I self-diagnosed with RA last month.  Today it was confirmed with lab tests: RF 142, Anti-CCP 140, ESR normal, CRP normal.  As much as I thought I had RA, I really wanted to be wrong.  Now I understand why patients choose the allopathic route.  I want someone to make me feel less scared and alone.  I want some optimism about my future.  I want to feel like someone can help me live a normal life.  I need to believe in something or someone... :-)  (The good news is I'm not in pain most of the time.)

Neither the internal medicine physician or rheumatologist have heard of the ALCAT test.  I would probably have to convince the rheumatologist to refer me to an allergist and then convince that person to order the test (if I want my insurance to pay for it).  

Don't know why the antibody test results are elevated, but CRP isn't.  I told the physician when she ordered the lab tests that I wanted a urinalysis done.  I wanted to know my ph level.  She said urine ph doesn't tell you your body's ph.  The kidneys change your ph.  True ph is your blood ph.  Urine ph isn't really telling you anything.  She didn't order the test.

The physician also said that she'd never seen a patient who had an autoimmune disease and the process had been reversed.  Once the autoimmune reaction is active, it's there to stay.

When I told the physician I was vegetarian, she said, "Are you getting enough protein?"  I answered, nicely.  Then she said, "You're not vegan, are you?"  I didn't answer.  The bias was obvious.

Long post to say, I don't know what to think at this point.  I want a whole collection of RA patient testimony that says it's possible to get better using an alternative approach.  I'd love to believe that, but there are so many physicians and patients out there who absolutely say it isn't possible.  One person said that about 5% of RA patients do go into long-term remission.  So the thinking is that patients who get better are in that lucky 5%.

I need to finish reading Barbara's book and put more of it into practice, I guess.  Obviously I'm feeling overwhelmed and lost right now.  Thank you very much for your book and this forum, Barbara - worth a lot!

Thank you for your response, good info, and encouragement.  I'm feeling better today - told a few people and they were great.  Very understanding and could relate to autoimmune conditions.  One had a mother who died of MS and another had RA and diabetes in her family.  Another works with a woman with RA.  That was comforting.

I'm basically vegan at this point, but not careful enough yet to fully use the word.  I just say I'm veg - been vegetarian for 34 years.  The harder change for me recently is giving up gluten and sugar.  Missing those!

Thank you for the Miriam Nelson book recommendation.  I haven't heard of it and will look it up.

Totally agree with your mind/body and lifestyle changes.  I told my friend today that my new year's resolution is to learn to be calm - mentally and physically.  That would be the best gift I could give myself in the coming year.

Thank you again and happy holidays!
Cate

Okay, so yesterday I ignored my healthy eating practices of the last month or so and had gluten, sugar, dairy, and alcohol.  It was great to eat and drink "normally" for one day!  Lurking in the back of my mind as the day went on was the thought that I'd pay sorely the next day (today).  But today I don't feel different.  I'm a little tired, but a lot happened yesterday.  I still suspect I have food sensitivities, but the consequences weren't what I expected.  Very, very thankful for that!

The worst pain I get is from joint movement: impact, pressure, repetition, or stillness.  My joints have become hypersensitive.  

Getting as much sleep as I need helps a lot.  And I'm a sponge for love, compassion, fun, and general good company from other people.

Clearly I have issues with fear and anger - not sure how I'm going to deal with those.  The more aware I get, the more obvious the issues are!  Maybe RA will teach me someday to be more brave, loving, and accepting - that would be a gift!

I have an appt with the rheumatologist in a couple weeks.  I'm trying to keep open-minded about it, but mostly my pessimism and cynicism are in high gear.  I have to find a way to approach her (haven't met her yet) without being biased by my bad experiences with other physicians.  It's possible she's more enlightened than most and would be willing to find a path that works for me.  So I need to do the very thing I hold against physicians - crack open my mind and not pre-judge based on my history... :-)

Thank you for this forum.  I'm thinking of starting a FB page for people with RA in my area.  I don't know anyone and it would be great to find someone local.  The more I'm starting to get a bit comfortable with this new phase of my life, the more the lack of anonymity on FB doesn't bother me as much.

Finally getting back to update:  I went to the rheumatologist in January and she didn't think I had RA.  She thought it was more likely Palindrome Arthritis.  That was kind of comforting, until I read that something like 87% of people who have PA and test positive for RA go on to get RA.  I went back to the rheumatologist today.  Now she's convinced I have RA and she wants me to start methotrexate.  I'm really, really not liking that idea.  She agreed to wait another three months before starting drugs.

I brought up other approaches: test for bacteria, virus, parasites, food sensitivities, etc.  She said if those things were causing the problem, I don't have RA.  Maybe reactive arthritis or some other kind of arthrities, but not RA.  She agreed that some people with RA go into remission, but they're a very small minority.  She thinks I'm fortunate to get RA now because the drug treatments are so much better than ten years ago.

So I'm back to not knowing what to believe.  Physicians like Neal Barnard, John McDougall and Joel Fuhrer, think it's possible to reverse RA.  The physicians I see absolutely don't think it's possible.  Where are the people who have actually reversed RA?  And how many people with RA have tried every natural or alternative approach and it hasn't made any difference or it has made minimal difference?

I did an elimination diet in February, but didn't see obvious changes in my RA symptoms.  A few days ago I had a digestive reaction to lentils.  Since then I've been researching the connection between RA and lectins.  It's possible my elimination diet didn't help very much because I was eating a lot of rice and because I'd already stopped eating common food triggers before starting the elimination diet.  (Btw, I posted several links about lectin and RA to the Conquering Arthritis Facebook page.)

Hope others are doing well.  It helps a lot to know others are dealing with similar issues.

Hello, I was diagnosed 8 months ago with Reactive Arth.  I was told by my Rhuematologist that it would subside within a few months.  I am fast losing hope and I am sooo tired of having pain with every step!  I have been on Methotrexate and now the Dr wants me to start Humira.  I am terrified of the possible side effects of this medication.  I have not received the book yet, but am so hopeful that this works.  At this point I cannot imagine been able to walk pain free!  I am a 38 year old Mom of three and this is has been really hard to deal with.  I would love to hear from anyone else who has a similiar situation.