Guest guest Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 I'm sorry I don't have any advice. But I do have a lot of empathy for you. None of my many doctors agree either, and none of them believe in AP. I don't know what to do either. **************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators. (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 i just want to say that you are such a great daughter to help your mom out. my folks havent ever helped me with my health issues, nor most of my friends. just your posting here your concerns shows what a great daughter you are, my folks would never do that. anyway, i have read people recover from Scleoderma and Lupus using AP. Just because the doctors dont believe in it doens't mean much, because all doctors really know to do is poison us with toxic drugs and cut us (surgery), rarely do doctors heal, so don't you and your mom lose hope. From: Cheryl <cheryld10@...> Subject: rheumatic My Mom's Scleroderma dx & No Help From Dr.s rheumatic Date: Monday, September 22, 2008, 10:17 PM Hi Everyone! I posted to this group about 2 years ago when my mom first started experiencing Reynaud's Phenomenon. She was recently diagnosed 2 months ago with Scleoderma and possibly Lupus. She has quite a bit of lung fibrosis and she coughs a lot. Her swallowing isn't too bad. Her tightness in her hands have been a little better. I started noticing her hands being shiny and her fingers being puffy several months ago. I've done a little bit of research on antibiotic therapy. My mom's rheumatologist doesn't think it works. He didn't even want to start my mom up on any meds until the pulmonary doctor checked my mom for infection in her respiratory track. The pulmonary doctor got mad and wants my mom on Methotrexate. The rheumatologist says that that drug will kill my mom, who is 74 years old. This is all so confusing and scary. My mom depends on me for help and I can't find the answers. Her doctors don't agree with each other and they think that antibiotic therapy is worthless. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance! Blessings… Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Hello Cheryl, I am an RA sufferer and have been on AP for only 3 months now, but already getting some much better days. My Mom's friend who is nearly 80 has just been diagnosed with RA also, and her rheumatologist won't give her methotrexate (mtx) because of her age, as he says the disease progresses more slowly in the elderly. I don't have any personal experience of scleroderma, apart from what I read DAILY on the roadback bulletin board (www.roadback.org). It seems that AP works VERY WELL for sclero, whatever your mom's doctors think. If I were you I would definitely consider the AP, and just use NSAIDs or even a LOW dose steroid (eg prednisone) if the herxing becomes too painful. AP can take some guts to follow through, especially if your herxing is bad, but it doesn't end up wrecking the rest of your body, and in the case of scleroderma it can really save lives. You can find a list of AP doctors in your area from this site and from Roadback. Good luck and God bless to you and your mom Kate > > Hi Everyone! > > I posted to this group about 2 years ago when my mom first started > experiencing Reynaud's Phenomenon. She was recently diagnosed 2 > months ago with Scleoderma and possibly Lupus. She has quite a bit of > lung fibrosis and she coughs a lot. Her swallowing isn't too bad. Her > tightness in her hands have been a little better. I started noticing > her hands being shiny and her fingers being puffy several months ago. > > I've done a little bit of research on antibiotic therapy. My mom's > rheumatologist doesn't think it works. He didn't even want to start > my mom up on any meds until the pulmonary doctor checked my mom for > infection in her respiratory track. The pulmonary doctor got mad and > wants my mom on Methotrexate. The rheumatologist says that that drug > will kill my mom, who is 74 years old. > > This is all so confusing and scary. My mom depends on me for help and > I can't find the answers. Her doctors don't agree with each other and > they think that antibiotic therapy is worthless. > > Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance! > > Blessings… > Cheryl > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Hi, Cheryl! I just don't understand how rheumatologists can refuse to believe in the antibiotic protocol (AP) without even trying it! ly, I was doubtful when I heard of it because I thought, " Everybody knows antibiotics are for bacteria not autoimmune diseases! " Then, I read the book, The New Arthritis Breakthrough, after meeting a