anti-TNF medications and suppliments

I am most likely soon to start Humira and was wondering about supplementing. Would taking things like vitamin C, B vitamins, green tea, or grape seed extract be beneficial to counteract the decrease in immune function? Or would it cancel out what the medicine is trying to do?

If supplementing is a good idea are there any specific reccomondations for what Humira may deplete?

Thank you :)

I believe I may have read vitamin D has some effect at reducing TNF. Both vitamin A and D would probably be useful to supplement for IBD.

UCandMe said...
Aguywithuc.... Taking the step to Humira is not really what I want to do but both my rheumy and GI are suggesting it. I just found out I have enteropathic arthritis and I guess need to treat UC more aggressive. Humira is a drug that would treat both conditions. My GI said my spine is that of someone 25 years older than I am and that made me feel like I need to make the switch. I don't want more damage to my spine, but its odd because I thought enteropathic arthritis was non degenerative.

I am confused....Is is good to reduce immune activity, kind of like antihistamines for allergies? Would reducing though cause other problems like fighting off infections or body not functioning properly? How do you find a balance?

Tunnel visionary... I am D deficient at 25.6. Just started to supplement. I feel like I get a lot of vitamin A in diet, but I have also heard it being good for IBD.

Interesting. My spine is broken and noted in 2013 MRI - Bilateral pars defect at L5 with 12mm anterolisthesis of L5 on S1 is present. So my back is broken but I squat 300 and work my core pretty hard. Now my left thumb has been slowly recovering only to flare up badly. X-ray said cartilidge was gone and suddenly a visible bony spur developed after switching to sulfasalazine. Funny thing is sulfasalazine is also for RA - Reuhmatoid Arthritis, although I seem to have specific localized arthritis.

I do not think these problems are related to UC but my GI wants to see me, the new one after I dumped the old one. I use my GP but perhaps I will see her in a few months and ask about anything *new* she was argumentative previously and began sending biologics even after I told her 'NO'.

I took too much vitamin A and got extreme itchiness from any sun at all and unable to sleep, don't overdue it. I also took sub-q D injections but flared anyway.

What works for me is sulfasalazine in a flare since it mildly suppresses immune and specifically neutrophils and 1/2 spoonful of metamucil orange psyllium with 1 heaping spoonful of psyllium seed powder after every meal. I try to also eat canned spinach, navy beans, boswellia and turmeric. Asacol HD out of a flare for maintenance. I never stop eating UDI's choclate chip gluten free cookies nor do I stop consuming stimulants and too much caffeine. Thankfully this balances out without the use of prednisone or biologics. Everything was great until I tried relaxing with straight Patron every night and it threw my immune into attack. Wont ever do that again, it only relaxes you for a few days anyway before it turns on you. Now I use melatonin and a good night sleep.

UCandMe said...
Aguywithuc...It is my understanding sulfasalazine is good for peripheral arthritis but not as much for spine. Did your MRI show any inflamation in your SI joints.

I try to watch my diet in many ways too, but have not tried some of the supplements.

I will try humira if need be but I just want to be sure it's the right choice. I don't know how much confidence to have in my doctors opinions. It's really a hard decision :(

No they have never said that. Overall joints are good, both shoulders were rebuilt due to cartilage pulled off socket and full thickness rotator cuff tears, meniscus tear in knee.

I have lost 1-2 inches and part of it is the broken L-5 shifting forward and down over S1 but also might be due to compression of disks either from weightlifting or age as I will be 51 at year end. Disks dry out as you guy older. I have to watch loaded twisting as the disk at L-5 can only take compressive forces and its already setup for a shear due to the angle on S1. I hope sulfasalazine helps with thumb because its due for a rebound, 2 years of pain. Mostly need to not bang it on the keyboard and I work too many hours.

I try to use Intestinew glutamine and a few other ingredients 1st thing out of bed when I can. The big deal for me is sulfasalazine and psyllium seed powder. sulfasalazine saved me on a bad flare when not even prednisone would work. Doctor agreed to switch up and before I even went to bed it finally began to improve. This flare was so bad I had quit riding motorcycle but even truck through corners would be painful to gut.

I have a large walk-in pantry loaded with everything that does NOT work, from Terramin clay to buryrate to Slipper Elm. Butyrate is what pysllium seed powder converts into and heals the gut, makes my waste normalized but have to keep taking to get the healing now that I fell off my program. Navy beans and Quing Dai etc stopped the flare from taking me down and into hospital but to really get healing its sulfasalazine + pseed powder after every meal with the orange metamucil ( psyllium ) makes it taste not like dirt.

I may have to go to biologics some day but I have full custody of my daughter and until she is out of high school the risks of biologics concern me plus the idea of being a customer for life. I got this in 2006 divorcing and I have had a 2 year remission these things are possible and I think I am finally figuring it out.