Finding Cure for RA with Natural Remedies (cont.) - Natural Path Update

Hello!!! So it's been a couple months since I've provided an update pertaining to the healing of this Rheumatoid Arthristis auto immune yucky illness.

Here's a summary of events.
2005 - Diagnosed with RA
           I've tried methotrexate, plaquinil, sulphasalazine, and now on Enbrel (1 injection every 2 weeks)
2007 - Trip to China for 4 months and RA went into remission
2010 - Pregnant while on Enbrel


Here we are in year 2011 and the birth of my baby has given me a reason beyond myself to be healthy and seek a cure for this disease.

In march I tried Acupunture to treat the inflamed joints and it was useless; rather it made my joints worse!
The chinese medical practitioner aslo recommended me herbal medication; but did not email me the ingredients as I asked, so I gave up on him.

In April, I booked my self in to see a Natural Path. - He booked me in for a blood test and below are my results, which I just got today. Surprise suprise! I'm allergic to my favorite foods - so weird.
Basically, the numbers to the left indicate the number of antibodies my body produces to fight the particular food allergen - for example EGGS

My body has developed 2472 antibodies to fight EGGS. The normal level should be only 111.
Taking a look at the number of  foods that are in the avoid category, no wonder why my immune system is on overdrive! (by the way this is only page 1, the entire report is 4 pages)

 .

Additional Supplements presribed by Natural Path

I have never popped so many pills in my life; but for the sake of healing I will.  So here goes:

1. Rehmannia & Scrophularia Herbal Supplement (2 pills, 3 times /day)
2. Curcumin SAP antioxidant (1 pill, 3 times / day)
3. Recovery SAP probiotics (1 pill / day)
4. EGCG SAP ultra antioxidant (1pill, 3 times / day)
5. Omega - D3 Liquid (1 tsp, 2 times / day)

In addtion, I am continuing with Enbrel injection twice a month.

The Natural Path doctor reassured me that the supplements will not harm my baby; rather be very good for him too.

Next Action: continue with Enbrel twice / week, supplements per above for 1 month, try my best to stick to this new diet

6 Month Baby Lucas Schedule

Lucas is almost 6 months old and I feel like I still don't have a routine / schedule.
So I tried to document my last 2 days to find a similar rythem- here goes:

Tuesday - Schedule (Good Day)
6:45 am wake up, change diaper.
6;50 am play
7:05 am feed
7:20 am lay in bed w mommy
7:30 am sit in saucer
7:45 am nap
9:40 amwake up sit saucer
10:00 am eat cereal
10:40 am play
11:15 am feed
11:30 am do laundry w mommy
12:00 pm play mat
12:15 pm feed
12:22 pm nap
12:45 pm move laundry to dryer w mom
1:20 pm diaper change
1:20 pm walk to bank
2:50 pm feed
3:00 pm walk back
3:15 pm nap (mommy do chores)
4:35 pm wake up, change diaper
4:40 pm feed
4:55 pm watch daddy play video
5:15 pm eat cereal little bit
6:00 pm swimming (mommy can work out)
6:3o pm shower change diaper
7:20 pm feed
7:30 pm change poo poo diaper n clothes
7:40 pm quick shower
7:45 pm feed
8:00 pm nap
10:00 pm feed bit, change diaper
10:20 pm saucer
10:30 pm feed bit and sleep
2:00 am feed
4:00 am feed
5:00 am feed

Wednesday - Schedule Tiring and Frustrating Day

7:25 am wake up, change diaper
7:35 am feed a bit
7:40 am saucer
8:00 am feed then nap
10:00 am wake up and feed
10:10 am Play
10:30 am ate bit cereal
11:00 am play in crib
11:20 am feed
11:30 am sit in saucer getting fussy
12:00 pm lay with mommy in bed try to sleep (no)
12:10 pm play mat (fussy)
12:20 pm crib (fussy)
12:30 pm nap
1:00 pm wake up, feed
1:15 pm saucer
1:30 pm playmat
2:00 pm short walk to get mommy coffee
3:00 pm saucer
3;05 pm short feed
3:10 pm play on mommy's lap
3:20 pm play on futon mat, video rollover n giggles
3:40 pm feed
3:45 pm nap while mommy folds laundry
4:15 pm wake up help mommy archive clothes that are too small - (fussy)
5:00 pm refuse cereal
5:15 pm in crib (fussy)
5:25 play w daddy!!! - mommy goes for 1/2 walk
6:30 pm feed
6:40 pm nap
7:00 pm wakup, watch mommy cook
7:45 pm refuse breast, too bottle
8:00 pm in crib fussy
8:15 pm took rest of bottle
8:30 pm nap
9:30 pm wake up n cuddle
10:00 pm sleep

I'm posting this at 10:30 pm now, so will update to see if there is a pattern with night wakings and feeding times.

