Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosis REVERSED! My time is very short for this, so please excuse errors. We are so happy and wanted to tell everyone who has been waiting with us...and share with others who wondered what was going on.
Last year, our family came down with a virus that hit us pretty hard. Clint was the last one to get it. During a rough work week, he also became very dehydrated. I could see the dehydration in the skin on his face. Less than 24 hours after that, he had extreme swelling of his ankles. Within two days, he was having severe pain. He went to an urgent care, but the doctor literally told him, "I have no idea why your legs are swelling like that."
Then he went to his usual doctor and had two tests that showed some inflammation in his body. He was told the markers indicated it was autoimmune in nature but could be where the dehydration forced the virus into his joints. We didn't even know this could happen but learned through research it does! I think I posted a couple of articles about it when we were going through this.
While he was waiting for the appointment with the next doctor, the pain became excruciating! He ran a low grade temp that would suddenly shoot up to 102-103 and then would go away two hours later with shivering and drenching sweats. He had symptoms all over the place. The swelling and pain went to other joints and would migrate around his body-different from one day to the next. The pain was so bad, he would moan in his sleep. Clint worked by sheer will, but he could do nothing, and I mean NOTHING, once he came home. We had to put his feet up to help the swelling go down. My night owl husband often went to bed at 8 or 9 just exhausted from the pain.
Then he saw the rheumatologist. This doctor did not listen to us about the virus and dehydration. He is a young doctor and online reviews for him say he does not listen to his patients. We found that to be accurate. He acted like the other doctor was an idiot for thinking it could possibly be viral arthritis. From the moment he laid eyes on Clint, before we had even given details or the any further tests were run, he was convinced it was RA. LOTS of tests were done.
All of the tests for any autoimmune diseases and even Lyme came back negative..even the RA, but there were markers for inflammation which was expected due to the swelling. Because we knew from the rheumatology website it can take 6 weeks for viral arthritis to resolve itself in some cases, we asked the doctor about it again. He was a bit rude and said it resolves itself in under three in all cases. Clint was 3 weeks and 2 days into it when he saw that doctor.
When the tests came back, the doctor diagnosed him with seronegative RA. He tried to give Clint Rxs and told him he'd have to take drugs the rest of his life. Clint had already researched the main two and knew the side effects could be very bad. Clint refused them telling the doctor he felt his diagnosis was wrong. The Dr insisted he take the RXs. Clint refused again. The doctor then told him that he would not be able to see Clint and give Rxs in a timely manner and Clint would suffer in pain because of his refusal. (I feel this was a threat..It is easy for Rxs to be called into a pharmacy.) Clint told him, "Doc, I've done it so far, and if need be, I can do it again. I am not taking those drugs until I am certain I know what this is."
Clint came home and ordered an herbal protocol we had researched heavily, but before it got here, he started with heavy doses of a very inexpensive, relatively safe, and readily available herb that has helped people with similar symptoms. Since he did not have any contraindications, the first night he took two VERY large doses.
The next morning, his pain was 80% less!!! He never had the fever or night sweats after that. He very excitedly called me and told me he was going to pick some up for work and keep taking it. By the end of that week, his pain and swelling was 90% less. It was AMAZING! Within two weeks, all pain and swelling was gone. He continued taking it until he saw some mild side effects from the large does and stopped.
We had to wait until now because the doctor was convinced Clint would start showing symptoms again and refused to change the diagnosis until now.
Just an hour ago after Clint once again proved he was pain free without the Rxs, Clint was told the diagnosis is being reversed to viral.
Lesson: Trust YOUR instincts!
THANK YOU to our friends who kept our confidence and warrior-ed with us in prayer. THANK YOU to everyone who helped our family during that very difficult season. We are still paying for the many office visits and expensive testing and trying hard to catch up on the work that fell behind, but we THANK GOD Clint is healthy!
...and what was that very inexpensive, relatively safe, and readily available herb?
Garlic!
After that, he took Buhner's Lyme herbal protocol because research showed it helped others with similar symptoms. He also took some low dose medication for a few months. Clint's pain was so severe he wanted to do everything he reasonably could to make sure it did not return.
We are not doctors, but I am a certified herbalist. This is not medical advice and should not be taken as such. It is our story of what happened and what helped Clint.
