1st timer looking others with experience using antibiotics to treat JRA

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on this group. My daughter

has had JRA since she was 4. When she was 5 we started seeing Dr. Gabe

Mirkin in land who began treating her with antibiotics. She was on

them for less than 6 months and went into a 2 yr remission. When her

arthritis did come back it was very agressively affecting many more

joints. We moved to Texas that year so could no longer see Dr.

Mirkin(who is now retired). I was just wondering if anyone has used

antibiotics and knows doctors in the Central Texas area. Or really at

this point any neighboring states!?! Thanks so much!!

[Guest guest]

We have used antibiotics but am not in Texas. We are in Oregon. If you want to call to chat about it, my number is 503 307 1620. Good luck. JanOn May 29, 2008, at 2:09 PM, saralambiecat wrote:Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on this group. My daughterhas had JRA since she was 4. When she was 5 we started seeing Dr. GabeMirkin in land who began treating her with antibiotics. She was onthem for less than 6 months and went into a 2 yr remission. When herarthritis did come back it was very agressively affecting many morejoints. We moved to Texas that year so could no longer see Dr.Mirkin(who is now retired). I was just wondering if anyone has usedantibiotics and knows doctors in the Central Texas area. Or really atthis point any neighboring states!?! Thanks so much!!=

[Guest guest]

Hello and welcome. I live in town, Texas (about 45 minutes

north of Austin). My daughters Rhuemy is Dr. Ruy Carrasco in Austin,

Texas. He is located right next to the Dell Children's Hospital in

the Specially for Childrens Medical Office. His phone number is 512-

628-1880. We don't use antibiotics, but he may be willing to try it.

He is a very young doctor and is very into the new therapies. I hope

this helps.

Feel free to email me any time j_cassady25@....

mom to 14, Poly JRA/Asthma/IBS

>

> > Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on this group. My

daughter

> > has had JRA since she was 4. When she was 5 we started seeing Dr.

Gabe

> > Mirkin in land who began treating her with antibiotics. She

was on

> > them for less than 6 months and went into a 2 yr remission. When

her

> > arthritis did come back it was very agressively affecting many

more

> > joints. We moved to Texas that year so could no longer see Dr.

> > Mirkin(who is now retired). I was just wondering if anyone has

used

> > antibiotics and knows doctors in the Central Texas area. Or

really at

> > this point any neighboring states!?! Thanks so much!!

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I know one person that used antibiotic treatment for JRA> SHe grew up with polyarticular and has damage in multiple areas but not severe. The antibiotic treatment seemed like it worked somewhat but never brought about a medicated remission. She is in her mid 20's now, is married, has 2 kids and still has JRA and is still on her antibiotic therapy. She finds that she hurts a lot at times, has flares and has mostly damage to her fingers.

So i dont know what that says about it. I just know that is her expereience.

Issadora

On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 10:49 PM, J. Cassady <j_cassady25@...> wrote:

Hello and welcome. I live in town, Texas (about 45 minutes north of Austin). My daughters Rhuemy is Dr. Ruy Carrasco in Austin, Texas. He is located right next to the Dell Children's Hospital in

the Specially for Childrens Medical Office. His phone number is 512-628-1880. We don't use antibiotics, but he may be willing to try it. He is a very young doctor and is very into the new therapies. I hope

this helps.Feel free to email me any time j_cassady25@....Jennifer mom to 14, Poly JRA/Asthma/IBS

> > > Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on this group. My daughter> > has had JRA since she was 4. When she was 5 we started seeing Dr. Gabe> > Mirkin in land who began treating her with antibiotics. She

was on> > them for less than 6 months and went into a 2 yr remission. When her> > arthritis did come back it was very agressively affecting many more> > joints. We moved to Texas that year so could no longer see Dr.

> > Mirkin(who is now retired). I was just wondering if anyone has used> > antibiotics and knows doctors in the Central Texas area. Or really at> > this point any neighboring states!?! Thanks so much!!

> >> >> >> -- " Life- Like the flutter of wings... feel your hollow wings rushing... " (AFI- Silver and Cold).

my Flight in life is a metamorphosis of growth and this flutter of wings is within me awaiting to find a space to find it's flow...

[Guest guest]

Dr. Brown was from the land/DC area and was the first to treat JRA

with antibiotics. It is now viewed as " out of date " treatment so you

may have a hard time finding someone who still uses this tx protocol.

Maybe you can use the rec that the other poster just sent you and print

off Dr. Brown's protocol and see if he is willing to work with you.

Given that you seemed to be successful that route before he may be more

open to it. You should print off research articles by Dr. Brown ----

there are many published in professional peer reviewed medical journals

from year ago. I found this info below on Dr. Mercola's website who

is " an out there freak " in my opinion but it gives a good discussion on

Dr. Brown's antibiotic treatment and rhuematic diseases.

