Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives NSD and diet-related; should i start the drugs?

Hi Costas

it is a tricky position to be in with some doctors. One question you should put to him is how will he monitor your progress and how would that determine reduction in medication. Tell him you would expect to reduce drugs with improvements. I was on drugs when I started the diet and reduced as I felt improvement and gained confidence.

The phusician told me that these drugs are to prevent further damage to the joints and also he want to see me after three months with a new blood tests.
the point is since i started the diet i saw huge imbrovement and thats why i dont want to start the drugs. i want to continue the diet to see what else will happen
I am still downloading pdf files about nutrition and healthy foods and sometimes i feel confused. but i still reading.
One amazing thing i read in many pdf files is our skin in the hot steamy shower with tap water absorbs a lot of chemicals added to the water. also our lungs in the shower breath the same chemicals too. bleach and chlorine.
I dont know where i am getting but i can't stop.
thats for now

Hello, Costas:

I can tell You from experience that some drugs--NSAIDs--can actually make Your AS WORSE, long-term. I would ditch the Meloxicam altogether! And the MTX is not so bad in lower dosages, but if You do not have symptoms, don't take this drug because it will be no better at helping than stricter diet, and Ok to keep around in case You really flare, but this drug STOMPS on Your immune system, so it is not a good drug unless taken to avoid developing a tolerance for some of the biologics.

The classic drug for AS is sulfasalazine (and ENTERIC-COATED is best form); I would not object to this, especially with winter coming on (best to stay out of direct sunlight while taking this).

If diet is doing it for You, just work on improving that, and don't complicate Your life with drugs and their side effects.

Remember, be suspicious of any flour product and especially protein drinks or stuff thickened with powders. Not all food that we react to will test for starch using iodine--case in point is caramel; that is very bad one. Also, beware starch in fruit harvested too early before ripened.

HEALTH,
John

hi costas,

i have moments of reading and reading til my eyes r crossed. i find its best to stop for a day or so to process what u r reading then go back for more. it can b overwhelming sometimes lol.

i second the opinion "..if the diet is working, leave the drugs out..". if diet leaves u free of any AS symptoms, that should make u confident to say no to the drugs.

u said something about 'guilt'....
NEVER EVER feel guilty for looking out for yourself and finding the best treatment/doctor/remedy for you!

Hi Costas,

just a couple of stories of what I've experienced with rheumatologists in the past 10 years:

About 10 years ago, I had a really bad flare. At that time I lived in England. It was the first time I needed a rheumatologist there, so I had to wait for 2 months to get to see one. In the meantime, I found out about the diet, started on it because I was in so much pain and I was lucky, as I responded to it really well. When I finally had the appointment, I was doing really well, flare was gone. I told the doctor about the diet and she said, "keep doing whatever you are doing as it is working for you". I walked out of the office feeling really good aobut myself and the diet.

A few years later I moved back to Vienna Austria, where I'm from. As it is easy to see doctors here, I made an appointment to see a rheumatologist, just to have someone at hand in case I had a problem. I was still on the diet at that time and still doing well (apart from recurring Iritis). That doctor was actually shocked that I was not taking any what she called "maintenance" drugs. I could only get her off my back as I was planning to start trying for a baby.

That plan worked out and the pregnancy (I guess the change of hormones) put me in a remission for 3 years. December last year the AS and the Iritis started again, I went back to the doctor and back to the diet. She wanted to put me on biologics immediately. Again I held her off because of a possilbe baby nr.2.

The diet kicked in and the AS (but not so much the iritis) was under control again. As I was seen in a special clinic for the iritis, I was also sent to the rheumatology department there. I was checked out top to toe (inlcuding x-ray, extensive blood test and MRI) and the outcome: I'm doing way too well as far as the AS is concerned as that they could even think of prescribing me biologics, or anything else.

Which leaves me to say, we have to become experts in regards to our condition. Learn as much as you can and trust your instincts. You don't even need to tell the doctor that you don't take the drugs. Keep doing the diet, go back for blood tests and see, if the diet made any difference to your results.

It is YOUR body and YOUR health, you decide what you do with it. And if you feel you want to take the drugs and give them a try, do it. I'm keeping my mind open. If the iritis attacks keep coming back, I might just as well go down the medical route as I want to save my eyelight. It is our decision, we have to do what is best for ourselves.

All the best!

Hey Costas,

See others have responded.. it is a personal decision, but here is my 2 cents.

- I prefer diet to drugs, I dealt with side effects to drugs too often
- i believe in leaky gut as Dragonslayer pointed out... I would prefer to stay away from NSAIDs long term
- Diet is restrictive - so it is not for everyone... but it is for me, I can deal with reduced meal plan and I have good results from diet

Best of luck to you on your decision.

Tim

Costas,
I support whatever decision you make.
I support, too, your choice to stick just to the nutrition sections of this support group website.
Do what is right for you!
I'm glad you are feeling well these days and able to walk the stairs up and down!
One day at a time.

thank you all for your response!
It seems that we share the shame thoughts.
Now I am going to be invisible again (visiting the forum as anonymous). My instincts tells me to watch from distance...
already i explode once , prefer to be a ghost

I will give you a big kiss , wipe your face after
i can't be serious all the time, i am crazy too
the only way to know me is to live with me and this will never happen , byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

This is what I'm going thru- because of the iritis diagnosis my rheum is telling me I have to go on a dmard or biologic. She won't renew my minocycline prescription. I told her Id try ssz again and she dismissed me and said mtx works better. So I filled the mtx but it's still sitting on my bedside. I'm continuing what's left of antibiotic. Continuing diet, it's a lifestyle for me now no going back but I'm not testing fruits and veggies just staying away from obvious starchy ones.
Unfortunately my whole family just went thru a stomach bug- it hit me hard, arthritis flared, eye flared, I feel like I'm at square one. I think I'm ready to try the drugs,
but Costos if your feeling better from diet alone I would stay away from the drugs.

Once again, lots of great advice here. I agree that if the diet is working, stick with it.

I have a pantry with some old drugs in it but would rather just stick to the diet since that seems to be working. I figure that if I can prevent the flares, then I can prevent the disease from progressing.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.