homeopathy

I tried a low starch diet and whilst I've head good reports it didn't seem to help me unfortunately. I also tried a couple of supplements when I first got the condition but I didn't find they helped either. I found acupuncture used to give me some immediate relief, but it would be back just as badly a day or 2 afterwards. I tried reflexology (though just the once). It was really nice but unfortunately found it didn't help with the back.

The main thing I find helps besides the anti-TNF and anti-inflammatory is to keep active, particularly anything that gives me a good stretch out like yoga and flexibility classes.

Hi Felicity

I believe the reports that low starch can work for some - but in terms of molecular mimicry and triggers for autoimmunity low starch only deals with Klebsiella as the main and only antigen.

It is important to bear in mind that loss of tolerance to many other bacterial and dietary proteins have been implicated in autoimmune diseases - including AS.

I've posted before on my diet journey - starting with an elimination diet under direction from Doctor John Mansfield about 30 years ago - he successfully treated many arthritis sufferers with diet change.  His work echoes that of a US doctor called John Turnbull who is published in the New England Journal of Medicine from nearly 100 years ago! You can Google his stuff - search for "Study of one hundred and twenty-seven cases of arthritis" published in 1944, and "The relation of anaphylactic disturbances to arthritis" published in 1924 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

I have got down to very little pain, just residual stiffness using restricted diet, exercise and supplements, I have had months (perhaps a year or more) at a time with no flare ups - occasionally I would relapse and use low starch to help.  In the early days of my diet experimentation the worst flares came from drinking Lager and Guinness (allowed on a low starch diet!) - leaving me limping for a week with a sore hip and a stiff neck and shoulder blades. I now only drink Cider, Wine, Brandy as my tipples. I avoid anything that has corn, wheat, barley, rye and now oats too.  I'm not celiac.

I am left to believe that for me Intestinal Permeability caused by gluten (in grains) is my main nemesis.  Today I take no pain killers ever - not even for a headache, my gut is sacrosanct and I am between 75 to 90 percent better most of the time - stress can cause a flare - but I have read that stress can cause intestinal permeability too!

In recent years I have noticed that my eyes react to cows milk - and interestingly I found online studies that have proven that Bovine Casein has been implicated as a cause for inducing autoimmune Uveitis (common with AS) - available online "Autoimmune uveitis and antigenic mimicry of environmental antigens" - but I thrive on Sheeps milk yoghurt.

I tried a homeopath for about 6 months during a stressful flare period over 20 years ago but it didn't work for me - and it was very strict diet that again saved me.

If your interested - I recommend a you tube video by a doctor called Alessio Fasano where he explains how gluten can trigger and / or exacerbate autoimmune diseases other than Celiac.

This is a repeat from the discussion on https://patient.info/forums/discuss/ankylosing-spondylitis-hla-b27-negative-17167

For the relief of pain, I use a combination of DMSO and Topricin. DMSO comes in liquid, gel, and cream. The cream may be purchased with aloe vera or rose scented. I buy DMSO and Topricin from Amazon; not sure where you would get it from the UK.

Alternative cures come in the form of Ayurvedic oils such as Maha Narayan Oil, and/or Flexn oil which can also be purchased online. These oils can be used in conjunction with DMSO as this acts as a carrier to allow deeper penetration of other creams or oils.

I had a positive effect from a series of spiritual/hypnosis sessions which seems to have halted the disease.

You have to keep exercising, even if you halt the disease, as joint problems still exist.

The mainstream alternatives are drugs that suppress the immune system (preceded with antibiotics), and given my sensitivity, would probably have killed me.

It is difficult for me to follow a low-starch diet due to other medical issues that limit what I can eat.

Hope you find what is best for you...

 

Hi Felicity

Some of the best websites I have seen for dietary advice are as follows -

I have bought the domain name _______and I am working on design and content to try and put my story, experience and recipes out there to help.

Beware of the gluten free isle at the supermarket, corn / maize is a major food allergen in autoimmune diseases - best start with pure foods that do not have any labels - meats, low starch veggies, non cows milk yogurts and low starch fruits like berries.   I find white rice much less reactive than any other carb - and potatoes (not the skins) 

Good luck !

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have you tried GOPO rosehip?