atm it's the only thing that gives me relief, half a cup in the morning when i want to cry and the pain drops back to where it can be ignored. My head and wallet are convinced it's better than bottles of pills. Anyway, ideas welcome. Maybe i just need to move south. I thought Obama made it so everyone has insurance? what happened to you? I think a rock tumbling page would be pretty low of choices looking for medical advice. Joint pain is real problem for a lot of us.
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Post by vegasjames on Dec 17, 2017 18:35:38 GMT -5
I have looked into this and I am firmly convinced that there is nothing wrong with gluten, unless you have celiacs disease. All the studies show zero connection. Glyphosate (round-up) is more likely to be the culprit. The whole gluten intolerance thing began about the same time that Monsanto convinced wheat growers to spray their crops shortly before harvest to make the grain easier to process. Another possibility is fodmaps. Forms of undigestible fructose found in grains that typically contain gluten, in lactose, and several other places. Switching to a low (not zero) fodmap diet and limiting their gluten containing grain consumption to organically grown, less processed products, is the preferable approach from what I've read. I welcome James critique, he's definitely the nutrition guy. I haven't read shit, but I know if I eat a bagel tonight I won't be able to get out of bed tomorrow. Pretzels also, omg! If I completely drop all wheat products including beer (my current cryptonite!) Then I lose 5% of my body weight in 2 weeks. During those two weeks I'm up peeing all night and having trouble drinking my normal liquid intake. In 3 weeks all knee and shoulder pains are gone. This isn't some speculation. It's my body. Celiac will kill you. Many others have glutenallergies that cause swelling and joint pain. And beer belly! Too much soy sauce (glutamates) does the same to me. I too welcome vegasjames input. ETA Whole grain wheat is worse than highly processed. Higher gluten stuff like bagels are worse also. Heavier beers like porters and stouts worse also. ETA x2 Lee I missed your bit about glyphosate..... Hmmmm....... Will consider. The other thing to consider is phytic acid. Beer is also bad due to the high purine level if a person has gouty arthritis. Beer bellies though are due the high level of phytoestrogens in the beer though. Whiskey, ouzo and gin are also very high and also responsible for moobs (man boobs) in male alcoholics. The estrogenic effect suppresses thyroid function and enlarges fat cells. Since men tend to deposit more fat around the belly they thus develop "beer bellies". Phytoestrogens are actually found in all plants to some degree and normally act as estrogen regulators by locking up estrogen receptors blocking stronger estrogens while exerting a weak estrogenic effect. This is why they are also used in cancer therapy and to treat estrogen imbalances such as endometriosis. In high levels, or concentrated in things like beers they do create problems if not balanced. Increasing intake of iodine antagonizes estrogenic compounds. Keep in mind though that too much iodine daily (over 1mg daily) has its own side effects. So I prefer natural sources of iodine such as seaweeds to iodine supplements like Lugol's. Another aspect to keep in mind is that beer and other alcohols are dehydrating. And dehydration also adversely affects the joints. Allergies are not hard to treat. They come and go throughout life based on how well the adrenal glands are functioning. For instance I had allergies as a baby to mother's milk and cow's milk so I was raised on soy. I outgrew my allergies (adrenals matured sufficiently) by the age of 5, which is common with childhood allergies and asthma (also adrenal related) by the age of 5 if their adrenals are not screwed up by pharmaceutical steroids and stimulants. I have not had allergies since. As pointed out allergies stem from adrenal dysfunction. Healthy adrenals in response to allergens release sufficient levels of antihistamine and antileukotriene epinephrine (adrenaline) and immune modulating and anti-inflammatory corticosteroids to counter allergic responses. This is also why we are all exposed to the same allergens but we do not all get allergic responses. In fact if you look at the drugs doctors use to treat allergies and asthma they are epinephrine, epinephrine mimics and steroids that substitute for the adrenal's own steroids. So they are substituting for what the adrenals are failing to put out in sufficient levels instead of addressing the adrenal dysfunction. Info on building up the adrenals: medcapsules.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=152As for glutamates I addressed these in these old posts: www.curezone.info/forums/fm.asp?i=1931245#iwww.curezone.info/forums/fm.asp?i=1647519#iwww.curezone.info/forums/fm.asp?i=1652503#iwww.curezone.info/forums/fm.asp?i=1670650#iSo the problem is likely allergy again. Soy is a common allergen. Phytic acis is something else that gets a bad, undeserved rap. Phytic acid, also known as inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) is a naturally occurring compound with anti-cancer and metal chelating properties. I have seen in a lot of propaganda sites claims of it being harmful because it supposedly robs the body of minerals. This is complete nonsense! Phytic acid is a strong metal chelator, but it has a higher affinity for toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury, free iron, etc. than it does for beneficial metals like calcium and magnesium. So phytic acid protects us from these toxic metals, including oxidative damage due to free iron. In addition, we get most phytic acid from plant sources. In plants the phytic acid is already bound. So lets say you eat some seeds that the phytic acid in it is already bound to calcium. How can the phytic acid rob the body of calcium when it is already "saturated" by the calcium the plant picked up from the soil? It can't. So it is not robbing the body of minerals like the bogus propaganda sites are claiming. What can happen is there can be an exchange reaction. The phytic acid can release the calcium for a less reactive metal (electromotive series of metals) such as mercury in an exchange reaction. Thus the phytic acid provides the calcium to the body while removing the mercury, which is then eliminated from the body.