The following is a modified version of Dr. Brown's protocol.

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1 percent of our population and at

least two million Americans have definite or classical rheumatoid

arthritis. It is a much more devastating illness than previously

appreciated. Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a progressive

disability. More than 50% of patients who were working at the start of

their disease are disabled after five years of rheumatoid arthritis.

The annual cost of this disease in the U.S. is estimated to be over $1

billion.

There is also an increased mortality rate. The five-year survival rate

of patients with more than thirty joints involved is approximately 50%.

This is similar to severe coronary artery disease or stage IV Hodgkin's

disease. Thirty years ago, one researcher concluded that there was an

average loss of eighteen years of life in patients who developed

rheumatoid arthritis before the age of 50.

Most authorities believe that remissions rarely occur. Some experts

feel that the term " remission-inducing " should not be used to describe

ANY current rheumatoid arthritis treatment. A review of contemporary

treatment methods shows that medical science has not been able to

significantly improve the long-term outcome of this disease.

My Experience with the Dr. Brown's Protocol

I first became aware of Doctor Brown's protocol in 1989 when I saw him

on 20/20 on ABC. This was shortly after the introduction of his first

edition of The Road Back.The newest version is The New Arthritis

Breakthrough that is written by Henry Scammel. Unfortunately, Dr. Brown

died from prostate cancer shortly after the 20/20 program so I never

had a chance to meet him. By the year 2000, I will have treated over

1,500 patients with rheumatic illnesses, including SLE, scleroderma,

polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

My application of Dr. Brown's protocol has changed significantly since

I first started implementing it. Initially, I followed Dr. Brown's work

rigidly with very little modification other than shifting the

tetracycline choice to Minocin. I believe I was one of the first people

who recommended the shift to Minocin, which seems to have been widely

adopted at this time.

In the early 90s, I started to integrate the nutritional model into the

program and noticed a significant improvement in the treatment

response. I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of this

aspect of the program. It is absolutely an essential component of the

revised Dr. Brown protocol. One may achieve remission without it, but

the chances are much improved with its implementation. The additional

benefit of the dietary changes is that they severely reduce the risk of

the two to six month worsening of symptoms that Dr. Brown described in

his book.

In the late 80s, the common retort from other physicians was that there

was " no scientific proof " that this treatment works. Well, that is

certainly not true today. If one peeks ahead at the bibliography, one

will find over 200 references in the peer-reviewed medical literature

that supports the application of Minocin in the use of rheumatic

illnesses.

The definitive scientific support for minocycline in the treatment of

rheumatoid arthritis came with the MIRA trial in the United States.

This was a double blind randomized placebo controlled trial done at six

university centers involving 200 patients for nearly one year. The

dosage they used (100 mg twice daily) was much higher and likely less

effective than what most clinicians currently use.

They also did not employ any additional antibiotics or nutritional

regimens, yet 55% of the patients improved. This study finally provided

the " proof " that many traditional clinicians demanded before seriously

considering this treatment as an alternative regimen for rheumatoid

arthritis.

Dr. Brown's effort to treat the chronic mycoplasma infections

believed to cause rheumatoid arthritis is the basis for this therapy.

Dr. Brown believed that most rheumatic illnesses respond to this

treatment. He and others used this therapy for SLE, ankylosing

spondylitis, scleroderma, dermatomyositis and polymyositis.

Dr. Osler was also a preeminent figure of his time (1849- 1919). Many

regard him as the consummate physician of modern times. An excerpt from

a commentary on Dr. Osler provides a useful perspective on

application of alternative medical paradigms:

Osler would be receptive to the cautious exploration of nontraditional

methods of treatment, particularly in situations in which our present

science has little to offer. From his reading of medical history, he

would know that many pharmacologic agents were originally derived from

folk medicine. He would also remember that in the 19th century

physicians no less intelligent than those in our own day initially

ridiculed the unconventional practices of Semmelweis and Lister.

Osler would caution us against the arrogance of believing that only our

current medical practices can benefit the patient. He would realize

that new scientific insights might emerge from as yet unproved beliefs.

Although he would fight vigorously to protect the public against frauds

and charlatans, he would encourage critical study of whatever

therapeutic approaches were reliably reported to be beneficial to

patients.

Revised Antibiotic-Free Approach

Although the antibiotics frequently worked and the six-month period of

worsening that was part of Dr. Brown's protocol was virtually

eliminated, I always felt like I had failed because I had to resort to

the use of antibiotics.

This has now changed, as I have been able to implement a major change

in my revision of the protocol that allows for a completely drug-free

treatment of RA. The major change seems to be the use of Metabolic

Typing, along with energy techniques. Since we have integrated

Metabolic Typing with full use of EFT to address the stressors that

seem to be universally present in RA, we have been able to cause RA to

routinely go into remission without the use of antibiotics.

