Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Doing the Math...

Hi Yall!! ...as you know, I've been changing up my treatment plan, as a last resort in a serious attempt to get my life back, I've gone on the no-starch diet and I'm following it strictly. I started a month ago when my health really took a bad turn and I'm feeling much better already, most of the brain-fog is gone, I'm sure doing away with most of my meds helped that too, it dawned on me one day that even I survive the AS(which is almost certainty), I won't survive these meds, so I've been weeding them out over the last 30 days and I'm now down to my Enbrel, Methotrexate, Avapro, Folic Acid and Lorcet(only when absolutely neccessary) and I'm just thrilled about that... I know that still sounds like a lot but when I started, I was on the following:

Avapro 150mg. 1xdaily
Enbrel 50 mg/mL 0.98mL 1xweekly
Methotrexate 1.0ml 1xweekly
Flexeril 10mg 2xdaily
Folic Acid 1mg 2xdaily
Fosomax 70mg 1xweekly
Lipitor 10mg 1xdaily
Lorcet 10/650 4xdaily
Neurontin 300mg 3xdaily
Pepcid 20mg 1xdaily
Nexium 40mg 2xdaily
Ultram 50mg 4xdaily

It just kind of creeps up on you, the doctors slowly keep adding to the mix until suddenly, you're so full from the "pill meal" you've just eaten that don't have room for your real dinner and on top of it all, you're all looped up(which people should always take into consideration when posting or reading posts...a lot of us are on serious meds at times...we're not always lucid)... It's just too much...suddenly it dawned on me: my liver will not survive very long unless some change is made!! First thing I threw out...Neurontin(3 per day), Flexeril(2 per day) and the Ultram(4 per day)...that's 9 pills per day, 270 pills per month and an unbelievable 3,240 pills per year...just between those 3 meds... and the total of all the pills: 21 pill per day, 147 pills per week, 588 pills per month and an astonishing 7,056 pills per year grand total!!!... plus the MTX and Enbrel injections...I saw my PCP Thurs. and told him my plan and...it did not sit well with him... so we've parted ways, I'll still be going to the same practice but I've changed doctors...I know that the PCP that I've switched over to believes in alternative medicine, he was my Father's doctor(he helped me with Dad's LDN) and I have confidence in him(I think that's very important)...I'm feeling very good about the changes I've made and I'm anxious to see just how much of a difference NSD will make in my life ...

Wow, thats huge numbers of pills! I keep thinking I need to go back to being serious about low starch and not cheating so much. I definitely do feel better on it and have far less stomach problems and better absorption, etc, which means I don't need a couple of my meds. I just really hate it when you end up taking meds for the side effects of other meds, and when things just get added in without looking at the total.

Hope you get really good results from the trimmed down regime. Keep us informed.

Sounds like you're on the right track Michelle, way to go!

Hi Michelle,
Wow, it sounds like you are off to a good start. You were taking 12 types of meds a month ago, and now down to 5. I think that is superiffic.

I have been wishing to be able to make that kind of transition too, but it hasn't been working out for me.

Take care,
James.

wow...the 4 Ultram per day would give me a brain fog I wouldn't like. If I ever took 3 I was in a constant zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Good for you Michelle. I hope all of these changes you are making help you greatly. I wish you the best my friend. xoxo

Sherri

Michelle---

Sounds like you're doing great. I have the same thoughts about my meds. I have been lucky to cut some out as well. I rely a lot of vitamins, and the meds I do take.

I hope it keeps going well for you. We are mostly chemicals, so finding the right balance for your body can change your whole life. Glad to hear you found a good doctor, and have a good plan.

Keep us posted!!

By the way---you're dogs are beautiful! My dobie and westie are some of my greatest sources of relief.

Aly

Hi cemc...that's exactly what happened to me when I tried it before, I couldn't totally commit(I was doing more of a low-starch diet than a no-starch diet) and it didn't work... I never thought about absorption, that would explain a lot...I'm very enthusiastic about it, let me know if you decide to do it and we can chart our progress!!

Thanks SJLC!!! I'm feeling good, we spent the day at the beach and I did a lot of swimming, it was quite a work out(I was dragging crab pots around in neck high water), it felt good to feel my heart pumping, it's been a long time!

Thanks James!! I am sorry that you've been unable to transition...I hope that one day soon you'll be able to...