Hello and my apologies for my extended absense from posting. In the past three years I have been trolling the internet and visiting more practitioners in an attempt to reclaim my health from Psoriatic Arthritis. Statistically (if they are to be trusted) Psoriatic Arthritis affects 3% of those of us who have Psoriasis. Funn thing though it seem that a huge portion of the 3% live in the NW and I seem to bump into them...
I have been affected by Psoriatic Arthritis since the age of 18, before my skin ever showed a sign at the age of 23 when I moved away from Tucson, AZ to Portland OR. It started with joint pain that I could not afford to to pursue with medical doctors. The hell of PA is that you simply adapt as it worsens ever so subtily.
What I though was the "cure" is the book "The Road Back" which was written by a well meaning and caring physician. I was able to get my general practitioner to go along with my plan and she prescribe the 100 mg of antibiotics that I took daily for one year. I felt better physically and got relief from the symptoms for just that one year. However, when I stopped the protocol the joint pain returned with a vengence along with all of the other symptoms of PA.
So, here I am again, because I just cannot give in to feeling crappy! I have met with a fresh Naturopathic Doctor who seems to have it together both in the office and at home. It is paramount that your doctor have a good home life as I have learned the hard way that when their personal life is not good, important things get missed and cost the "patients" time, money and pain.
My new ND put me on a protocol of homeopathic remedies which are derived from plant roots and produced in Europe using only organic, non-gmo plants. However, I was suffering to the level that I just could not fathom being able to add yet something new into my life and schedule while trying to maintain my life.
The doctor had recently prescribed Nystatin which is a liquid compound that kills Candida, that is overgrown yeast bacteria in your entire body and brain that causes joint pain, skin rashes, acne and pretty much every "auto-immune disease" we know of. Having taken one round of antibiotics post surgery, for acne or even an ear infections sets a person up for Candida.
Antibiotics kill not just the bad bacteria that are causing the ear ache or potentially will put you back in the hospital after surgery but they also kill all of the good bacteria known as "flora" in your digestive system. Bonus! If one has been using prescription drugs for any reason long term, that also sets you up for Candida. Prescription drugs are not food and your digestive system basically becomes perforated and allows undigested protiens from food to escape into your blood stream.
"Auto-immune Disorders" are your bodies reaction to the undigested protiens that are unrecognizable because they are not supposed to be in that form. Therefore, your immune system goes to work to attempt to anhiliate the forein invader (as it should). Hense inflamation, joint pain, skin rashes, food allergies and intollerances.
Rather than torture myself with the 18th year of trying to avoid all foods made with grain, sugar, alcohol that feed the Candida. I called my new ND and pretty much demanded that he prescribe Nystatin to me! I find it interesting that when illness involves food practitioners seem to want to punish the "patient" with yet another completely unrealistice diet protocol. As if your pain is self inflicted.
Anyway, hopefully you have not gotten too bored with my blathering and are still reading... here is the good part. I am now in the third week of the Nystatin protocol. We call it "vet medicine" because it tastes good when it hits your tongue then turns to absolute gile in few short minutes. Gargling with water and chewing gum helps but the results are totally worth it!
In closing for today, I feel better! My joints are better and my skin as well as my energy level and happily lack of brain fog. There are "die off symptoms" of Candida. The little bastards produce toxins that your body has to deal with as they die by the millions from the Nystatin. I say, "bring it on because at least progress is happening".
Nystatin is not expensive but comes from a compounding pharmacy. There are other things you need to do such as taking probiotics, eating as much healthy (not processed (means anything in a box, can or frozen in many cases) as you can, which is good for you anyway!) I will continue to post every Sunday to keep you updated on my progress.
Pressing on toward regaining health,
Jolene Groves
Kalispell, MT
