Reactive Arthritis Help

I hope all is going well with your pregnancy and the Reactive arthritis has finished its cycle and you are having a wonderful pregnacy. Sorry I can't help with your question, my RA is in my knee, I never had any symptoms during my pregnancy, my little girl is now 2 and I currently have a flare up, which is not fun whilst trying to keep up with and play with a toddler. All the best Bek

Guest wrote:

REACTIVE ARTHRITIS

I am a professional artist (drawing, painting, airbrush, etc), and I can't do much anymore because of this crazy problem. I've had severe reactive arthritis for 12 years (since age 20, now 32). An inflammation usually occurs twice per year and it lasts for 3-5 months at a time! Most of this time, I cannot get out of bed and to the bathroom or in a vehicle due to extreme pain and stiffness in the lower back, legs, knees, ankles and joints which are used most often and/or cause the most stress.

This condition has occurred so many times that I've noticed a recognizable pattern: It begins with urethral discharge then within 1 week I can't walk. Every step I take causes me to scream with sharp excruciating pain in lower back and hips. I'm sure there are others who've experienced this.

ANY SOLUTION FOR REACTIVE ARTHRITIS??? IS THERE ANYTHING AVAILABLE OVER THE COUNTER THAT WILL REDUCE PAIN AND SWELLING??? (IBUPROFEN, ETC, DOES NOT WORK FOR ME). STEROIDS? WHAT KIND EXACTLY? ANY NATURAL ANTIBIOTICS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE AGAINST THIS? WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS. PLEASE OFFER WHATEVER ADVICE YOU HAVE. PLEASE TELL US WHAT MEDICATION HAS HELPED YOU.

Cut out eating grain , start eating raw Boch Choy and taking pro biotics (lactobascillis plantarum) No sugar you could have Candida overgrowth nothing spicy, fresh meat and veg, bland as you can and start waching for improvements within a couple of weeks.

Hi there, I am my self a reactive arthritis sufferer and got it about 11 months ago. It is almost gone away completely but still sits in a little bit. i don't know so much about food and reactive arthritis, but what I do know is a medicine that was like magic for me. After about 4 months with really bad arthritis in the right knee, left foot and right elbow, I finally got prescribed Enbrel. Two syringes of 25 mg each every week, so one dose of 50 mg a week. This worked wonders for me, and I advise everyone with reactive arthritis to push through with their doctors to get this medication!

I can echo much of what is above. I first got ReA a few years back due to food poisoning. My right foot swelled, I had night sweats, aching hand and feet joints, and generally felt ill (sort of like having low grade flu). I was diagnosed with a hairline fracture on my foot! (although nothing showed up on x-rays). Next I was diagnosed with MCTD. Then I finally discovered it must be ReA, since it was triggered by food poisoning. After suffering for months, I tried a week of Cipro (strong antibiotic), and suddenly I felt much better. Unfortunately, as soon as I stopped the drug, the symptoms returned. I next tried oregano oil and probiotics, figuring the oil would kill pathogens in my GI tract, and the probiotics would replenish with good bacteria. Either this worked, or the disease ran it's course, because after about 6 months I was feeling better and better.

Unfortunately, late this fall, it returned. I'm not sure what triggered it, but the good news is that it's not as severe as last time. And like last time, I've noticed that certain foods (red meat, shellfish, fried foods) make me feel ill; so I concur that diet is very important in fighting this disease. Do some research online for non-inflammatory diets and see if that helps. I'm still figuring out what I can and can't eat. There is much to learn, and doctors doen't seem to have a good handle on this problem. Taking drugs is not really the answer, although you may have to just to get by at first. I intend to get Barbra Allan's book; there is so much conflicting information online that you need a good resource as a foundation.

And my heart goes out to the young people on this forum. This disease makes you feel old in a big hurry, but in most cases it will go away, at least for years at a time.

I appreciate you sharing your experience with us AnthonyK.
What I find to be very surprising in what you wrote above is that you felt like antibiotics helped. From what I know about antibiotics is that they only fight bacterial conditions, and reactive arthritis is not a condition caused by bacterias. Although reactive arthritis in many cases start from a bacterial infection in the stomach like food poisoning which then later on turns into the condition reactive arthritis. The antibiotics would help on the bacterial infection in the stomach but not the arthritis itself.

Although, I read that Cipro which you took, not only fight bacterias, but also stops synthesis of DNA and of protein (wikipedia on Cipro). Without going into this too deep, I think the fact that Cipro stop synthesis of some protein could be the key to why you felt better from this. Enbrel, that I mentioned earlyer in my previous text, reduces levels of the active form of TNF (protein).

