psoriasis

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/10/05 6:46:03 PM Central Daylight Time,

rmigalla@... writes:

> Anyone here cleared their psoriasis after a colon cleanse?

>

> Need some encouragement.

>

> Mack

>

>

Mack,

I have Psoriatic Arthritis. I've only had one really bad issue with it which

was last

June. It flared over night. I never knew anything could be so painful. I

had

run across a Psoriasis forum in the net and read all the messages a few

months before this happened. I remembered only one person on the

whole thing that had managed hers with diet etc. I wrote her and she gave

me the basics. No night shades, only vegan diet being mostly green leafy

things,

and colemas which can be done at home. It worked and the skin on the

ankle where I had the flare looks almost normal...greatly changed from

before the

episode. But the skin is not the big issue for me...it's the joint.

She had the most awsome story of recovery....on her own with a total diet

change

and bowel management. She says it's all in the liver which I have found is

so with

everything else. Get that liver going properly and your on the road to

recovery.

[Guest guest]

Miss Joy

Thank you. I will look too.

Sasha

______________________________________________________________

-- Re: Psoriasis

____________________________________________________________________

Mack,

....thought I'd introduce myself by being helpful

.....found a Dr. of Naturopathy...Dr. Ian Shillington...www

academyofnaturalhealing.com

(

[Guest guest]

I gave a friend of mine who is skeptical about everything (natural and

alopathic). She kept rubbing it in and thought something was wrong because it

was all pink and red underneath. What it was doing was taking off all of the

old layers. It came back again after she stopped using it. I also feel that

people who have psoriasis, excema, etc. have systemic candida and need to

cleanse for that internally as well as externally. Just my opinion. I have had

a lot of things clear up by taking coconut oil

Jeanne

-------------- Original message --------------

Has anyone used VCO on psoriasis?? Has it worked? Let me know. Thanks.

[Guest guest]

VCO also seems to be greatly helping psoriasis on my scalp. The

psoriasis had been there for over 6 months and it disappeared 2 weeks

after I began to use VCO internally. I haven't used VCO on it

externally at all. Internal use was all that I needed.

Carolyn

Has anyone used VCO on

> psoriasis?? Has it worked? Let me know. Thanks.

[Guest guest]

what the?????

-P

On Thu, 11 May 2006 06:35:56 -0000 " a_dadkhah52 " <a_dadkhah52@...>

writes:

Dear friend

Hi – this article is carrier a public message for all persons who

are suffering from skin disorders and therapeutics method for eczema

and pisoriasis .

Glycerin GLISurin(chemical formula,c3h5(oh)3),is a

syrupy liquid used extensively in the art and medicine .it is

colorless and has little odor ,but tastes sweet and feels oily and

warm. Chemists usually call pure glycerin (glycerol)good commercial

glycerin contains more than 99 percent pure glycerol. The chemical

formula shows that it is a compound of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

At a low temperature, glycerol may solidify in to crystals. It

rarely does this , however, and chemists do not know just what

starts the crystallization . the crystals melt at 63*f. ordinarily,

even the purest glycerin remains liquid, however cold the

temperature. The boiling point,55*f., is extremely high. It is very

hard to set glycerin on fire. Pure glycerin burns with a colorless

flame without charring, and leaves no ash. At ordinary

temperatures, glycerin dose not evaporate. But it absorbs moisture

from the air. Sources. glycerin is a by-product of the candle and

soap industries. The fats and fatty oils found in plants and animals

provide the raw materials to make it .these materials include

cottonseed oil, lard, and tallow In the manufacture

of slearin for candles ,the fats are treated with steam at a

high temperature. .usually, the process requires the addition of a

small amount of some substance which speeds. up the action of the

steam on the fat .lime and sulfuric acid are among these substance,

called (catalyst ).

Uses .manufacturers add glycerin to many materials to prevent

them from drying out. The commodities treated for this purpose

include tobacco, copra (dried coconut),candies, heavily starched

cotton goods, and inks for rubberstamp

Glycerin mixes with water and alcohol in all proportions,

and dissolves many inorganic and organic substances. Some dyes are

dissolved in glycerin, then mixed with water. Glycerin feels warm to

the touch. This is because it mixes with water which it draws from

the skin. Because of its soothing effect, people use glycerin to

ease inflammations. The same emollient property makes it useful as

a cosmetic for chapped hands and sore lips. Locally, it has some

antiseptic action. Taken internally in small doses, it is harmless

larger doses act as a purgative, and empty the bowels .glycerin

suppositories are small cones to be inserted into the rectum. They

absorb water from the surrounding tissues, and cause quick action by

this irritation. Glycerin applied to meat and un tanned hides

preserves them. The greatest industrial use of glycerin is in the

manufacture of the powerful explosive nitroglycerin . glycerin also

increases a plants absorption of the antibiotic (streptomycin) used

for blight control

Editor. Austin smith from.(The world book )encyclopedia

volum7page224

field enterprise educational corporation merchandise mart plaza

Chicago 54 illinois

I used mixed %50 glycerin and %50 lime juice or %70 glycerin %30

lime juice

One time a day before sleep at night . fill deep wounds with topical

corticosteroid

Ointment such as clobetazole or betamethasone with match wood and

than pad mixed glycerin with some cotton using a sterile object

cover with cotton cloth or wide glove or wide sock after 10-15 days

you can pad 2-3 time a day with out using sterile object because in

first some fissures we can not see and padding will be painful but

after 10-15 days all wounds will close and pad will be easy

In the day use Vaseline or lamb oil on the wound. for eczema and

psoriasis cure

Is necessary continue this period during (1-2)month and use dried or

fresh this fruits such as plune - Mirabella – plum – water melon

[Guest guest]

