Inflammatory arthritis with chronic urticaria

[Guest guest]

I have psoriatic took them almost a year to diagnos it. No blood worked

showed until about six months after i had the flare of which was the start of

it. My crp test was high. have they done this? have you lost weight?

I lost 30 pounds after about three months of the first show of the

psoriasis, couldn't eat, couldn't walk etc.

Jolene

In a message dated 9/30/2008 9:49:17 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

tainabell@... writes:

Hi everyone,

I'm a new member. I have had inflammatory (not rheumatoid, I tested

negative for the rheumatoid factor) arthritis and chronic urticaria

for almost two years now. I also tested negative for ANA, ruling out

a lot of other things like lupus, etc. My x-rays show erosive changes

in my hands so my doctor has me on methotrexate now.

I'm on a dose of 12.5 mg of mtx and 200 mg daily of plaquenil (for

six months now) and am seeing NO results for either the

swelling/joint pain or the hives. I'm sort of at a loss.

Here are my questions. Do a lot of people not see any results from

these meds? Also, how atypical is it that my doctors haven't

specifically categorized my arthritis yet? Shouldn't I at least have

a diagnosis? Also, I just ordered The New Arthritis Breakthrough

about antibiotic treatments. Is anyone on this board doing this with

any success?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jen

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[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I'm a new member. I have had inflammatory (not rheumatoid, I tested

negative for the rheumatoid factor) arthritis and chronic urticaria

for almost two years now. I also tested negative for ANA, ruling out

a lot of other things like lupus, etc. My x-rays show erosive changes

in my hands so my doctor has me on methotrexate now.

I'm on a dose of 12.5 mg of mtx and 200 mg daily of plaquenil (for

six months now) and am seeing NO results for either the

swelling/joint pain or the hives. I'm sort of at a loss.

Here are my questions. Do a lot of people not see any results from

these meds? Also, how atypical is it that my doctors haven't

specifically categorized my arthritis yet? Shouldn't I at least have

a diagnosis? Also, I just ordered The New Arthritis Breakthrough

about antibiotic treatments. Is anyone on this board doing this with

any success?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jen

[Guest guest]

Have they ruled out PSORIATIC arthritis?

****~**** Kami ****~****

[ ] Inflammatory arthritis with chronic urticaria

Hi everyone,

I'm a new member. I have had inflammatory (not rheumatoid, I tested

negative for the rheumatoid factor) arthritis and chronic urticaria

for almost two years now. I also tested negative for ANA, ruling out

a lot of other things like lupus, etc. My x-rays show erosive changes

in my hands so my doctor has me on methotrexate now.

I'm on a dose of 12.5 mg of mtx and 200 mg daily of plaquenil (for

six months now) and am seeing NO results for either the

swelling/joint pain or the hives. I'm sort of at a loss.

Here are my questions. Do a lot of people not see any results from

these meds? Also, how atypical is it that my doctors haven't

specifically categorized my arthritis yet? Shouldn't I at least have

a diagnosis? Also, I just ordered The New Arthritis Breakthrough

about antibiotic treatments. Is anyone on this board doing this with

any success?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jen

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your responses, everyone.

I've heard psoriatic arthritis suggested several times, but I don't

have psoriasis at all...what i have is hives, which is much different

from psoriasis. One of my swollen fingers (my pinky) has sort of a

bubble on it though, that looks like a cyst or something, and one of

my doctors said it looked a little like a psoriatic cyst.

Basically, though, no one knows what it is. I guess one of the

things thats most frustrating is that it HASN'T been diagnosed as RA,

so I'm not sure if I'm following the right path of treatment. Are

all arthritis the same? Is the treatment the same?

Also, anyone tried antibiotics here? Minocyn?

Thanks,

Jen

>

> Have they ruled out PSORIATIC arthritis?

>

>

> ****~**** Kami ****~****

>

> [ ] Inflammatory arthritis with chronic

urticaria

>

>

> Hi everyone,

>

> I'm a new member. I have had inflammatory (not rheumatoid, I

tested

> negative for the rheumatoid factor) arthritis and chronic

urticaria

> for almost two years now. I also tested negative for ANA, ruling

out

> a lot of other things like lupus, etc. My x-rays show erosive

changes

> in my hands so my doctor has me on methotrexate now.

>

> I'm on a dose of 12.5 mg of mtx and 200 mg daily of plaquenil

(for

> six months now) and am seeing NO results for either the

> swelling/joint pain or the hives. I'm sort of at a loss.

>

> Here are my questions. Do a lot of people not see any results

from

> these meds? Also, how atypical is it that my doctors haven't

> specifically categorized my arthritis yet? Shouldn't I at least

have

> a diagnosis? Also, I just ordered The New Arthritis Breakthrough

> about antibiotic treatments. Is anyone on this board doing this

with

> any success?

>

> Any help would be greatly appreciated.

>

> Thanks,

>

> Jen

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Jen, I am taking Minocin and am doing much better. a

[ ] Inflammatory arthritis with chronic

urticaria

>

>

> Hi everyone,

>

> I'm a new member. I have had inflammatory (not rheumatoid, I

tested

> negative for the rheumatoid factor) arthritis and chronic

urticaria

> for almost two years now. I also tested negative for ANA, ruling

out

> a lot of other things like lupus, etc. My x-rays show erosive

changes

> in my hands so my doctor has me on methotrexate now.

