OT - Arthritis Drugs Cause Fatal Fungal Infections

[Guest guest]

I knew there were studies out there covering my concerns of Humira

and Remicaid. My doc assured me the benefits of the drugs outweigh

the side effects. I still say bull.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/09/25/arthriti

s-drugs-cause-fatal-fungal-infections.aspx?source=nl

or

http://tinyurl.com/4ybxvq

Article:

Arthritis Drugs Cause Fatal Fungal Infections

The U.S. FDA has ordered stronger warnings on four medications widely

used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, saying they can raise the risk of

possibly fatal fungal infections.

Enbrel, Remicade, Humira and Cimzia work by suppressing the immune

system to keep it from attacking your body. For people with

rheumatoid arthritis, the treatment provides relief from swollen and

painful joints. But the drugs also lower your body's defenses against

various kinds of infections.

The FDA became concerned after discovering that doctors seemed to be

overlooking a particular kind of fungal infection called

histoplasmosis. The infection is prevalent in much of the middle part

of the country, and it can have grave consequences if it isn't caught

early and spreads beyond the respiratory system to other organs of

your body.

Of 240 cases reported to the FDA in which patients taking one of the

four drugs developed this infection, a total of 45 (or about 20

percent) died.

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

This is another example of why I continually warn that most

rheumatoid arthritis drugs are simply far too dangerous to use and

fail to address the cause of the problem.

Studies have shown that people who take the drugs Humira or Remicade

double their chance of getting a serious infection, and triple their

risk of developing a number of different kinds of cancer. These drugs

have also been linked to lymphoma, tuberculosis and pneumonia, along

with skin, gastrointestinal, breast and lung tumors. Enbrel has also

been found to worsen congestive heart failure, and all four drugs are

being investigated for increasing the risk of cancer in children and

young adults.

Enbrel, Remicade, Humira, and Cimzia are powerful drugs, all of which

block a protein called tumor necrosis factor, and are therefore known

as TNF-blockers. They work by blocking a part of your immune system,

and are used to treat not only rheumatoid arthritis but also

psoriasis, Crohn's disease and other immune diseases.

TNF blockers have been among the most successful of all biotechnology

drugs. Remicade, Humira and Enbrel had combined sales of more than

$13 billion in 2007!

Why are these drugs so popular, despite their very serious side

effects and astronomical price tags (taking Remicade for one year

will set you back about $12,000)? Because rheumatoid arthritis can be

an extremely painful and debilitating disease, and most doctors

direct people to these medications for relief.

It's certainly understandable why people would take them,

particularly when they're presented as the only option. In reality,

taking these TNF-blockers now may relieve your pain, but at what

cost?

Cancer?

A deadly fungal infection?

Pneumonia or heart failure?

Most people are simply not aware of what's at stake, or that there

are options for treating arthritis that do not involve these drugs.

The Drug-Free Way to Overcome Rheumatoid Arthritis

I have treated over 3,000 patients with my revision of Dr. Brown's

Antibiotic Protocol since the late '80s, and the success rate is well

over 80%. It really is amazing how powerful the healing potential of

your body is once you address causal factors and provide it with the

essential healing tools and resources.

The protocol involves:

1. Improving your diet using a combination of my nutritional

guidelines and nutritional typing.

2. Getting plenty of omega-3 fats by taking a high-quality, animal-

based omega-3 supplement, like krill oil.

3. Getting your vitamin D levels checked and, if necessary, taking a

supplement if you can't get daily sun exposure. This is absolutely

crucial and, in my opinion, gross medical negligence and malpractice

if it is not performed on nearly every RA patient, as nearly all RA

patients have low vitamin D levels.

4. Having an effective method of addressing the nearly universal

underlying emotional distresses that are present in most all

autoimmune diseases like RA.

5. Incorporating regular exercise into your daily schedule. If your

joints are painful, gentle exercises like yoga and Tai Chi are

recommended. You may also want to have a consultation with an

exercise professional so no permanent joint damage is done as a

result of joint deformities.

Rather than suppress your immune system like most rheumatoid

arthritis medications, these steps will actually help to repair the

underlying imbalances in your body that are causing the disease. It

is important for you to work with your health care professional,

someone who understands natural medicine, as you go through this

process (if your doctor is recommending Enbrel, Remicade, Humira, or

Cimzia, they DO NOT understand the damage that occurs when you

artificially suppress your immune system, and I would suggest seeking

guidance elsewhere).

As I said, these steps have helped thousands of people to become free

of rheumatoid arthritis pain. As you work through the process -- and

as your body begins to restore balance -- you can use these natural

anti-inflammatory alternatives to help treat your pain until the

disease itself is under control.

[Guest guest]

Hey Misty..

Fascinating! It amazes me how so much comes back to the idea of

ecology and dysbiosis.

Thanks so much for posting this!

Jodi

SCD 11 months

Crohn's/Colitis

>

> I knew there were studies out there covering my concerns of Humira

> and Remicaid. My doc assured me the benefits of the drugs outweigh

> the side effects. I still say bull.