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Post by vegasjames on Dec 17, 2017 18:38:44 GMT -5
No, not when it gets too short and you burn your lips. I think i'm getting arthritis, probably have had for years but this winter it's really turned up the volume. Any diet or exercise tips that might help? I'm not into pain killers / meds and couldn't afford to look at a doctor if i passed one on the street. I read that coffee is thought to worsen RA but atm it's the only thing that gives me relief, half a cup in the morning when i want to cry and the pain drops back to where it can be ignored. My head and wallet are convinced it's better than bottles of pills. Anyway, ideas welcome. Maybe i just need to move south. I thought Obama made it so everyone has insurance? what happened to you? I think a rock tumbling page would be pretty low of choices looking for medical advice. Joint pain is real problem for a lot of us. Obamacare is a JOKE!!!!! Even if you can somehow manage to afford the insurance, even with assistance, the deductible is still so high, generally $5,000, that it still makes the use of the insurance in most cases worthless unless you have something major happen. And some things are not covered. A lady came in to a clinic with breast cancer where I nurse I know works. Her breast cancer was not covered by her joke Obamacare insurance plan.
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Post by tims on Dec 17, 2017 19:15:39 GMT -5
The ACA requires me to pay a penalty for not being able to afford insurance. No medicaid expansion in Wyoming. Best of both worlds. The reason i asked here is i'm familiar with the community, and i assumed anyone that spends years working lapidary will have at least some experience with joint pain, so why not ask people to share how they deal with it. I'm not trying to downplay anyone's "real problem" and if the topic offends you that wasn't my intent. @shotgunner i don't drink but do eat pasta and sandwiches regularly. I've never noticed an adverse reaction to grain foods but will try limiting them for awhile just to see if it helps. Worst-case scenario i'll raid my savings and get a doctor's opinion, being laid up and unproductive is way more expensive in the long term.
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Post by woodman on Dec 17, 2017 20:44:31 GMT -5
The ACA requires me to pay a penalty for not being able to afford insurance. No medicaid expansion in Wyoming. Best of both worlds. The reason i asked here is i'm familiar with the community, and i assumed anyone that spends years working lapidary will have at least some experience with joint pain, so why not ask people to share how they deal with it. I'm not trying to downplay anyone's "real problem" and if the topic offends you that wasn't my intent. @shotgunner i don't drink but do eat pasta and sandwiches regularly. I've never noticed an adverse reaction to grain foods but will try limiting them for awhile just to see if it helps. Worst-case scenario i'll raid my savings and get a doctor's opinion, being laid up and unproductive is way more expensive in the long term. Understand what you are saying. I get what I think are good results with Osteo Bi Flex for my hip pain. I can not take advil type products due to bad kidney function but do find relief with Tylenol. Sort out the things that make it worse and do not eat or drink them. A good whiskey cannot hurt!