> <a_dadkhah52@...> writes: Dear friend Hi " this article is

> carrier a public message for all persons who are suffering from skin

> disorders and therapeutics method for eczema and pisoriasis .

> Glycerin GLISurin(chemical formula,c3h5(oh)3),is a

> syrupy liquid used extensively in the art and medicine .

The article treats the skin but fails to mention that psoriasis

is caused by toxin load and inflammation that results. Reducing

these cures it.

The biggest source of toxin load is one's own bowel, via

dysbiosis. Aggravating factors such as excess corn, canola, soy,

safflower etc (omega-6) oils is the biggest cause of

inflammation.

A deficiency of glutathione precursors results in depleted

antioxidant pool. Antioxidants reduce inflammation and toxin

load.

A high-carb diet is a big aggravator of many inflammatory

disorders.

Don't forget the liver flushes.

Duncan

[Guest guest]

, I'm getting the impression that you have never had psoriasis

because of the questions you are asking about it. But I've never

heard of having psoriatic arthritis without having had the psoriasis

first. But then, I don't know that much about the PA. I can tell you

a little bit about the other, though. Ever since my initial outbreak

of Ps, I have had patches, or lesions, come and go, in greater or

lesser quantities, mostly from my waist on down. These lesions have

been red and scaly, but did not itch. I used just OTC moisturizing

creams to keep them under control. Eventually they would fade out.

The flares were of the pustular type and yes, they itched and burned

and just take a lot out of one. They required a different kind of

treatment, usually a prescription cream (by a dermatologist), and

long soaks in the tub using certain products that help relieve the

itching. My last bad flare was four years ago, so it has been a big

relief to have passed a few years without going through that. And

now, as I mentioned in a previous post, I am " clean " all over, since

having started on Methotrexate. But you are on MTX, too, and have now

developed a patch of psoriasis. So who knows how it happens or what will

make it go away. It's a very strange disorder.

Dorothy

[Guest guest]

--- In , " Dorothy Alvear "

> , I'm getting the impression that you have never had psoriasis

> because of the questions you are asking about it. But I've never

> heard of having psoriatic arthritis without having had the psoriasis

> first.

Dorothy -

My sister has been diagnosed with PA and has no psoriasis. I have PA

with psoriasis and so does my mother. My father also had P but no PA.

If there is a family history of the disease, having the PA first is

not too big of a stretch. So far none of my children have

either...keep your fingers crossed.

Mark

[Guest guest]

<<But I've never heard of having psoriatic arthritis without having

had the psoriasis first>>

I didn't find out that I had psoriasis until I was diagnosed with

psoriatic arthritis. A podiatrist looked at what I now know were

sausage digit toes and asked me how long I'd had psoriasis. I was

dumbfounded. All I could think of to say was

" Psoriasis? You mean with a 'P' soriasis psoriasis? "

I had some pitting of the nails that I chalked up to nail fungus, but

that was it. The foot doctor sent me to a rheumatologist who confirmed

the diagnosis and told me she'd seen many patients who experienced the

PA before the P, and some who had PA with no noticeable P at all.

RA

North Jersey

[Guest guest]

RA - you say that you thought the pitted nail were a fungus. Did

you ever treat the pitted nails with a funigcide? and did it work?

My husband has had pitted nails for years that he takes some

medication for on and off because they are treating it as a fungus.

This does make it go away temporarily. Just curious if it were

truly P or PA causing this, would the mediation help it go away? We

can't come up with a genetic link for Grant's PA but this makes me

wonder if we have found it?

& Grant ( 11, PA/Uveitis)

[Guest guest]

I have been taking Nizoral for PA and my hands and feet are doing real well

since I started this in February. I can even walk again, which was almost

impossible last fall and winter. I have a new lease on live. I do have PA, RA,

DM and SS.

I have started a antibiotic treatment for my RA and doing well. I am off all

my RA meds.

Eva

[Guest guest]

<<RA - you say that you thought the pitted nail were a fungus. Did

> you ever treat the pitted nails with a funigcide? and did it work?>>

I bought a fungicide OTC from a chain drugstore and it didn't work at all.

After a while I looked at the small print which said something to the effect of

" not guaranteed to eliminate nail fungus. " Needless to say I wasn't thrilled,

and I went back to the store, complained to the manager and got my money back.

At that point I still thought it was nail fungus and that the product I'd

purchased just didn't work. About that point (Summer '95) I got a new job and

moved to NJ and forgot all about it. I'm a computer nerd, and that's not a

demographic that takes pitted nails very seriously. I continued to have pitted

nails until about three months into the Enbrel.

RA

North Jersey

[Guest guest]

Psoriatic arthritis before psoriasis is considered rare, but I know I had it off

and on for years before the tradition psoriasis set in.--Carol

[Guest guest]

Eva: your treatment protocol is pretty interesting. Is your doctor a

rheumatologist? And I have to confess I don't know what DM and SS are; but I'm

curious as to how Nizoral (I looked it up and it's an anti-fungal) is helping

you walk. Is the antibiotic you're to start on to help with the damage that can

be cause by PA and RA?

I'd really like to hear more.

I just stopped taking Enbrel a few weeks ago because I was having some minor

surgery. I'm having no pain (except for what I know is osteo) and am actually

feeling pretty good. I have another surgery scheculed in 3 weeks so I plan on

staying off Enbrel until at least then - and maybe until I start developing

symptoms, again.

Not sure if my rheumatologist will like that but I know my internist will

approve.

Joanna Hoelscher

[Guest guest]

Hi Joanna,

DM stands for Dermatomyositis and SS is for Sjoergen's Syndrome. I have RA

and the other problems for three years now. The first year I was off and on on

antibiotics, but the second year the put my on Cytoxen (chemo) because the RA

got into my lungs. I did fairly good on this, I just couldn't stand being sick

for a week. After the year I had to get off and they put me on Cellcept, which

is supposed to be better for Rheumatic lung or IPF (interstitial pulmonary

fibrosis). Then I was started on Enbrel, besides that I had been taking

Prednisone for three years. I started to have a lot of health problems such as

hemorrhages in the eyes and finally severe sinus infection. I went off Enbrel

for about two weeks and then back on it again. My sinus infection look like it

had gone away, but really never did..hands and feet I started to have problems

with my hands and feet. constant sores and I could hardly walk anymore.

By November I started to get weak and in January I could hardly move more

than from the bedroom to the kitchen without help. Had to get someone to come to

my house and get it cleaned.

I went to my pulmonary doctor and he put me on Biaxin, he told me my sinus

problem was still there and that caused a lot of my problems. So when I got home

I typed in on my computer: Rheumatoid Arthritis and antibiotics. Well all the

info that came up really surprised my. I found a doctor here in Texas that

treats people with antibiotics and it really helps.

They advise people that are interested on the antibiotic protocol to get the

book: The Road Back by Henry Scammell. My problems was over medicated which

caused a fungus in my sinus, hands and feet. So that is why I am on Nixiral and

Biaxin. As I said the feet are healed and my hands are getting there. I use

Vaseline with e and aloe and cream from Germany.

I also joined the rheumatic support group and made friends with a lot of

people that have taken the antibiotic protocol.it took a little while to feel

better, but my doctor told me I can expect to feel better after six months and

hopefully be a lot better after 18 months. I know that is a long time, but I

tell you this: last weekend I went to New Braunfels, TX for a German Singing

Festival and I was able to walk to the Meeting hall, two blocks away carrying a

bag with my music books. That evening I went to a dance and was able to dance

two slow dances plus to a promenade halfway. Walked to the restaurant a block

away and participated in rehearsals, up and down a stage several times plus did

the concert.

I was tired on Monday, but by today I have gone back to do housework again.

My Rheumatologist is not very happy that I am on antibiotics. She still does

my blood work and the last one came back really good, the best I had in three

years. I am going to have a ct-scan in June to see what my lung is doing.

My pulmonary just wrote me another year worth of Biaxin and I have an

appointment with the new doctor end of June..

Hope this will help. I know the combination of Enbrel, Prednison and Cellcept

didn't help. Think about what you will do after your surgery and look up the

info about antibiotics and Rheumatoid Arthritis or PA.

Got long on my story.

Eva

[Guest guest]

Joanne, here is a long story from some one who has gone through the PA problem

and now is doing well on antibiotics.

SANDY, psoriatic arthritis

First of all, let's all get something straight right off the bat - this Sandy

is a male. Not a usual name for males, but nonetheless. Now, on to my story.

Here is how it happened: I have always had a problem with dandruff. Ever since

I was in college I have had to use some form of OTC dandruff control shampoo,

like millions of other Americans. In the early 90's, my dandruff started getting

worse, to the point that it could no longer be effectively treated with OTC

medicated shampoos. Worse, it changed physically - instead of flakes, it took

the form of silvery scales. I felt I was transforming into some form of mutant

fish-man. I finally went to see a dermatologist in 1994. He diagnosed my

condition as psoriasis, and prescribed a mild ointment and medicated shampoo.

