RE: to I.V. or not to I.V...that is my question

February 10, 2008

:

I did 5 years of Clindamycin, and it kept the R.A. in remission during that

time. I did relapse; however, when insurance denied further treatment with

I.V.'s. I feel I would now be as well as I am today had I not done them.

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February 10, 2008

,

Dr. Whitman told me that next time we see each other, if I have not

improved a lot, we will discuss IV Clindamycin, so I guess he still

does it.

On Feb 10, 2008, at 5:20 PM, wrote:

> Hi all-

>

> Did I understand someone to say that I.V. treatment is no longer

> considered necessary? Is that true even for longstanding disease? My

> recollection from my original round of AP (six or seven years ago) is

> that I.V. is especially helpful for those with longstanding RA.

>

> What is the current stance? I clearly need to brush up on my research.

>

> Thanks again,

>

February 10, 2008

I did IV's for a LONG time like 4 years and I do not think I would be

where I am today without them. I did not really have any symptoms go away

till after the first week I did them. I know they are important for

scleraderma but from the stories I have read long standing RA is no

different than just diagnosed. The only difference is the damage already

done on those " bad " meds. I feel .and this is my own opinion. that severity

depends on the type of mycoplasma. That will decide how long and type of

treatment the person needs.

Whether you get the IV's depends on the doctor and what he is willing to go

along with.

Cooky

Did I understand someone to say that I.V. treatment is no longer

considered necessary? Is that true even for longstanding disease? My

recollection from my original round of AP (six or seven years ago) is

that I.V. is especially helpful for those with longstanding RA.

February 11, 2008

Hi Cooky--

Just out of curiosity, how frequently did you receive I.V.s? If I remember

correctly, I originally did I.V. clind twice daily for five days. I don't

recall if that was a monthly prescription, or bimonthly, or what.

I understand that much hinges on what my doctor is willing to do, but I'm

curious to know what worked for you or for anyone else out there that is in

remission.

Thanks for your time. I know I could read through the archives and get some

of this info, but you all are, thankfully, prolific writers and that would

require some digging.

C Stonkey <cookee1@...> wrote:

I did IV's for a LONG time like 4 years and I do not think I

would be

where I am today without them. I did not really have any symptoms go away

till after the first week I did them. I know they are important for

scleraderma but from the stories I have read long standing RA is no

different than just diagnosed. The only difference is the damage already

done on those " bad " meds. I feel .and this is my own opinion. that severity

depends on the type of mycoplasma. That will decide how long and type of

treatment the person needs.

Whether you get the IV's depends on the doctor and what he is willing to go

along with.

Cooky

Did I understand someone to say that I.V. treatment is no longer

considered necessary? Is that true even for longstanding disease? My

recollection from my original round of AP (six or seven years ago) is

that I.V. is especially helpful for those with longstanding RA.

February 11, 2008

Hi -

I'm not sure I understood you. You said that your RA was in remission with

IVs, then you relapsed without them.

However, then you said, " I feel I would now be as well as I am today had I not

done them. " Do you mean you would be in remission WITHOUT them?

kjdel1977@... wrote:

:

I did 5 years of Clindamycin, and it kept the R.A. in remission during that

time. I did relapse; however, when insurance denied further treatment with

I.V.'s. I feel I would now be as well as I am today had I not done them.

**************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music.

(http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp00300000002\

5

48)

February 11, 2008

I was in tremendous pain before I started I.V. antibiotic treatment. I had

to struggle to get out of a chair. When I started antibiotic I.V.'s, the

pain subsided, and I was able to function quite normally. My fatigue was much

improved, and I was thinking much more clearly. My SED rate and R.A. factors

declined. This was in contrast to a recommedation from Mayo's that I apply

for disability because they thought I would be in a wheelchair within six

months. They, at that time, were advising that I try in-house I.V. steroids.

Instead, after docs tested me at home for Lyme, I was put on I.V. Rocephin

for a short stint and then I.V. Clindamycin. This regimen enabled me to

continue working and to receive full retirement benefits after five years.

When

I.V. antibiotics were stopped, my deformity began again and my tests for R.A.

factor, etc., climbed. I currently take oral antibiotics; and, once again,

my test results and mobility have improved. I don't have a spleen, and I feel

I have a very weak immune system. I don't know if the antibiotics are

helping me fight Lyme, a mycoplasma infection, or if they are just treating

symptoms, but at least I am not in a wheelchair yet. The I.V. antibiotics

bought

me time. At what cost, I don't know, because long-term antibiotic use has not

yet been fully evaluated. I feel that, if I had my spleen, I would be in

better shape.

Best wishes to you in your search for answers. It is an individual struggle

for each of us.

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February 11, 2008

, I did the IV's (I think) 600 mgm for 5 days straight then once a

week for 10 weeks then repeat. I was fortunate I could do my own IV's so I

just had my doc order the vials and I bought the colution from him. If I had

to pay for them to be done by someone else I don't think I would have been

able to do them as often.

I think most people did them for a week once a day and then it depended on

the doctor when he wanted them repeated. Doc Brown suggested them the way I

did them.

I really hope you get them.it was amazing how I would feel a few days after

I did them. Of course they do not necessarily get rid of the tirdness or the

depression but it helps.

Cooky

Hi Cooky--

Just out of curiosity, how frequently did you receive I.V.s? If I remember

correctly, I originally did I.V. clind twice daily for five days. I don't

recall if that was a monthly prescription, or bimonthly, or what.

..

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7160/stime=1202733317/nc1=5191945/nc2=5191951/nc3=5191954>

February 11, 2008

Thank you for sharing that. I, too, made a trip to Mayo...when the RA began,

sometime around 1987.

One of my first symptoms, along with fatigue and joint pain and swelling was a

strange plaque-like rash on the underside of my left arm. A dermatologist

biopsied it three times with no specific diagnosis. That same dermatologist

told me that he had read of people treating arthritis with antibiotics. I was

in college and immortal at the time and didn't want to hear about some strange

antibiotic treatment. After all, I had taken a round or two of antibioitics

since the symptoms began (for other bacterial infections) and still had these

symptoms. Right? Too bad I didn't pay more attention!

I'm paying attention now!