Guess I'm Arthritic

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

It’s the three middle fingers of my right hand. Sometimes I can’t bend them to make a fist, and if someone shakes hands with me at certain times, I just about climb the nearest wall, it hurts so bad.

I’m a drummer and part-time guitarist, and although I haven’t tried either one since this has set in, I’m afraid I may not be able to hold on to a drum stick or a pick to play.

Also, I work in an ER and it is sometimes necessary to “breathe” for someone using what is called an “Ambu-Bag” (one squeezes it in order to force oxygen into the lungs).

It’s just the right hand, though, and right now I am taking arthritis strength over the counter pain relievers and they seem to be working as long as I take them regularly. (Meaning not just when I’m hurting, but to stop the hurt before it starts).

I’m afraid of taking steroids, so I am wondering what y’all do for your arthritic pains?

Thanks

Q

2

I just bitch and moan.

You mean there’s something else you can do?

3

yeah - bitch and moan, although the doc once recommended Ibuprofoen.

However, NOT being a medic of any kind, I have to wonder if this coudl be some kind of Repetitive Strain Injury?

4

Celyn: No it isn’t a strain.

Quasi

5

Here’s my favorite folk remedy. Drink Certo.

Certo is a gelatin used to make jelly at home. Once a day you mix a tablespoon full in a little apple, orange, or grape juice and drink it.

It’s very tart, but worth it. It’s surprisingly good for pain.

If you search for it, there are a LOT of web pages that mention this. For example, this page mentions Certo:

http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/seniors/arthritis.html

There are several other things on this page worth trying, such as omega-3 oils, ginger tea, various juices, Q-10 and quercetin.

Interesting to note, the information is from a cardiologist.

My recomendation is, try out all the folk and “alternative” things you can try. I have fibromyalgia and tried arthritis coping strategies out of desperation. That’s how I discovered the Certo thing.

Eventually the “try everthing” approach led me to try Guifenesin, which is a great treatment for my particular illness. With patience you’ll find the things that help you.

Also, different things you try may have unexpected results. My aunt has some kind of deposits on the joints of her fingers. This has been a problem for her for years. The doctor put her on medicine to prevent bone thinning, and it unexpectedly removed some of the deposits from her fingers.

So my advice is: drink Certo, and try everything you hear about that isn’t dangerous.

6

Wow!

Thank you SO MUCH!

I already take Co-Q-10, Citracal and Osteo-Bilflex (a trade name for Glucosamine Condroitin), but haven’t tried Certo yet.

I appreciate your sharing the information!

Quasi

7

Quasi

my mum has arthritis in her left wrist and fingers. She is left handed and the frustration because she can’t do what she wants to, added to the pain that she feels, makes the whole thing difficult for her to deal with.

There are many alternative therapies “out there” but as with anything, you have to be careful - it’s suprising the number of would be cure-alls that just seem to take advantage of people and you end up still in pain and a few dollars lighter.

My mum uses a cream that has a Glucosamine Condroitin base; also takes capsules and has reported some success (read that as pain being bearable to diminishing) using tiny magnets. I’ll lookout the trade name for you but they look like small magnets backed onto sticking plaster which you then apply to the sore area - they seemed to work for her. She’s also tried the magnetic bangles but saw no change whatsoever. Wet and cold weather makes it worse for her.

Some suggest that there is a correlation between diet and certain forms of arthritis - that acidic and dairy foods don’t help. Who knows?

As Lesa said, try it and if it works for you, all well and good.

It might be an idea to havea word with your doctor to see if he/she can suggest a specific type of pain management for you?Perhaps they would be able to refer you to an arthritis and rheumatology specialised clinic? Also, would physio help in your particular case? With regards to work, can you have a chat with an occupational therapist?

8

carodin

Those are all great suggestions, especially the one about going to see my doc. I will be doing that after the holidays. We have an occupational therapist on staff at my hospital and I will be consulting her as well.

:smack:

:Quasi wonders why people in health-care professions make such poor patients:

It’s because we don’t allow ourselves to think we can get sick!

Thanks

Quasi

9

I’m not sure how well it’d work on your fingers (my problem is my knee; and people saying “how can you have arthitis in your knee, you’re only 25!” Yeah, I hurt myself badly years ago and have had it since I was 13.) but for immediate relief (aka while you wait for some sort of prescription or OTC pill to kick in) things like Icy Hot usually quiet the pain enough so you can do important things like sleep.

I’m sure it’s common sense, but you need to remember not to stress the joint that’s in pain, because it only ends up hurting worse. Unfortunately that’s easier to suggest than practice, since I myself only smarten up enough to realize that if I know my knee is likely to bother me (usually when the weather is damp or I have PMS) I should actually have my knee brace with me if I want it to do any good.

10

Quasi, steroids can be your friends! Or at least consider giving NSAIDS a thorough try. Talk to your doc about whether a little intensive short-term nsaid therapy might calm things down for a while. That means taking an adequate dose regularly for at least two weeks, not popping a few aleve or advil when pain is troubling.

I frequently try people on naproxen 500 bid x 14-21 days, or indocin 25 tid x 14-21 days. Talk to your doc about it.

Or score some cox II inhibitor samples from your doc, and try them.

11

Thanks Qadgop, for the advice. I’ll be seeing my doctor next week and will keep your recommendations in mind.

Quasi