These did not work very well, so several weeks later he prescribed Temovate, a

topical steroid in liquid form. This controlled my scalp psoriasis very well, as

long as I took it. But in late 1994, the psoriasis started spreading to other

parts of my body - legs, arms, and trunk. He prescribed Temovate ointment, which

worked well again. But with all topical steroids, I noticed that as soon as the

prescription ran out, the symptoms returned within days. This was a frustrating

experience. Then, in early 1995 a new dimension was added to my disease. I

jammed a finger in February, and it never healed - the joint remained stiff and

hard to bend. In April, I noticed my ankles were getting very sore. I went to a

doctor, who said I only needed some arch-support shoes, and prescribed a

nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID), Feldene, to deal with the pain and

swelling. One pair of new shoes and one prescription of Feldene later, my ankles

were fine. But the finger wasn't getting any better. By the summer of 1995, I

noticed I was getting sore in several more places - my hips, neck, and shoulders

seemed to be sore all the time, and by the end of summer my ankles were sore

again. And then there was that finger joint, still stiff. I was taking Motrin

every day, eight to 12 pills per day, to deal with the pain. My normal sarcastic

sense of humor was being dulled by the constant pain, and replaced by

irritability. I went back to my dermatologist to discuss where we should go

with my psoriasis treatment, and happened to mention my pain symptoms. He said I

might have a form of arthritis related to my psoriasis, called PSORIATIC

ARTHRITIS, which I had never heard of before. Until now I had not considered

that the pain in the different locations of my body might be related - I thought

my stiff neck was from sleeping wrong, my sore ankles from bad shoes, etc. Deep

down, I knew my doctor was onto something - something I didn't like the sound

of. He referred me to a local rheumatologist, who diagnosed me as having

psoriatic arthritis pretty much on the spot. He told me there were four drugs

that I could try - azulfidine, plaquenil, gold, and methotrexate. He said

azulfidine was probably safe enough yet strong enough for my condition, so he

prescribed it for me, along with an NSAID, Naprosyn. I left that day with two

prescriptions in hand, and a new, grim outlook on my future. Understand that

at this point, I was pretty devastated. I knew very little about arthritis, but

there was one thing I DID know - there was no cure. I had seen books and

magazines devoted to teaching people how to cope with arthritis, and I knew all

that was in store for me. The thought of living a life of constant pain and

losing the use of various parts of my body was too upsetting to dwell upon. I

have always been physically strong - I played football in high school and have

lifted weights all my life. Before getting arthritis, I was a strong as I have

ever been. I was able to lift over 400 lbs. in the bench press. But now, the

pain in my shoulders made it impossible to lift weights, and the pain in my hips

and ankles eliminated the joy in bicycling, tennis, and just about any other

outdoor activity. My strength was leaving me, and I knew I would eventually feel

weak and helpless. But the thing that upset me the most: I knew that I would

eventually lose the ability to play guitar. I am a solid, accomplished player,

and have devoted much of my life to learning, practicing, and performing for

others. The guitar is part of me, like an arm or a leg. It is my main creative

outlet, and I could not bear to think of losing that ability. I was in a band at

the time, and we were playing pretty regularly. But already, my jammed finger

impeded my playing. How would I be able to cope when it got worse? As I

started the azulfidine, I learned as much as I could about my options for

treatment. Gold sounded like a painful, dangerous option. Plaquenil sounded

safe, but not very effective. Methotrexate, though dangerous, sounded the most

effective of all, and was also used to treat psoriasis, so I thought it would be

my best option. But I agreed to give azulfidine a try. Unfortunately (or

fortunately as the case may be), I had to stop taking azulfidine within about

three months. I suffered from a most irritating side effect - it completely

eliminated my sense of taste! I suffered through my birthday and Thankgiving in

November, 1995, with no sense of taste. In December, my doctor took me off

azulfidine and put me on plaquenil. I asked about methotrexate, but he said it

was not his preference to move on to such a strong drug without giving plaquenil

a try. We also tried another NSAID, Indocin, as the naprosyn wasn't working very

well. By then, the arthritis had taken its toll on my guitar playing, to the

point that I had to give up the band. My hands weren't the only problem now. I

would be on my feet performing for hours at a time, long into the night, which

would make me incredibly sore and stiff the next day. Eventually it got the best

of me. I spent the next year on plaquenil (which was the trial period to test

its effectiveness, according to my doctor). The Indocin was very hard on my

stomach, so I also had to take Cytotec to keep from developing ulcers. During

that year, several more of my finger joints became inflamed. My doctor gave me

some cortisone shots in my original jammed finger and in my thumb - a most

painful experience. I noticed that whenever I would hurt myself in a joint, that

joint would be very slow to heal and would become inflamed. My right wrist

suffered that experience. I had become convinced that Methotrexate was the drug

for me. In fact, I sought a second opinion from a world-famous dermatologist

from s Hopkins, who said that he would put me on MTX if the plaquenil didn't

work. Then, something happened that would change my outlook on arthritis

treatment and suggest a new course for my own. As I was nearing the end of my

plaquenil-Indocin-Cytotec year, I discovered the usenet, the section of the

internet that deals with topical newsgroups. I found a newsgroup devoted to

arthritis and began to post questions and read others' experiences. I found it

enlightening and learned much. One day I received a mail from someone who had

read a posting of mine. This person said that I should consider antibiotics, and

referred me to a website. I had never heard of using antibiotics to treat

arthritis - my doctor had never mentioned it. But my curiousity was piqued. I

visited the website and learned about the pioneering work of McPherson

Brown and the group of antibiotics patients called The Road Back Foundation

(RBF). I ordered Scammell's " The Arthritis Breakthrough " and absorbed it in one

