Arthritis and what's best

Osteoarthritis is linked to low oestrogen levels. Depending on your age and medical history you may find HRT a great help.

If you have daughters they should be made aware that supplementing oestrogen from the perimenopausal period could help prevent them suffering from osteoarthritis.

Callistemon21 Your GP isn't up to much then

halfpint1

Nobody is talking about diet here.
I tracked my bouts of knee pain to potatoes and tomatoes, remain pain free now. It's worth the effort

Is this a generally known thing halfpint1? If not, how did you narrow it down to those two foods? I'm keen to know more!

Have you tried a knee support? I have Rheumatoid Arthritis in my right knee and I've just started wearing a compression knee support. I now sleep better at night and I can walk a lot better too. The pain is greatly reduced and my knee feels stronger when I wear it. I thoroughly recommend giving one a try.

argymargy

A most effective way to relieve pain in knee and hip joints is to reduce the weight put on them. I think clinicians often don’t emphasise this because people don’t react well to being told to lose weight and prefer a quick fix. @Pammiel your local formulary committee may have restricted prescribing of naproxen. Different areas make different rules on drugs, even though they are licensed and available.

This!

Coastpath

halfpint1

Nobody is talking about diet here.
I tracked my bouts of knee pain to potatoes and tomatoes, remain pain free now. It's worth the effort

Is this a generally known thing halfpint1? If not, how did you narrow it down to those two foods? I'm keen to know more!

Some people believe that the solanine contained in nightshade vegetables may cause inflammation, or make inflammation related to arthritis worse.
While some people may report a worsening of symptoms when eating nightshades that contain solanine, there is no research to support that solanine has a direct effect on inflammation or arthritis pain. Instead, these symptoms may be caused by or related to a food sensitivity to the nightshade family.
A 2010 study suggests that eating purple or yellow potatoes may, in fact, reduce inflammation and DNA damage. These species contain high levels of antioxidants, including carotenoids, which the authors suggest may prevent cell damage.
Or this
blog.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/nightshades-arthritis/

Is that just rheumatoid arthritis or osteo as well, do you know Maw?
My DH has osteoarthritis in neck, shoulders, wrists, hips and fingers. Our GP (France) gives diclofenac, paracetamol and limited codeine. She also sends him regularly for x-rays, followed by 20 weeks of physio, which does help a lot.
He is never pain-free though.

LadyWee

argymargy

A most effective way to relieve pain in knee and hip joints is to reduce the weight put on them. I think clinicians often don’t emphasise this because people don’t react well to being told to lose weight and prefer a quick fix. @Pammiel your local formulary committee may have restricted prescribing of naproxen. Different areas make different rules on drugs, even though they are licensed and available.

This!

I agree up to a point but weight loss has no bearing on the actual disease progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis as it’s an autoimmune disease, although in my own case lightening the load, so to speak, has helped with the pain for now.

Have been suffering for a fortnight and my doctor Wednesday, prescribed this and to be honest thé opium part frightens me so much that I haven’t taken any and still having problems. I am reseeding the doctor tomorrow with the X-rays

Re-seeing

mokryna

Have been suffering for a fortnight and my doctor Wednesday, prescribed this and to be honest thé opium part frightens me so much that I haven’t taken any and still having problems. I am reseeding the doctor tomorrow with the X-rays

A lot of painkillers are opioids - nothing to be afraid of and they work. If you’re sensible and don’t exceed the dose, they’re fine. I find that liquid morphine - oramorph works best for pain relief as I can take very small doses and it takes the edge of the pain without the drowsiness or nausea associated with strong pain relief.

HowVeryDareYou

Callistemon21 Your GP isn't up to much then

It may be against recommendations in this LA area. It's not just our surgery.

They have probably researched the contra-indications (of which there are many serious ones) and decided the risks outweigh the benefits of prescribing Naproxen.

Mamie I think it would be RA being an inflammatory disease. Osteoarthritis is much more to do with “wear and tear” isn’t it?
However, I would see no risks in trying to avoid the “trigger” items.