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"Chronic inflammatory diseases like moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and moderate to severe juvenile idiopathic arthritis are believed to be caused by a problem with the immune system. The immune system protects the body from infections and certain diseases. One of the proteins that plays an important role in the immune system is called tumor necrosis factor (TNF).

There could be a connection here...

I was just wondering if any of you feel that long-term use of the sulfasalazine or methotrexate has had any significant impact on your recovery.  My doctor has had an "I don't know, but let's try it and see what happens" approach to putting me on sulfasalazine.  I've only been on it for 10 days, but I feel NO difference so far.  I was just wondering if it's worth it.  I'd give anything to make this go away faster, but I wanted to ask what you all thought.

Hi I was diagnosed with reactive arthritus at the age of 23 and I have had it ever since, well on and off, they had me on Methrotrexate for about 4 years and it helped alot, I stopped the treatment as I wanted to have a baby. Anyway I am 38 now and still have flair up but I dont take Methrotrexate as my treatment anylonger as it makes me feel ill most of the time and try and work through the pain on my own, it isnt easy as some days I can not walk either and wish someone could tell me what triggers it but sadly no one can

I have had genetic reactive arthritis since 2002. My gene markers kicked in after the great emotional impact of my father's death. Both of my parents have the HLA27 gene marker. Being a professional artist , the illness had a complex impact on me-- effecting both my personal and business life. Presently I am a patient of the Cleveland Clinic -- the have an excellent book on arthritis by Dr. John Clough ( before retiring was my doctor ). Every drug ( probably was tried on me ) , many worked for several years and then I had a reverse reaction -- some miracle drugs at first - and then I negatively reacted to them ( Enbrel, and Humira ). When first diagnosed I had to climb steps sideways, couldn't even grab scaffold bars, and normal daily activities were almost impossible. Then I realized that I could also help my situation besides waiting for doctors for the " cure ". I asked questions , did research, and took responsibility for my well being. I changed my diet -- eating mostly vegetables ( especially dark greens --kale,parsley, spinach, aspargas, green beans ) , fruits --pineapple, apples, many berries ( everyday ), etc... I bought a Vitamixer for making raw soups, ices, and especially morning smoothies -with the berries ( especially blueberries and raspberries )and super max protein powder that has the beneficial amino acids, vitamims, and minerals. Vitamixer is not a regular mixer -- it emulsifies on high speed --the first stage of digesting food. High doses of Vitamin D helps tremendously ( ask your doctor ) . My doctor at the Cleveland Clinic is monitoring me on these supplements etc... I can also say from my experience -- STAY AWAY from the following: beef, processed foods, white sugar. Have only a LITTLE of : gluten ( bread products ), animal protein products ( organic if you can -- especially if you are going to partake of milk, eggs ) -- I do mostly only wild caught atlantic salmon, and chicken -- no mammal. There are too many injected hormones in animal meats. Have little fat as possible -- unless it is Omega 3 ( in foods -- chia seeds, flax , almonds, walnuts--or Olive Oil ) The processed foods have all kinds of chemicals and garbage fillers that will collect in nodes , fat etc... There is so much more. But I do have a very productive life...doing my artwork -- climbing scaffold etc...

Sorry typo...HLA-B27 gene marker ( reactive arthritis, ankylosiing spondylitis, arthritis )

Hope all this info helps...it has helped me.

SacredArtist

I was on Methotrexate for awhile...
I am now on Diclofenac

My doctor at the Cleveland Clinic had me on methotrexate. It takes awhile to get into your system. And, if it isn't working on the dosage he has you on -- I know my doctor increased mine. ..and it helped.

Very helpful! Thanks.

SacredArtist - Your post was most useful. Thank you for writing all that. I've only been dealing with this reactive arthritis (I, too, am HLA-B27 positive, but it never was triggered before) for 4 or 5 months, so this is all new to me. It is calming down now, but I think there is permanent damage to my left hand/wrist and my right foot (unless these two areas were just the worst and they haven't calmed down yet).
My doctor has mentioned going on the Humira or Enbrel, but I don't want to do that. Seems to me compromising your immune system just opens the door to more "issues" and the need for yet more medications down the road. JMO. I, like you, have totally transformed my diet and I eat mostly raw, lots of veggies, fruits, greens and flax/chia/hemp seeds, and I live on green smoothies in the morning. I think it is helping. Even if it doesn't cure the ReA, it sure makes you a whole lot healthier!
Can you tell me what diclofenac is? I'm not familiar with that.
Thanks much for all your helpful information.
Jody

Diclifenac is an anti inflammatory that is very strong. I take 2 before bed and it keeps the pain at bay until the following evening.

just curious Haley....what were your symptoms involving your eye?