reading. I thought I was onto something. I subscribed to a mailing list that

dealt with antibiotics in arthritis and learned a lot from patients who had used

antibiotics successfully for years. Here was a group of people who spoke of

hope, some of whom had actually gone into remission, who actually referred to

being 'cured,' and who, strangely enough, weren't trying to sell anything! I had

already decided that plaquenil was useless, but now I began to believe that my

earlier faith in MTX was misplaced. It was nearing time for my next appointment,

so I decided I would follow the recommendations of the website and ask my doctor

to read the protocol and prescribe me Minocin. Surprisingly, he agreed to try

it, but said that he had tried it before with poor results. He was familiar with

Dr. Brown and the MIRA study, and agreed to prescribe Minocin, but did not want

to use IV clindamycin, which the RBF recommended. I started taking the oral

Minocin, 200 mg M-W-F, in February 1997. The fact that he was willing to try

Minocin encouraged me, but the fact that he was just as UNwilling to try

clindamycin frustrated me to no end. What was I to do if the Minocin alone

didn't help? Then, in a moment of clarity, I made a decision that would change

the course of my disease. I decided I did not want to have to train my doctor. I

wanted one who knew what he was doing. I queried the antibiotics mailing list

and got a few alternatives near my area. Without hestitation, I fired my

original doctor in favor of one who had years experience with the antibiotics

protocol - Dr. Kempf in Arlington, VA. He had inherited Dr. Brown's

practice and still treated many of Dr. Brown's patients. He was a purely

mainstream rheumatologist, prescribing all sorts of arthritis drugs. But he was

one of the rare doctors who had seen that the potential benefits of antibiotics

far outweighed the risks of taking them. Better yet, he prescribed antibiotics

in close conformance with the RBF protocol. Dr. Kempf, at my request, put me

on the full antibiotics therapy. I continued taking oral Minocin M-W-F, 200

mg/day. I added clindamycin IVs, taked daily for one week every three months. I

also switched to a newer NSAID, Relafen, which was easier on my stomach.

My first week of IVs was in April 1997. In six months he would evaluate my

progress, and would recommend I try something else if the antibiotics wasn't

working. I found that I had better success over time if I stuck to a literal

'every other day' treatment instead of the recommended 'M-W-F' treatment.

About the same time, one of the members of the mailing list told us of a product

called Skin-Cap, which was said to eliminate all symptoms of psoriasis. As I had

exhausted my alternatives, I ordered a few cans to see what would happen. What

happened was totally amazing - Skin Cap eliminated my psoriasis symptoms within

two weeks, and after a month I was able to stop treatment and the symptoms

didn't return!! This was totally unlike any other topical treatment I had

before. I began to systematically eliminate all patches of psoriasis. When I

started antibiotics In February, my SED rate was in the 60s. By my second week

of IV treatments in July, I had improved greatly. My SED rate was down to 24,

and morning stiffness was greatly reduced. But most important - my jammed, stiff

finger had almost totally healed! I could bend it once again, and it no longer

impeded my guitar playing. The other joints had improved as well. I began to see

light at the end of the tunnel. Then, I experienced a major setback on the

psoriasis front. One day in the early fall, I was reading postings in a

psoriasis support newsgroup, to the effect that the FDA was investigating Skin

Cap. Some laboratory reports indicated that it contained some ingredients not

listed on the can, one of which was a steroid, my old friend Temovate! There was

a debate raging in the newsgroup between those that felt betrayed and those that

did not care WHAT was in Skin Cap, so long as it worked (I found myself siding

with the latter group). At any rate, I could tell that something was going to

happen with the FDA, and I decided to take a pre-emptive measure. I ordered a

large supply of Skin Cap - and within a week after I received the order, the FDA

banned its import and eventually its sale in the US. To this day, the jury is

out on the truth regarding the content and the future of the product, but I

still have a few cans left in the meantime to tide me over. But I cannot

recommend anyone else use this product. I do so under full knowledge of all

potential risks and side effects, but the most I could say to anyone curious

about it is to read up as much as you can on what has transpired before you

choose to try it. I did not return to Dr. Kempf's office for another week of

IVs until late January 1998. By then, my SED rate was down to 11, my pain had

virtually disappeared, and I had reduced my Relafen dosage from 1000 mg/day to

500mg/every other day. I no longer thought of my discomfort every waking hour -

I hardly thought of it at all!! My joint pain in my shoulders had subsided

enough so that I could resume my weightlifting regimen - I was becoming strong

again. My ankles and hips were pain-free, which made cardiovascular workouts

almost enjoyable. I no longer woke up stiff, and slept much better overall. In

short - my life had returned to the way it was before arthritis struck. I have

even joined another band, and look forward to flailing at the guitar with a

renewed gusto not felt in months. Dr. Kempf has reduced my dosage of Minocin

to 50 mg/day (I think I will take it 100 mg every other day, since I am used to

this regimen). He also said I probably don't need anymore IVs, which is very

nice, as unnecessary needles in the hand should be avoided whenever possible, in

my opinion. I feel as if I am now on the 'glide path' to full remission.