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Post by vegasjames on Dec 17, 2017 20:58:29 GMT -5
The ACA requires me to pay a penalty for not being able to afford insurance. No medicaid expansion in Wyoming. Best of both worlds. The reason i asked here is i'm familiar with the community, and i assumed anyone that spends years working lapidary will have at least some experience with joint pain, so why not ask people to share how they deal with it. I'm not trying to downplay anyone's "real problem" and if the topic offends you that wasn't my intent. @shotgunner i don't drink but do eat pasta and sandwiches regularly. I've never noticed an adverse reaction to grain foods but will try limiting them for awhile just to see if it helps. Worst-case scenario i'll raid my savings and get a doctor's opinion, being laid up and unproductive is way more expensive in the long term. Understand what you are saying. I get what I think are good results with Osteo Bi Flex for my hip pain. I can not take advil type products due to bad kidney function but do find relief with Tylenol. Sort out the things that make it worse and do not eat or drink them. A good whiskey cannot hurt! Osteo Bi Flex comes in different formulations. There basic formula contains a small amount of vitamin D, the herbal anti-inflammatory herb boswellia that like the licorice and yucca roots I mentioned in a steroidal anti-inflammatory and a cartilage compound. The difference between Advil and Tylenol is that Advil is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Tylenol is a analgesic but is not anti-inflammatory.
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2017 21:28:49 GMT -5
The ACA requires me to pay a penalty for not being able to afford insurance. No medicaid expansion in Wyoming. Best of both worlds. The reason i asked here is i'm familiar with the community, and i assumed anyone that spends years working lapidary will have at least some experience with joint pain, so why not ask people to share how they deal with it. I'm not trying to downplay anyone's "real problem" and if the topic offends you that wasn't my intent. @shotgunner i don't drink but do eat pasta and sandwiches regularly. I've never noticed an adverse reaction to grain foods but will try limiting them for awhile just to see if it helps. Worst-case scenario i'll raid my savings and get a doctor's opinion, being laid up and unproductive is way more expensive in the long term. "Limiting" won't do it. "Eliminating" will allow you to feel the difference. Weigh yourself day 1 and day 15. Feel the difference. You may not have whatever allergy I have. But everyone I have convinced to quit wheat has followed my experience. Don't eat sandwiches, just eat the stuff between the bread. Don't eat pasta, just everything else in the same meal. vegasjames, thank you
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Post by rockjunquie on Dec 17, 2017 21:52:31 GMT -5
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Post by vegasjames on Dec 17, 2017 22:32:18 GMT -5
I did not mention it because even though it is a good anti-inflammatory it is very poorly absorbed. Sometimes pepper extract is added to enhance the absorption, but I feel if something is poorly absorbed or not absorbed in the first place that there is a good reason for it. For example saponins are highly beneficial to the body for a variety of reasons but they are not absorbed because if they were they would hemolyze the red blood cells. And turmeric, which is where curcumin is derived from, is loaded with oxalic acid. I prefer the licorice root and Yucca schidegra root powders because they are much stronger, better absorbed and have the additional benefit of supporting the adrenal glands, which allows the body to start producing its own anti-inflammatory and immune modulating corticosteroids. I do use turmeric and sometimes curcumin in formulations. It just is not something I would focus on. In the long run though the goal should be eliminating the problem altogether rather than simply covering up the symptom. As for natural anti-inflammatories here are some abstracts for some of the research on herbal anti-inflammatories: medcapsules.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2683
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Post by rockjunquie on Dec 17, 2017 22:45:01 GMT -5
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Post by vegasjames on Dec 18, 2017 1:52:51 GMT -5
Piperine is added to some formulas to increase absorption. Not in this formula though. The main ingredient in this formula is the herbal anti-inflammatory boswellia. As I mentioned in my earlier post though that when something is hard or impossible to absorb there is often a very good reason for it. Curcumin is no different. Curcumin is a potent inhibitor of glucuronidation and glucuronidation is essential to the detoxification of many harmful substances to the body.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2017 11:21:54 GMT -5
It's interesting that this preparation is named for the #2 ingredient! Definitely misleading and obviously taking advantage of the more well known name of then#2 ingredient.
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Post by rockjunquie on Dec 18, 2017 16:53:45 GMT -5
I belong to a psoriactic arthritis board. (PsA is a lot lot RA) That particular preparation was highly recommended and is used by a lot of people. It isn't straight up curcumin. I have used good brands of curcumin with peperine and they all upset my stomach something fierce. This one didn't. I can't type enough to go into all the points about it, but it is a good preparation. I'm not saying everyone should run out and buy it. I'm saying it works for me without the stomach pain. HOWEVER, I had a change in my meds. vegasjames outta love this. I had been taking otezla with an almost 100% cure rate. It has since lost effectiveness. It now works about 65% as well. So, the doc added MTX which I refuse to take. Then she added sulfasalazine dr. It's an ancient sulfa antibiotic. Studies found that it is a pretty crappy antibiotic, but for whatever reason they don't understand, it is a good anti inflammatory for arthritis. Of course, it does contain a lot of aspirin. Anyway, that has boosted the efficacy of the otezla back up to about 85-90%. I still have some issues with my feet and hips, but at least I can walk.