>

> I'm on a dose of 12.5 mg of mtx and 200 mg daily of plaquenil

(for

> six months now) and am seeing NO results for either the

> swelling/joint pain or the hives. I'm sort of at a loss.

>

> Here are my questions. Do a lot of people not see any results

from

> these meds? Also, how atypical is it that my doctors haven't

> specifically categorized my arthritis yet? Shouldn't I at least

have

> a diagnosis? Also, I just ordered The New Arthritis Breakthrough

> about antibiotic treatments. Is anyone on this board doing this

with

> any success?

>

> Any help would be greatly appreciated.

>

> Thanks,

>

> Jen

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jen

If you're given the opportunity to try the Minocin and you're happy

with what you know about it i'd definately say go for it!!

I used Doxycycline for 6-7 years. I'm in Australia and as yet we

stil haven't approved it as a DMARD (craziness!). They were happy to

give me Gold upfront 14 years ago (when swimming seemed to clear up

my first swollen joint a knee) - it just does not make sense!!

It's difficult to say what results you actually get from something as

there is nothing to compare it to whilst your taking the drugs and we

all know what a rollercoaster RA can be - if that makes sense. I

definately got through a long period of time just using the Doxy and

some Voltaran on occasion for many years - I often had periods of

remission in between also so I took nothing when I could.

My personal experience was very positive with no ill side affects

aside from a very tanned skin without much sun exposure. I used the

odd Diflucan capsule when I felt a little low and it seemed to clear

up any signs of thrush but we're all different. A lot of docs seem to

think that as long as we're not constantly changing our stomach flora

this shouldnt be a problem - it's when we change it that thrush can

go wild.

The minocin is an altered drug from the original antibiotics used

over the past 80 years by Dr Brown and his followers so i'm not as

big a fan of it as I personally believe there is an infectious

element to some arthritis and some of these parts of the drug have

been removed. I used Euromycin also and also had good results with

it when the Doxy seemed to be loosing it's affects.

If nothing else it's been proven over and over again to reduce the

production of destructive cytokines.

If you have a good PC or Rheumy who is interested in this it would

also help you i'm sure no end - especially if they agreed to

intravenous etc as well as following you completely in the treatment -

ie checking your ASOT's etc prior to starting etc.

The www.roadback.org has some interesting articles as does the book

of the same name - it's been rewritten a few times. When I came

across it in a library 10 years ago I think it was something amazing

and total luck!

Unfortunately about 12 months ago I agreed to go onto Arava and

Methatrexate as the Salazopyrin i'd been on with the Doxy and

Voltaren weren't giving me relief after a flare started after i'd had

another episode of Rheumatic Fever which damaged my heart (from Strep

A-what the ASOT tests are for - tonsilitis) and I had x-ray evidence

of erosions in my hands and feet. There is nothing to say I wouldn't

have had these errosions if i'd started on the methotrexate earlier

either - DMARDS are unfortunately just that - they modify the disease

not stop it.

Since using the Methotrexate & Arava (only for 3 months) for about 6

months though i've gone back to where I usually am with pain etc and

it seems the flare has finally stopped and I have stopped taking them

and the Salosopyrin and only rely on the Voltaren and Doxy when I

need. So for me accepting the Methotrexate etc was obviously the

right decision at that point even though at the time the idea brought

me to tears.

I wish you the best of health and hope that if you decide to go the

antibiotic route that you have the benefits I found with it.

All I can say to people is don't poo poo it till you try it - if it's

not for you it's not but it's helped others so i'm sure will continue

to - even if it can't help everyone, you might be one of the lucky

ones.

All the best

> >

> > Have they ruled out PSORIATIC arthritis?

> >

> >

> > ****~**** Kami ****~****

> >

> > [ ] Inflammatory arthritis with chronic

> urticaria

> >

> >

> > Hi everyone,

> >

> > I'm a new member. I have had inflammatory (not rheumatoid, I

> tested

> > negative for the rheumatoid factor) arthritis and chronic

> urticaria

> > for almost two years now. I also tested negative for ANA,

ruling

> out

> > a lot of other things like lupus, etc. My x-rays show erosive

> changes

> > in my hands so my doctor has me on methotrexate now.

> >

> > I'm on a dose of 12.5 mg of mtx and 200 mg daily of plaquenil

> (for

> > six months now) and am seeing NO results for either the

> > swelling/joint pain or the hives. I'm sort of at a loss.

> >

> > Here are my questions. Do a lot of people not see any results

> from

> > these meds? Also, how atypical is it that my doctors haven't

> > specifically categorized my arthritis yet? Shouldn't I at least

> have

> > a diagnosis? Also, I just ordered The New Arthritis

Breakthrough

> > about antibiotic treatments. Is anyone on this board doing this

> with

> > any success?

> >

> > Any help would be greatly appreciated.

> >

> > Thanks,

> >

> > Jen

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >