Is anyone not on meds for rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?

Posted by tisme @tisme, Nov 28, 2025

I am now not on meds due to issues , seeing the rheumatologist next week after I took myself off the meds. See what she says.

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Profile picture for cptrayes @cptrayes

I can't believe that your doctor would suggest going back on HCQ if it affected your eyesight! The damage it does is irreversible, can carry on even after you stop taking it, and it can make you blind in the centre of your vision and then spread outwards.

I can't take it, it went straight for my eyes and also gave me serious skin hyperpigmentation after only 10 weeks use.

If you really can't afford any of the other drugs, then I have my RA in remission, as shown on my blood tests, taking a cocktail of supplements which have all been proven to assist with RA. I take MSM, curcumin (not turmeric), liquorice root and cats claw.

The liquorice can affect your heart and the cat's claw can affect your kidneys.

These are properly tested drugs and it infuriates me to know that doctors all over the world are just bunging people on drugs that risk their eyesight and expose them to serious risks of infection, without being allowed (in the case of the UK) to suggest common cheap supplements that are known to work.

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@cptrayes I remember stopping turmeric when I had breast cancer , cant remember why

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Profile picture for tisme @tisme

I saw my rheumatologist last week , he said as I am allergic to sulfa drugs there wasnt much choice as I couldnt afford the other newer drugs, so far I cant take leuflonamide, methotrexate, and hydroxy ( though he did say to get my eyes tested and if the test was ok I should go back on hydroxychloroquine but I know it initially affected my eyesight ( not as bad since I stopped ) So is it true there are no other drugs ??

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I also have non alcoholic fatty liver ( under control ) but have to watch the drugs n such

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Profile picture for tisme @tisme

I saw my rheumatologist last week , he said as I am allergic to sulfa drugs there wasnt much choice as I couldnt afford the other newer drugs, so far I cant take leuflonamide, methotrexate, and hydroxy ( though he did say to get my eyes tested and if the test was ok I should go back on hydroxychloroquine but I know it initially affected my eyesight ( not as bad since I stopped ) So is it true there are no other drugs ??

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It can slow down the elimination of other drugs and result in you getting an overdose. That's probably why they told you to stop it, because that was easier for them than working out what the correct dose was with you taking curcumin.

When my husband needed his antispasmodic drug increased but we couldn't get it prescribed for two weeks, I gave him curcumin and he reduced his warfarin too (he measures his own INR so he can tell what he needs), that worked a treat!

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Profile picture for tisme @tisme

I saw my rheumatologist last week , he said as I am allergic to sulfa drugs there wasnt much choice as I couldnt afford the other newer drugs, so far I cant take leuflonamide, methotrexate, and hydroxy ( though he did say to get my eyes tested and if the test was ok I should go back on hydroxychloroquine but I know it initially affected my eyesight ( not as bad since I stopped ) So is it true there are no other drugs ??

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My deceased husband finally ended up on gold salts, an old treatment, prescribed by Mayo Clinic. It was the only thing that worked after many years of trying, but this was a couple of decades ago. (He died of bladder cancer, not rheumatoid disease)

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