The Road Back: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Its Cause and Its Treatment Hardcover – August 8, 1988

I HAD to write a review for this book because I had first hand experience with Dr. Brown, as a patient and as a “fan”. This protocol saved my father’s life. At age 27, he was diagnosed with RA. After seeing 3 prominent rheumatologists in the DC metro area, he was “sentenced” to gold salts, cortizone injections and, ultimately, told he’d never walk again. So severe was the pain in his legs and swollen knees that he couldn’t tolerate the weight of a bed sheet across his body. He’d been over 8 months out of work and virtually unable to walk. When my 115lb mother would walk across the bedroom floor, he could feel, painfully, the vibration of her footfall. His life was excruciating. They were a young couple starting out, renting a small, revamped cottage in Langley, VA. Their landlady was a kind and fascinating woman, a Navajo indian and also Professor of Economics at Gaucher Univ. Knowing of my father’s dismal condition, she refused to take rent from them until something could be done to help them. She knew they were in dire straits and mentioned their plight to a colleague who advised that they consult a Dr. Thomas M. Brown in Arlington, VA, who’d had remarkable success treating RA. Dr. Brown admitted my father to GW Hospital in Washington, D.C. where he received pulsed, IV doses of Clindamycin for about 2 weeks, and was sent home with a prescription of Tetracycline and treatment of a secondary (underlying infection), using a short run of Erythromycin. This was in December of 1957. By mid-March 1958, 3 months later, my father was back to work, and walking without pain. By June, that same year, he was walking and carrying his golf bag for 18 holes every Sat. & Sun. as he did for his remaining 51 years after Dr. Brown eradicated RA from his life! And never was there a happier “golf widow” than my mother! He never experienced another sign or symptom of RA again! With God as my witness as I write this, I do believe my father was CURED of RA. And it was the antibiotic protocol (AP) that did it. Interestingly, my grandfather (dad’s father) was stricken with RA at age 17 (in 1917) and spent the remainder of his life doubled over at a 90 degree angle until he died at age 83. Now, at age 57, Im experiencing signs/symptoms that are all too familiar. My blood work reveals a very high sed rate and ANA but I’m negative for rheumatoid factor so I was diagnosed “Osteo” , an anti-inflammatory form of arthritis. So why the high inflammation markers? I went back to this book and sure enough, Dr. Brown does talk about the coexistence of both Rheumatoid and Osteo and he states “ when an osteoarthrtic patient complains bitterly about the disease, it is because there is a component of rheumatoid arthritis mixed in it.” He goes on to say, about use of Tetracycline in this case, “One of the great advantages of the Tetracycline approach is that it allows the use of a safe therapeutic probe early in the disease when the risks of many of the standard drugs outweigh their possible usefulness. Early treatment is far more effective than late management.” So, knowing what I know and, more importantly, what Ive seen with my own eyes, I‘ve already had this discussion about my choice of treatment with my own doctor. Fortunately he’s been my doctor and friend for over 30 years and we can speak freely. At first, he didnt buy the “theory” so I had to, first educate myself so I could educate him! He, initially, wrote it off as “alternative” medicine and I reminded him that the former GWU Dean of Medicine and professor, Hopkins grad etc WAS NOT selling snake oil and finally coerced him into reading the book. Talk about a change in opinion!! My next visit a few weeks later began with him handing my back my book and saying “ He was a genius, I get it now, Im on board whenever you’re ready”. And thats what some of you may need to do! Educate your Rheumatologist and if they wont listen, talk to your primary care doctors and if THEY wont listen, try to find a sympathetic dermatologist. They prescribe long term use of tetracycline (acne) quite frequently and may be more inclined to hear what you have to say. Just DON’T give up, whatever you do. And if you’re reading this trying to decide whether or not to buy the book, BUY IT!! Its a fascinating read for anyone, with/without RA, and gives some interesting insight to the more questionable workings of the medical and pharmaceutical industry. Its just a great read, period but if your sufferring with RA or any connective tissue disease really (including Scleraderma), this book could be a life saver. I pray this information and Dr. Brown’s knowledge does for you what it did for my father and a few other family members who were also cured (or “put into remission” as the medical community prefers to say). Good luck to all who are doing battle with this disease.

I have suffered with rheumatoid arthritis since I was in my teens. I have went to many rheumatologists, who have liberally dosed me with poisonous (and expensive) drugs. What has been the result? Nothing! Except, a plethora of side effects.I learned of this treatment by accident, and purchased this book after actually beginning this treatment (administered by Dr. Sinnott in tiny Ida Grove, Iowa...one of the few doctors in the country who do this). I have read the book since taking the intravenous antibiotic treatment. What an eye opener! It is clear to anyone whom has suffered through various drug treatments, why this particular treatment has not beeen universally adopted. Money! It is all about money. On the final day, after my last intravenous treatment; I was amazed at how I felt. I couldn't remember when I felt so unburdened! I am on the oral antibiotics now, which I know I will be for the rest of my life. But I have been fighting this uphill battle for over 25 years, and finally, after taking Dr. Brown's protocol; I feel there may be light at the end of the tunnel.For any of you rheumatoid arthrits sufferers out there, find this book, READ IT, and find a doctor who will administer this. The book is well written, easy for the layman to understand, and full of success stories by previously "hopeless" cases.Believe me, you have nothing to lose.

The knowledge obtained from this book saved my life! I had had scleroderma for 11 years when I first started taking the recommended dosage of tetracycline twice a day, three times a week. My doctor told me it wasn't going to work, but after taking it for 23 months, my skin started to soften, and now, four years later, I can touch my toes from a standing position, something I thought would never be able to do again, The damage that the scleroderma left behind is still present, but praise God, my skin is soft again! The review is published under my husband's name. Thought it was important to mention that women get scleroderma a lot more often than men. Don't have any idea why.

I purchased this book shortly after being diagnosed with RA. I was looking for information, and a positive outlook on my condition (rather than hearing that there is no cure). It was so empowering to have this detailed information about the root causes of RA, and possible solutions. I was able to prepare thoughtful lists of questions for my doctor visits; suggest treatments I wanted to try; and take control over my own health, as a result of this book.