# Arthritis treatments



## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I have an arthritic hip and a bit of arthritis in my lower spine.
Paracetemol is useless. I am not supposed to take Ibuprofen (asthmatic) but do take it sometimes. It does not help much.


I am loathe to go the doctor and ask for stronger pain killers. Has anyone found any of the alternative treatments effective. The online reviews are not good for Glucosamine and Chondroitin. Most of the positive trials having been done by the manufacturers.


I know that acupuncture is a very effective pain killer and it is top of my list to try but just wondered if anyone had any experience of, say, Chinese medicine?


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

patp said:


> I have an arthritic hip and a bit of arthritis in my lower spine.
> Paracetemol is useless. I am not supposed to take Ibuprofen (asthmatic) but do take it sometimes. It does not help much.
> 
> I am loathe to go the doctor and ask for stronger pain killers. Has anyone found any of the alternative treatments effective. The online reviews are not good for Glucosamine and Chondroitin. Most of the positive trials having been done by the manufacturers.
> ...


I know it gets bad reviews but I take diclofenac. Quality of life without it was seriously bad. I had a bad arthritic hip, had it replaced eight weeks ago and what a difference. It's like a miracle. - I can walk again! Also I found certain foods exacerbated the arthritis, namely tangerines (and probably oranges, I just happen to love tangerines) and tomatoes.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Mr Patp had a heart attack due to prescription pain killers so I am loathe to take them unless there is no alternative.
I had forgotten about tomatoes and other acidic foods! Thank you. I must monitor them to see if certain foods affect it.
It is worse at night. I remember my mother in law saying the same thing.


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## Jamsieboy (Jan 14, 2011)

What type of arthritis ?
I have psoriatic arthritis and over the years have been on Sulfasalizine, Naproxen, Methotrexate. These deal with the underlying inflammation and disease that causes the pain.


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## elldwin (Dec 3, 2009)

I take turmeric paste about 1 1/2 teas three times a day this helps a lot and I no longer need to take pain killers. It doesnt get rid of all the stiffness but makes moving about a lot more bearable. The tablets you can buy from health food shops dont work very well so dont waste your money on them. Turmeric is anti inflammatory and isnt suitable for people on certain medications so you should check with your Doctor. I am on 3 blood pressure meds plus daily low dose aspirin with no problem.

To find out more I suggest you join the Facebook group Turmeric Users Group UK lots of info on there.

Jan


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

MyGalSal said:


> I know it gets bad reviews but I take diclofenac. Quality of life without it was seriously bad.


Diclofenac is a very effective anti-inflammatory which works like a miracle for joint pain BUT can have serious side effects if taken regularly or in high doses.
The usual problem is bleeding of the stomach or gut but it can also lead to heart attacks and strokes.

Worth taking occasionally in small doses but not for continuous use.


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

elldwin said:


> I take turmeric paste about 1 1/2 teas three times a day this helps a lot and I no longer need to take pain killers. It doesnt get rid of all the stiffness but makes moving about a lot more bearable. The tablets you can buy from health food shops dont work very well so dont waste your money on them. Turmeric is anti inflammatory and isnt suitable for people on certain medications so you should check with your Doctor. I am on 3 blood pressure meds plus daily low dose aspirin with no problem.
> 
> To find out more I suggest you join the Facebook group Turmeric Users Group UK lots of info on there.
> 
> Jan


A useful tip. I will look it up because although the hip replacement took care of the hip I also have arthritis in other areas and it would be good to stop the diclofenac.

Thinking about the practicalities, as much as I love curry and do make them from scratch using turmeric as one of the spices/herbs I'm not sure how a teaspoon of turmeric paste would taste &#55357;&#56883; do you just take it straight off the spoon? &#55357;&#56883;


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## mgdavid (Nov 27, 2014)

my nephew takes turmeric for a couple of ailments - he takes it mixed in with coconut milk and drinks the liquid.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I did try the Turmeric tablets to no avail so will give the paste a try. I have heard good things.


