23 years! Looong reply, sorry.

[Guest guest]

Hi Steve,

Sorry, somehow I missed your first request so I just pulled it out of

the archive so maybe I could answer a few questions. I am not an old

timer at this by any means. I was diagnosed last March and started the

AP last May. I started with the clindy iv's for a week and have had 2

more rounds of them since. I waited too long between the second and

third one and regretted it. I'm doing another one starting May 8th.

before I get bad again. I take 100mg. of minocin twice a day and 25mg.

of vioxx. I also take ultram for the pain. I take acidophilus everyday

and started aloe vera juice and cranberry capsules today. To answer your

questions though, 1. Yes I think the AP is not only helping me but

actually saved me from losing my job and my life as I knew it. 2. My

blood work is sero-neg. so this is a non- issue with me. 3. I'm going to

take the iv's every 12 weeks and see how that goes for the next year. 4.

I don't have any real disfigurement though my joints are larger than

they used to be. Steve, you can read my story in the file section too,

though alot has changed since then and I need to update it. The short

version is in late january, maybe feb. I thought I had was coming down

with the flu, I woke up achy and tired to the bone. After a week of not

getting better I went to the dr. and found out I didn't have the flu but

she couldn't tell me what was wrong. After 2 more dr.s told me I needed

to see a rhuem I finally got in and was diagnosed. Those first few

months consisted of me going downhill to the point I could barely walk

and my husband was pushing me around the mall in a wheelchair just so I

could get out for a while. Nobody could (would?) tell me what was wrong

with me and I was SCARED. Believe it or not the diagnosis was a relief

because at least then I knew what to fight. My husband found The New

Arthritis Breakthrough in a bookstore and I read it. A woman in the book

lives near me so I called her and she encouraged me to GO RIGHT NOW! to

the AP dr. I found through the book. I made the first available appt.

and here I am. It's been the hardest year of my life, but even with all

the pain, the divorce, everything... it's been a very GOOD year. I am

stronger, smarter, have more faith, and best of all, have all these

great friends I never knew before. Constant pain changes the way you

look at life, it's made me more grateful for sure for the good days. And

I think sometimes about those people I saw in the rheum's waiting room

that are going to see him every few months with no hope of getting

better, just getting more or different drugs while their bodies

deteriorate. We don't have to do that. We have a chance to get well. I

know it's the best thing going and I really pray you'll at least give it

a shot. And thanks again for your note to me, I'm always here too.

T.