To say I am excited is a serious understatement.

Metabolic Typing allows each patient to get a unique diet that is right

for their body. It is very easy to understand how a physician who

successfully treats one patient with a particular diet would come to

the conclusion that the diet that person was on was the " cure " for RA,

when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. Another person

with the same disease could quite possibly need an entirely different

diet to receive any benefits, that is how powerful Metabolic Typing can

be.

If you haven't yet read the book The Metabolic Typing Diet, I would

strongly encourage you to do so as it reviews these topics extensively

(it is definitely a book that belongs on the shelf of anyone with any

interest in nutrition).

There are some general principles that seem to hold true for all

Metabolic Types and these include:

Eliminating sugar and grains (you can read more about this below)

Having unprocessed, high-quality foods, organic if possible

Eating your food as close to raw as possible

Having omega-3 fish oil

I am overjoyed beyond belief that after 14 years of treating RA I can

finally offer a drug-free, effective and rapid solution for most of

those with RA with the aid of Metabolic Typing. However, it is clear

that a perfect diet alone will rarely cause the RA to go into remission.

This is because RA is an autoimmune illness. It does indeed appear to

be caused by an infection, as Dr. Brown speculated. But the central

issue is why did the person acquire the infection in the first place?

It is my experience that this infection is usually acquired when a

person has a stressful event that causes a disruption in their

bioelectrical circuits, which causes an impairment in their immune

system. This impairment predisposes them to developing the initial

infection and also contributes to their relative inability to

effectively defeat the infection.

The antibiotics clearly seem to help most people fight the infection,

but, as I mention above, there are better ways that address the

underlying foundational cause of the illness.

I am quite convinced that energy techniques are required to resolve

this energetic disruption. Prayer can certainly be one of them.

However, in my experience, most have not utilized prayer in a way that

rallies their body's resources to resolve the problem.

In my experience, energy psychology techniques are very helpful in this

area and can be easily integrated with prayer. I happen to use EFT in

my practice and you can download my free 25-page report to find out

more about this technique

However, the emotional trauma that causes RA is nearly universally

quite severe and is best treated by a professional. Trying to treat

this trauma by yourself is somewhat similar to a general surgeon trying

to perform an appendectomy on him or herself. Although it is possible,

it is not generally recommended (Interesting aside: I read an article

in JAMA about 10 years ago in which a surgeon in the late 1800s

actually did this. Unfortunately, he died from complications.).

Dr. Partirica Carrington has actually compiled some guidelines on how

you can find an EFT practitioner.

In the following sections I have included information about the

antibiotic therapy for RA for anyone who is interested. However, I now

recommend my drug-free approach for anyone fighting this illness.

Nutritional Considerations

Limiting sugar is a critical element of the treatment program. Sugar

has multiple significant negative influences on a person's

biochemistry. Its major mode of action is through elevation of insulin

levels. However, it has a similarly severe impairment of intestinal

microflora. Patients who are unable to decrease their sugar intake are

far less likely improve.

One of the major benefits of implementing the dietary changes is that

one does not seem to develop worsening of symptoms the first three to

six months that is described in Dr. Brown's book. Most of my patients

tend to not worsen once they start the antibiotics. I believe this is

due to the beneficial effects that the diet has on the immune response.

Antibiotic Therapy With Minocin

There are three different tetracyclines available: simple tetracycline,

doxycycline, or Minocin (minocycline). Minocin has a distinct and clear

advantage over tetracycline and doxycycline in three important areas.

Extended spectrum of activity

Greater tissue penetrability

Higher and more sustained serum levels

Bacterial cell membranes contain a lipid layer. One mechanism of

building up a resistance to an antibiotic is to produce a thicker lipid

layer. This layer makes it difficult for an antibiotic to penetrate.

Minocin's chemical structure makes it the most lipid soluble of all the

tetracyclines.

This difference can clearly be demonstrated when one compares the drugs

in the treatment of two common clinical conditions. Minocin gives

consistently superior clinical results in the treatment of chronic

prostatitis. In other studies, Minocin was used to improve between 75-

85% of patients whose acne had become resistant to tetracycline. Strep

is also believed to be a contributing cause to many patients with

rheumatoid arthritis. Minocin has shown significant activity against

treatment of this organism.

There are several important factors to consider when using Minocin.

Unlike the other tetracyclines, it tends not to cause yeast infections.

Some infectious disease experts even believe that it even has a mild

anti-yeast activity. Women can be on this medication for several years

and not have any vaginal yeast infections. Nevertheless, it would be

prudent to have patients on prophylactic oral Lactobacillus acidophilus

and bifidus preparations. This will help to replace the normal

intestinal flora that is killed with the Minocin.