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Post by vegasjames on Dec 18, 2017 20:54:28 GMT -5
I belong to a psoriactic arthritis board. (PsA is a lot lot RA) That particular preparation was highly recommended and is used by a lot of people. It isn't straight up curcumin. I have used good brands of curcumin with peperine and they all upset my stomach something fierce. This one didn't. I can't type enough to go into all the points about it, but it is a good preparation. I'm not saying everyone should run out and buy it. I'm saying it works for me without the stomach pain. HOWEVER, I had a change in my meds. vegasjames outta love this. I had been taking otezla with an almost 100% cure rate. It has since lost effectiveness. It now works about 65% as well. So, the doc added MTX which I refuse to take. Then she added sulfasalazine dr. It's an ancient sulfa antibiotic. Studies found that it is a pretty crappy antibiotic, but for whatever reason they don't understand, it is a good anti inflammatory for arthritis. Of course, it does contain a lot of aspirin. Anyway, that has boosted the efficacy of the otezla back up to about 85-90%. I still have some issues with my feet and hips, but at least I can walk. Otezla is not a cure, merely masks the symptoms of psoriasis. A cure actually gets rid of the problem. Allopathic medicine does not have a cure for psoriasis or any other autoimmune disorders because they are still stuck on old outdated ideas about autoimmunity from 100 years ago. That is they they still claim autoimmunity is from an overactive immune system, which is easy to prove wrong. Autoimmunity is a suppression of the immune system through the adrenals. The overactive immune system belief is why they also prescribe dangerous immune suppressants like the chemotherapy drug methotrexate for autoimmune conditions. Of course being an immune suppressant this leaves the person prone to all sorts of other diseases like cancer. Getting back to Otezla this drug masks the symptoms of PA by blocking the action of phosphordiesterase 4 (PDE4). To understand why this helps lets go back to my write up on psoriasis I provided to you before: Q: Could you please give me some suggestions for herbs that are good for psoriasis. My father has diabetes and high blood pressure, but also quite bad psoriasis, which is effecting his confidence dramatically. He is on conventional drugs for both conditions but is not taking anything for his psoriasis. Any suggestions will be much appreciated.
A: Psoriasis is not caused by infection or acidic blood as some people have claimed. Psoriasis is an imbalance between two chemical messengers in the body known as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). The dominant messenger should be cAMP, but in psoriasis cGMP becomes dominant. This leads to the psoriasis as cGMP elevates PGE2, which is found in elevated levels in psoriatic skin cells. Arachidonic acid (AA) levels are also elevated with psoriasis. The primary source of AA is from meats in our diet. So reducing intake of red meats would also be a good idea.
A few suggestions are coleus forskohlii, nettle leaf or watercress, and fish and flax seed oils. Forskohlii, nettle leaf and watercress can all be used to elevate cAMP or help prevent its breakdown. The oils are sources of essential fatty acids that help counter AA.
Since psoriasis is believed to be autoimmune it is also recommended to focus on the adrenal glands. See:
medcapsules.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2462
Building up the adrenals will also help counter the inflammatory responses that can be caused by elevated PGE2 and AA.So it is known that psoriasis is caused by an imbalance of cAMP and cGMP with cGMP becoming dominant. Again Otezla blocks PDE4, which degrades cAMP leading to lower cAMP levels. Although it has not been shown to block the action of other cAMP degrading phosphodiesterases. Therefore Otezla will reduce the symptoms of psoriasis but does not get rid of the problem. Just like morphine can reduce the symptoms of a gunshot wound but it does not treat the gunshot. As for the preparation I am not against this formulation. I was just pointing out that there are significantly better choices. Boswellia is a great anti-inflammatory, but it is not going to aid the body's own anti-inflammatory processes like licorice root and Yucca schidegra root powders. And boswellia is a resin, like frankincense and myrrh. Resins are not good for long term use since they can be hard on the kidneys. And I already posted my issues with turmeric or its extract curcumin. Poor absorption, the rhizome is loaded with oxalic acid and if absorption is increased this will interfere with the body's phase 2 detoxification system. I do like turmeric and use it in my formulations. But in limited amounts so it is not just taking up space with a bunch of herb that is not going to even get absorbed. And I prefer the turmeric to the curcumin in most cases since curcumin is not the only active component in turmeric. Many herb manufacturers have been going the route of the pharmaceutical industry isolating a single component so it can be patented. But this eliminates the synergy of the active components within herbs and in some cases removes the balancing safety compounds, which is one of the reasons pharmaceutical drugs derived from plants can have side effects not produced by the herb and why they are often less effective than the herbs they were derived from.
