Sorry this is long. I found this message thread very interesting because over 3 and a half years ago I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Rheumatoid Arthritis. My doctor said it was 'triggered' by an antibiotic that I was given that I had an allergic reaction to. In one month I went from hiking 8 miles and not breaking a sweat and doing climbing walls to being so disabled with pain and swelling in my feet, hands, my joints ached and sensations in my legs (needed to sleep on my back with legs up on pillows) that I had to get pants with elastic. The doctor told me that I would be disabled and on meds the rest of my life. He could not explain to me sufficiently how this could happen in one month. I refused meds and toughed it out. The first month I felt sorry for myself and was a couch potato. Then I kicked myself and started to read. That was about the only thing I could do. This is what I found out and how I beat my diagnosis. I found that when we reach around the age of 40 our body slowly diminishes it's production of our super antioxidant glutathione. This is a major player in the proper functioning of our immune system and regulates so many body systems that I am not going to list all of them here. The one I am going to mention is that it does regulate the hormones. When this is depleted via the severe immune response that happens when you receive a vaccination the body's cells and gut (80% of our immune system is regulated from there) is no longer protected because of oxidative stress. When the gut is compromised the body absorption of vit. D is diminished. Now another thing to take into consideration is family medical history. Is there allergies or auto-immune disease in the family? If this is true then there is the possibility that there could be any one or more of these factors: 1) defective GSH (glutathione) gene; 2) elevated levels of free floating IgE in the body; 3) increased levels of histamine release from mast cells. These are the most important. Because I found that RA was an auto-immune issue likely caused by my allergic reaction to the anti-biotic I had to deal with the inflammation and find how I could diminish this. First I started with diet. What foods can cause inflammation and eliminate them? I eliminated all processed sugars and went to honey for a start. Then I found what to add to my diet to increase my body production of glutathione (I was 58 at onslaught of RA). I added more fruits and green veggies (increasing my vit C & E). As I researched further I found that whey protein helps intensify the C & E so I started taking a whey suppliment. With the changes in diet initially I saw slow impovement in 1 month. When I added the whey protein I saw improvement in 2 weeks. It took 2 years for my body to heal itself and I was pretty much symptom free and pain free. The only problem I had left was my gut. I believe I had IBS (irritable bowel symdrome). I never went back to the doctor so this is my diagnosis of the symptoms that I had. My gut would feel funny (I called the five minute warning) and I would have to find a bathroom fast. Every store I went to I knew where the restroom was just in case. Further research was done to find out that Autistic children are glutathione deficient and their gut problems diminished after going gluten free. Hummmmm I pondered this for about 1 day and decided to minimize my gluten and test the foods I did eat to see what reactions I would have. I no longer eat standard breads or pastas. I can eat rye bread and one bun with unbleached white bread for my hamburgers. (I love my food, sorry.) I can also eat the pasta that is labeled semolina pasta. Don't understand why but I can but I do not overdo it. I have been reading labels for 2 years now and I am pretty much (money is a little tight) all natural foods, frozen veggies, etc. As of one year ago I am now totally symptom free. Wohoo! My only problem is that I know I will never be 100% ever again. I do have energy level problems so I do everything in moderation. I have to take a power nap every afternoon. I lost 35 - 40 lbs of muscle mass so I can't do some of the strenuous things I used to. But the upside is that my allergic responses to seasonal pollens are next to non-existant. No flu or colds (this was a concern of mine). Over all with my auto-immune issue it is all under control and people are amazed that I ever had RA and was 95% disabled. This is my story. Do your own research. If your doctor will not test for glutathione deficiency (warning: they will not) ask them to test for magnesium deficiency. Glutathione deficiency goes hand in hand with magnesium deficiency. Foot note: Glutathione supplements do not work because the body does not absorb the glutathione. The best way is to get the body to produce more. Here is a link that might be useful: Histamine

I am 66 and have had the same problem for years. First they diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, later polymyalgia rheumatica. I finally got to the point that I was on Vicodin. prednisone. I always thought it had to be due to something nutritional. I am a registered nurse. I started my own diagnostics since mainstream medicine doesn't know anything about nutrition and wasn't interested in learning. As some of the other posters did, I started removing medicine that the doctors had me and it began to lessen. Lastly I began taking Youngevity products and within 30 days. no pain. I am no longer on prescribed pharmaceuticals except occasional pain medication at night when I have overdone. I am not sure yet if this will go away or if some of the damage is not reversible. When I stop taking the vitamin/trace minerals, boom it all comes back. You will always have to take the supplements because our soil no longer contains these 90 vit/minerals since we stopped adding wood ash to our gardens once newer methods of heating houses came into practice. But what you save in polypharmacy given to you by doctors will pay for the supplements. Read the Creator of Youngevity's book "Dead doctors don't lie". As a 50 year OR nurse, I concur with most of what he states. Good luck

Raven...I am on Prednisone right now, I have RA, and have been fine on Remicade until last Nov 1. I caught a head cold, which is a virus. It went to my lungs, had trouble breathing and I ended up in the hospital on Thanksgiving weekend. They did a CT scan of my lungs, and they were filled with inflammation and big spots. A lung Dr was puzzled, and he got together with my rheumatologist, and put me on a low dose of Prednisone, and scheduled a lung biopsy. The biopsy showed a lung disease called Sarcoidosis. It affects people with auto immmune diseases, and starts in the lungs. One thing, tho....one of the drugs that treats it is Remicade. My Rheumatologist said he had heard/ of another case like mine....and both lung DR and Rheumy started investigating, they put me on a relatively high dose of Prednisone....and in a week, I was feeling good, breathing good, etc. Never realized why people were so worried about me. I lost 30 lbs during all this. Information is, that the TNF inhibitor drugs (Remicade/Humera/Embrel) that are commonly used now, react the opposite in some people with an unidentified enzyme or protein - when they contract any virus. Instead of inhibiting TNF, they accelerate it...and thus the Sarcoidosis. The only way to diagnose it is through biopsy and full battery of tests. No way to identify who is at risk with these drugs. I am feeling great...next week's CT scan will tell us if the Prednisone is really working. Starting to step down from it....and, of course, the Remicade was stopped months ago when I first got that cold. My Dr is now thinking of Orencia for the RA(no TNF inhibition)...I can never take the TNF drugs again. Ask your DR to investigate.

There are many, many kinds of arthritis. I have polymyalgia rheumatica and it isn't much fun either. The occupational therapist suggested I look at the Arthritis Society web site. I'll try to post the link. Go to "the Open Forum Community" and it will give you much info. Hope this helps. Here is a link that might be useful: various arthritis info