Rheumatoid Arthritis Medications

Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication Implicated in Death of Popular Musician and many more!

As noted in a recent New York Times article, "drug overdosese are driving up the death rate of young white adults in the United States to levels not seen since the end of the AIDS epidemic more than two decades ago."  Between 1999 and 2014, the rate of drug overdose deaths for Caucasians between the ages of 25 and 34 rose by 500 percent. The overdose rate for 35 to 44-year olds tripled.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication Implicated in Glenn Frey's Death

As you may have heard, Glenn Frey, from the Eagles, recently died from complications from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia.  He was 67.

"The colitis and pneumonia were side effects from all the meds. He died from complications of [ulcerative colitis] after being treated with drugs for his rheumatoid arthritis which he had for over 15 years."

Indeed, the drugs commonly prescribed for RA are among the most dangerous on the market.

These include prednisone, TNF-alpha inhibitors (sold under brand names such as Humira, Enbrel, and Remicade. Side effects of these drugs include infection and an increased risk for cancer), and harsh anti-cancer drugs like methotrexate.

Chronic use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and analgesics like Tylenol can also result in life-threatening liver and/or kidney damage. Acetaminophen is actually the number one cause of acute liver failure.

RA affects about 1 percent of the world's population. Some level of disability occurs in 50 to 70 percent of people within 5 years after onset of the disease, and half will stop working within 10 years.

Unlike the far more common degenerative joint disease osteoarthritis (OA or DJD), it can lead to crippling and painful joint deformities and, as mentioned, can be fatal. Women tend to be disproportionally affected by the disease.

One of the hallmark symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis is pain in your hands and/or feet. It tends to affect the proximal joints more so than the distal ones, i.e. the joints closest to your palm, for example, opposed to the joints further out in the fingers.

At the root of RA you find chronic inflammation — a side effect of a diet too high in processed fructose and other sugars. So while less than 1 percent of people with RA experience spontaneous remission, that does not mean the disease cannot be successfully treated.

RA Sufferers Must Cut Down on Sugars

If you have RA (or any other chronic ailment rooted in inflammation, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, just to name a few), addressing your diet is an important first step to facilitate healing. Eating a diet of REAL FOOD (ideally organic) is one of the most important first steps to help suppress painful inflammation. Processed foods and sugary (including artificially sweetened) beverages should be avoided as much as possible.

Eliminating grains, especially gluten-containing ones, can also be helpful. This may be particularly true if you have certain genetic factors. Those of Scottish-Irish decent, as well as those with a family history of autoimmune problems such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), may be at higher risk of wheat and gluten intolerance.

That said, most grains, fructose and other sugars feed inflammation regardless of your genetic disposition, and you need to be very careful about NOT adding fuel to that fire. A 2014 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition specifically links RA with soda consumption.

How Gut Microbes Impact Rheumatoid Arthritis

Gut health plays an important role in RA. Sugar feeds pathogenic microorganisms in your gut, and once your intestinal flora becomes unbalanced, you end up with a ripple effect of detrimental health impacts — one of which is immune system dysfunction and out-of-control inflammation. In addition to cutting out sugar from your diet, adding fermented foods and/or taking a high quality probiotic will help nourish healthy gut flora.

Safer Pain Relievers

Most conventional rheumatologists have few remedies in their toolbox besides toxic drugs. While these can help relieve symptoms, they do absolutely nothing to address the underlying cause of the disease, which continues to ravage your body. What's worse, many of these drugs can cause more problems than they solve, and some of the more toxic ones can easily shave well over a decade off your lifespan.

That said, pain control is an important aspect of treating RA. If pain is not addressed, you may enter a depressive cycle that can worsen your immune function and cause RA flare-ups. If you opt for a drug, be sure to use the safest ones, and only when necessary — with the goal of eventually managing your pain without medications. More long-lasting relief will be achieved once you start targeting the inflammation, which is the underlying cause of the pain.