My arthritis is osteo arthritis. Not too debilitating yet but just enough to keep me (an insomniac ) awake.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I Take Naproxin and Omeprazole, (used to do Dicolfenac) and paracetamol, it's mainly my knees and back and I manage okay most of the time. Liz is seriously anti meds and only takes Paracetamol and just deals with the pain, I don't agree with that, but it's her body, but I very much don't like to see her in so much pain all the time, she can't sleep at night and won't sleep during the day, talking about it is a none starter if I want a quiet life.


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## elldwin (Dec 3, 2009)

I freeze my turmeric paste in 1/4 teas size pieces as it doesnt keep in the fridge longer than a fortnight then take each dose in a small amount of milk heated in microwave which makes it more palatable at least to me. Some people take it straight off the spoon with water but I find that hard.

There is a basic recipe to make it using black pepper (extremely important) and coconut oit but you can find that plus loads of info on the facebook group site.


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## elldwin (Dec 3, 2009)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> I Take Naproxin and Omeprazole, (used to do Dicolfenac) and paracetamol, it's mainly my knees and back and I manage okay most of the time. Liz is seriously anti meds and only takes Paracetamol and just deals with the pain, I don't agree with that, but it's her body, but I very much don't like to see her in so much pain all the time, she can't sleep at night and won't sleep during the day, talking about it is a none starter if I want a quiet life.


Kev my Doctor prescribed me Amytripline to help me sleep at night and it works really well and is non addictive. I have to take it before 8pm otherwise I wake up like a zombie. I dont take it all the time but when I am going through a bad spell of not sleeping.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

elldwin said:


> Kev my Doctor prescribed me Amytripline to help me sleep at night and it works really well and is non addictive. I have to take it before 8pm otherwise I wake up like a zombie. I dont take it all the time but when I am going through a bad spell of not sleeping.


We have that too, but she likes to be in control, it affects her badly and doesn't seem to help much, so it stays in the box, anything I say pretty much gets ignored, so I don't often, as I get internet quackery back, plus her own doc is a waste of space, mine is far more amenable to looking further into things, and she keeps saying she'll change, but there is always a reason not to :roll:


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

gaspode said:


> Diclofenac is a very effective anti-inflammatory which works like a miracle for joint pain BUT can have serious side effects if taken regularly or in high doses.
> The usual problem is bleeding of the stomach or gut but it can also lead to heart attacks and strokes.
> 
> Worth taking occasionally in small doses but not for continuous use.


Hmm, yes, I know. I take smallest dose possible to cope, 50mg per day but I have taken it continuously for years. My hip was the worst problem - Avascular necrosis - so now that has been taken care of I am going to stop the diclofenac and see how it goes. It's only been eight weeks so I thought I would give it time to heal and for the inflammation to recede - and that time would be now I guess. Good time to investigate the turmeric.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I think there is something wrong with my Facebook page. I am unable to enter anything into the search box. If I click on it I just get a list of previous searches/entries that disappears as soon as I let go of the click


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## elldwin (Dec 3, 2009)

patp said:


> I think there is something wrong with my Facebook page. I am unable to enter anything into the search box. If I click on it I just get a list of previous searches/entries that disappears as soon as I let go of the click


Send me your facebook username by pm and I will try and add you to the group, I think thats possible.

Jan


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Jan, I haven't got a Facebook account but my husband has so I guess I could use his. Haven't done this before so how do you go about joining the group?


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

By lots of fiddling I have managed to apply to join the Turmeric User Group. I await acceptance.


You go into facebook and search for Turmeric User Group UK (there is a worldwide one too). It should give you the group to click on. Once the group page opens there is a tab to click on where you ask to join the group. It is a closed group so that they can monitor their members by looking at your facebook page. You should get an email to confirm acceptance.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

*Here´s how to make Turmeric paste*

http://www.davidwolfe.com/turmeric-golden-milk-before-bed/

I have never heard of it, but then there´s a lot of thing I´ve never heard of :serious:. I think its worth trying.