Throughout my ordeal, I have been surrounded by supportive people: family and

friends who pray for me, and an amazing group of patients in The Road Back

Foundation and the antibiotics mailing list who help me every day of my

treatment with facts, stories, and support. My future will be to continue the

treatment until I reach full remission, and to help guide those considering the

treatment to those that helped me, and maybe to be a bit of help myself along

the way. When I started learning about antibiotics, I read the stories of many

people who, by the time they had discovered antibiotics, had suffered from

arthritis for years, who had tried all the toxic drugs to no avail, who had to

eventually resort to surgery to replace damaged joints. They tried antibiotics

without the benefit of clinical studies - they just took a leap of faith,

trusting in the wisdom of Dr. Brown. I consider myself amongst the " Second

Wave " of antibiotics patients - those that discovered the clinical trials and

read the success stories early enough to avoid the toxic drugs and the

irreversible joint damage. I consider this the future of arthritis treatment.

Now that clinical trial support their use, antibiotics will be prescribed by

more and more doctors.

Perhaps doctors will eventually find antibiotics better than

Minocin/clindamycin to treat arthritis. It is my wish that someday, all

arthritis sufferers will be able to follow the same path I have travelled.

UPDATE - April 2, 2001 It has been almost three years since I first posted my

story to this website. Since then, dozens of people have emailed me, asking

pretty much the same thing - " How are you doing NOW??? " So, I felt it was time

to update my story with current information. As you can see above, when I

wrote my story in early '98, I was still on oral Minocin and Relafen, but had

stopped the IV clindamycin. I stopped taking Relafen altogether in the early

summer of that year, and was off Minocin by September. That's right - totally

off all medications by September of '98. At that time, I was symptom-free, and

felt no need to continue. Since then, I have experienced a few minor flareups.

These have been controlled with oral Minocin. Right now, I have a flareup in my

left index finger, which I am treating with Minocin and Relafen. Another

question I get asked a lot is: " How do I convince my doctor to try antibiotics? "

This is a very tricky question, because not all doctors are open to new things,

and even less want to be 'educated' by patients. I think that first, you need to

convince YOURSELF that you want to try antibiotics, educate yourself as much as

possible on this website, and join the mailing list to clear up any things that

might confuse you. Once you are well-versed, I would then asked my CURRENT

doctor if he is willing to try the FULL protocol - Minocin, NSAIDs, and

Clindamycin. Some are willing to try Minocin and NSAIDs only. If your doctor is

unwilling to try Clindamycin, I recommend IMMEDIATELY seeking out a doctor who

will. Query the mailing list and find one in your general geographic area. This

is one area I am very firm on - I do not believe in beating your head against

the wall, trying to train a doctor who will not be trained. Choose the path of

least resistance - the alternative is not worth the frustration. The other

common question I get is: " What about your psoriasis? " Unfortunately, I do not

have any good news on this front. Although my arthritis symptoms went away, my

psoriasis never really did, despite the success I had with Skin Cap. Once Skin

Cap went off the market, I bought it directly from Spain, but it was no longer

effective due to an apparent change in formula. Several of my lesions stayed

healed for two years, but gradually they all came back. I have educated myself

further, and corresponded with several people who also suffered from psoriasis.

Here are a few things I have learned: 1. Psoriasis is triggered by many

things. No one treatment will work for everyone. 2. Here is a partial list of

things that have caused psoriasis in some people (who were able to treat it

successfully once they identified the cause): yeast (candida) infection, E. coli

infection, deficiency in folic acid and vitamin B-12, strep infection, food

allergy. I found a doctor of internal medicine who was willing to try

different treatments with me. First, we tested for various infections. I had no

yeast problems, but did have a rather high amount of bad E. Coli. We treated

that with an antibiotic, but the psoriasis stayed. I also went on a low-carb

diet and noticed that my psoriasis symptoms got worse One colleague of his

suggested I try an omega 3 fatty acid supplement. I did, but it didn't make my

psoriasis any better. This leads us to believe that I have a food sensitivity

or allergy. My next step is to get tested. The test my doctor recommends is

called the -Act test. It is administered by one laboratory in Northern

Virginia, and costs over $1000. I am still considering this, because my health

care won't pick up the expense. In the meantime, my doctor found a pharmacy

that makes the original Skin Cap formula right on the premises, so I have been

treating my lesions successfully with that. I will update again once I have

decided on the -Act test.

Sandy Cormack You can reach me at interzon@... Beware of my anti-spam

trap!

[Guest guest]

Hi.. Thank you to everyone for responding.

