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However, the main reason Methotrexate works on RA is because it suppresses the immune system. (In RA sufferers, the immune system starts attacking the connective tissues of the body for no reason [at least that's what western medicine says] ). Now, having a suppressed immune system means that you can get sick with anything that comes your way. Not only was I sick but I became ill with Mononeucleosis and a bad respiratory infection that recurred every two months for about two years. Oh well, I guess those are the breaks!
After remarrying, my husband and I decided we wanted to have a baby. This decision meant that I could no longer take the Methotrexate since it could cause birth defects or fetal death. In May of 2001 , after being off of all medications for three months, my symptoms started to return as bad as before. The same fear of being a cripple prompted me to seek an alternative method of dealing with my RA. I have always been a very holistic minded person so I have always been certain that my condition was the result of some sort of imbalance in my system brought on by stress. Unfortunately, at the time RA showed up in my life, I had no other avenues open to me.
I have always been disappointed with the way western medicine views illness and especially the way they are only concerned with curing symptoms and not looking for the root of the problem. After dealing with my own condition as well as with the medical conditions of my first husband, what I wouldn't give to have a doctor admit they don't know everything and that their SO called 'cures' are almost as bad as the disease. But, in their defense, I guess they only know what they are taught. But, then again, what about the ones who are told about a wonderful treatment that not only takes away the symptoms of a disease but that has no bad health risks? They either look at you in a patronizing way and say "Well, that's great if it works for you." Or they say "That's amazing that you're doing so well, but, I have no information on that subject and I can't condone the results." Most of them won't even take the time to do a little research on the subject even if it means sparing their patients pain or remarkably enough, ridding them of their disease.
When a friend of mine (and fellow RA sufferer) gave me some information about JMT and what a difference it made in her life, I did a little research of my own and decided that this was exactly what I was looking for. The treatments and what they targeted made perfect sense to me. This friend of mine was traveling quite a distance for her treatments but I had an amazing stroke of luck to find an actual doctor who practiced JMT only five minutes from my home. Maybe there's hope for western medicine after all.
In July of 2001, I scheduled an appointment at Integrative Health Care with Dr. Lisa Rhodes. After that I went basically once a week for a year. I was relieved of most of my pain within the first two months. I had rare, very minor flare ups during times of stress up until about the sixth month of treatments but none at all after that. I had a bout with my usual respiratory infection when I first started my treatments but I did not get sick again until a year later. (Continued)
