Anyone else have Osteo-Arthritis????
 

I was wondering if there were any others who had osteo-arthritis? I have it so bad in my fingers. I've used a keyboard for the past (cough-cough) years.:rolleyes: This has to be the cause of mine. My fingers are like pencils and won't bend very well, especially in the mornings. I don't take medication for this. I'm not even sure there is any "safe" meds out there for OA. My doc wants me to take glucosamine, but I have a hard time swallowing pills. You would think as much as this bothers me each and every waking minute of the day that I would learn to swallow pills.

Just wondering if anyone could tell me what they do for their OA. Thanks.

My 25 year old daughter was diagnosed with it about 5 months ago. Hers affects her larger joints. Her knees and elbows. Her rheumatologist has her on a prescription anti inflammatory, folic acid and a strong RA drug. She started out on 3 tablets 1 a week and is now up to 6 with very little relief. Next month they will up her to 7 pills and that is the maximum. After that they will try a different drug. I feel so bad for her to be dealing with this so young. Not to mention the scary side effects these drugs can have. I would like to find a holistic remedy. I hope you can get some relief.

I have RA
As far as I am concerned there are really no safe meds out there.
One rheumatologist had me on methotrexate and it was affecting my liver. My primary care physician wanted me off it, the rheumatologist wouldn't take me off it. I felt like I was part of a tug of war. I changed rheumatologists. The new one said he didn't like my liver count and I should have been taken off the methotrexate earlier.
He put me on Humira injections and a drug called Cellcept (think that is how it is spelled). I was doing fine, until my colon ruptured one evening and I was rushed to the ER. Surgeon wanted to know if I had had an organ transplant. My husband told him I hadn't. Surgeon said that is what Cellcept is usually used for so a transplant isn't "rejected" by the patients immune system although it has been used for RA. He said it was the most dangerous drug I could have been on. My whole immune system was "knocked out" and I couldn't fight infections.
Surgeon didn't think I was going to make it through the night.
I ended up staying a week in intensive care and a couple of weeks in a regular room, whereas normally for a colostomy a hospital stay would have only been about a week.
After that experience I refuse to take any of the RA medications.

A lot of times it is my hands that hurt a lot in the mornings and I cut Lidoderm patches up and put those on my hands. My fingers are also stiff in the mornings, I just have to let them "warm up"

I try and get by with Aleve and when it is really bad I take a Lortab.
But I really don't like taking any medications.
Any RA (or OA) medications are going to affect the immune system.

I have another rheumatologist now who knows my aversion to the medications, so he is basically just monitoring me.

I have traumatic arthiritis in my ankles and feet. I go Nov 4 to a rheumatologist to be tested for rheumatoid arthritis. Had to tests at primary care NP and the 2nd time she sd something was elevated. I just want to know why I hurt all the time. So sick of hurting. I know part of my problem is osteoporosis (sp) I keep breaking bones in my back which does not help with the pain. I take advil usually or if it gets worse i take something stronger my dr gave me. Best is hydrocodeine cause it does not make me sleepy. My Np can not presribe and i do not want to go back to the ortho.

Has your doctor recommended Reclast for the osteoporosis?
It's a once a year infusion. I get one next Friday (had my first one last year).
As for the pain in your back have you tried the Lidoderm patches - available by prescription. They really help me between the injections (I get the injections every 6 months, - 6 in my lower back and a week later 6 in my upper back . And I cut a lidoderm patch up when my arm or hand is hurting from the RA and put it on the painful spot.

The ortho prescribed Boniva to try and build up my bones, other than that nothing. Even after ins it was 35.00 a pill once a month. I could not afford that.
I had a couple of seizures last yr after taking clarinex and broke t-6. When they did an mri, they found several more previous healed fractures. I thought that explains back pain. I had an xray done last month after chest pain and the cardio sd did you know you have a broke bone. I mentioned t-6 but i thought it had healed. He sd this is more t-8. At least this time I was able to move around which I could not with the other break. I wound up missing 2 months of work. Thank goodness for family leave.
Right now I am just muddling through. I have to change insurance at the first of the year due to dh's work changing the ins plans. I need to see what is covered.

I used to be on Boniva until the doc put me on the Reclast.

See your PM

I have Arthritis is my left knee....i've been in pain since January. The Rheumatologist said it could take up to 3 years to be pain free :eek::( I'm on Plaquenil right now. It helps a little but not totally pain free.

I do agree the Liboderm patches work well. :thumbup: I use those too.