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Post by rockjunquie on Dec 18, 2017 21:18:52 GMT -5
I belong to a psoriactic arthritis board. (PsA is a lot lot RA) That particular preparation was highly recommended and is used by a lot of people. It isn't straight up curcumin. I have used good brands of curcumin with peperine and they all upset my stomach something fierce. This one didn't. I can't type enough to go into all the points about it, but it is a good preparation. I'm not saying everyone should run out and buy it. I'm saying it works for me without the stomach pain. HOWEVER, I had a change in my meds. vegasjames outta love this. I had been taking otezla with an almost 100% cure rate. It has since lost effectiveness. It now works about 65% as well. So, the doc added MTX which I refuse to take. Then she added sulfasalazine dr. It's an ancient sulfa antibiotic. Studies found that it is a pretty crappy antibiotic, but for whatever reason they don't understand, it is a good anti inflammatory for arthritis. Of course, it does contain a lot of aspirin. Anyway, that has boosted the efficacy of the otezla back up to about 85-90%. I still have some issues with my feet and hips, but at least I can walk. Otezla is not a cure, merely masks the symptoms of psoriasis. A cure actually gets rid of the problem. Allopathic medicine does not have a cure for psoriasis or any other autoimmune disorders because they are still stuck on old outdated ideas about autoimmunity from 100 years ago. That is they they still claim autoimmunity is from an overactive immune system, which is easy to prove wrong. Autoimmunity is a suppression of the immune system through the adrenals. The overactive immune system belief is why they also prescribe dangerous immune suppressants like the chemotherapy drug methotrexate for autoimmune conditions. Of course being an immune suppressant this leaves the person prone to all sorts of other diseases like cancer. Getting back to Otezla this drug masks the symptoms of PA by blocking the action of phosphordiesterase 4 (PDE4). To understand why this helps lets go back to my write up on psoriasis I provided to you before: Q: Could you please give me some suggestions for herbs that are good for psoriasis. My father has diabetes and high blood pressure, but also quite bad psoriasis, which is effecting his confidence dramatically. He is on conventional drugs for both conditions but is not taking anything for his psoriasis. Any suggestions will be much appreciated.
A: Psoriasis is not caused by infection or acidic blood as some people have claimed. Psoriasis is an imbalance between two chemical messengers in the body known as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). The dominant messenger should be cAMP, but in psoriasis cGMP becomes dominant. This leads to the psoriasis as cGMP elevates PGE2, which is found in elevated levels in psoriatic skin cells. Arachidonic acid (AA) levels are also elevated with psoriasis. The primary source of AA is from meats in our diet. So reducing intake of red meats would also be a good idea.
A few suggestions are coleus forskohlii, nettle leaf or watercress, and fish and flax seed oils. Forskohlii, nettle leaf and watercress can all be used to elevate cAMP or help prevent its breakdown. The oils are sources of essential fatty acids that help counter AA.