Yes.. I was diagnosed with PA - sausage digits and all - without having any

sign of P.. This one spot is still there. However, I've now been using a

cortisone cream on it and it hasn't changed at all.. Maybe I'll be lucky and it

won't be P? Who knows.. I'll head back to my GP in a week if still nothing and

request to be referred to a dermatologist which in Canada are few and far

between. ;o)

And it's interesting but there isn't a lot of family history with P/PA.. The

only person in my family was my fathers youngest aunt. Her two daughters have

arthritis, but not PA/P. This of course is the only one my family knows

about..

Gotta run to work.

in Ottawa, Canada

[Guest guest]

To the best of my knowledge (and I've asked), there is no history of psoriasis

or PA in my family either and I had lots of aunts/uncles/cousins.

Joanna Hoelscher

[Guest guest]

I have PA w/my P and FM -- laundry list it seems like. I'll have to

try the Nivea cream. I try to take Magnesium Malate (Source Naturals)

daily and when I do so consistently, I do feel better. Interesting

that the Nivea cream works for your psoriasis and it is also magnesium!

cHERYL m.

[Guest guest]

De, an anti-aging protocol that includes undenatured whey,

selenium, inulin and SomaLife gHP will stabilize psoriasis. The

protocol link is the first one on my site:

http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/

You can find all the science behind the protocol by Gooogling

combining keywords such as (GH OR HGH psoriasis) OR (glutathione

psoriasis) OR (inulin psoriasis) etc...

Inulin reduces contributory toxin load produced by bad bowel ecology.

Undenatured whey produces glutathione that reduces toxin load already

in the tissues and fluids, and also controls immune response. SomaLife

gHP also improves immune and healing response, but through HGH

activity.

Duncan Crow ( a wholistic consultant in Canada )

>

> Does anyone have experience with coconut helping psoriasis of the

scalp?

>

> TKS!

>

> De

>

[Guest guest]

Duncan:

Thanks - this gave me some insite and helped me pursue a new course of

investigation.

Duncan Crow <duncancrow@...> wrote:

De, an anti-aging protocol that includes undenatured whey,

selenium, inulin and SomaLife gHP will stabilize psoriasis. The

protocol link is the first one on my site:

http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/

You can find all the science behind the protocol by Gooogling

combining keywords such as (GH OR HGH psoriasis) OR (glutathione

psoriasis) OR (inulin psoriasis) etc...

Inulin reduces contributory toxin load produced by bad bowel ecology.

Undenatured whey produces glutathione that reduces toxin load already

in the tissues and fluids, and also controls immune response. SomaLife

gHP also improves immune and healing response, but through HGH

activity.

Duncan Crow ( a wholistic consultant in Canada )

>

> Does anyone have experience with coconut helping psoriasis of the

scalp?

>

> TKS!

>

> De

>

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[Guest guest]

>

> Hallo Bee,

>

> My 2-year-old nephew just got diagnosed with psoriasis.

> About a year ago my sister started the whole family on a healthier diet,

> they went gluten free, casein free, low sugar (some fruit and xylitol), and

> they use coconut oil for cooking. So transferring to this diet shouldn't be

> to difficult and I think I can convince them. How much coconut oil should a

> 2-year old take? To relieve his itchiness can she use coconut oil mixed with

> oregano oil(for his skin), or should she wait adding the oil of oregano

> until he is fully on the diet? Any other suggestions? I did see one succes

> story of someone that relieved their psoriasis 90% on this diet. If anyone

> else have helped their psoriasis on this diet, please post for hope.

+++Hi Anni. If you are new, welcome to our group. Psoriasis is caused by

toxins coming out through the skin, which is common for people who have candida.

Candida produces over 79 different kinds of toxins, most of which are alcohol,

so they will be contributing to the psoriasis.

Your sister is wise to correct his diet, but she shouldn't give him xylitol,

which is a hydrogenated substance made from birch wood or corn cobs that is

damaging to the body. Instead she should give him small amounts of " true "

stevia as a sweetener, which is the ground up green leaf of the stevia plant

(don't use a processed product).

She shouldn't use oil of oregano on his skin yet. Instead apply extra cod liver

oil to the itchy areas, and pat on some baking soda, and also give him baking

soda baths (use 1 cup) once a day. Here's some other ideas:

http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/treat14.php

It is very important that he get all of the supplements recommended - here's the

article for children's doses:

http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/baby.php

Start him with small amounts of unrefined coconut oil and gradually increase it

every 5 days or more, depending upon his die-off symptoms. Also start him with

low doses of the other supplements and increase them slowly.

The best, Bee

[Guest guest]

my wife and a woman of 27 here in our town have AS.and D-Phenylalnine helps with

the joints pain.you can use it if you do not have high blood pressure.it keeps

the endorphines from being destroyed

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=8607

with this code you get 5 dollars off your first order ZAH179

dr simoncini says that psoriasis is fungus and you can go to his site and see

how he treats it with iodine 7%

>

>

> In the past I've had many painful breakouts due to psoriasis. An infusion from

Orencia landed me the following day in the emergency room. At that time I

developed a psoriasis thumbnail that while not getting worse . . . has not

normalized.