Another advantage of Minocin is that it tends not to sensitize patients

to the sun. This minimizes the risk of sunburn and increased risk of

skin cancer. However, one must incorporate several precautions with the

use of Minocin. Like other tetracyclines, food impairs its absorption.

However, the absorption is much less impaired than with other

tetracyclines. This is fortunate because some patients cannot tolerate

Minocin on an empty stomach. They must take it with a meal to avoid GI

side effects. If they need to take it with a meal, they will still

absorb 85% of the medication, whereas tetracycline is only 50%

absorbed. In June of 1990, a pelletized version of Minocin became

available. This improved absorption when taken with meals. This form is

only available in the non-generic Lederle brand and is a more than

reasonable justification to not substitute for the generic version.

Clinical experience has shown that many patients will relapse when they

switch from the brand name to the generic. In February 2006 Wyeth sold

manufacturing rights of Minocin to Triax Pharmaceuticals (866-488-7429).

Clinically it has been documented that it is important to take Lederle

brand Minocin. Most all generic minocycline is clearly not as

effective. A large percentage of patients will not respond at all or

not do as well with generic non-Lederle minocycline.

Traditionally it was recommended to only receive the brand name Lederle

Minocin. However, there is one generic brand that is acceptable and

that is the brand made by Lederle. The only difference between Lederle

generic Minocin and brand name Minocin is the label and the price.

The problem is finding the Lederle brand generic. Some of my patients

have been able to find it at Wal Mart. Since Wal Mart is one of the

largest drug chains in the US, this should make the treatment more

widely available for a reduced charge.

Many patients are on NSAID's which contribute to microulcerations of

the stomach which cause chronic blood loss. It is certainly possible

they can develop a peptic ulceration contributing to their blood loss.

In either event, patients frequently receive iron supplements to

correct their blood counts.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT MINOCIN NOT BE GIVEN WITH IRON. Over 85% of the

dose will bind to the iron and pass through the colon unabsorbed. If

iron is taken, it should be at least one hour before the minocin or two

hours after. One recent uncommon complication of Minocin is a cell-

mediated hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

Most patients can start on Minocin 100 mg. every Monday, Wednesday, and

Friday evening. Doxycycline can be substituted for patients who cannot

afford the more expensive Minocin. It is important to not give either

medication daily, as this does not seem to provide as great a clinical

benefit.

Tetracycline type drugs can cause a permanent yellow- grayish brown

discoloration of the teeth. This can occur in the last half of

pregnancy and in children up to eight years old. One should not

routinely use tetracycline in children. If patients have severe

disease, one can consider increasing the dose to as high as 200 mg

three times a week. Aside from the cost of this approach, several

problems result may result from the higher doses. Minocin can cause

quite severe nausea and vertigo. Taking the dose at night does tend to

decrease this problem considerably.

However, if one takes the dose at bedtime, one must tell the patient to

swallow the medication with TWO glasses of water. This is to insure

that the capsule doesn't get stuck in the throat. If that occurs, a

severe chemical esophagitis can result which can send the patient to

the emergency room.

For those physicians who elect to use tetracycline or doxycycline for

cost or sensitivity reasons, several methods may help lessen the

inevitable secondary yeast overgrowth. Lactobacillus acidophilus will

help maintain normal bowel flora and decrease the risk of fungal

overgrowth.

Aggressive avoidance of all sugars, especially those found in non-diet

sodas will also decrease the substrate for the yeast's growth.

Macrolide antibiotics like Biaxin or Zithromax may be used if

tetracyclines are contraindicated. They would also be used in the three

pills a week regimen.

Clindamycin

The other drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis is clindamycin. Dr.

Brown's book discusses the uses of intravenous clindamycin. It is

important to use the IV form of treatment if the disease is severe.

Nearly all scleroderma patients should take an aggressive stance and

use IV treatment. Scleroderma is a particularly dangerous form of

rheumatic illness that should receive aggressive intervention.

A major problem with the IV form is the cost. The price ranges from

$100 to $300 per dose if administered by a home health care agency.

However, if purchased directly from Upjohn, significant savings will be

appreciated.

For patients with milder illness, the oral form is preferable. If the

patient has a mild rheumatic illness (the minority of cases), it is

even possible to exclude this from their regimen. Initial starting

doses for an adult would be a 1200 mg dose once a week.

Patients do not seem to tolerate this medication as well as Minocin.

The major complaint seems to be a bitter metallic type taste, which

lasts about 24 hours after the dose. Taking the dose after dinner does

seem to help modify this complaint somewhat. If this is a problem, one

can lower the dose and gradually increase the dose over a few weeks.

