Link about prevent Autoimmune diseases interesting read

[patrickd]

Hi everyone! Interesting information about preventing Autoimmune Diseases...

peoplespharmacy.com/article...

[PMRpro Ambassador]

This interesting study has been talked about here quite recently - unfortunately for us it is rather shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted! The protective effect seems to require having taken vit D and achieved good blood levels for 5 years - over 20 years too late for me

I wonder where the author of the article got his figure of 30% reduction - presumably the use of relative reduction rather than absolute reduction.

The authors of the original work concluded:

"Vitamin D supplementation for five years, with or without omega 3 fatty acids, reduced autoimmune disease by 22%, while omega 3 fatty acid supplementation with or without vitamin D reduced the autoimmune disease rate by 15% (not statistically significant). Both treatment arms showed larger effects than the reference arm (vitamin D placebo and omega 3 fatty acid placebo)."

15% sounds good - but they say it isn't statistically significant, i.e. it could have happened by chance.

You do also need to be careful about using fish oils as they can be associated with an increased incidence of developing arrythmias - something that is also common in PMR/GCA and some other autoimmune disorders.

[patrickd in reply to PMRpro]

Honestly, I've been taking Vitamin D since my early teens as it was supposed to help with endometriosis and fibrocystic breast pain & cysts. BUT at the same time maybe the vitamin D I was taking wasn't pure enough or enough in general? It did (at times) seem to help with that breast pain taken in combination with Evening Primrose but now here I am today with OH JOY...PMR, RA, Thyroid issues, (I also bet I have an autoimmune disease that isn't even quite diagnosed because I am NEVER feeling normal and I really have no clue what normal even is) etc. I am very glad though they are working on and/or investigating natural supplements. I would so prefer natural as opposed to these disease-modifying, synthetic, steroid, DRUGS! Also, look at our environment! This is just one case of many I'm sure but the USA had some health ramifications from Teflon (which the body never gets rid of) being put in many, many everyday products. We know today how bad it is but it's still being used. 😪

[patrickd in reply to PMRpro]

I am so hopeful lately with all the studies and how far science is willing to go to help us! With the Covid pandemic, it was amazing the speed of a vaccine. Sometimes I do wonder though if certain things are REALLY more "curable" than we are allowed to know. US insurance can be so horrible PMRpro. I really hope in the UK y'all don't experience the "pick and choose" options we are given here? Certain powerful, expensive, effective medications are just NOT covered and if you are a poor person (like myself) you have to use an alternative option and that's that. My life can be in someone else's hands because I can not afford something to save it?. That is horrible! Life is priceless, isn't it? I have a friend whose child has brain cancer and the insurances will NOT pay for this "life saving" albeit "exploratory" drug. The 5-year-old child has tried everything else (surgery, medication, treatments) and insurance won't pay the $35,000.00 so we fundraise! What is a life worth..a child..who has an entire life ahead? He is absolutely adorable too. So sad and certainly puts my life in perspective.

I strictly take vitamin D to help with my breast pain when I flare up from fibrocystic pain (Lettuce & non-organic dairy triggers). I was told it would "go away" with menopause (which I went through at 42 years of age) and I am still suffering! I am not big on fish oils and honestly, I am just so allergic to fish since birth that I wonder if there is an association with PMR? I keep being told it will "go away" but I don't hold much hope for that. May God Bless you and keep us all pain-free!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to patrickd]

There are no at point of delivery charges for medical treatment for anyone in the UK. Most European countries have state funded healthcare, some with moderate co-pays for some things and exemptions for certain conditions and low income. Some drugs are restricted but rarely not available at all - they are approved for specific cases as are certain treatments which may be funded if considered to be worthwhile. Just because a treatment is available doesn't mean it is right for a specific case.

[patrickd in reply to PMRpro]

Sounds better than US. That little boy tried everything else and the treatment in question is his last resort. Given that, I see it as do or die and insurance should pay if not all, at least some. I pray for that little guy every day.

[patrickd]

I am by NO means at all a "pro" at autoimmune diseases. I've just been through some which are "few and far between" compared to some of the experiences I've read about here. It does sound like you've been through quite an extensive journey! It also sounds...Thank God, like you've got it mostly in very good control! Remission...That is a wonderful word, isn't it?I think my pain is also from the "the damage is done" type. I welcome that as opposed to any "new" pain for sure!

I was diagnosed with RA 20 years ago BUT I suffered for a good 10 years prior with pain and fatigue that no one could seem to explain. Around 15 years ago (after the birth of my second) things got out of control for me. That is when I was on a high dose of steroids, many pain meds, just a crazy, crazy time for me. Doctors kept throwing medications at me... 80 mgs of Prednisolone was just too much for my body to take and boy did my body get EVERY side effect known from it in a matter of 3 months from that dose. It is a life-saving drug though...just got to be careful and I believe the doctors were a bit careless with me. They even agreed it was too much!

Actemra has been (so far) my current "lifesaver" and now also my best treatment for the RA & PMR (which I now believe) is in remission since taking it too! I do have flare-ups but for the most part...ok. I am trying to remove Steroids from my drug treatment completely. It's tough but YOU give me hope! I'm in no rush so I am just taking it very, very slow and listening to my body.