My dtr is on the Methotrexate now and I am so worried about the side effects.

Okay glucosamine and chondrotin should be available in a liquid form; ask your doc for the brand name. If not available to you, crush pills up and put in OJ or water and drink it. This homeopathic remedy does have some evidence of efficacy.

The other thing you can consider is to up your calcium and Vit D to 2000mg a day.

I too have RA which is an inflammatory disease of the joints. Now if your OA is NOT an inflammatory kind, here are some things that might help ease your pain.

a) Hot wax bath - I think many beauty supply stores sell a pretty inexpensive bath - just add parafin wax and dip hands into the hot wax.

b) Hot packs -5 no more than 10 minutes on hands.

c) Massage either you do yourself or go to a therapist

d) After inital morning stiffness has resolved somewhat, get one of those soft balls, and despite discomfort exercise your hands. Squeeze the ball, finger press into the ball. Practice piano scales with your fingers. Finger climb a wall.

Consider overall health, get active as you can, swimming is a low cost yet effective way to keep up cardiovascular health, and give your body a good overall workout. More on the water theme, consider water aerobics, I do that what my joints are in a flare.

Walking is always good

Yoga gentle with a teacher that can modify poses for you as needed.

Contrast bathing with epsom salts ; two bowls of water one very warm with espon salts in it, one cold. Place hands it warm water 2-3 minutes , then dip into cool 1-1.5 minutes.

Just have her make sure they keep an eye on her liver count (think that is what it is).
I had a friend in New York that when his wife died he called me and he said it was sure it was because of the methotrexate - he was an EMT.
When my liver count was up and the rheumatologist kept saying he wasn't worried and my primary care physician was worried I decided it was time to find a new rheumatologist. As I said in my previous post when the new rheumatologist saw my liver count he said he would have taken me off the methotrexate before it got that high.
Of course, he put me on something that was dangerous too (the Cellcept). It is just to the point where I don't trust a lot of medications and so I don't take them.
If I ever get a new prescription for anything at all I google it and research it before I take it. If I have the slightest doubt, then I don't take it.

I know Costco sells Glucosamine in a liquid form. I take the tablet form of it. I have osteo-arthritis in my knees.

When I was on the methotrexate my blood was monitored wkly, plus every 6mths I had to have a visual field acuity eye test.

These drugs collectively known as DMARDS - Disease Modifying Anti rhuematic Drugs, have some serious side effects. But so does the impact of RA and other inflammatory rheumatoid diseases. It is not a pleasant trade off the informed person must make.
There well in the past 10 yrs are a new class of drugs for RA and like diseases, collectively known as Biologics. They are said to be much more effective, and actually stops the disease in it's tracks, and can often repair damage done. But like the DMARDS heavy risks associated with their use. And unlike the DMARDS, aat least here in Canada a very large cost to each dose. Aricept $500 per injection.

And so, the weighing of pros and cons, has to be individualized for each person. The progression of their disease, its virulence, and the lifestyle needs and wishes of the person.

Personally I am in that process of weighing the pros and cons.

She has blood work every 4 weeks. But they have had to increase her dosage every month so I don't think it is working. Also, her doctor told her not to drink alcohol. I know she still does once in awhile and I can't get through to her the risk she is taking. It is a scary disease.

You are not alone.. I have this in my hips, started early 20ish.. had one hip sawn in half and an osteotomy was done since I was too young at 37 for a hip replacement.. It worked well but left me with one leg 2cc short.. which now is much less over the years.. It is needing to be replaced soon..

I had a hip replacement in what my doctor called my better hip almost 9 years ago and hopfully will get the initial one done next summer.. It left me with a lot of back pain but living in pain at such a young age most people do not know as my pain threshold is pretty high.. I have never taken meds for this on daily basis..
When I had my last hip done I had put it off for 5 years and my dr. could not understand how I was walking as he said I had nothing there and it was about as bad as it could get at that time..

I pamper myself now and have a heated mattress cover and lay often on the bed watching tv to keep my bones warm.. it sure does help out..

Patti, I've been keeping up with your thread about your daughter. I am so sorry this has happened. She is just too young to have this happen. I don't like taking medicine at all because of the side effects. Sometimes, we just don't have a choice, though.:( I do hope she will begin feeling better soon. Bless her heart. She will continue to be in my prayers, as always.

OMgoodness! The side effects of medicines can have a horrible outcome, as did yours! I am sorry this happened. I get so upset at doctors! I know a lot of meds are used as off-label meds for other conditions, but haven't been approved by the FDA for using it as off-label meds. I'm glad your current rheumatologist realizes your concerns about taking medications and is working with you.