new friend who is intelligent, a nurse, and an aggressive proponent of AP after experiencing its benefits. It certainly sounded worth the effort to try! I found a doc through her, and this group on my own, and I started AP for three autoimmune disorders in March. It has been a miracle for me. Instead of a steady decline, my diseases have reversed in their tracks. (I have rheumatoid, psoriatic, and fibromyalgia. I could barely walk when I started, and I am only 41) I don't have scleroderma, but I have read many positive testimonies on this website. Be sure to visit the group homepage (you can use a link usually found on the right side of these posts). There, you should be able to search the archives. I think it was this summer that there were some SD updates from people who started AP years ago. They were exciting to read because it is so rare for SD patients to have hope, much less their lives returned to them. I pray you can find a helpful AP doc soon! Blessings! Terri _____ From: rheumatic [mailto:rheumatic ] On Behalf Of Cheryl Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 1:18 AM rheumatic Subject: rheumatic My Mom's Scleroderma dx & No Help From Dr.s Hi Everyone! I posted to this group about 2 years ago when my mom first started experiencing Reynaud's Phenomenon. She was recently diagnosed 2 months ago with Scleoderma and possibly Lupus. She has quite a bit of lung fibrosis and she coughs a lot. Her swallowing isn't too bad. Her tightness in her hands have been a little better. I started noticing her hands being shiny and her fingers being puffy several months ago. I've done a little bit of research on antibiotic therapy. My mom's rheumatologist doesn't think it works. He didn't even want to start my mom up on any meds until the pulmonary doctor checked my mom for infection in her respiratory track. The pulmonary doctor got mad and wants my mom on Methotrexate. The rheumatologist says that that drug will kill my mom, who is 74 years old. This is all so confusing and scary. My mom depends on me for help and I can't find the answers. Her doctors don't agree with each other and they think that antibiotic therapy is worthless. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance! Blessings. Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Hi Cheryl, I am 72 and have systemic scleroderma also. I was diagnosed in October of 2005 after being very sick for most of that year. Looking back, I wasted a lot of time not knowing about A/P. I chanced upon the info when a wonderful lady from the RBF site told me about A/P and I read the same books you read. Plus the books by Scammell. " The Proven Therapy That Can Save Your Life " I don't have the book in front of me at the moment as I am writing from a borrowed computer. I went to see Doc T. in Boston. I started Minocin immediately. The improvement was nothing short of miraculous. I am still on antibiotics 3 years later and although no yet cured, went into a remissive state that has stopped the progression of the disease. Tell Mom, to change docs if they are wasting her time and theirs arguing about whether it works or not. Time is precious. Fly wherever you have to go to get started and once on antibiotics, you can show them how well it works. Now, I don't depend on whether the current doc likes it or not. Since I travel a bit more than the average old lady, I just walk into any docs office and let them know that I have S/D. I hand them the list of blood work I need and my current bottle of antibiotics along with the copy of the protocol I am on. Most have never heard of this, but because I am adamant about what I want, they write the script. After all, who are they to argue with success. Don't let them rule Mom's life. Just let these young and old docs who think they know everything, learn something new for a change and if they don't comply, walk into another office. Hope Mom gets on the A/P soon. Good luck and don't waste time c/o about docs. Sometimes you can't teach an old dog new tricks, so you go get a new dog. Dolores From: Brett & Terri <tdowney2@...