Hi, Sarah, and welcome aboard. I'm sorry for your diagnosis, but glad you found us. This is a great community of people--very knowledgeable and friendly.

Regarding your questions, I've never heard of absinthe, but have heard of wormwood. But even at that, I've never come across any connection between wormwood and PM or DM. If you read some of the other posts, you will find that each of us seems to travel a different route in coping with DM/PM. Personally, I have PM with overlapping DM and Lupus. Prednisone worked well for me, so I as never put on Methotrexate, Imuran, or Plaquenil. However, I constantly looked for natural alternatives, which I believe helped me a lot. In fact, I've been off prednisone for a year. One of the most helpful things for me is a gluten-free diet. Also, I use a natural anti-inflammatory called InflamericZyme, containing tumeric and boswellia (plus a few other things).

There is also an antibiotic protocol which I checked on. However, my doctor said that it only works for people with a mycoplasma problem. When blood work showed that I had a problem with a virus (Epstein-Barr), my doctor recommended a supplement called Lauricidin (monolaurin). This not only seems to keep me healthier overall, but it lowered my pain levels. In addition, I take calcium, magnesium, vitamins d3 and K2, and strontium citrate for my osteoporosis. And most recently I've upped my dosage of vitamin c, because I found out that vitamin c is good for connective tissue.

We each seem to follow different paths on our myositis journeys. I trust that you'll find what works well for you. Best wishes for success. Keep us posted.

Hi Sarah. Welcome to the group. I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis though.

I've not heard of using anti-malarials for PM or DM. I believe most first string medications are Prednisone, Imuran, Plaquenil, or Methotrexate. If those don't work, they move to IVIG or Rituxan.

I would be concerned if your doctor strayed too far from the "normal" treatment cycles. Everyone is different and like Nanny says, our medication paths are individual but the anti-malarials seem way out of line of normal.

Just found out that Placquenil is an anti-malarial drug that is also used for Lupus and RA. Here's the WebMD link:
http://lupus.webmd.com/antimalarial-medications-for-lupus

I am taking plaquenil and I am aware it is an antimalarial, my doctor says it is not that I have malaria but that the medicine also helps people who have myositis and lupus, much like methotrexate helps myositis but it is an anti-cancer medication first and in more potent doses. I did find it interesting that plaquenil was what seemed to help mostly with my digestive problems and my skin.... I never looked into the symptoms of malaria but I believe those may be symptoms, I am going to look into that. Personally, I just accept that it helped me a great deal and I am open to it. I have a friend who does medical research on malaria and he was not surprised that I was taking plaquenil. I have tried soooo many alternative/natural treatments from tumeric, apple cider vinegar,probiotics (one parasite treatment what was probiotics in dirt!) many other supplements and chinese herbs I can't even remember the names of, many diets: vegeterian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, yeast free, raw, dr. fuhruam-juicing, dr weil - anti-inflammatory... I have also tried many types of therapies: accupuncture, massage, therapeutic touch, reiki, cranio sacral, chinese medicine, reflexology, rosen method, homeopathy. I have come up with what works best for me for now which is gluten free, artificial free, alcohol free, real foods not processed, red meat free, fruits vegetables, some fish and poultry. I like to make sure I eat some anti-inflammatory foods every day such as basil, pineapple, avacado. I also learned about anti-angionenic diet (you can see it on TED talks - to help prevent cancer) and try to include some of the fruits and vegetables they suggest. I now follow that diet, do some quigong and yoga and swimming, take some western medicines (methotrexate, plaquenil) and vitimans multi, D, B, folic acid, calcium.
I never heard of using absinthe, but they have used alcohol to treat other ailments, makes me think of the wild wild west, like to anestethize people for surgery, for toothaches, to sanitize. Heck, my mom used to rub whiskey on my gums when I was a baby!

There is so much information out there, I think you just have to read and weed and do what speaks to you.

Good luck and welcome to the group Sarah.
Best
Maruska

Maruska, I just want to thank you for your reply to Sarah504. I find it not only informative, but also helpful. After all you've tried, you've come up with a sensible protocol that works for you and should be beneficial to others who are interested in doing some self-help things that have no side effects and may be helpful. I'm almost three weeks into a gluten-free diet. My doctor suggested I give it at least 6 weeks. Would you say that's about right?

Plugginon, you are welcome I am glad my rambling benefits you in some way. Isn't that what this is all about, sharing our experiences. I have been gluten free off and on for 10 years. I did an allergy elimination diet that meant no grain except rice, no sugar, no dairy, no caffeine or alcohol, no meat, pretty much fruit and vegetable and brown rice for a few weeks. Then I systematically added back a food at a time and really noticed my reaction. They asked me what did you miss the most and I said coffee!!! So I tried some coffee and I documented how I felt right after, an hour after and a day later etc. I decided yes I love it and I do notice it makes me a little different but I know when I've had too much so I allowed myself to have it. The second week I added bread and oh I love bread. I noticed a reaction in 15 minutes swelling in my face and a slight headache, an hour later some stomach distress, the next morning swollen joints. I played with eliminating and adding it until I was convinced there was a relationship. I have done it for years then slipped and added it and the effect is gradual but cumulative. So, I had the test for celiac and the allergest tested me when I was not even eating it, any search will tell you you have to be eating it for the antibodies to show up. He was a jerk. So I technically don't have celiacs but I KNOW I am sensitive to it and I just made the decision myself to stay off of it. I don't think it's a cure all for DM because I was diagnosed at a period when I was gluten free for years, but I think it is a contributing factor for inflammation. Give it some more time and go ahead and test it for yourself, see how you react, it can be quite convincing.
Hugs
Maruska

I learned something new today! I even looked up anti-malaria drugs and I didn't recognize any. Thanks ladies for being so smart!!

AH...Wormwood! I can not think of a better medication to get my mind off DM than a good stiff drink! I think the food and drug administration would do well to create a safe medication using absinthe that would help our disease. I think if you could find a good alternative doctor that would be willing to do a study using wormwood as a medication for DM then that would be good.

Absinthe has a big history. It is used in the bible. It is a symbol of doom in Rev 8:11. It is figurative of idolatry in Deut 29:18. It is God's judgment in Jere 9:15.

I found some interesting articles:
Wormwood: Uses, side effects, interactions, and warnings
www.webmd.com/.../ingredientmono-729-WORMWOOD.aspx?

Absinthe - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/absinthe

I hope researcher will be able to come up with an effective medication for DM & PM. I can not think of anything that I would prefer more than a good drink!

The wormwood info is interesting to me. As far back as I can remember, my mother drank wormwood tea for various reasons. The most frequent one was stomach problems. She would have me stop the car in the mountains and go out to pick the herb! But is it bitter! Anyway, she lived to be 94!

Maruska, I found some gluten-free bread recipes online, that I'd like to try. The pictures of the one from the Cinnamon Quill website looks great! Have you tried any good ones?

The wormwood info is interesting to me. As far back as I can remember, my mother drank wormwood tea for various reasons. The most frequent one was stomach problems. She would have me stop the car in the mountains and go out to pick the herb! But is it bitter! Anyway, she lived to be 94!

Maruska, I found some gluten-free bread recipes online, that I'd like to try. The pictures of the one from the Cinnamon Quill website looks great! Have you tried any good ones?

@pluggingon
Here's another website with a GF bread recipe that looks really good. I just found the site a couple days ago, so I haven't tried the bread yet and am, thus, unable to give a recommendation.
http://wholeintentions.com/2009/05/gluten-free-bread-that-tastes-like/

Thanks Nanny! I just need to pick up a few ingredients I don't have for this recipe. Then I'll give it a try.