Saying hello and asking some advice

grendel
grendel Member Posts: 6
edited 23. Apr 2015, 03:18 in Say Hello Archive
Hi,

I have just had results back from an x-ray and the doctor has said I have mild arthritis in both hips and is sending me for physiotherapy.

I am 45 and already had spinal fusion (due to herniated discs and they shaved some extra bone off at the time due to excess bone growth) and a couple of decompression operations on one shoulder due to excess bone growth, which I was told was arthritis.

Having been on some pretty powerful medication for over ten years (fentanyl, morphine, naproxyn, tramadol, etc.) I am now not being prescribed anything and told the doctor I don't want any as I don't want to go through all that again.

So, I've been looking into vegetarian supplements that will help with arthritis. There are so many out there, I don't know what to go for, so would appreciate any suggestions. I've seen Fleximax, which on the face of it looks good, although pricey compared to standard glucosamine, etc.

Can anyone suggest anything? I'd rather not take supplements if people can suggest what (vegetarian) foods help.

I go swimming and use a gym ball to try to build my core strength, so trying to keep active, but, again, any suggestions, etc would be very welcome.

Thanks.

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 3,635
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello

    Welcome to the forum, I'm sure you will find support, advice and light relief here.

    I am one of the moderation team, we all have one or morr arthritis "hanger ons" or look after family with the same. If you need help with the technicalities of the forum just get in touch via a personal message.

    CK Moderator
  • daffy2
    daffy2 Member Posts: 1,636
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Grendel
    For many folks on here supplements have proved an expensive waste of time sadly. Glucosamine/chonroitin works well for some people( I believe there are veg versions) and a colleague swears by turmeric tablets. In terms of diet some foods are high in anti-inflammatory substances(hence the turmeric tablets), and some people find that certain foods trigger pain in joints eg tomatoes, so keeping a food diary for a while may be useful to see if there are any food triggers.
    There's a lot of snake-oil merchants out there, and a lot of bad/pseudo science. An acquaintance of mine insists that if I consume large quantities of celery juice my OA will be cured and gave me the links to 'prove' it. While I don't subscribe to the view that only things which have been subjected to scientific trial are effective the old saying 'if it sounds too good to be true.....' probably applies more often than not.
  • grendel
    grendel Member Posts: 6
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks Daffy,

    That's why I haven't bought anything yet. I think the best thing to do is concentrate on my exercises. I'm trying to go swimming twice a week and do some core exercises as often as I can. I don't want to be in this pain for the rest of my left and really don't want to start back on medication.

    I eat lots of celery and veg/salad anyway :bunny: , so I'll keep doing that as it won't do me any harm.

    Gareth.
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello from me too. I think you've done amazingly well to get off all those strong meds. Well done you!

    You're also doing the right thing by exercising. I'm not a big believer in supplements. I tend to feel a good, Mediterranean type of diet is our best bet, plus exercise. Try putting 'self management' into the Arthritis Care' search engine. Quite a lot of stuff comes up. Good luck!
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Whether we like it or not pain is a factor in our lives. I admire you for coming off the stronger stuff and you are doing the right thing by exercising (non-weight bearing is the way to go) and addressing your diet. Supplements can help some people but for the majority they do very little. Any form of arthritis is degenerative and progressive - we all do our King Canute impressions but the tide will eventually win. :wink: I have an auto-immune arthritis and the joint damage from that led to OA in both ankles, both knees and both hips. It's not fun.

    I find that pickles and vinegar aggravate my OA, as does fruit. Physically sitting or lying in one position for too long makes things worse. It is worth keeping a brief note of diet and exercise (along with noting pain and tiredness levels) for a month or so to see if anything in particular is linked to things feeling worse. Please let us know how you get on. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • grendel
    grendel Member Posts: 6
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello from me too. I think you've done amazingly well to get off all those strong meds. Well done you!

    You're also doing the right thing by exercising. I'm not a big believer in supplements. I tend to feel a good, Mediterranean type of diet is our best bet, plus exercise. Try putting 'self management' into the Arthritis Care' search engine. Quite a lot of stuff comes up. Good luck!

    Thanks. Coming off the morphine was horrendous. I was stuck on the last bit for a long time, until I went on a cruise and I think I was so relaxed it really helped. Although I don't think anyone's doctor could prescribe a cruise. :(

    I've just done a quick search for self management and there are lots of results, so I'll have a good read through all that, thanks.

    Gareth.
  • grendel
    grendel Member Posts: 6
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    dreamdaisy wrote:
    Whether we like it or not pain is a factor in our lives. I admire you for coming off the stronger stuff and you are doing the right thing by exercising (non-weight bearing is the way to go) and addressing your diet. Supplements can help some people but for the majority they do very little. Any form of arthritis is degenerative and progressive - we all do our King Canute impressions but the tide will eventually win. :wink: I have an auto-immune arthritis and the joint damage from that led to OA in both ankles, both knees and both hips. It's not fun.

    I find that pickles and vinegar aggravate my OA, as does fruit. Physically sitting or lying in one position for too long makes things worse. It is worth keeping a brief note of diet and exercise (along with noting pain and tiredness levels) for a month or so to see if anything in particular is linked to things feeling worse. Please let us know how you get on. DD

    Thanks for the reply. I'm not having much fun with it just in my hips (and possibly shoulder) at the moment, so I feel for you with it in more places.

    I try to eat a lot of fruit, so will try to keep a diary to see what helps and what doesn't. I'm a Software Engineer, so most of my day is sitting at my desk, so that doesn't help. I try to get up and makes as many drinks as I can to keep my moving.

    Gareth.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I reckon (for what it's worth) that you are doing all the right things to help yourself as much as you can: the docs can only achieve so much, the rest is down (or up, I am never sure which applies) to us.

    I like the username - it's stirring dim recollections of my English A level! DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • grendel
    grendel Member Posts: 6
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    dreamdaisy wrote:
    I reckon (for what it's worth) that you are doing all the right things to help yourself as much as you can: the docs can only achieve so much, the rest is down (or up, I am never sure which applies) to us.

    I like the username - it's stirring dim recollections of my English A level! DD

    Thanks. I went swimming last night and now have what feels like a trapped nerve, so much for trying to be good! ;)

    I'm just waiting on an appointment with a physio, hoping they can show me some exercises to help, although I used to go to an holistic therapist who showed me lots of stretching and strengthening exercises so probably won't be anything new, but it's worth a try. And as I'm going privately they have authority to organise any scans etc. that I may need without having to go back to the gp.

    My username is taken from a song by Marillion about the story of Beowulf, but from Grendel's point of view - he was very misunderstood. ;)

    Gareth.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Speed of processes has to be one of the main benefits of the private system. My husband shelled out a couple of grand for me to have a closed synovectomy on my right knee and I experienced some of the clumsiest nursing imaginable. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben