Sue - if I had a client being told to stop breastfeeding immediately in
order to treat her arthritis because the "right" medications would have a
harmful effect on the breastfed infant, I would suggest that she discuss
with the doctor the value she places on breastfeeding her baby, and ask for
alternative medications, compatible with breastfeeding.  Failing that,
perhaps she could take the less harmful anti-inflammatories which others
have suggested and wait for the specialist opinion.

Meanwhile, as a study of one, I would like to share a personal experience. I
developed arthritis several years ago following a mild viral infection.  I
couldn't hold a coffee cup without pain, and joints in fingers, toes, knees,
enlarged over the years.  To cut a long story short, in January 2000 I
figured that as this was an auto-immune disease I would try eliminating the
greatest known allergen, bovine proteins, from my diet. That's *all* dairy
products and beef, and any foods containing them.  The effect has been
astonishing.  Without any medication at all the pain has gone, the enlarged
knuckles are shrinking.   Because I find it so difficult, sometimes I cheat,
and eat a little beef, or indulge in ice-cream, butter or a milkshake.
Within 2 days my finger-joints start to swell and hurt.  If I'm strict with
the elimination again, the symptoms vanish within another couple of days.
The unexpected side effects have been that my cholesterol levels have gone
down to normal and I no longer have eczema.

Just as research on asthma has only recently started to connect dietary
allergens with asthma, so too I wonder if research on arthritis has
neglected this connection too.  Anyway, I offer my experience in case it is
of interest to this mom.

Pamela Morrison IBCLC, Zimbabwe

Sue Kasten, RN, IBCLC, Dexter, Oregon, USA wrote, "I'm hoping someone has
experience with treating arthritis.. One of the calls last night was a Mom
of a 4mo old who had seen her Family Practice doc just yesterday and was
diagnosed with arthritis.  She has had NO treatment up to this point.  Now,
here's the classical horror story: She must stop breastfeeding immediately,
start methotrexate and Vioxx. She doesn't want to follow these instructions,
but to get into a specialist would be the end of April."

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