My rheumatologist says that my case is one of the worst cases he's ever seen, and *the* worst case he's seen of someone my age. I am 23.
I'm already 4 years into my journey. There is so much catching up to do. For now, let's settle with a list of things I have tried. Next to each it will say how it worked, if it worked. You'll learn that my case is severe resistant to many remedies that work for most people with RA.
I urge you, the reader, to request elaboration on any of the items below. Each one is a story to tell, with valuable information attached to it. Please do it in the comments or you may contact me privately. Either way, your request will be enthusiastically and thoroughly responded to.
Foods that affect MY inflammation. Next to each food is my own rating from -10 to +10, +10 meaning that inflammation subsides greatly following ingestion of that food, and -10 meaning that inflammation and pain worsens greatly following ingestion of that food. 0 is no effect.
For example:
Almond butter -4 (Within 12 hours of eating at least 1 serving of almond butter, my inflammation and pain levels go up somewhat.)
Red meat -7
Chicken -6
Chicken Liver -3
Turkey -4
Eggs -8
Milk -7
Cheese -5
Gluten -8
Rice -5
Grain Corn -6
Vegetable Corn -5
All Nuts and Nut Butters -5
All Seeds and Seed Butters (tahini) -3
Fish +3
Salmon +5
Lobster +1
Oysters -3
Clams -3
Shrimp -4
Garlic +3
Ginger +2
Kale +6
Avocado +2
Tomato -4
Nightshade Vegetables -3
White potato -5
Sweet potato -2
Sugar -10
Fruit -6
Chick Peas -3
Lentils -4
Soybeans -4
Most other legumes -4
Hummus -3
Quinoa -3
Iodized/Processed Salt -2
Sea Salt +2
Green Tea +2
Mushrooms -1
Cucumber +1
Olive Oil +3
Coconut Oil -3
Coconut Butter -7
Vegetable Oils -3
Onion +2
Green beans -1
Peas -2
Broccoli +4
Brussel Sprouts +3
Any Leafy Green +4
Cabbage +2
Cauliflower -3
Curry -4
Alcohol -7
Lemon -3
Lime -2
Seaweed +2
So as you can see, I have a very tough time finding sustenance. Some people tell me to just bear through the pain and eat anything I want, but food really, I mean REALLY impacts the level of inflammation. It's as plain as night and day.
Here are things I have tried:
Prednisone 20mg for 2 months
worked, with the following side effects: Irritability, constant hunger, bloating, insomnia, speedy feeling
Methotrexate, up to 20mg for ~4 months
No noticeable improvement, with side effects: Fatigue, depression, nausea, feeling "suppressed"
Doxycycline, Zithromax, and Mepron, for ~3 months (because I tested positive for Lyme disease and Babesia co-infection)
No noticeable improvement, with side effects: Nausea, indigestion
Bicillin IM injections
No noticeable improvement, with side effect: thrush, aka yeast overgrowth in the mouth
Cortisone injections in my wrists, knees and ankles
Great improvement, no noticeable side effects (that I know of) --lasted about 6 months.
99% Raw Vegan Diet for 6 months
Definite improvement in energy and inflammation, but eventually I felt like I was missing something nutritionally. Didn't help all the way, though.
Ionized ("Kangen") Water
I tried this while eating raw, and then again in 2012. The first time I had a great response, but then those benefits slowly went away. The second time (this time with "REAL" Kangen Water) It didn't work at all, save for a short energy boost when I started drinking it.
Enbrel injection 50mg once a week
Worked quite well, with negligible side effects. Still not all the way, though.
Humira injection 40mg once every two weeks
Similar to enbrel
Enbrel with methotrexate
No noticeable difference upon adding the methotrexate. Same "suppressive" side effects as before with methotrexate
Juice Fasting
Works well, but inflammation comes back when I start eating again, or when I have been fasting for too long.
The Clean Cleanse
Worked amazingly, so well that I continued the protocol (with a few breaks) for a little over 4 months. Improvement plateaued, but it was still worth it to stay on it. Veggie juice for breakfast, solid, healthy lunch, and veggie juice for dinner. Works like intermittent fasting, but better.
Rife Machine
This did nothing. Used frequencies for symptoms I had, Lyme disease, arthritis, depression, all sorts of things. After 4 sessions of not feeling any difference, I quit.
Physical Therapy (on and off)
Works quite well, even for keeping inflammation at bay.
Craniosacral therapy
Slight improvement in inflammation, definite improvement in general feeling of wellbeing.
Energy Healing, chakras n stuff
With some healers, I felt things, but apart from emerging sessions with a life-affirming serenity, the inflammation levels did not subside.
Reiki
See above
Meditation
Meditation rooted in physical sensation of the body as a whole seem the most effective for me. Works well for mental state, and *maybe* some for inflammation levels.
Coconut Oil
Actually worsens inflammation
Cinnamon and Honey
Worsens inflammation
Gin soaked raisins
Worsens inflammation
Apple Cider Vinegar 2tbsp in 8oz water
Worked well for 3 months, then stopped working.
Borax 1/4tsp in 1 liter water
Worked well for ~3 days, then stopped working.
Sexual abstinence
Works great for mood and mental function, but not for inflammation
Ginger
Works sorta kinda not really.
Alexander Technique
No noticeable difference from one session (and I notice a lot)
DMT
The first time I smoked DMT, when I was about 9 months into the disease, joint inflammation receded completely for a week.
Peyote
During the summer I was taking antibiotics, I went to a Peyote ceremony, followed by a sweat lodge, both led by a Navajo shaman. When the sweat was over, my inflammation had reduced *dramatically.* The inflammation all returned within the week.
Psilocybe Mushrooms
Inflammation subsides for the day.
DOI (psychedelic research chemical)
Inflammation subsides for the day
Mescaline
See above
LSD
See above, with side effects: tension, metaphysical doubt
Ayahuasca
Inflammation subsides, returns the next day. Not for the faint hearted.
Tabernanthe Iboga TA
Inflammation goes way down, but returns as it wears off.
Celebrex
Works somewhat, but gives me a really creepy feeling that is hard to describe. I stay away.
Percocet
Similar to above. I don't want to feel high like that. I also feel worse when it wears off.
Ibuprofen
Works well, but inflammation and joint pain is worse when it wears off.
Hip Replacement (right)
Not only did my "hip" instantly feel better, but the RA went into remission for a couple solid weeks before it came creeping back. I was on no painkillers starting 4 days after the surgery.
Elbow synovectomy and radial head resection
This was a disaster. No remission (not that I was expecting one) and it took several months for the elbow to recover. This surgery was not worth it.
The Paleo Diet (with restrictions)
This works really well, but of course, not all the way.
Supplements:
Probiotics
These help with digestion and mood, for sure. Inflammation, maybe. Nothing too noticeable for me.
Omega 3 Oil
Works a small but noticeable amount, if you take ~5 grams of high quality omega 3s.
B vitamins
Small energy boost.
Drenamin
Helps greatly with fatigue.
Boron 20-30mg
Nothing, though I'm still on it
Knox Gelatin 2tbsp 2x a day dissolved in water
Nothing.
Fermented foods
Eating some with every meal for more than 2 weeks has nearly completely obliterated my fatigue. Inflammation is about the same. But I have *energy*! This means I am tapering off the drenamin.
Herbs:
Reishi
Nothing, though I'm still on it.
Chaga Tea
Slight improvement
Chaga extract
Nothing, though I'm still on it.
Lion's Mane
Increased memory and concentration, but no improvement with inflammation
Cordyceps
Increased energy and stamina, but no improvement with inflammation
~~~
So please; if you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them or message me. Thank you for reading.