I have taken anti-inflammitories for many many years, my diclofenac was changed to Arcoxia when we moved to Germany 11 years ago, I take 90 mg. daily.
Recently I have taken it with the last evening meal because as many people find the pain is worse at night, it has improved that, but not my sleep pattern, still wake up umpteen times a night.
Jan / Milly


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

JanHank said:


> http://www.davidwolfe.com/turmeric-golden-milk-before-bed/
> 
> I have never heard of it, but then there´s a lot of thing I´ve never heard of :serious:. I think its worth trying.
> 
> ...


I am sorry to hear that, not getting a good night's sleep is just miserable. I haven't heard of Arcoxia, I will have to look it up. I assume the German doctors didn't think much of diclofenac. Before I started on the diclofenac I took Celebrex 200mg (but I don't think the mg compare like for like with diclofenac). It was brilliant. We were in Saudi and you could buy it over the counter.


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> I Take Naproxin and Omeprazole, (used to do Dicolfenac) and paracetamol, it's mainly my knees and back and I manage okay most of the time. Liz is seriously anti meds and only takes Paracetamol and just deals with the pain, I don't agree with that, but it's her body, but I very much don't like to see her in so much pain all the time, she can't sleep at night and won't sleep during the day, talking about it is a none starter if I want a quiet life.


Kev, is Naproxen in the same group of drugs as diclofenac? If it is why did you change? And if it isn't, is it less lethal and is it as effective as diclofenac?


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

patp said:


> By lots of fiddling I have managed to apply to join the Turmeric User Group. I await acceptance.
> 
> You go into facebook and search for Turmeric User Group UK (there is a worldwide one too). It should give you the group to click on. Once the group page opens there is a tab to click on where you ask to join the group. It is a closed group so that they can monitor their members by looking at your facebook page. You should get an email to confirm acceptance.


Thanks. I have been into Don's Facebook page and as you say fiddled about and message says 'pending'.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I wondering why tumeric capsules are not as affective as powdered tumeric ??

Albert takes tumeric 600mg, black pepper 150 mg capsules X 3 daily with water, as he dislikes the taste of turmeric

It's powder inside the capsules 

I don't mind the powder stirred into a green oxo drink, with a twist of fresh black pepper,I can get the root but it's difficult to grind 

Sandra


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

MyGalSal said:


> Kev, is Naproxen in the same group of drugs as diclofenac? If it is why did you change? And if it isn't, is it less lethal and is it as effective as diclofenac?


No idea, I just munch em, Doc took me of the Diclofenac, put me on them, he's a bit more clued up than previous docs I've had.


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## Handysue (May 5, 2011)

I have been using a supplement called celadrin for about a year now, and it makes a big difference to my arthritis. Celadrin is a collection of essential fatty acids. The turmeric paste sounds very interesting, thank you for that.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Aldra, don't know why the tablets are not supposed to be as effective as the powder. The facebook page does give some information about it. They also recommend some tablets, if you are going away, but not others. They call the turmeric and black pepper and water and oil mixture "Golden Paste" or GP. I had heard of it years ago for animals and not really known what it was.


How do people freeze their 1/4 teaspoon doses? I bought a large bag of the organic turmeric powder and feel I ought to, now, make up the paste and freeze it.


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## elldwin (Dec 3, 2009)

patp said:


> Aldra, don't know why the tablets are not supposed to be as effective as the powder. The facebook page does give some information about it. They also recommend some tablets, if you are going away, but not others. They call the turmeric and black pepper and water and oil mixture "Golden Paste" or GP. I had heard of it years ago for animals and not really known what it was.
> 
> How do people freeze their 1/4 teaspoon doses? I bought a large bag of the organic turmeric powder and feel I ought to, now, make up the paste and freeze it.


I used a coffee bean mold to freeze them each hole is about 1/4 teas. Its a bit of a faff but still worth it. Because I take a larger dose now I just froze it in pots and will just defrost a pot a time and use a teas measure.

I took the recommended Taka tablets away with me recently as I couldnt take the paste but it really isn't as efficient. The recommended dose is a maximum of 4 daily but as it wasnt working I did up to 6 daily but even then it wasnt as good as the paste.


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