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My partner is in his 70s and has arthritis in his knees and hands. At the moment this is managed by normal OTC drugs e.g. the odd ibuprofen. I am trying to get him to go to the doctor as he really is quite uncomfortable most days, but is there any point? Would they have anything useful to offer or would it just be taking OTC stuff until they upset his stomach?
Or does anyone use any effective supplements?
Thank you!
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I have tried numerous supplements none have helped me. I take dicloflex SR which is hard on the tummy combined with paracetamol and take Lansoprazole to protect my tummy. Dicloflex does increase stroke risk. I think your partner needs to see his GP and hope they refer him to a pain clinic. There are loads of options for pain relief and people vary and works for one is not suitable for another.
My father does well on a ibuprofen and paracetamol. Once pain symptoms become permanent it best IME to never allow them to get out of hand I do this by trying to plan ahead when I am going to do things I know make me sorest and go up to my maximum dose before I overdo it. On supplements, I know a couple of people are doing much better on cannabis oil from Holland And Barrett I am going to give that a try at some point. -
I would get your OH to see his doctor Catembi. I have been doing a bit of research on arthritis myself and have talked to my neighbor who was diagnosed with severe arthritis at 27 (he is now 65).
For many people, like my mum, for example, a simple tablet like Anadin Joint Pain works really well but most over the counter NSAIDS can’t penetrate deep enough to affect the inflammation and Goldenstar is right in the fact that it is often trial and error and you can hit the right combination that works or not. My neighbor tried many different sorts until a combination of two specific drugs removed most of his pain and inflammation and he could walk again. Individually, however, they did nothing at all.
GS is also right in that you shouldn’t leave arthritic inflammation and pain as more damage will occur. It’s not something that gets better so you have to limit it getting worse.
Ref cannabis oil… good to try this, it can work well but my BIL got quite depressed on it although it did help him a lot physically. Worth noting that there are probably many different types of oil out there to try.He must always ask for something to protect his stomach too or buy a gastro protect product over the counter even if he is just taking ibuprofen, there are a few good ones. I take Pantoprazole 20mg.
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My chartered physiotherapist does dry needling in my knee and hip, I find it works very well for pain relief. She also gives me some exercises which have really helped, I wasn’t so lucky with the NHS physio for my knee the exercises they have made my knee much worse.
If it really plays up she says to take the full course of ibuprofen for 3 days to get on top of the pain and inflammation rather than taking the odd one or two. My sympathies to your husband as chronic pain is quite depressing. -
Do you know what sort of arthritis it is? My mother had rheumatoid arthritis (auto-immune condition). She was advised to lose weight (to reduce the strain on the joints) and prescribed anti-inflammatories plus other drugs to stop the anti-inflammatories damaging her stomach lining. Osteoarthritis is caused by wear and tear on the joints.
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Thank you…so it sounds as if there are things to try?
I did get him to go to the doctor once but he was fobbed off, along the lines of, you’re in your 70s, you used to do a lot of running? What do you expect? Take a paracetamol if you need to.
So if we are armed with the knowledge that there is more stuff out there, like pain clinic etc that I hadn’t known about, he can be a bit firmer.
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My OH was in the same position kneewise. He didn’t want to be on endless painkillers, doctor useless etc etc. We read lots and tried lots and now he has gone from being really crippled a year ago to pretty supple in his knees, walking much better and for a lot longer. Our solutions have been cherry active a supplement from H & B. If you google cherries and knee pain etc you will find articles on it. I got some as I expected it to be another expensive failure but it was a pretty instant success. It also helps sleeping. Cost is £30 a month. Got to be the right cherry supplement not a cheap one from Tesco.
Secondly, when he really really could hardly move I got him a pedal exerciser. That is pedals that you sit on a chair and pedal. Cheap ones are around £20. To start with about a minute was a struggle. His knees were really painful and locked up. Fast forward a year to now and he has the real thing ie a bike and we do 20 mile rides. The key for that was strengthening the muscles supporting the knees. He went along with all this as he was really unhappy at things like knee operations, replacements etc or drugs and ibuprofen was the thing that worked best but not at the amount he was taking. but he was becoming very stuck in his knees otherwise. -
I’m a long-term arthritis sufferer – and I do mean sufferer – because I have continued to do whatever I wanted – and then suffered some more!
I was given cocktails of drugs that were so evil that even that the drug testing company who gave stuff to those volunteer guinea pigs (and all their fingers and toes dropped off!) thought the mixture strange! Sometimes I felt suicidal, sometimes elated, one potion I took made me itch like I’d been dropped in itching powder with extra chilly!
Gradually I found, strong painkillers, anti-inflammatories together with ghastly stuff like Methotrexate – and more pills to limit side effects – I could work and four years ago returned to a very physical job but noticed a downward slide. Then “Embrel” appeared – very expensive, once a week pen injector – either the stuff is magic or I’ve been visited by aliens! It’s turned the clock back five years at least – I still have a lot of pain and joint damage but can still manage to do serious gardening and stuff beyond my age. ( though I write this cringing as I’ve ruptured me tendons in my left arm digging!)
Unless there’s some kind of superstrength Ibuprofen available – I tend to think that’s pussy-cat stuff that wouldn’t cure a flea bite but perhaps it works on others better.
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My mum has severe rheumatoid arthritis. She has had a cocktail of all sorts of different drugs over the years. You do have to keep going to the doctors to try different things at different times. Some drugs work at one stage, stop working and she moves on to others.
My mum swims every day which is probably one of the best things she could have done. She cannot stand a cold pool so goes to a local hotel which keeps it warmer.
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I have had osteoarthritis for years and recently started taking a gut protector and Naproxen every day. Although I tested negative for rheumatoid arthritis my hands are still bad so I have been referred to the rheumatologist as a precaution. The X-rays showed very little wear and tear damage usually associated with osteoarthritis so something is going on with them.
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I’m on Methotrexate and it is honestly life changing. It can have vile side effects but so far I’ve not had any, it will depend on the dosage. I’m not sure how it is for Osteoarthritis, so would definitely rec. a second dr opinion and get to the bottom of it. Ibuprofen doesn’t even touch it, I’d be pestering the Doctor for a proper arthritis consultation and some better pain meds in the meantime.
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OTC Feldine P gel helps as a spot treatment. It is only a painkiller. Voltarol gel is ibuprofen so anti-inflammatory painkiller. Co-codamol is also OTC in three strengths. Boots sell codeine with ibuprofen. Anything with codeine can be addictive though. These things might not work but if he can go to the doctor and say he is taking OTC stuff daily and needs something stronger to be effective pain relief they might take him more seriously. There are lots of prescription painkillers to try he does not have to tolerate the pain for the rest of his life.
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Thank you – lots of suggestions! Hopefully enough to instil confidence that it’s worth going back to the doctor’s. Especially interested in the cycling – he used to run a lot of half marathons, and I think that a lot of older ‘athletes’ seem to transition from running to cycling. He was considering it just as a replacement for running, but it would be fab if it actually strengthened the knee.
It’s good that there are things that can be tried without going straight for knee replacement.
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