Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?

Subject: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Marion
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 03:31 PM

Hello all. I have had tendinitis pain in my wrists and hands for the last four months (computing all day, fiddling all night...). Recently a cashier in a health food store saw my brace and said that I should start taking glucosamine sulfate, and that it was excellent for tendinitis as well as arthritis. I've seen one other non-professional recommendation to take it.

However, in my reading and web searches all that I can find about glucosamine sulfate talks about osteoarthritis and osteoarthritis only.

Can anyone add a vote as to whether or not it would help with tendinitis?

Thanks.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Durham Lad
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 03:48 PM

Glucosamine should certainly help with the tendonitis. It is a substance naturally occuring in the body and may help in production of synovial fluid.

I'm not a Doctor so note the usual disclaimers.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Allan C.
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 03:51 PM

Take a look here.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Brendy
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 03:55 PM

Never heard of that one, Marion, however, as a guitar player myself who has on 2 seperate occasions broken both sets of finger bones and been told by doctors that my guitar playing days were over (what do they know anyway?), I find that whenever my "limbs" get a little weary, I use a couple of ointments that a homoeopath friend of mine in Ireland (also a guitarist) recommended.

Arnica and Comphrey ointments tend to reduce the tightness felt when such an attack occurs. Basically they are anti-shock treatments, and work equally well with bruises and swelling. Comphery ointment is principally a bone treatment, whereas Arnica has helped me, and others like me deal with that nightmare when my fingers develop their own special brand of stagefright.

As an aside to that, having spent many years in smokey bars and singing like it was going out of fashion (I still do, God help me), what gets my voice back in shape again after inhaling too long and too often, is a nice little gargle of tea-tree oil. Don't swallow this stuff, use it like a mouthwash kind of thing. The taste of it leaves a lot to be desired, but you'll appreciate the difference in the morning. About 2 - 3 drops into a half glass of water before going to bed, or before you go on stage, if things are that bad.

The Arnica, though is worth trying out. Don't expect things to right themselves overnight, though. Use the treatment as an ongoing thing; as my homoeopath mate told me "If it took you this long to get sick, it'll take a wee bit of time to get better. And I'm still fingerpicking reels and jigs.

All the best

Breandán

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Brendy
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 03:57 PM

PS I'm not a doctor neither!

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Bill Cameron
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 04:16 PM

I've been taking the glucosamine stuff myself for a few weeks now, due to a major messup of my left arm which is combined shoulder and elbow damage (not fom playing, it was yanking too hard on a chainsaw pullcord.)

My better half who is in fact a health food store promotions manager told me to take it as a general "thickener" for the fluids surrounding all those ball-and-socket joints that start screwing up when you're my age (43). And my hospital physiotherapist said it was very popular and quite possibly effective.

Its worth a try say I--not a doctor either--whats a couple more large pills a day? But a quick fix its not.

Good luck with it.

Bill

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 04:43 PM

I've been told that Glucosamine Sulfate works on the cartilege - didn't know it worked on the synovial fluid (present in joints.) I don't know if it would work for tendinitis, but if something doesn't cost a pile or isn't harmful - what the heck. If it is going to do some good, it may take a couple of months before you notice it.

There's a lot of "over the counter" stuff available that has had no testing done on it. This means 1)it might work or it might not, 2) it might be harmful or it might not - pick one from 1) and one from 2). I don't know if there have been any studies on GS. (I'd love to know if there have been.)