I'm glad to know about Lidoderm patches. I'm going to ask my doc about these next week. I take Ibuprofen 800 mg but I don't make a habit of it because I know they can also harm the liver. I just live with the pain and inconvenience of not being able to grasp hold of things or make a fist. I have a feeling it's only going to get worse. The doc said my x-rays showed OA in my back. Oh, joy!! Something to look forward to in older age.

I send good thoughts and prayers your way today and pray that you have a reduced-pain day.

Hi, J! Chronic pain can wear you out! I had migraine headaches for 30 years. It started when I was a child. I can't imagine what it would be like to have your kind of pain in the ankles and feet. I hope the rheumatologist can help you find some relief from this horrid pain. I've been checked for osteoporosis and so far so good. I'm supposed to be taking calcium supplements, but I don't take pills very well. I know I need to begin, though. Hydrocodeine makes me sleepy, but it is good stuff! Keep me updated on what the doc says on Nov. 4th.

Patti, Just wondering what drug your daughter is taking? from the description of the dose it sounds like it could be Methotrexate. I have osteo in my hands and rheumatoid arthritis in my other joints. The Methotrexate did help but the doctor never told me that one of the side effects was hair loss as this is also a chemo drug. I hope it works for your daughter, I know how hard it is when your hands hurt so much.

I've been diagnosed with OA 32 years ago. Never had an ache or pain and came down with it hitting every joint in my entire body at the same time. It was so painful and scary. We were visiting my brother and his wife in FL. when this happen so I had no doctor down there. Since I knew there is no cure, I had my husband take me to a pharmacist. I ask for the strongest pain med. available without a prescription and he took one look at me and said I should see a doctor. I told him my doctor is in MN. so he gave me some red pills that looked a lot like a red M&M's, then he said I will also give you something at no charge if you will take one each day and let me know how your doing. He handed me stress tabs with iron and said he had just gotten a study in that shows arthritis could be caused by the lack of B vitamins. I took what he gave me and left feeling completely let down, but I did as he said and from day one of taking the stress tabs with iron I started feeling better. By the end of a week, I was not in any pain at all. From then on I never let myself run out of stress tabs with iron till 2 years later I ran out of them and let it slide since I had never had any pain anywhere, but a week after not taking them, the OA hit my right knee hard. My husband ran to get my stress tabs and then the knee cleared up in a few days.
I stopped taking them about 5 years ago and the OA flared up again but when I went back to the stress tabs again, they didn't seem to help. My right knee got so bad that the orthopedic doctor had me taking lots of tests to prepare for knee replacement surgery. I was a basket case. I don't take medication of any kind and never have, now all of a sudden I'm faced with a very invasive surgery and he wanted me to take meds the day before surgery that is a blood thinner. No thanks. I even gave blood in case I needed it which I should not have had to do because there is a procedure where they take your blood on the operating table and give it right back to you. Anyway the second time I went to give blood they wouldn't take it because I was a little low in iron. Thought I was going to have a breakdown so much was happening in so little time. I went to a friend of mine who has a phd in nutrition and ask her what can I do to help keep me off any meds. and to help with my OA. She put me on several supplements and wouldn't you know that my knee cleared up and I'm pain free and walking normal.
So to end this, I may need surgery yet in the future, but I still won't take medication if I do. There really are safer alternatives.

Wow.....I want me some stress tabs. Is that the name brand "Stress tabs"? I recently had very bad low back pain. Its like the 5th time that happened to me in a year. When it happens, I cant stand up straight. The last time it happened, I couldnt sit up straight. I went to the doc and she said the x-ray showed osteoarthritis. I dont even understand what that is...but it doesnt sound good after reading everyones posts.

The flareup I had last summer, I couldnt do anything for like 6 weeks and the back pain radiated to my hip joint. Talk about some PAIN!!!!

Yes, I was taking Stress Tabs with Iron, but now I just take the NOW brand stress plus every day, among an arsonal of other suppliments. ;) Now Foods, Stress Plus - Vegetarian - 50 Tabs

What a testimony!! I am going to order the Now brand stress tabs with iron and see if it helps me. About 2 years ago, my bloodwork showed me very low on B-vitamins, so I began taking injections once a month for a year. The doc also told me to take B-6, B-12 and B-Complex. However, he never mentioned to me that B-vitamins could help my OA. Come to think of it, my hands developed stiffness, like I'm experiencing now, about 3 months ago. My recent bloodwork from 3 months ago, showed the B-vitamins to be within normal limits. I don't know what to think.

