Hi everyone,
So what's best to use against joint and hip pain? Reading up on the side effects of Enbrel and methotrexate kills off my hope of finding a fix. Painful gums, mouth sores and others are on the list... But my symptoms of osteoarthritis are becoming more debilitating and I need to find some relief. Any tips are welcome :)
Here are some of the Supplements that I take and why I take them.
I started with Tart cherry extract to help with what I was told was gout. It reduces uric acid in your system. Uric acid crystals will destroy white blood cells. They create more voltage (pain) per square meter than any other crystal.
Cucumin / Tumeric will reduce inflammation in your joints. Bosweilla will tell your immune system not to attack your arthritis.
Inositol will reduce the effects of weather changes on you arthritis pain.
As with any medication or supplement check for counter indications, side effects, drug interactions before taking.
I use Cymbalta which is on label for joint pain.
Hugs, Elaine
I use Life Extension brand Super Bio-Curcumin, but my joint pain isn't from osteoarthritis so I'm not sure if it's strong enough for that. Might be worth a try, through.
Sodium lauryl sulfate can cause mouth sores. You can reduce or eliminate the occurrence of mouth sores by using toothpaste that does not contain this ingredient.
NSAIDS (ibuprofen, meloxicam, others) often used for joint pain.
Also can treat more systemically - use an immunosuppressant such as prednisone or mexothrate to suppress the attack of your immune system against your body.
Some antidepressants can also be used for pain relief.
Which tools to use depends on the details of what's causing the pain, and what's the best approach for your circumstances. You probably need to discuss this with your doctor.
The only NSAID that gives me real relief is Piroxicam.
It also comes in a rub-in gel, but of course the oral route is most effective.
I second tart cherry and curcumin. Usually gets rid of a flare in joint pain after a couple of days for me.
Nymph- What brand curcumin do you use?
Hi everyone,
Thank you for your replies. Sorry I'm tardy responding, been feeling a bit low lately.
@Joe S.: if tart cherry reduces acid, then wouldn't a bit of baking soda (not powder) do the same?
Curcumin / Tumeric: are effective, but increase my anxiety.
Inositol: yes, also is great against constipation, but gives me acid reflux.
@Elaine: I tried Cymbalta but it makes me (more) anxious.
@SunshineDaydream: I don't react well to curcumin.
@warmwaters: I do use NSAIDS, but my GP tells me I should only use it 2 weeks maximum.
Prednisone makes me depressed.
Methotrexate: I'm put off by the side effects.
Some antidepressants: tried nearly all of them, many (especially SSRI's) cause anxiety, many others cause weight gain and/or increase dryness.
@Sharon: how long do you use the Piroxicam. Is it over the counter?
glucosamine reduces some of my joint pain and related osteo-arthritis but its challenging for me to tolerate most supplements so I am in process of experimenting again to see if can make it work or not at certain dose etc
I am going to try MSM again, 10 years ago NOW made an MSM lotion that helped a little but they changed the ingredient formulation and I no longer like it
peppermint essential oil helps a lot on my painful body parts like neck and feet and low back, works on my friend's knees
Piroxicam in pill form are prescription (at least where I live).
One pill lasts about 24 hours. I take one when I really need it.
The cream form is over the counter.
Lately, I've found a huge difference between regular fish oil capsules (e.g. Costco) and the pricey stuff. I'm taking 1 Tablespoon of Arctic Naturals Omega 3 oil daily and my joints really feel the difference. It's fast acting and I can tell in the morning if I've taken it the day before.
Diet and cellcept (mycophenolate) are the other pillars in my regimen.
I was diagnosed with Sjogrens in August of 2016. I too have osteoarthritis. I take meloxicam for my arthritis plus Gabapentin for leg and foot pain. My rheumatologist also has me taking Plaquinil and lots of vitamin D
@Donna: welcome to the forum! So you're on the heavy duty stuff. No adverse effects so far?
@Sooki: yes I'm aware of the benefits of good quality fish oil. It does alleviate the pain somewhat but not totally.
@Sharon: the Piroxicam gel sounds like a good alternative for bad days.
@Wendy: I also have difficulty handling side effects if glucosamine. MSM too, both seem to make me depressed & moody. However they do alleviate the osteoarthritis pain!
In the meantime I've stumbled upon Boswellia - which is the MOST effective so far - but also gives me mood issues (aggravation/irritation). What's up with my response system???
Thanks for your replies!
I am on Enbrel for my Ankylosing Spondylitis and luckily have not suffered any noticeable side effects. I cant take Mtx though as they cause shocking headaches.
I've found the Enbrel helps with the pain but it hasn't been the miracle cure I'd hope for.
As I cannot tolerate anti-inflammatories and they don't like you to be on Prednisone, I also take paracetamol and krill oil.
Despite all that, I am in pain..... every minute of every day :'(
I hope you find a solution soon.
Maria--yes I get irritable and moody etc from glucosamine, not sure yet on msm reexperimenting. I just ordered some chrondroitin sulphate after reading this article that made it sound more effective and helpful than I had previously thought with a lower side effect profile
but this is also why I cannot take vitamin d---my D is so low like at a 7 in recent bloodwork,but everytime I try any form of it I get insomnia, irritability, sometimes even more pain so I have given up on it. I know it acts as a hormone, maybe those osteoarthritis supplements do too.
If you scroll down to bottom of first page in this thread you can see consumer report article by Cy Wilson on glucosamine and chrondroitin comparison
elitefitness.com/forum/bodybuilding-supplements/can-glucosamine-preventing-my-weight-loss-37795.html
note: I can't find the article by Cy standing alone anywhere else, its quite old, but I liked the info and citations too but it resonated with me because I have been getting blood sugar fluctuations from the glucosamine.
there is also a physician Dr Lester Morrison you can google who did a lot of research on chrondroiton early on and found it most useful for heart health but also osteoarthritis.
I am going to try an LED light because a friend of mine with psoriasis and also trigeminal neuralgia has found this one called rubylux that she swears is helping her skin and pain with no side effects altho she says to do it in morning to roll with any possible circadian rhythm changes...you have to wear goggles if on the face, she sent it to me for my b-day but I have been waiting to try it
Maria, I swear by an Omega-3 supplement called Maxi-tears, dry eye formula. It helps a LOT!!!! I'd say it's as good as 2 anvils (which I am not supposed to take.) I also think plaquenil has helped my joint pain. I am having some side effects and probably going to have to stop it-:((((
Sharon, sorry! I take the Puritan Pride brand that has black pepper in it.
Thanks Nymph, I'll see if I can order that brand since mine isn't helping.
Ginger and turmeric are meant to be good anti-inflammatories.
Ginger and lemon infusion is also good for helping to produce saliva.
Hi Maria,
There's a gel called Deep blue relief that helps some on the painful joints. It has aloe, emu oil, and MSM in it. I picked it up at the grocery store, and I've used a similar product called Blue stop that I got at Costco.
Katie