> Subject: RE: rheumatic My Mom's Scleroderma dx & No Help From Dr.s rheumatic Date: Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 6:50 AM Hi, Cheryl! I just don't understand how rheumatologists can refuse to believe in the antibiotic protocol (AP) without even trying it! ly, I was doubtful when I heard of it because I thought, " Everybody knows antibiotics are for bacteria not autoimmune diseases! " Then, I read the book, The New Arthritis Breakthrough, after meeting a new friend who is intelligent, a nurse, and an aggressive proponent of AP after experiencing its benefits. It certainly sounded worth the effort to try! I found a doc through her, and this group on my own, and I started AP for three autoimmune disorders in March. It has been a miracle for me. Instead of a steady decline, my diseases have reversed in their tracks. (I have rheumatoid, psoriatic, and fibromyalgia. I could barely walk when I started, and I am only 41) I don't have scleroderma, but I have read many positive testimonies on this website. Be sure to visit the group homepage (you can use a link usually found on the right side of these posts). There, you should be able to search the archives. I think it was this summer that there were some SD updates from people who started AP years ago. They were exciting to read because it is so rare for SD patients to have hope, much less their lives returned to them. I pray you can find a helpful AP doc soon! Blessings! Terri _____ From: rheumatic@grou ps.com [mailto:rheumatic@grou ps.com] On Behalf Of Cheryl Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 1:18 AM rheumatic@grou ps.com Subject: rheumatic My Mom's Scleroderma dx & No Help From Dr.s Hi Everyone! I posted to this group about 2 years ago when my mom first started experiencing Reynaud's Phenomenon. She was recently diagnosed 2 months ago with Scleoderma and possibly Lupus. She has quite a bit of lung fibrosis and she coughs a lot. Her swallowing isn't too bad. Her tightness in her hands have been a little better. I started noticing her hands being shiny and her fingers being puffy several months ago. I've done a little bit of research on antibiotic therapy. My mom's rheumatologist doesn't think it works. He didn't even want to start my mom up on any meds until the pulmonary doctor checked my mom for infection in her respiratory track. The pulmonary doctor got mad and wants my mom on Methotrexate. The rheumatologist says that that drug will kill my mom, who is 74 years old. This is all so confusing and scary. My mom depends on me for help and I can't find the answers. Her doctors don't agree with each other and they think that antibiotic therapy is worthless. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance! Blessings. Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Cheryl, Where do you live? Are you close to one of the antibiotic Drs? One of the ones that use the AP, Antibiotic Protocol? My AP Dr is in NJ, I think he is one of the best...there is one in Boston, still practicing, I believe and another one in CA and one in MI...I know there are more....these are my favorites. Once the diagnosis is complete...and the tests have been run, why not find a Dr to put your Mom on the antibiotic protocol? It could work and has worked...it did for me for over 2 years. I know many on here that presented with lung fibrosis and the lung fibrosis has stopped using antibiotics. I would have them ck the Lupus tests rather closely tho, and start a notebook for your mom's labs and take it with her to every appt... There is a treatment for her lungs, called photopheresis that is KNOWN to stop the lung fibrosis. You can research that more at www.therakos.com This is the company that makes the photopheresis units. Your mom's pulmonary Dr should know about this tx. One does have to fight ins companies for it, but it is doable. I am one of the patients on here with SD and RA and have been receiving photopheresis for 3 yrs. I am sure everyone here will have many ideas...so I will stop now...it is a lot to digest. Please continue to post and ask questions. Debbie in Cincinnati rheumatic My Mom's Scleroderma dx & No Help From Dr.s Hi Everyone! I posted to this group about 2 years ago when my mom first started experiencing Reynaud's Phenomenon. She was recently diagnosed 2 months ago with Scleoderma and possibly Lupus. She has quite a bit of lung fibrosis and she coughs a lot. Her swallowing isn't too bad. Her tightness in her hands have been a little better. I started noticing her hands being shiny and her fingers being puffy several months ago. I've done a little bit of research on antibiotic therapy. My mom's rheumatologist doesn't think it works. He didn't even want to start my mom up on any meds until the pulmonary doctor checked my mom for infection in her respiratory track. The pulmonary doctor got mad and wants my mom on Methotrexate. The rheumatologist says that that drug will kill my mom, who is 74 years old. This is all so confusing and scary. My mom depends on me for help and I can't find the answers. Her doctors don't agree with each other and they think that antibiotic therapy is worthless. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance! Blessings. Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.