Phew I feel pooped and I want 4 kids. Wow!

Finding Cure for RA with Natural Remedies while Caring for a Baby

So I ended up my last blog,with:
Next action: continue taking Enbrel, cut out gluten, cut out milk, take multi-vitamins.

Well first off, my "Special Authority" from the government expired, so my meds cost $1,500 for 4 injections. (1 months supply) and as a self employed new mom, I don't get any maternity benefits, nor do I take a salary from my company as I need to pay the workers and partner there first! - How on earth am I to come up with $1,500 each month for meds? It's ridiculous. I try to budget time per day to "work", but really it's not possible with the demands of a baby and sore limbs. I'm starting to realize how limited I am and that I can't be the super mom, I'd like to be.

However, on a brighter note, it is a miracle, that I have not flared badly yet. - Perhaps its cutting out the gluten and milk, or perhaps it's God's hands upon my bones, or perhaps its both. - Either way, I am truly grateful that I am not in too much pain, right now.  1 shot of Enbrel usually helps for 4-6 days before I flare again, and need another shot.  It's like clock work. It's really a miracle that I am not actively flaring badly right now (just my hands) with out Enbrel for a whole week.

As for Baby Lucas :) - He is a bundle of joy from God. - I still love being a mom and can find alternative ways / positions to feed him without directly using my hands. - Being forced off Enbrel might be a good thing, as the med passes into my breast milk to him. Though the doctor said it gets broken down in his tummy and should not affect his immune system, do they really know the truth? - More about Lucas when we visit his doctor at 4 months.
(He's 3 months now)

Finally, lets not forget my husband. He would hate for me to blog about him LOL, but I just want to say that I am very grateful for his love and care.


For those reading with RA, I found some excellent info/resources from Dr. Mercola's site  http://articles.mercola.com/videos.aspx -


Next actions: continue with no gluten and dairy diet, take multi-vitamins and pray! - Enbrel??!! Also, continue with weekly physiotherapy and explore the possibility of a naturalpath.  

Natural Remedies or Enbrel ? - Is there a cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Well I ended off the last post by trying to cut gluten out of my diet to see if it will help with the inflammations and that I would stay clear of Enbrel, since I read of a number of lawsuits, suing Enbrel for causing cancer.

The truth is, I couldn't last 2 days without giving myself another shot. By day 2, places that haven't hurt since 2005 started to flare, like my collar bone and shoulders, in addition to my usual wrists and feet, making it hard to lift myself out of bed.

I couldn't bare the flare ups to see if cutting out gluten would work. Also, since I have a chubby 3 month old baby, I rather be able to pick him up and feed him, than be actively flaring up and bed ridden while testing natural remedies.


Though Cutting Out Gluten does make sense. The year I was diagnosed with RA, I remember being very unhealthy, living off pretzels and coffee while attending full-time school and working nights. High stress, unhealthy diet with excessive gluten, and genetics (my aunt has RA), are probably all common factors contributing to this auto immune disease.


Cutting Out Dairy?
Has any one watched "The Corporations" documentary? It is well worth watching.
From the video, I'm considering cutting out dairy as well since milk production companies inject cows with hormones to produce more milk. Many cows then develop infections (milk ducts get blocked) and hence are also injected with antibiotics. When milking cows, the puss from the infection can get into our milk, along with the hormones and antibiotics. YUCK! The US started to do this in 2002. I'm a type to have cereal with milk for breakfast everyday! I was diagnosed with an auto immune disease in 2005. Perhaps there is a link,  because... get this....  my RA went into remission when I was in China for 4 months  !! Weird. - The milk there tasted very different.

If you are a mom, please check this out: Check out: http://www.babycenter.com/0_bovine-growth-hormone-and-milk-what-you-need-to-know_64389.bc


Next action: continue taking Enbrel, cut out gluten, cut out milk, take multi-vitamins.


My next refill of Enbrel, may not be approved by the government, which means I am responsible for $1,500 which I do not have! So, I will have no shots. So I will update you soon.
:)

Jo

Enbrel Nightmare?

I saw a commercial for the first time about Enbrel.  At first, I was actually excited to see a commercial for the drug I was using; but that quickly faded when near the end a soft spoken lady calmly lists all the possible side effects... cancer..   What? Cancer? Really?