Concern about the development of C. difficile pseudomembranous

enterocolitis as a result of the clindamycin is appropriate. This

complication is quite rare at this dosage regimen, but it certainly can

occur. It is important to warn all patients about the possibility of

developing a severe uncontrollable diarrhea. Administration of the

acidophilus seems to limit this complication by promoting the growth of

the healthy gut flora.

If one encounters a resistant form of rheumatic illness, intravenous

administration should be considered. Generally, weekly doses of 900 mg

are administered until clinical improvement is observed. This generally

occurs within the first ten doses. At that time, the regimen can be

decreased to every two weeks with the oral form substituted on the

weeks where the IV is not taken.

What To Do If Severe Patients Fail To Respond

The most frequent reason for failure to respond to the protocol is lack

of adherence to the dietary guidelines. Most patients will be eating

too many grains and sugars, which disturb insulin physiology. It is

important that patients adhere as strictly as possible to the

guidelines.A small minority, generally under 15%, of patients will fail

to respond to the protocol described above despite rigid adherence to

the diet.These individuals should already be on the IV Clindamycin.

It appears that the hyaluronic acid, which is a potentiating agent

commonly used in the treatment of cancer may be quite useful. It seems

that hyaluronic acid has very little to no direct toxicity but works in

a highly synergistic fashion when administered directly in the IV bag

with the Clindamycin.

Hyaluronic acid is also used in orthopedic procedures. The dose is

generally from 2 to 10 cc into the IV bag. Hyaluronic acid is not

inexpensive as the cost may range up to $10 per cc.One does need to

exert some caution with its use as it may precipitate a significant

Herxheimer flare reaction.

Patients will frequently have emotional traumas that worsen their

illness. Severe emotional traumas can seriously impair the immune

response to this treatment.

Contiued on Page 2 Story Navigation: [ Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 |

Bibliography ]

>

> Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on this group. My daughter

> has had JRA since she was 4. When she was 5 we started seeing Dr. Gabe

> Mirkin in land who began treating her with antibiotics. She was on

> them for less than 6 months and went into a 2 yr remission. When her

> arthritis did come back it was very agressively affecting many more

> joints. We moved to Texas that year so could no longer see Dr.

> Mirkin(who is now retired). I was just wondering if anyone has used

> antibiotics and knows doctors in the Central Texas area. Or really at

> this point any neighboring states!?! Thanks so much!!

>

[Guest guest]

