Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion Helpful Tips Immune support

I will tell you what!

That stuff oh that the teacher developed Airborne or something like that I have taken that supposedly at the onset of a cold and it actually does make me feel better.

If you look at it all that is in it is mega doses of vitamins and vitamin c is one of the big ones, but Bill agrees with me we have both taken it and it has helped us.

Lisa

Lisa, I cannot take Airborne-it contains Echinacea. It's one of the Herbal Extracts in this supplement.

Here's my story: In the Fall of 2004, we went to Florida. I had seen this product promoted on the Oprah show, and since it is not sold in Canada, I picked up a dozen packages while there.

By the time we arrived in FL, I noticed a large lesion had developed on my palate. It seems whenever I get run down, I develop canker sores and tender spots in my mouth and on my gums. Shucks-I was so run down, I had what resembled a huge red, very tender skid mark on my palate. I could barely eat, so I started mega-dosing on the Airborne we had purchased. It took a couple of days, but shortly after we got home, I suffered another flare of iritis. This was the flare that prompted the Ophtalmologist to recommend I see a Rheumy, who realized I had AS when I first met her in Dec. '04. This was confirmed by April '05.

Since echinacea is an immune system stimulant, and I realize AS is an AI disease, I came to realize that all that echinacea pushed me over the edge and into a flare, both of iritis and of my AS. The flare was so intense, I lost alot of my flexibility. Working out as I do, and incorporating flexibility exercises into my workout, then realizing I could barely touch the floor between my toes during this flare, let alone bend over, really scared me. It took several months for me to regain my flexibility, and I'm happy to report that I have fully regained it.

As a result of this experience, I have come to read labels before I ingest anything.

Another supplement I have given up on the advice of one of my doctors who practices Integrative Medicine (conventional plus natural, including supplements), is DHEA. Once we hit our 40's, it's a good supplement to take, but if you have an over-active immune system, as we with AS, RA, Lupus, MS, Diabetes, etc., do, we should not be taking supplements that boost or over stimulate the immune system. Eating healthy to maintain and support a healthy immune system differs from taking stuff that stimulates it. We really do have to become proactive when anything concerns our health.

Anyway, hubby Ron takes the Airborne-it's good, effective stuff, but not good for me. If I'm feeling run down and that a cold is coming on, I ramp up the Vitamin C and take Oil of Oregano. I know it's costly, but I haven't had a bad cold in almost 2 years.

well its obvious that echinacea in not good for us but what about B complex vitamine im thinking off trying it one tabket each day?is this ok?

B-complex vitamins are excellent to take. I use a 50mg dose.

overcomer?

can you be sure that ehinachea couldn done damge in my body or maybe progreesse process of fusing?

Not normally, that's why it has to be taken continuously-it doesn't last long in your body-it's effect wears off. I have no fusion presently, but my AS seems to be slow-progressing. I've been suffering for almost 14 years. I have damage to both SI joints, but the inflammation rests there. Your case is individual, as we all are. You've stopped taking the Echinacea, so you can stop worrying now.

The story I shared above, was my experience, where I took a lot of Echinacea in a short period of time, and it stirred up my immune system to cause that flare, but I have come out of that particular flare (flaring usually comes and goes like waves in the ocean-in my experience-lasting for up to 8 weeks sometimes), I am exercising diligently, I take my medications, and I'm doing all I know to do to be as healthy as possible. That's all any of us can do.

I pray you have peace about this...

OK I bought Bcomplex tablets but I saw that they contain starch should I try to look for another or all b vitamine complex has it?

I can't answer that, since I am not on the no starch diet. Did you buy capsules or hard tablets? I find the capsules easier to swallow, and quicker to be absorbed by the body.

If you watch for starch, you could test them with iodine, and you may want to read the label before you buy, to ensure they are starch free.

All the best...

one more question i heard that ginger is a very good where could i buy it and how to take it???
i would like to try anthing but not meds

In Canada, we can buy ginger in the produce department of our grocery stores-it is from a root of the ginger plant and needs to be peeled (you can do a search of the web to see how it looks), but you can also purchase it in any health food/nutrition store, powdered and in capsules.

I like to take it to settle an upset stomach-very good for that. Helps reduce nausea sometimes-it's in a brand of soda over here, called ginger ale, but I'm not too certain how much of it is in there-has lots of sugar too, so I don't drink it. However, if you've been vomiting, you can expose the ginger ale to air to release the carbon they use to make it fizzy, and drink it "flat" without the fizz-it helps settle the tummy.

All the best...