I think I have prevented myself from responding to treatment

[Bailybiscuit]

If you have seen any of my previous posts I was on Methotrexate, then Benepali. Neither worked and I was left just on steroids. I seemed to be improving on Methotrexate then got a chest infection. I had three courses of antibiotics and as I normally would get thrush after them decided to take some either pre or pro biotics. I took them for over a year and as soon as I started methotrexate again I flared up. For a year I just got worse so was started on Benepali, it didn't do anything so it was stopped. My chiropractor suggested I took Kefir, so I bought some and have been making and eating it. This weekend imagine my horror as when I was looking at more things to do with it I read how good it is for RA, but not if you are on Methotrexate or anything like Benepali as the Kefir boosts the immune system and they described it as trying to drive a car with the brakes on. I have been trying to help myself and probably making things much worse. Now I can't even enjoy my lovely kefir.

[helixhelix]

I wouldn't worry too much. Yes it is advised that you don't take any supplements such as echinacea that aim to boost immune system when you have a disease such as RA that is about an out of control immune system.

But I think the effects are small, and probably fairly insignificant in the overall scheme of things. I looked up research on this, and there wasn't much, and none that was really solid. However one small study on kefir concluded

" Hemoglobin, creatinine and ALT levels did not change with kefir consumption. Serum IL-8 levels were decreased, Serum IL-5 levels were increased at 3rd week and decreased by a rebound effect at 9th week (6th-9th week p= 0.003). TNF-α levels were increased with kefir consumption (p= 0.046) but the increase was insignificant in paired comparisons and the level was borderline."

(Your Benpali is an TNF-a inhibitor - so the exact opposite of what people suggest kefir might do)

[Bailybiscuit in reply to helixhelix]

Yes, so no wonder Benepali didn't work but I am to go back on Methotrexate now plus Humira, so lets hope they work together.

[helixhelix in reply to Bailybiscuit]

I really don't think it would have made the difference, but Humira is also a TNF-a inhibitor so perhaps best to start without kefir to give yourself the best chance.

[AgedCrone in reply to helixhelix]

You are right about Methotrexate & Echinacea HH!

When I was first settled on Mtx ...hardly any pain, no stiffness, I decided to"help things along" by taking Echinacea......despite knowing it boosts the immune system.....I still took it! Dah!!

Within a couple if weeks I was heading back to how I was pre Mtx!

Thank goodness at that point my brain clicked back into action- I stopped the Echinacea & within a week or so I was once again pain free & remained so on Mtx for 7 years.

When I told my Rheumy he just smiled ! I think he had probably heard that story before!

[Simba1992]

If you want to try dietary modifications to get your inflammation down you really need a lot of information and understanding. Just by eating something new that is not a part of a regime, seldom has any effect. If you are interested in learning more about antiinfllammatory diets you find a lot of good information on this forum. Google Kai's posts😊👍🏻

[Bailybiscuit in reply to Simba1992]

I tried an anti inflammatory diet a few years ago to prevent getting pmr and RA AS my mother had several things and I had heard they could be inherited. I spent a lot of time and money seeing an alternative health person as I hadn't a clue which vitamins and minerals were safe to take with other medication. I had three years on a tasteless boring diet, lost a lot of weight but then got pmr, RA and now need a new hip and knees, plus last week was told I may have sjogrens, so much for my healthy diet. My chiropractor doesn't take anything without doing research and he uses kefir, so I decided to try it.

[medway-lady]

I saw Kefir on the BBC "Trust me, I'm a doctor" and bought some but it was linked to bone density not inflammation. It does not taste great though ! I don't believe in anti-inflammatory diets either, but think it may be as simple as a diet that helps someone lose weight may just may help with the RA as less pressure on the joints and ligaments. But I guess if someone thinks it will work, it probably will. In my case being Celiac has not stopped the RA but good medication has and losing weight too of course.

[Bailybiscuit]

What I read was linked to Auto immune and leaky gut syndrome and kefir having more healthy bacteria than any other type of yoghourt. It also said it has high vitamin K levels.

[andyswarbs]

Not all kefir's are the same. Whether kefir is good for you or not may depend on whether it is based on dairy or, say coconut for example. I would go down the non-dairy route everytime.

For myself I love miso, again not all miso's are the same. Some are pasteurised which may be good shelf life, but are they doing the job you bought them for? I prefer an organic red miso that needs to be kept in the fridge. I get mine from a japanese food shop in Witney that I feel has been so good for me. It is over £5 a tub, but lasts in the fridge for a long time.