One of the saddest days in my life was when my doctor diagnosed me as having rheumatoid arthritis. It took him a couple of months to make a definitive diagnosis. The cloud of that possibility was hanging over my head during that time. The more I read about that potentially crippling disease the more I hoped I did not have it.
The day my rheumatologist told me he was sure it was rheumatoid arthritis, I cried after I left his office and got in my car. All I could do is think the worse as I reflected on what I had been reading about the disease. This was in early 2004, and I was only 48 years old. But during the crying episode in my car, I declared, “I am not going out like this.”
Not long after the doctor’s diagnosis, rheumatoid arthritis got bad real quick. When I got up in the morning, every joint was seriously stiff. It was hard to grip a comb to comb my hair or to handle a toothbrush to brush my teeth. I had so much pain and stiffness, I moved at a snail’s pace. It was a struggle in the morning just to get dressed. I had to get up at 6:30 in the morning to make it to work by 9:00 a.m. And I lived less than five miles from the office.
It got to the point that my wife had to drive me to the office because I could not walk from the parking lot to the building. After about a month of her doing that, I received permission to park in the garage below our office building so I wouldn’t have to walk from the parking lot. I hated it. I was working in the downtown area, and it was too painful to walk to a restaurant for lunch.
The first medicine my doctor prescribed was plaquenil (generic name for hydroxychloroquine sulfate). He said it was a weak drug and took a long time to get in the system and start working. He discussed a number of options for additional and stronger medicine, including biologicals. But he perceived my reluctance to the stronger stuff.
One day, I went to a bookstore, and I stumbled across a book for arthritis sufferers entitled, “The Bible Cure for Arthritis.” It is written by Dr. Don Colbert, MD. He specializes in alternative therapies. He combines faith with medicine. Being a Christian, the book got my attention. After skimming through it at the store, I decided to buy the book.
The book is divided into four sections: Overcoming Arthritis with Proper Nutrition; Overcoming Arthritis with Vitamins and Supplements; Overcoming Arthritis with Exercise; and Overcoming Negative Thoughts and Emotions. I conscientiously applied the strategies in Dr. Colbert’s book. It is only 75 pages long, but it is loaded with practical advice.
Through the book, I became informed about osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and the objectives of the strategies Dr. Colbert presents for overcoming the pain and inflammation experienced by arthritis sufferers.
My doctor told me that the turnaround he saw in me with regard to arthritis was mostly due to my efforts. He said plaquenil does not work fast enough to bring about the kind of results he saw in me. He tried, but I never took any additional prescription medicines.
I was under my doctor’s care for nine years. Never missed an appointment. My last day of prescription medicine was July 29, 2013. I have not needed to see my rheumatologist since then. I still take some of the supplements and I employ the strategies I was introduced to in Dr. Colbert’s book. These days, waking up with pain and stiffness is a thing of the past.
If you suffer from the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, I strongly recommend Dr. Colbert’s book. I do receive a small commission if you buy this little book. I am promoting the book on my blog because I used it, and I believe it is a useful resource for arthritis sufferers. To purchase a copy of “The Bible Cure for Arthritis” on Amazon, click here.
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