Originally Posted By: EricaK
Soooooo is this a good thing for us?

Sometimes these studies make me feel like I'm living in a weird Woody Allen movie.

Isn't this whole pain & infirmity deal a result of too good an immune system?

Sue can you dumb down a scientific explanation for me?


OK, my take on things from all I've read.

Its not that our immune system is "too good" like they used to think. Rather that its just not functioning properly. In other words, not only are we attacking true invaders like foreign bacteria and viruses, but also in autoimmune diseases, ourselves, and in autoinflammatory diseases, maybe food "allergens" that have crossed the intestinal blood barrier due to "leaky gut". Or maybe its a war between good and bad bacteria in our microbiome (the microbes living in and on us).

Autoinflammatory because spondyloarthropathy doesn't trigger the production of antibodies (hence no ANA or RF) but does trigger the innate immune system (cytokines, macrophages, etc).

Thus, I do think it is ok to boost our immune systems in the ways they describe, and I think its the way that LDN works. Also, I think because of my "robust" immune system, I am better able to tolerate the Humira that suppresses a specific portion (TNFalpha) of the immune system.

I think my rheumy feels the same way because when i started the humira, he:

1. let me stay on the LDN

and

2. reminded me the importance of continuing with the vitamin C

Its more complicated than that, but that's a start. too there is a lot they don't know.


sue

Spondyloarthropathy, HLAB27 negative
Humira (still methylprednisone for flares, just not as often. Aleve if needed, rarely.)
LDN/zanaflex/flector patches over SI/ice
vits C, D. probiotics. hyaluronic acid. CoQ, Mg, Ca, K.
chiro
walk, bike
no dairy (casein sensitivity), limited eggs, limited yeast (bread)