> Have been on LDN (3.0 mg) since Feb 09. Twice I've had the start of a breakout

and both times - skin never broke into full blown sores . .  within a day

literally - the tiny beginning was gone!!!  Some of you will understand how

miraculous it is to avoid the full blown breakout w/nueralgia that follows!!!

> My only big discomfort now is the occasional pain in my knees and the

inflammation of my eyes. ND prescribed a supplement called hylavision w/

hyaluronic acid. It seems to be helping a bit but have only taken it for two

weeks.

> Would love to hear from anyone with ankylosing spondlyitis, psoriasis and eye

inflammation. I'm definitely on a gluten,sugar, carb, meat free diet.

> My ND is testing me for my ability to absorb nutrients due to the crohn's.

> Thanks

>

>

[Guest guest]

Eczema, psoriasis and chronic rashes plague many people. They can be treated

successfully with anti-yeast treatment including dietary change, anti-fungal

supplements and using the anti-yeast medication Diflucan(this will get to the

yeast in the bloodstream where Nystatin cannot).

The diet for Candida problems consists of removing fermented foods from the

diet. The worst offenders are alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beer,

vinegar, barley malt, chocolate, pickles, and aged cheese.

SUGAR is a NO NO!! Sugar fuels candida yeast.

Let us look at some research on Candida and skin.

Candida and disorders of the skin

Out of all the Candida related disorders, research on psoriasis has come the

closest to showing that Candida causes psoriasis. Researchers have actually

shown that Candida causes all the changes in the skin characteristic of

psoriasis (1). When Candida is injected into the skin of an experimental animal,

the skin lesions of psoriasis, including scaling and thickening, develop. The

authors of this study suggest that the scaling is a defense against the Candida.

To understand how the yeast Candida albicans causes skin problems such as eczema

and psoriasis, first a brief overview of the body's immune system and its

interaction with Candida will be presented.

The best way to look at the immune system is to understand that the immune

system has both defensive and offensive weapons. The main defensive weapon is

inflammation. Inflammation is like putting up a wall, a hot wall, which makes it

difficult for invading foreign microorganisms to get through. Inflammation will

occur anytime the immune system contacts a foreign invader. But as you know the

inflammation is painful. Along with the inflammation, should come the offensive

weapons which kill the foreign invader. The problem is that Candida has many

tricks to evade the offensive weapons of the body's immune system.

Candida is a very difficult organism for the body's immune system to clear.

Why?

Candida has a number of tricks to evade the body's immune system. One of these

tricks is to change its outside. The immune system recognizes the outside

receptors of the invading organism and then sends out signals to start an immune

response. Some of the immune responders then look for cells with those

receptors. Candida albicans can change the receptors which it is displaying,

making it difficult for the body's immune cells to react appropriately. In

essence, Candida albicans is a moving target, which changes its form.

The most important thing to know about Candida is that Candida albicans can make

factors which suppress the immune response to itself. These factors can be found

in the circulation of people with significant Candida infections. When these

factors are purified and placed in cultures of immune cells, these immune cells

do not develop the responses to Candida which they are supposed to develop. In

other words, Candida can make factors, which prevent the body from reacting to

and killing the Candida. These factors prevent the total eradication of Candida

from the body.

The Candida can suppress the offensive weapons of the body's immune system. But

the inflammation will still be generated because when the immune system detects

a foreign invader, there will always be inflammation. The problem is that the

foreign invader, the Candida, is not going away, because the immune system's

offensive weapons are suppressed. The inflammation will remain and inflammation

is painful and on the skin is not attractive.

[Guest guest]

psoriasis is a fungus.you can go to the site of dr simoncini to learn how he

treats it with iodine 7%.also in knowthe cause you can learn about diet and

supplements for fungus( candida).

magnesium chloridi oil is also worth trying.

>

>

> I've been taking LDN for seven months. Also on gluten free diet.

> Diagnosed with RA, Crohns, fibro, spondylitis.

> The LDN has helped everything but the psoriasis . . .

> Before starting on LDN I had a bad reaction one day after an Orencia infusion.

Sick like flu . . . ache's, pain, chest pain, difficulty breathing. In the

emergency room for hours but they gave me nothing. Said it could not have been a

reaction from the Orenica (same hospital that gave me the Orencia). My thumb

nail on my left hand started to hurt and ended up deformed. It is a typical

psoriasis appearing nail now and is twisting nearly in half into my nail bed. I

continue to get " nerve " pain in the back of my right thigh . . . like a charlie

horse pain. Then within a couple of days I break out in psoriasis " shingles

like " pustules on right buttock. It's always on the right side.

> It appears as if the LDN can't control this feature. I've looked it up online

and it sounds like psoriasis is a fungal type disease? I know spondylitis has a

psoriatic component to it . . . is this correct?

> Does anyone else suffer from this type of psoriasis and take LDN? Is there

something else that could control this and can be taken with LDN?

> In all other area's LDN has worked flawlessly but this is a major setback in

my life.

> Thanks,

>

>