Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives Alternatives Radon Therapy Czech Republic

Did a three week treatment back in May (the fourth treatment in the last 10 years). Now the effects of the radon are taking hold and I'm feeling great- inflammation down to nothing. I'm expecting this relief from pain and stiffness to last for at least a year (differs from person to person). I've written about my experiences here before (from 2007 on).

If you're curious about Jachymov- the Radon Spa town in the Northwestern part of the Czech republic- I suggest you research it. They even give a discount to people with AS because the treatment is so effective for our disease.

I have stayed at a couple of the spas in town, but the best for me is Radium Palace. There are much cheaper options too.

Luigi

It makes me so nervous because I'm on an TNF inhibitor and Radon is a cancer risk.

My father had X-ray therapy back in the 40s and it cleared up his disease pretty much for life. Other than a few BCCs from his time in the South Pacific in WWII he never got cancer (and nobody in my family has ever had cancer except for my aunt, who has CML).

I've begged for it. My rheumatologist just said: "not available anymore." *sigh*

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1496076/

It was back in the early 1960s. that I had radiotherapy (x-ray treatment) for my A.S. I was not as lucky as your father as it did me no good but at least neither did it give me cancer. It did however lead to nerve damage (Neuropathy) at the lower spine and down the legs.

The amount of radiation one gets from a 3-week treatment in Jachymov is equivalent to one chest x-ray.

It's not the same thing as living in a house with radon where you're living in it and breathing it 12+ hours every day for years and years... that's when one should be concerned about getting cancer from radon (as are a lot of things if taken in excess).

People all over Eastern Europe come to Jachymov year after year for "the cure". Of course one has to do what feels right for them- for me, this felt right. Funny, I've never done the TNF thing because I worry about its risk

No matter what we do there is always some risk. All we can do is balance up the risk against any benefit. Anti-TNF was the best thing I ever had well to start with anyway.

You're absolutely right.

Arthritis was once treated with radiation, but caused cancer and this treatment was stopped

I had radiotherapy way back in the mid 1960s. and then again in the early 1980s. It was thought to be the latest miracle cure for A.S. It did nothing for me but damage the nerves that run from the spine and down my legs. Worst thing they ever did to me. Still no cancer well not so far anyway.

Hi Luigi,

I'm currently in Bad Gastein, halfway through a two-week programme of radon therapy at the Heilstollen. It's something I have been thinking about trying for more than 6 years and your original posts played a role in my first research in 2011. So, thanks!

There are plenty of people with AS here: one of the benefits of coming to a specialist clinic is that I've been able to meet them and hear their stories. Some have been returning for ten years, some for 30, a few are on their first visit. The returnees have significant pain reduction for a good 9 to 12 months. There are a lot of people here who echo your story.

About half of the patients are here on private coin, the other half are covered by private or state medical insurance (German and Austrian). I'm part of the former bunch, unfortunately: we drove across from Ireland after finding that I was 14-months down the 'urgent' rheumatology waiting list with the HSE.

Let's see how the next weeks and months go. I'm hopeful, of course, but have thrown a healthy dose of realism into the mix.

I'll let you know.

Best,

Ag

If All my treatments fail Im going to try Radon therapy. Seems very promising.

im not sure if Luigi works for this place but I found it not to be helpful at all.
I went there back in 2011 after TNF therapy failed. i felt pretty good going in actually.
After doing the therapy I flew back to the USA and actually got worse. It did not help at all.
Luigi mentioned that it takes time after the tx to work and you might feel worse before you feel better. According to the doctor at the place he said that's nonsense. the doctor also advised NOT to stop taking any of your AS medicine. so clearly they dont have a lot of confidence their tx could work on it's own.
It was a nice visit and I got a nice quiet vacation but I found it did not help at all.

Stick with what the doc. says so much of what you read on Forums like this are rubbish

This is great! Radium Palace bucket list for me. My result is so similar, but with annual visits to the rural Health Mines in Montana, USA instead of the old world elegance of the Radium Palace. May treatment means the summer is optimal for me as well and by April my body reminds me that it is time to visit again. One of these years I'll replace Montana with the Czech republic. So glad you posted Luigi. May your pipes be clear and your mansions many.

Hi L33,

Six weeks post-treatment now and I'm still up in the air about the efficacy of radon. I had a terrible one-month flare up since returning from Bad Gastein in Austria which I have been unable to treat with anti-inflammatories as we are trying to conceive.

The one-month flare is a well-documented response to radon treatment but with such a complicated disease I'm always dubious.

In the last week, I have started to feel a gradual improvement. In fact, I have been running/shuffling again with the assistance of well-timed paracetamol. That's saying something.

I actually decided to jump on KickAS today as I woke up this morning with zero pain and very little stiffness. The last time my SI joints felt so 'normal' was ten years ago when I had a steroid injection. It was very different to a 'just OK' morning.

My severity of symptoms fluctuates so significantly over time (coupled with my cold turkey on the anti-inflammatories) that I won't be making any calls on my radon treatment for another six weeks at least. But when I do, either way, I'll pop a post on this forum.

Wishing you the best,

Ag