Among pain relieving drugs, some of the safest ones are as follows:

Medical cannabis.  One of the strongest areas of research regarding marijuana's health benefits pertains to pain. In 2010, the Center for Medical Cannabis Research released a report on 14 clinical studies (most of which were FDA-approved, double-blind and placebo-controlled) on the use of marijuana for pain.

The studies revealed that marijuana not only controls pain, but in some cases it did so better than available alternatives.

Non-acetylated salicylates, such as salsalate, sodium salicylate, and magnesium salicylate (i.e. Salflex, Disalcid, or Trilisate)

Key Elements of a Natural Treatment Protocol

The sooner you start incorporating more natural treatments and reduce your reliance on drugs, the better. Just remember to be patient. If you have severe RA, it may take up to three years to reach full remission. Consistency and commitment is also necessary, and the dietary changes are an absolutely essential component, so please do not take them lightly.

Eat REAL food; unprocessed, organic, and locally grown if possible. Eat your food as close to raw as possible. Vegetable juicing is also highly recommended.

Eliminate processed foods and other sources of refined sugar/processed fructose, along with most grains. For most people it would be best to limit fruit to small quantities.  If you're unable to decrease your sugar intake, your chances of recovery are slim.

Optimize your gut flora by consuming naturally fermented vegetables and/or a high potency probiotic supplement; work your way up to 4 to 6 ounces per day of fermented veggies.

Also be sure to get plenty of high-quality animal-based omega-3 fats, such as krill oil. Krill oil seems to be particularly helpful as it appears to be a more effective anti-inflammatory preparation than regular fish oil.  It's particularly effective if taken concurrently with astaxanthin, which is a potent antioxidant bioflavanoid derived from algae.

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)       Naltrexone is a pharmacologically active opioid antagonist, conventionally used to treat drug and alcohol addiction. However, in very small doses, it is inexpensive, non-toxic, and has immunomodulating properties widely reported by physicians as effective in getting people off of dangerous arthritis medications.

Astaxanthin       A powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidant with very powerful pain control properties. In one study, RA sufferers experienced a 35 percent improvement in pain levels, as well as a 40 percent improvement in their ability to perform daily activities, after only eight weeks on astaxanthin.  Astaxanthin at 4 mg per day is particularly useful for anyone placed on prednisone because it offers potent protection against cataracts and age related macular degeneration.

Vitamin D            Vitamin D deficiency is strongly associated with the development of RA. Ideally, you'll want to get regular and appropriate sun exposure, or take an oral D3 supplement, and closely monitor your levels to assure you maintain your level within the therapeutic range of 40 to 60 ng/ml year-round. 

Vitamin D also helps improve and regulate your immune system and fight infections.  

Exercise               Regular exercise is critical if you want to prevent functional decline from arthritis. RA can lead to diminished muscle mass and reduced strength that can be as debilitating as the physical damage to your joints. Just be careful not to overdo it, and take care with inflamed joints, icing them when necessary before and after exercise.

Curcumin (turmeric)      Curcumin has been shown to be effective against acute and chronic pain and is best known for its potent anti-inflammatory properties; inhibits inflammatory enzymes and blocks inflammation pathways; shown to influence more than 700 genes.

Boswellia            Also known as boswellin or "Indian frankincense," boswellia is another herb  found to be particularly useful against arthritic pain and inflammation.

Ginger  Exhibits anti-inflammatory properties and can offer pain relief. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice.   In addition to pain relief, the study found that some of the phytochemical constituents of ginger can help stop RA-induced bone destruction.

EFT         Lingering emotional trauma is pervasive in people with RA. One of my favorite tools for addressing this is EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), which has been described as "acupuncture without needles."  Although EFT is something you can learn to do yourself in the comfort of your own home, you may want to employ the help of a well-trained professional.

Your Natural approach should include a range of activities, including weight training, high intensity exercises, cardio, stretching and core work. Walking and swimming are also excellent (if you have access to a chlorine free pool), as are practices like yoga and tai chi.