I'm sorry if I missed this information in another thread, but I didn't find it and hence ask now. Is there any independent and scientific research into what we can do to minimize the side effects of our medication? At current I have monthly blood tests done, and they have so far not shown any signs of adverse effects.
However, it is known that enbrel and humira can lower our immune defense system and both anti inflamatories and narcotic pain killers can cause damage of various form.
I get lots of medication which I know can be bad, but since it is a trade off between functioning or not there is no alternative.

So is there anything we can do that has been proven preventive to side effect from medication?

glutamine and zinc carnosine can help prevent intestinal damage from NSAIDs.

folate/folic acid can help prevent side effects from both and sulfasalazine and methotrexate

phosphatidylcholine (pdf) , alpha lipoic acid and milk thistle have all been studied and found to help prevent against liver damage from various agents including narcotics and analgesics such as paracetamol/acetaminophen.

Interesting. Thank you.

thanks for all those great links jroc

vitamin E for liver as well. sorry don't have a good link for that right now. my GI doc told me about it, from the latest conference he had gone to. then i found it discussed in several places.

right now i'm doing vit E and alpha lipoic acid for my liver, as my ALT was elevated.

I ve read testimonials about vitamin c helping when a steroid is taken, such as prednisone or a cortisone injection. I take extra vit c when I think I am feeling the effects of prednisone, I also take magnesium when I take a steroid because I heard after awhile it can deplete the magnesium in our bodies. This is only based on my own reading not a drs advice.