I think I already chimed in on this topic, but I can say that once we added in the abx for our son's condition (along with lots of JRA meds) his condition improved and he did not get as sick at his worst, feverish, weak and fatigued, etc. Nor were his labs as bad. Then he tested positive for lyme too and a co-infection so that further supported the abx approach. But it is not popular. Good luck. Jan and Louis, age 9, systemic.On Jun 3, 2008, at 8:46 AM, hadley_messner wrote:Dr. Brown was from the land/DC area and was the first to treat JRA with antibiotics. It is now viewed as "out of date" treatment so you may have a hard time finding someone who still uses this tx protocol. Maybe you can use the rec that the other poster just sent you and print off Dr. Brown's protocol and see if he is willing to work with you. Given that you seemed to be successful that route before he may be more open to it. You should print off research articles by Dr. Brown ---- there are many published in professional peer reviewed medical journals from year ago. I found this info below on Dr. Mercola's website who is "an out there freak" in my opinion but it gives a good discussion on Dr. Brown's antibiotic treatment and rhuematic diseases.The following is a modified version of Dr. Brown's protocol.Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1 percent of our population and at least two million Americans have definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis. It is a much more devastating illness than previously appreciated. Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a progressive disability. More than 50% of patients who were working at the start of their disease are disabled after five years of rheumatoid arthritis. The annual cost of this disease in the U.S. is estimated to be over $1 billion. There is also an increased mortality rate. The five-year survival rate of patients with more than thirty joints involved is approximately 50%. This is similar to severe coronary artery disease or stage IV Hodgkin's disease. Thirty years ago, one researcher concluded that there was an average loss of eighteen years of life in patients who developed rheumatoid arthritis before the age of 50. Most authorities believe that remissions rarely occur. Some experts feel that the term "remission-inducing" should not be used to describe ANY current rheumatoid arthritis treatment. A review of contemporary treatment methods shows that medical science has not been able to significantly improve the long-term outcome of this disease. My Experience with the Dr. Brown's Protocol I first became aware of Doctor Brown's protocol in 1989 when I saw him on 20/20 on ABC. This was shortly after the introduction of his first edition of The Road Back.The newest version is The New Arthritis Breakthrough that is written by Henry Scammel. Unfortunately, Dr. Brown died from prostate cancer shortly after the 20/20 program so I never had a chance to meet him. By the year 2000, I will have treated over 1,500 patients with rheumatic illnesses, including SLE, scleroderma, polymyositis and dermatomyositis. My application of Dr. Brown's protocol has changed significantly since I first started implementing it. Initially, I followed Dr. Brown's work rigidly with very little modification other than shifting the tetracycline choice to Minocin. I believe I was one of the first people who recommended the shift to Minocin, which seems to have been widely adopted at this time. In the early 90s, I started to integrate the nutritional model into the program and noticed a significant improvement in the treatment response. I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of this aspect of the program. It is absolutely an essential component of the revised Dr. Brown protocol. One may achieve remission without it, but the chances are much improved with its implementation. The additional benefit of the dietary changes is that they severely reduce the risk of the two to six month worsening of symptoms that Dr. Brown described in his book. In the late 80s, the common retort from other physicians was that there was "no scientific proof" that this treatment works. Well, that is certainly not true today. If one peeks ahead at the bibliography, one will find over 200 references in the peer-reviewed medical literature that supports the application of Minocin in the use of rheumatic illnesses. The definitive scientific support for minocycline in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis came with the MIRA trial in the United States. This was a double blind randomized placebo controlled trial done at six university centers involving 200 patients for nearly one year. The dosage they used (100 mg twice daily) was much higher and likely less effective than what most clinicians currently use. They also did not employ any additional antibiotics or nutritional regimens, yet 55% of the patients improved. This study finally provided the "proof" that many traditional clinicians demanded before seriously considering this treatment as an alternative regimen for rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Brown's effort to treat the chronic mycoplasma infections believed to cause rheumatoid arthritis is the basis for this therapy. Dr. Brown believed that most rheumatic illnesses respond to this treatment. He and others used this therapy for SLE, ankylosing spondylitis, scleroderma, dermatomyositis and polymyositis. Dr. Osler was also a preeminent figure of his time (1849- 1919). Many regard him as the consummate physician of modern times. An excerpt from a commentary on Dr. Osler provides a useful perspective on application of alternative medical paradigms: Osler would be receptive to the cautious exploration of nontraditional methods of treatment, particularly in situations in which our present science has little to offer. From his reading of medical history, he would know that many pharmacologic agents were originally derived from folk medicine. He would also remember that in the 19th century physicians no less intelligent than those in our own day initially ridiculed the unconventional practices of Semmelweis and Lister. Osler would caution us against the arrogance of believing that only our current medical practices can benefit the patient. He would realize that new scientific insights might emerge from as yet unproved beliefs. Although he would fight vigorously to protect the public against frauds and charlatans, he would encourage critical study of whatever therapeutic approaches were reliably reported to be beneficial to patients. Revised Antibiotic-Free ApproachAlthough the antibiotics frequently worked and the six-month period of worsening that was part of Dr. Brown's protocol was virtually eliminated, I always felt like I had failed because I had to resort to the use of antibiotics.This has now changed, as I have been able to implement a major change in my revision of the protocol that allows for a completely drug-free treatment of RA. The major change seems to be the use of Metabolic Typing, along with energy techniques. Since we have integrated Metabolic Typing with full use of EFT to