For anyone suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, have a look at your cooking methods. Because it’s an autoimmune disease, foods which would normally not be a problem, can really aggravate and cause inflammation. Red meat in particular when cooked at high temperatures searing steak or lamb for example or putting a joint into a hot oven, releases toxins into the meat which, while they would be unnoticeable for someone without the condition, for someone with RA those toxins can make the disease flare up. Putting cuts of meat into a cold pan/oven and heating gradually avoids this.

Thank you Pammie1 will take it tonight and hope to sleep better.

Callistemon21

HowVeryDareYou

Callistemon21 Your GP isn't up to much then

It may be against recommendations in this LA area. It's not just our surgery.

They have probably researched the contra-indications (of which there are many serious ones) and decided the risks outweigh the benefits of prescribing Naproxen.

I think this is probably right. Naproxen can cause significant side effects - most notably gastric, and GP’s prescribe it with omeprazole to protect the stomach.

The problem is, that for people with rheumatoid arthritis, Naproxen is a very effective anti inflammatory. For example, I have problems with swelling and horrible pain in my knee - without exaggeration on occasions it looks like a small sideways rugby ball !! Although I take methotrexate to control the progression of the disease, it does very little for inflammation.

If I take Naproxen for 3-4 days the swelling comes down and the pain is mostly relieved, but it doesn’t last long and the temptation is to carry on taking the tablets. The recommendation is not to take them for more than 3-5 days at a time, with a break in between and I think there’s a reluctance for GP’s to prescribe Naproxen unless and until the alternative have been exhausted because they know a lot of patients won’t follow that advice.

My useless (sic) GP has referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon.

Callistemon21

My useless (sic) GP has referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon.

I hope you get what you need, but it puzzles me as to why you’ve been referred to an orthopod before a definitive diagnosis of either osteo or rheumatoid arthritis, because if it’s rheumatoid a rheumatology referral is more appropriate. Or has this already been established ? I ask because my GP kind of assumed from x rays that my joint damage was as a result of osteo arthritis and it turned out to be rheumatoid.

Osteo-arthritis was the diagnosis. Apparently.
I've seen an orthopod, now the physiotherapy starts.

Callistemon21

Osteo-arthritis was the diagnosis. Apparently.
I've seen an orthopod, now the physiotherapy starts.

I hope all goes well for you.

I find GP’s pretty useless when it comes to joint problems. 10 or so years ago I struggled to walk with arthritis in my knee. After several months I saw an osteopath who sorted it out right away. I was only thinking today that I had months of mobility problems hoping that my doctor could help. When I did eventually see a consultant he seemed furious that I’d seen an osteopath and left me sitting in a consultation room not realising that he had finished with me. I’ve struggled to walk for several weeks now but my knee seems to have improved over the past couple of days. I wish I knew what had helped as it has been like this on and off for a year or so. I wondered if the warmer weather had helped. The arthritis in my hand has improved at the same time. I sympathise with the OP as I’ve been feeling pretty depressed about it. My weight has been going up due to lack of exercise. I do believe in taking turmeric for my arthritis. And I’ve started taking a prebiotic on top of all of my usual potions.

Pammie1

Callistemon21

Osteo-arthritis was the diagnosis. Apparently.
I've seen an orthopod, now the physiotherapy starts.

I hope all goes well for you.

Thank you. I really do dread a knee replacement (yes, I know how successful people say they are ?)

My weight has been going up due to lack of exercise
It's a Catch 22 situation, Maybee!

Thanks everyone.
Doing physio and have appointment with Consultant in 2 weeks. He will just say knee replacement won’t he?
Long to be able to drive again, as discomfort stopped me a few weeks ago now.
Will ask physio about compression supports. It is osteo that I have.

Well my knee was loads better until the dog ran into it and then today DH knocked it as I was sitting on the sofa and he walked past me and somehow knocked my leg.

Tomorrow I’m going to ask my GP for Voltarol. It’s the one tablet that keeps me going