Glucosamine & Arthritis

scribbler

There was an excellent programme on Radio 4 yesterday 3.30 pm Inside Health with a section on arthritis - details available on the BBC Radio 4 website.
I followed one of the links from there to the NICE guidelines about arthritis medication and was surprised to find that NICE does not recommend glucosamine for arthritis. There was no further detail. It didn't say whether they just thought it was ineffective or actually harmful or just not cost-effective. I've been taking (non-prescription) glucosamine for some time now, not specifically for arthritis. I wonder if anyone has any experience and/or comments about glucosamine. None of the medical people I've seen have commented on glucosamine when I've given them details of the supplements I take.

valval

used to take it with chond from gp but nice decided it did not show enough results so stopped them prescribing it did it help i am not sure but as most with arther would try anything that not to drastic do not feel it harmfull so you should be ok taking it depending on what else you are taking always worth asking gp or rhummy if you have one val

dreamdaisy

Hello Scribbler, it's nice to meet you. There is a school of thought that it may be helpful for osteo arthritis but in my experience it does absolutely nothing for the auto-immune types (I have both kinds and my joint damage is too far advanced). Maybe the time to start taking it is long before the OA begins in a vain attempt to stave off what could be inevitable! I wish you well. DD

Helenbothknees

I'vwe read that there's a certain amount of evidence that it helps with OA in some cases. My GP said it definitely helps a number of his patients, and he gave it to me on prescription. It did nothing for me, but it's certainly worth a try.

frogmorton

I tried it at teh beginning when i dodn't understand what was happening, but I am pretty sure it didn't help at all sadly

If it helps anyone else though I can't see any harm in it if it mixes ok with prescription meds

Love

Toni xx

scribbler

Thanks for all the comments. At least taking glucosamine is not going to make my arthritis worse.

knuckleduster

Regret to say it didn't work for me but when I saw my doctor this week she said give it another go. Strange that, as ten years ago she said it wasn't worth taking. I have read that if it doesn't give you any benefits in three to four months, then it's not going to work - which is probably right.

It's all trial and error and hope it works for you.

Janet x

frogmella

Interestingly I always thought it was rubbish and all placebo effect. (my degree is biochemistry so I understand some of this stuff, or used to!) But, then my dog developed arther in his hips and some of his smaller joints. I put him on glucosamine and chondroitin on the vet's advice and it made a massive difference to him. He was able to run around much better and meant we could delay starting him on NSAIDs for about 2-3 years. So I guess I did my own animal testing! The vet said it works about on about 50% of dogs. I tried my cat on it too when he got creaky but it made no difference to him, mind he is a VERY lazy cat!

I haven't tried it because my arther is in my spine and I read somewhere that it doesn't work so well/at all on the small spinal joints. But, given my recent increase in pain, maybe I will give it a go!

LignumVitae

In terms of dogs and cats (slightly off discussion) there is some evidence that gluco, cond and things like green lip mussels (my dog's preferred supplement) have more effect in dogs and cats than in humans. No idea why but there you go! None of the above helped with me but my old dog was a world better on green lipped mussels and last winter, when my lovely boy started getting a bit creaky on his back leg where he had a huge op as a pup, I started the mussels in a bid to stave off the inevitable. Worked in weeks and we still haven't been to the vets about it as he is so good now.

frogmella

Ah, that is interesting that it might work better in dogs and cats. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be off topic - I just thought I would chip in my animal tests!

Maybe I will look into this green lipped mussel stuff for the dog too! Thanks for the tip.

Helenbothknees

Gree lipped mussel extract worked for me earlier on too.

hileena111

Hi
I've been told by GP that it MAY help with OA in knees but not hips and that it wasnt cost effective but to go ahead and try if i thought it would do any good.

Love
Hileena

LignumVitae

Sorry, I meant me off topic, not you Frogmella, I took your tests and went for a post entirely on prescribing for pooches! Defo recommend green lipped mussels for pooches though, my tests show they are the most effective poochy joint supplement!

frogmella

Thanks LV, I will get on to my online vet herbal supplier!

I think my meds regime is making me a bit oversensitive/paranoid! :oops:

Fitzroy

frogmella wrote:

Interestingly I always thought it was rubbish and all placebo effect. (my degree is biochemistry so I understand some of this stuff, or used to!) But, then my dog developed arther in his hips and some of his smaller joints. I put him on glucosamine and chondroitin on the vet's advice and it made a massive difference to him.

I found it didn't help me at all but some people do. The latest big studies show it does little good. However there is nothing wrong at all with getting a placebo boost. Many commercially available drugs don't do much better than a placebo.

earthspirit

i asked about glucosamine last week when i was seen by rheum consultant. she said to take it if i want but reckoned that the calcium and vit d she prescribed would be more effective in protecting bones and joints. i have RA not OA do not sure what difference that would make. i have virtually no joint destruction....yet

ShulaArcher

Hello everybody

I'm new to the site since yesterday. Just been reading through and getting used to finding other people with arthritis. I have generalised OA and fibromyalgia. A couple of years ago my Rheumatologist advised trying Glucosamine to see what happened. Well, I did that but felt a bit like I was in the dark as I didn't know what dosage to take and they are very expensive. Is it possible to get Glucosamine on prescription? Anyway, after taking them for a while I couldn't notice anything different so stopped taking them. But perhaps they would have slowed down my deterioration? Feeling slightly as if I'm crumbling away today . . .

Helenbothknees

Shula, it is definitely possible to get Glucosamine on prescription. My doctor insisted on prescribing it for me about a year ago, saying that although I'd tried it before myself, you needed quite a high dose and then it often works. Didn't do anything for me, but might be worth a try.

hileena111

HI
They wont prescribe it in our area????

Love
Hileena

freesia

I was taking Glucosamine - purchased myself, but when I last saw my consultant - he said it was a waste of money as I had no cartiledge left in either of my knees... As I purchased it on a BOGOF (a bargin at the time) I will continue to use up the 6 month supply I have, as I suppose it "might" help other joints...??

But, thinking about herbal remedies and things, I alway used to take codliver oil capsules for many years, before any problems with my joints as I was very active and though they would help to maybe prevent any future problems... NOW that was a waste of money, my knees are knackered..!! lol...

Happy Days..

freesia

hileena111 wrote:

HI
They wont prescribe it in our area????

Love
Hileena

Don't think the NHS is allowed to prescribe glucosamine & many other vitamins and supplements now - Anyone who does get them on the NHS is very very lucky....x

hileena111

Hi Thanks for that.....I thought that was the case but then thought maybe it was just our authority

Love
Hileena