Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)*

Crystal Lake**

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in January, 1983. Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects mostly women. Rheumatoid Arthritis causes painful joint inflammation, often leading to debilitation and deformity.

I suspected something was wrong in November 1982, when my feet felt like I had knots in them. The next month my hands began to ache and became extremely weak. Many other joints became inflamed and painful in the following weeks.

The medications that I have been prescribed over the years for Rheumatoid Arthritis are:

• Prednisone
• Gold Salts tablets
• Methotrexate
• Gold Salts shots
• Remicade I.V. (worked really well for 5 months then I had a bad reaction!)
• Kineret (injections)
• Humira (injections)
• Antibiotic therapy
• NSAIDS (anti-inflammatory medications)
• Enbrel injections (I am currently taking and have been on Enbrel for the past few years. I am unable to follow the protocol of twice a week injections due to side effects- chiefly, infections. Last year I averaged only 1 injection per month.)

Surgeries: Right Hip Replaced and both knees replaced
Dental: Metal fillings replaced

Alternative Treatments that I've tried are:

• Iridology
• Reflexology
• Colonics
• Chiropractic
• Magnetic therapy
• Oxygen therapy
• Diets
• Herbs
• Vitamins
• Parasite Cleanses
• Massage
• Chelation therapy (the use of certain agents to pull toxic substances out of the body (e.g., heavy metals such as lead). I did this intravenously using EDTA as the chelating agent.) NAET® therapy (see below)

"Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques, also known as NAET®, are a non-invasive, drug free, natural solution to eliminate allergies of all types and intensities using a blend of selective energy balancing, testing and treatment procedures from acupuncture/acupressure, allopathy, chiropractic, nutritional, and kinesiological disciplines of medicine. One allergen is treated at a time. If you are not severely immune deficient, you may need just one treatment to desensitize one allergen. A person with mild to moderate amount of allergies may take about 15-20 office visits to desensitize 15-20 food and environmental allergens. Basic essential nutrients are treated during the first few visits. Chemicals, environmental allergens, vaccinations, immunizations, etc. are treated after completing about ten basic essential nutrients. NAET® can successfully eliminate adverse reactions to egg, milk, peanuts, penicillin, aspirin, mushrooms, shellfish, latex, grass, ragweed, flowers, perfume, animal dander, animal epithelial, make-up, chemicals, cigarette smoke, pathogens, heat, cold, other environmental agents. It may take several office visits to desensitize a severe allergen.NAET® was discovered by Dr. Devi S. Nambudripad in November of 1983."

Currently, I am going to a Chiropractor/Naturopath doctor who uses the program developed by Dr. John Brimhall, "The 6 Steps To Wellness" (www.brimhall.com).

I am also supplementing this program by adding "Tunguska". I take double the amount prescribed on the bottle which was recommended by my doctor. I just finished my first bottle!

Update: I've been on TBlast for several months now, and working with my doctor, I now require less of the other nutritional supplements that he originally had me taking with my diet.

*These submissions represent the author's opinion. Tunguska Time does not claim responsibility for the content. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Always consult a doctor for medical advice.

**Name changed per request