Since psoriasis is believed to be autoimmune it is also recommended to focus on the adrenal glands. See:
medcapsules.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2462
Building up the adrenals will also help counter the inflammatory responses that can be caused by elevated PGE2 and AA.So it is known that psoriasis is caused by an imbalance of cAMP and cGMP with cGMP becoming dominant. Again Otezla blocks PDE4, which degrades cAMP leading to lower cAMP levels. Although it has not been shown to block the action of other cAMP degrading phosphodiesterases. Therefore Otezla will reduce the symptoms of psoriasis but does not get rid of the problem. Just like morphine can reduce the symptoms of a gunshot wound but it does not treat the gunshot. As for the preparation I am not against this formulation. I was just pointing out that there are significantly better choices. Boswellia is a great anti-inflammatory, but it is not going to aid the body's own anti-inflammatory processes like licorice root and Yucca schidegra root powders. And boswellia is a resin, like frankincense and myrrh. Resins are not good for long term use since they can be hard on the kidneys. And I already posted my issues with turmeric or its extract curcumin. Poor absorption, the rhizome is loaded with oxalic acid and if absorption is increased this will interfere with the body's phase 2 detoxification system. I do like turmeric and use it in my formulations. But in limited amounts so it is not just taking up space with a bunch of herb that is not going to even get absorbed. And I prefer the turmeric to the curcumin in most cases since curcumin is not the only active component in turmeric. Many herb manufacturers have been going the route of the pharmaceutical industry isolating a single component so it can be patented. But this eliminates the synergy of the active components within herbs and in some cases removes the balancing safety compounds, which is one of the reasons pharmaceutical drugs derived from plants can have side effects not produced by the herb and why they are often less effective than the herbs they were derived from. I remember what you have said. When discussing our issues on my other forum we frequently refer to a medicine that seems to be working as our "cure". Not in the sense that we are actually cured but that we are relieved of the symptoms. I shouldn't have said cure on this forum when I really meant that I was relieved of symptoms. I am sadly aware that there is no actual cure. I am also aware that science really doesn't fully understand it. There is a guy on my other forum who could be your doppleganger. He, too, is very well versed in "alternative" therapies. I have absolutely nothing against that. I always read his very informative posts. I have tried a few things, too. Many others have tried various things with differing results. After communicating with literally hundreds of fellow sufferers, one thing becomes absolutely crystal clear with respect to psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: What works for one person may not work for the next. For instance, otezla works for a very few of the people on that vast forum and nearly everyone suffers from bad enough side effects to quit it. Me, I have had zero side effects and as I said, it was my "cure" until my body figured out how to beat it. I have tried a lot of things that work for others and not one has helped me (besides curcumin). My forum has a section devoted to "alternative/natural" therapies. It's full of very good information. The trouble with my disease is that the body quickly figures out how to circumvent medicine. So, you move on to the next, and the next, and the next, until there are no more to try. Many people including myself, want to know what to do when we run out of medicine. Hence the alternative popularity. Luckily, I have a great doctor who I can run things past. He's into trying things. One of his big things is capsaicin. I was kinda hoping you had something to say about the sulfa drug. I was very hesitant to take it because of the aspirin content, but so far I have been ok. I like old tried and proven, cheap drugs. (If I had to pay out of pocket for otezla, I'd be living on the street!) The sulfa drug is cheap. I do wonder about taking an antibiotic over a long period, though.
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Post by vegasjames on Dec 18, 2017 22:19:11 GMT -5
I remember what you have said. When discussing our issues on my other forum we frequently refer to a medicine that seems to be working as our "cure". Not in the sense that we are actually cured but that we are relieved of the symptoms. I shouldn't have said cure on this forum when I really meant that I was relieved of symptoms. I am sadly aware that there is no actual cure. I am also aware that science really doesn't fully understand it. There is a guy on my other forum who could be your doppleganger. He, too, is very well versed in "alternative" therapies. I have absolutely nothing against that. I always read his very informative posts. I have tried a few things, too. Many others have tried various things with differing results. After communicating with literally hundreds of fellow sufferers, one thing becomes absolutely crystal clear with respect to psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: What works for one person may not work for the next. For instance, otezla works for a very few of the people on that vast forum and nearly everyone suffers from bad enough side effects to quit it. Me, I have had zero side effects and as I said, it was my "cure" until my body figured out how to beat it. I have tried a lot of things that work for others and not one has helped me (besides curcumin). My forum has a section devoted to "alternative/natural" therapies. It's full of very good information. The trouble with my disease is that the body quickly figures out how to circumvent medicine. So, you move on to the next, and the next, and the next, until there are no more to try. Many people including myself, want to know what to do when we run out of medicine. Hence the alternative popularity. Luckily, I have a great doctor who I can run things past. He's into trying things. One of his big things is capsaicin. I was kinda hoping you had something to say about the sulfa drug. I was very hesitant to take it because of the aspirin content, but so far I have been ok. I like old tried and proven, cheap drugs. (If I had to pay out of pocket for otezla, I'd be living on the street!) The sulfa drug is cheap. I do wonder about taking an antibiotic over a long period, though. Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are curable, just not by allopathic means as I pointed out. They like to use immune suppressants and anti-inflammatories primarily, which DO NOT cure the problem and can in fact make the underlying condition worse. What are they doing to address the adrenal dysfunction? NOTHING. I do agree that there is no 100% cure for everyone for various reasons. For example is someone is taking something that would normally cure an autoimmune disorder but they are still smoking or downing coffee, which aggravates autoimmunity that is not going to allow the therapy to work. That is like trying to dig a hole while someone else is shoveling the dirt back in to the hole. You are not going to get anywhere. Capsaicin is OK, but again is only a mask, not a cure. Capsaicin can help reduce pain by reducing substance in nerves. As for the sulfa drug there can be some merit to this. Most autoimmune disorders have been linked to microbial infections that trigger the autoimmune reactions. See: medcapsules.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=24454Bacterial infections are a suspected trigger for psoriasis. Various bacteria, primarily Staphylococcus aureus and to a lesser extent Streptococcus and other bacterium have been identified in association with psoriasis. Not a proven trigger yet but a definite association according to various studies. As for the aspirin component I am not a gig fan of aspirin. It is also an NSAID and thus can reduce inflammation but also inhibit healing. Aspirin can also lead to peptic ulcers, and internal bleeding that accounts for a lot of the average 5.000 annual deaths reported from aspirin use. The peptic ulcers are a result of the prostaglandin inhibition by aspirin. I discuss this in my blog article: medreview.wordpress.com/2006/12/28/nsaids-2/
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Post by tims on Dec 19, 2017 1:55:36 GMT -5
This has turned into a very involved discussion, and I am putting together a list of supplements to see if any are available locally. Strangely enough our podunk town has a health food store.
My current severe episode may be an alleric reaction or maybe even insect bites. I haven't slept much in the past 5 days but today managed to sleep almost 10 hours in a long series of short naps. Tonight I noticed a couple small itchy, bumpy patches like hives on the palm of my left hand and the fingers on that hand are swollen and tingly / numb. There's a similar patch on my left shoulder, and last week when this started there was an itchy / burning patch on my left elbow. I'm going to try an antihistamine tonight and try to get into the clinic tomorrow if the joint pain hasn't subsided by then --- the swollen hand is disconcerting and the relentless pain makes any money issue seem irrelevant.
Many thanks for all the input as i have some great leads to address old and new chronic aches and pains.
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Post by tims on Dec 21, 2017 1:09:32 GMT -5
Clinic says it's shingles. Valacyclovir (Valtrex) for treatment, amitriptyline for pain. She wanted to give me opioid pain killers but i refused, and looking at amitriptyline i'm tempted to abstain from that as well. She also suggested 9 ibuprofen and 4 aleve daily with Tylenol in between but i've been ok with a couple ibuprofen during the day and then about 4 at night, one every couple hours when the pain wakes me up. Couple hundred bucks for the 15 min consultation + 40 for drugs so not devastating. At least when i get back to normal i'll have good options for daily pain.
Thanks again for all the input. Just having a place to complain was a huge relief for me and much appreciated.
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Post by vegasjames on Dec 21, 2017 1:32:28 GMT -5
Clinic says it's shingles. Valacyclovir (Valtrex) for treatment, amitriptyline for pain. She wanted to give me opioid pain killers but i refused, and looking at amitriptyline i'm tempted to abstain from that as well. She also suggested 9 ibuprofen and 4 aleve daily with Tylenol in between but i've been ok with a couple ibuprofen during the day and then about 4 at night, one every couple hours when the pain wakes me up. Couple hundred bucks for the 15 min consultation + 40 for drugs so not devastating. At least when i get back to normal i'll have good options for daily pain. Thanks again for all the input. Just having a place to complain was a huge relief for me and much appreciated. The symptoms you listed in your previous post does not sound anything like shingles. Shingles tends to cause very severe pain with a red rash that most often occurs around the side of the chest. This will form blisters that break open and scab. And there would be other symptoms such as fever. That is a pretty hefty dose of NSAIDs as well.
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Post by tims on Dec 21, 2017 5:42:55 GMT -5
Well, I don't think she's a doctor. What do you want for ~$800 an hour? She was merciful enough to forego xrays and bloodwork so at least i'm not out on the street.
I think (hope) it's a reasonable diagnosis, the very severe pain part is 100% and i began developing bumpy rashes after a few days of pain. None on my torso just the left arm and hand.
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