address the stressors that seem to be universally present in RA, we have been able to cause RA to routinely go into remission without the use of antibiotics.To say I am excited is a serious understatement.Metabolic Typing allows each patient to get a unique diet that is right for their body. It is very easy to understand how a physician who successfully treats one patient with a particular diet would come to the conclusion that the diet that person was on was the "cure" for RA, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. Another person with the same disease could quite possibly need an entirely different diet to receive any benefits, that is how powerful Metabolic Typing can be.If you haven't yet read the book The Metabolic Typing Diet, I would strongly encourage you to do so as it reviews these topics extensively (it is definitely a book that belongs on the shelf of anyone with any interest in nutrition).There are some general principles that seem to hold true for all Metabolic Types and these include:Eliminating sugar and grains (you can read more about this below) Having unprocessed, high-quality foods, organic if possible Eating your food as close to raw as possible Having omega-3 fish oil I am overjoyed beyond belief that after 14 years of treating RA I can finally offer a drug-free, effective and rapid solution for most of those with RA with the aid of Metabolic Typing. However, it is clear that a perfect diet alone will rarely cause the RA to go into remission.This is because RA is an autoimmune illness. It does indeed appear to be caused by an infection, as Dr. Brown speculated. But the central issue is why did the person acquire the infection in the first place? It is my experience that this infection is usually acquired when a person has a stressful event that causes a disruption in their bioelectrical circuits, which causes an impairment in their immune system. This impairment predisposes them to developing the initial infection and also contributes to their relative inability to effectively defeat the infection.The antibiotics clearly seem to help most people fight the infection, but, as I mention above, there are better ways that address the underlying foundational cause of the illness.I am quite convinced that energy techniques are required to resolve this energetic disruption. Prayer can certainly be one of them. However, in my experience, most have not utilized prayer in a way that rallies their body's resources to resolve the problem. In my experience, energy psychology techniques are very helpful in this area and can be easily integrated with prayer. I happen to use EFT in my practice and you can download my free 25-page report to find out more about this techniqueHowever, the emotional trauma that causes RA is nearly universally quite severe and is best treated by a professional. Trying to treat this trauma by yourself is somewhat similar to a general surgeon trying to perform an appendectomy on him or herself. Although it is possible, it is not generally recommended (Interesting aside: I read an article in JAMA about 10 years ago in which a surgeon in the late 1800s actually did this. Unfortunately, he died from complications.).Dr. Partirica Carrington has actually compiled some guidelines on how you can find an EFT practitioner.In the following sections I have included information about the antibiotic therapy for RA for anyone who is interested. However, I now recommend my drug-free approach for anyone fighting this illness. Nutritional Considerations Limiting sugar is a critical element of the treatment program. Sugar has multiple significant negative influences on a person's biochemistry. Its major mode of action is through elevation of insulin levels. However, it has a similarly severe impairment of intestinal microflora. Patients who are unable to decrease their sugar intake are far less likely improve. One of the major benefits of implementing the dietary changes is that one does not seem to develop worsening of symptoms the first three to six months that is described in Dr. Brown's book. Most of my patients tend to not worsen once they start the antibiotics. I believe this is due to the beneficial effects that the diet has on the immune response.Antibiotic Therapy With Minocin There are three different tetracyclines available: simple tetracycline, doxycycline, or Minocin (minocycline). Minocin has a distinct and clear advantage over tetracycline and doxycycline in three important areas. Extended spectrum of activity Greater tissue penetrability Higher and more sustained serum levels Bacterial cell membranes contain a lipid layer. One mechanism of building up a resistance to an antibiotic is to produce a thicker lipid layer. This layer makes it difficult for an antibiotic to penetrate. Minocin's chemical structure makes it the most lipid soluble of all the tetracyclines. This difference can clearly be demonstrated when one compares the drugs in the treatment of two common clinical conditions. Minocin gives consistently superior clinical results in the treatment of chronic prostatitis. In other studies, Minocin was used to improve between 75-85% of patients whose acne had become resistant to tetracycline. Strep is also believed to be a contributing cause to many patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Minocin has shown significant activity against treatment of this organism. There are several important factors to consider when using Minocin. Unlike the other tetracyclines, it tends not to cause yeast infections. Some infectious disease experts even believe that it even has a mild anti-yeast activity. Women can be on this medication for several years and not have any vaginal yeast infections. Nevertheless, it would be prudent to have patients on prophylactic oral Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus preparations. This will help to replace the normal intestinal flora that is killed with the Minocin. Another advantage of Minocin is that it tends not to sensitize patients to the sun. This minimizes the risk of sunburn and increased risk of skin cancer. However, one must incorporate several precautions with the use of Minocin. Like other tetracyclines, food impairs its absorption. However, the absorption is much less impaired than with other tetracyclines. This is fortunate because some patients cannot tolerate Minocin on an empty stomach. They must take it with a meal to avoid GI side effects. If they need to take it with a meal, they will still absorb 85% of the medication, whereas tetracycline is only 50% absorbed. In June of 1990, a pelletized version of Minocin became available. This improved absorption when taken with meals. This form is only available in the non-generic Lederle brand and is a more than reasonable justification to not substitute for the generic version. Clinical experience has shown that many patients will relapse when they switch from the brand name to the generic. In February 2006 Wyeth sold manufacturing rights of Minocin to Triax Pharmaceuticals (866-488-7429).Clinically it has been documented that it is important to take Lederle brand Minocin. Most all generic minocycline is clearly not as effective. A large percentage of patients will not respond at all or not do as well with generic non-Lederle minocycline. Traditionally it was recommended to only receive the brand name Lederle Minocin. However, there is one generic brand that is acceptable and that is the brand made by Lederle. The only difference between Lederle generic Minocin and brand name Minocin is the label and the price. The problem is finding the Lederle brand generic. Some of my patients have been able to find it at Wal Mart. Since Wal Mart is one of the largest drug chains in the US, this should make the treatment more widely available for a reduced charge. Many patients are on NSAID's which contribute to microulcerations of the stomach which cause chronic blood loss. It is certainly possible they can develop a peptic ulceration contributing to their blood loss. In either event, patients frequently receive iron supplements to correct their blood counts. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT MINOCIN NOT BE GIVEN WITH IRON. Over 85% of the dose will bind to the iron and pass through the colon unabsorbed. If iron is taken, it should be at least one hour before the minocin or two hours after. One recent uncommon complication of Minocin is a cell-mediated hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Most patients can start on Minocin 100 mg. every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evening. Doxycycline can be substituted for patients who cannot afford the more expensive Minocin. It is important to not give either medication daily, as this does not seem to provide as great a clinical benefit. Tetracycline type drugs can cause a permanent yellow- grayish brown discoloration of the teeth. This can occur in the last half of pregnancy and in children up to eight years old. One should not routinely use tetracycline in children. If patients have severe disease, one can consider increasing the dose to as high as 200 mg three times a week. Aside from the cost of this approach, several problems result may result from the higher doses. Minocin can cause quite severe nausea and vertigo. Taking the dose at night does tend to decrease this problem considerably. However, if one takes the dose at bedtime, one must tell the patient to swallow the medication with TWO glasses of water. This is to insure that the capsule doesn't get stuck in the throat. If that occurs, a severe chemical esophagitis can result which can send the patient to the emergency room. For those physicians who elect to use tetracycline or doxycycline for cost or sensitivity reasons, several methods may help lessen the inevitable secondary yeast overgrowth. Lactobacillus acidophilus will help maintain normal bowel flora and decrease the risk of fungal overgrowth.Aggressive avoidance of all sugars, especially those found in non-diet sodas will also decrease the substrate for the yeast's growth. Macrolide antibiotics like Biaxin or Zithromax may be used if tetracyclines are contraindicated. They would also be used in the three pills a week regimen. Clindamycin The other drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis is clindamycin. Dr. Brown's book discusses the uses of intravenous clindamycin. It is important to use the IV form of treatment if the disease is severe. Nearly all scleroderma patients should take an aggressive stance and use IV treatment. Scleroderma is a particularly dangerous form of rheumatic illness that should receive aggressive intervention. A major problem with the IV form is the cost. The price ranges from $100 to $300 per dose if administered by a home health care agency. However, if purchased directly from Upjohn, significant savings will be appreciated. For patients with milder illness, the oral form is preferable. If the patient has a mild rheumatic illness (the minority of cases), it is even possible to exclude this from their regimen. Initial starting doses for an adult would be a 1200 mg dose once a week. Patients do not seem to tolerate this medication as well as Minocin. The major complaint seems to be a bitter metallic type taste, which lasts about 24 hours after the dose. Taking the dose after dinner does seem to help modify this complaint somewhat. If this is a problem, one can lower the dose and gradually increase the dose over a few weeks. Concern about the development of C. difficile pseudomembranous enterocolitis as a result of the clindamycin is appropriate. This complication is quite rare at this dosage regimen, but it certainly can occur. It is important to warn all patients about the possibility of developing a severe uncontrollable diarrhea. Administration of the acidophilus seems to limit this complication by promoting the growth of the healthy gut flora. If one encounters a resistant form of rheumatic illness, intravenous administration should be considered. Generally, weekly doses of 900 mg are administered until clinical improvement is observed. This generally occurs within the first ten doses. At that time, the regimen can be decreased to every two weeks with the oral form substituted on the weeks where the IV is not taken. What To Do If Severe Patients Fail To Respond The most frequent reason for failure to respond to the protocol is lack of adherence to the dietary guidelines. Most patients will be eating too many grains and sugars, which disturb insulin physiology. It is important that patients adhere as strictly as possible to the guidelines.A small minority, generally under 15%, of patients will fail to respond to the protocol described above despite rigid adherence to the diet.These individuals should already be on the IV Clindamycin. It appears that the hyaluronic acid, which is a potentiating agent commonly used in the treatment of cancer may be quite useful. It seems that hyaluronic acid has very little to no direct toxicity but works in a highly synergistic fashion when administered directly in the IV bag with the Clindamycin. Hyaluronic acid is also used in orthopedic procedures. The dose is generally from 2 to 10 cc into the IV bag. Hyaluronic acid is not inexpensive as the cost may range up to $10 per cc.One does need to exert some caution with its use as it may precipitate a significant Herxheimer flare reaction. Patients will frequently have emotional traumas that worsen their illness. Severe emotional traumas can seriously impair the immune response to this treatment. Contiued on Page 2 Story Navigation: [ Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Bibliography ] >> Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on this group. My daughter> has had JRA since she was 4. When she was 5 we started seeing Dr. Gabe> Mirkin in land who began treating her with antibiotics. She was on> them for less than 6 months and went into a 2 yr remission. When her> arthritis did come back it was very agressively affecting many more> joints. We moved to Texas that year so could no longer see Dr.> Mirkin(who is now retired). I was just wondering if anyone has used> antibiotics and knows doctors in the Central Texas area. Or really at> this point any neighboring states!?! Thanks so much!!>=