Re: Psoriatic arthritis- antibiotics issue

[Guest guest]

I haven't followed the exchange here, so am simply responding to some of what

you yourself are saying.

I'd say that in general what you say about the relationship between

antibiotics and PA symptom relief is true. However, the use of antibiotics as a

first-attempt at dealing with PA would be really prudent, for the simple reason

that there are, though infrequent, people who respond because a bacteria is

holding the key to the emergence of PA. It's a very conservative route, and

short-term would tell whether it's uselss or useful. I was on an antibiotic

myself for this very reason, though it did no good.

Don

firecage1 <firecage1@...> wrote:

56 year old male. I've heard of only one case where there was a cure

for PA. A professional golfer who I have been in touch with was able

to " push out " , as he puts it, the PA by using a combination of

methotrexate with antibiotics. My doc is unwilling. I am getting

ready to fly across country to use his doc. Any thoughts on this?

[Editor's Note: There is no cure for PA, however, many, many people enjoy a

significant relief of symptoms for long periods of time. You don't say what kind

of doctor you are seeing. If you have PA, you MUST get yourself under the care

of a rheumatologist who is extremely familiar with our disease. Secondly, you

don't say which part of this regimen your doctor won't agree to - the

methotrexate, the antibiotics or both. Antibiotics have definitely NOT been

shown to improve the symptoms of our disease so I am not sure why the golfer is

on it. I do know, however, that if you overtake antibiotics, they may not work

when you really need them to. Virtually all rheumatologists would allow you to

go on methotrexate. You also don't say what other medications and treatments you

have tried. We are all different and what works for one person will not

necessarily work for another. I don't see any reason to fly across country

unless you have tried all known medications in our PA arsenal

(methotrexate, sulfasalazine, Arava, Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, etc.) and have

failed on them and unless you have been to all rheumatologists within 500 miles.

Just my thoughts. Kathy F.]

__________________________________________________