Pierre42
04-26-2013, 11:57 PM
I have a cousin-by-marriage who suffers from pretty severe Rheumatoid Arthritis.
He's tried methotrexate but found it knocked him around so badly he had to discontinue it (he'd be completely useless/bedridden for 2-3 days after taking it).
And then someone suggested he try Olive Leaf Extract (apparently it has anti-inflammatory properties, admittedly it sounds more like "latest miracle cure" hype than anything).
I have no idea what brand/dose he's using, but since he's been taking Olive Leaf Extract his RA no longer leaves him bedridden in constant pain and he's now back to a part-time job. (still swollen joints, and sore, but not completely incapacitated)
+1 for purely-subjective, unscientific, not-even-my-disease success. (very much not a cure, just less severe symptoms)
Does anyone here have any experience with OLE and has it helped (or not) their Wegener's symptoms? If it has helped, what brand/dose?
I've googled around, but can't find anything talking about OLE and Wegener's specifically - only about inflammation in general. But we treat Wegener's with the treatment for RA (methotrexate) so I'm wondering if maybe it might be useful?
As far as I can see, unlike Echinacea it doesn't boost the immune system itself (which would be bad for Wegener's) but rather it impairs bacterial/fungal/viral biology directly (which can only help when all our treatments are suppressing our immune system) and mumble-something => "anti-inflammatory action". I am not medically inclined, I've just done a surprising amount of forced-learning since being diagnosed - to my untrained ear it sounds "safe" but I don't have the knowledge to evaluate whether it's actually effective against Wegener's.
Comments, anyone?
He's tried methotrexate but found it knocked him around so badly he had to discontinue it (he'd be completely useless/bedridden for 2-3 days after taking it).
And then someone suggested he try Olive Leaf Extract (apparently it has anti-inflammatory properties, admittedly it sounds more like "latest miracle cure" hype than anything).
I have no idea what brand/dose he's using, but since he's been taking Olive Leaf Extract his RA no longer leaves him bedridden in constant pain and he's now back to a part-time job. (still swollen joints, and sore, but not completely incapacitated)
+1 for purely-subjective, unscientific, not-even-my-disease success. (very much not a cure, just less severe symptoms)
Does anyone here have any experience with OLE and has it helped (or not) their Wegener's symptoms? If it has helped, what brand/dose?
I've googled around, but can't find anything talking about OLE and Wegener's specifically - only about inflammation in general. But we treat Wegener's with the treatment for RA (methotrexate) so I'm wondering if maybe it might be useful?
As far as I can see, unlike Echinacea it doesn't boost the immune system itself (which would be bad for Wegener's) but rather it impairs bacterial/fungal/viral biology directly (which can only help when all our treatments are suppressing our immune system) and mumble-something => "anti-inflammatory action". I am not medically inclined, I've just done a surprising amount of forced-learning since being diagnosed - to my untrained ear it sounds "safe" but I don't have the knowledge to evaluate whether it's actually effective against Wegener's.
Comments, anyone?