I'm sorry to say that my doctor took a position to head a clinic that is about 45 minutes away from me. This particular doctor ALWAYS told me what vitamins would help me in every situation. My "new" doctor doesn't do that. I think I'm going to start traveling that 45 minutes just to see him again.

I am so glad you found a caring pharmacist who went above and beyond what he had to do. So many people nowadays would just look the other way and not get involved. The angels were watching out for you that day. I hope you never have to have knee surgery. Just keep taking those vitamins!

I appreciate you telling me (and others here) your story. Who knows.....you may have been the answer to a lot of prayers.

Yes she is on Methotrexate. She is also on a prescription antinflammtory, a generic form of Mobic and Folic Acid. I read the side effects and was really scared. I am praying she can get this under control and wean off most of the meds.
I am going to tell her about the supplements too.
Thanks

I appreciate you telling me (and others here) your story. Who knows.....you may have been the answer to a lot of prayers.


There is more to just taking all the B vitamins for arthritis. I also take the NOW brand Cetyl Myristoleate (3 soft gels twice daily)NOW Foods - Cetyl Myristoleate 100 mg - 180 Softgels which lubricates in between the joints, Flax oil, 3 soft gels once a day, and Mega Food brand blood builder, 1 tablet once a day. It has iron in it.Blood Builder by Mega Food And I take Borage oil NOW Foods - Borage Oil 1000 mg (Highest GLA Concentration) - 120 Softgels are for my arthritis. Of course for all else, I take 1000 mg of vitamin C twice daily, three 400mg. of vitamin E once a day, vitamin A, zink, Omega 3 (for memory ;)) and a few other things.

I made a mistake on the vitamin E. I only take one 400 mg. a day, but I do take three vitamin D's a day. Sorry for that!

Well, the B-vitamins sound like a good place to start. :) Knowing that is what took your initial pain away years ago when the pharmacist gave you those pills gives me hope. So, I'll start there this week.

Don't forget how foods play a major role in good health and healing. For instance, if you have any type of arthritis, stay away from night shade vegetables like these: Nightshade is a term used to describe the Solanaceae family of plants. Solanaceae includes the famous psychoactive "deadly nightshade" or belladonna, as well as some of the most common edible plants. Members of the nightshade family include:

potatoes
tomatoes
bell peppers
eggplant
tobacco
petunias
mandrake
hot peppers (capsicum)
wolfberries
Solanaceae is also known as the potato family.

Problem Nightshades
Holistic practitioners often recommend avoiding nightshades in the diet, especially to patients suffering from arthritis or other types of pain and inflammation.

"Foods from the nightshade family tend to exacerbate any inflammatory conditions you might have," says Tom Woloshyn in The Complete Master Cleanse (2007). "They may also cause headaches and trigger migraines in some people."

The nightshades most often warned against are tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes and eggplant. Avoiding tobacco, another nightshade, goes without saying in health-conscious circles.

Nightshades, Inflammation and Pain
How and why do nightshades contribute to inflammation and pain? Nightshade plants are known for producing a range of alkaloid chemicals, which may be toxic – from irritating to lethal. These chemicals can also contribute to allergic reactions.

Read on
Types of Metabolic Cleansing
The Magical Plants of Harry Potter
Growing, Planting and Harvesting Eggplant
Alkaloids produced by the nightshade family:

nicotine in tobacco
hallucinogenic and deadly tropane alkaloids in belladonna
mildly irritating alkaloids in tomatoes, potatoes, and other food nightshades
As a group, nightshades have a bad reputation in alternative health circles and many practitioners recommend avoiding tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant, or eliminating them from the diet entirely – especially if you are seeking to eliminate chronic pain symptoms or headaches.

I have also found that eating sugar just makes the arthritis pain worse.
Keep on a healthy protein diet and "good" fats. Eat, yogurt, cheese, boiled eggs, salmon, nuts, whey protein shakes, avocado's, meat, beans, tofu and fresh vegetables. (except those that are night shade).

Very interesting! Eliminate sugar? Oh, man....:( Seriously, I believe I could follow this kind of diet plan. It\'s just a matter of discipline and knowing that it could possibly alleviate some of the OA pain. Thanks for passing this along.

I think I might. Every now and then i get knee pain and my knee falirs up and fills with liquid, it hurts, i cant move my whole leg.