So I went home and googled Enbrel and Cancer to see what came up. Well I found this link:
 http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/enbrel-120/   comments from 2008 - 2011 of people who have lost a loved one while taking Enbrel.  What are the chances?

Its quite the dilemma. If i don't give my self my weekly Enbrel injections, I flare! My dose was due today and I skipped it. I could already feel soreness throughout my wrists, fingers, shoulder and feet.
Time to talk to my Rheumatologists and do some serious praying.

In the meantime, I will try cutting out gluten as I read that this helped someone else with RA.

Keep you posted and please pray for me.

Xoxo,
Jo

Love for my Son

The follow are a few questions I've been asked by friends.

 "So how did you feel when you first saw your son? was it LOVE at first sight?"

Well its hard to explain; As a woman, I had 9 months to fall in love with my child within me before he was even born. At first sight, I was so happy to finally see his face, most important of all, I was relieved to know that he has arrived safely.

 "If someone pointed a gun to your husband and to your son, who would you choose?"

That is a tough one. As I imagined the situation, it deeply grieved me. I would rather die so that the people I love deeply may live, so shoot me instead.  - As I thought about this, John 3:16 started to sort of make more sense. Jesus, God himself came to earth to die, so that the children he loves so dearly may live.
God sacrificed himself.

"Is it true that you forget about the pain?"

No, not for me. The pain was and still remember it to be INTENSE! It hurt like a B!@#%!%#%tch
However, if I were to do it all over again, I would be most willing to! This great bundle of joy is really worth the pain! 

"So how do you feel? Do you have the Baby Blues?"

Honestly no, not at all! Perhaps not yet. I hear it can hit women later. For now I've been so excited and happy to be a mommy. I do get however over emotional and have caught my self crying a few times being overwhelmed by the grace & love of God to seriously give me a child. (If you know me well, you would know what I mean).

1 Month Update: Breastfeeding Tips

FINALLY my baby Lucas is 10 pounds and gaining weight!!
For the last month, I found my focus was on learning to feed my baby and maintaining a good milk supply.
Now that my milk has filled in and our latch is more comfortable, I can say good-bye to sore nipples, stress and worries.


OUCH MY NIPPLES!!!
Breastfeeding, though is much healthier for your little one, comes with its pros and cons.
The first couple weeks were excruciating! Most medical professionals say uncomfortable breastfeeding is due to an incorrect latch. So, I had a nurse come over to check and visited 2 lactation consultants. ALL said I was doing fine, yet my nipples were incredibly sore. At one point they were even bleeding. YOUCH!

I found 2 Treatments for Sore Nipples very helpful:
1. Medela sore nipple cream (softer than most lanolin creams) after feed, and cover with saran wrap
2. Dr. Newmans nipple cream (contains, anti inflammatory, anti fungal) - need prescription for

I wish I had taken the advice to "toughen up those nipples" during pregnancy to prepare.

WHERE'S MY MILK?
I was forewarned that it would take around 3 days for my milk supply to come in after birth.
Which meant that day 2, baby Lucas will be very fussy and losing weight. My routine was feed 20 minutes each side, then pump to stimulate the milk, then take care of my personal healing needs, brew some lactation tea, rest for 20 min, then do it all over again 24 hours a day.  However, my milk did not come in on day 3 and I was getting worried. Lucas was losing weight (10% of birth weight is ok) and I contemplated on feeding him with a bottle. - I didn't quit; though some family members said I was starving my baby.

Thank God, my milk did gradually fill in on Day #5.  - I encourage every women to breast feed and don't buy the lie that you have not milk. Our bodies were created for this and all new moms will have milk. It's just a matter of time and enough suckling and pumping.

Recommendations
1. Medela Swing Breast Pump - This is the brand they use in the hospital. I tried Safety First and it sucks.
2. Johnson Johnson Breast Pads - These pads were alot softer and comfortable compared to Medela. I didn't think I needed any breast pads to absorb the milk but yup, I do need these.
It helps keep my bra clean; so less laundry.
3. You Tube Videos on Breastfeeding - There are tons of helpful videos on you tube about breastfeeding

WHY DOES MY HIP HURT?
During week 2, I found that my hip joint was hurting. I realized that it was my positioning when feeding.
After sitting in a chair with proper back support and the help of an amazing breastfeeding pillow called MY BREST FRIEND, my hip started to improve. 

Well that's it for now. Stay tuned on my experience with a colicky baby...

Xoxo,
Jo