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Metchosin
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 04:56 PM

Another glucosamine sulphate testimonial here. I have been taking 1500 mgs. of glucosamine sulphate daily since the fall of 1996. I started using it in preparation for for a 75 Km backpacking trip on the West Coast Trail, here in B.C. I ran the idea past my doctor prior to using it and was told to go ahead, couldn't hurt. I had been suffering fom aching joints and stiffness particularly in my hands and hips for a couple of years or so, which I just chalked up to getting "old". The dam stuff worked for me. Its the only supplement that I have ever taken where I noticed a very noticeable effect. You have to take it for a month or so before it kicks in but perservere, its worth it. In the first week of taking it I was told to double the daily dose to 3000mg per day, which I did. Some health food stores recommend that you get the mix with Condriton, but I've never used it because I got good results with the straight Glucosamine. Oh yeah, and I successfully hiked The Trail with my daughter in the summer of 1997.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: John Wood
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 06:24 PM

I started taking Glucosamine Sulphate(500mg.daily)at the beginning of August.
I have had a long history of rheumatic aches and pains....``Golfers and tennis´´albue(Same time and same arm!).......Carpal tunnel problems(both wrists operated).
Around Febuary I heard about a very interesting``alternative medicine´´woman.
I took a consultation without telling her what was wrong with me.She managed to find out what was wrong and more as well!
I was put on a very``clean´´diet,plus various minerals,vitamins and homeopath medicine.
After holding this cure 100% for three months I was to controll....much better, another 6weeks and I was declared heathy!!
Only one B-effect that I've noticed......I lost 13Kg.!!
The only thing I take now is E-vitamin(4oo iu),Lecithin 520mg and the GLUCOSAMINE SULPHATE 500mg.
On the box it says``GLU. plays an important role in the maintainance of joint cartilage´´
That's about all.I can't really say if it makes a BIG differance.....haven't been taking it that long.
Hey!I'm starting to feel pretty great anyway!

Greetings John.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 06:46 PM

From Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James F. Balch, M.D. and Phylis A. Balch, C.N.C.:

"This is one of a number of substances classified as an amino sugar. Unlike other forms of sugar in the body, amino sugars are components of carbohydrates that are incoporated in the structure of body tissues, rather than being used as a source of energy. Glucosamine is thus involved in the formation of the nails, tendons, skin, eyes, bones, ligaments, and heart valves. It also plays a role in the mucous secretions of the digestive, respiratory, and urinary tracts.

"Glucosamine is made in the body from the simple carbohydrate glucose and the amino acid glutamine. It is also available as a supplement, in the form of glucosamine sulfate...which can be helpful for asthma, bursitis, candidiasis, food allergies, osteoporosis, respiratory allergies, tendinitis vaginitis, and various skin problems."

Metchosin is right. To work, you have to take it over a good period of time and give it a chance to build up in your body. For anyone who wnats a celebrity endorsement, Rog saw an interview of, I think, it was Donald Sutherland, who said he'd been stoved up with arthritis pretty badly for a number of years, until he started on this. Now says he is fine and very mobile.

I was taking it and did notice some improvement, but rna out and other things took precendence. Now that I know it helps the old heart valve, I'll have to start up again and be consistent.

kat

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: ddw
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 07:12 PM

An unqualified yes, yes, yes. I'm not a doctor either, but the one I go to on a regular basis is a firm believer in it. He discovered its effects first on his show horses, began cautiously OKing it for his human patients, and found so many found it wonderful that he now recommends it for anyone with arthritis, tendonitis, etc.

He also recommends taking it in conjunction with condroiton sulfate, which not only lubricates joints, it actually rebuilds cartilage.

Now, for personal testimony:

I have pretty bad arthritis — by the time I was 35 my hands were so bad I could hardly type. Exercise helped a lot in limbering my hands, but there were still always painful. About two years ago I started with the GS and CS and now I rarely even notice a twinge.

My wife also swears it's the only thing that allows her to keep going. She was dubious about its effects and stopped for a while, but was quickly convinced it worked. She went back to the combo pills (500 mg GS/400 mg CS) three times a day and says the pain is just a fraction of what it is without the pills.

I'm not sure it's useful for everybody and all situations, but if you have even a portion of the success I've had with it, it's worth the money.

cheers

david (still moving)

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Metchosin
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 07:16 PM

Hi John, Up your dosage to 1500mgs daily, I find that if I forget and go below that dosage, I'm groaning again as I get up from sitting for long periods of time. I know the stuff is pricey (I even looked into getting it as a vetrenarian supply as they also use it to treat horses and its just as expensive there) but the higher dosage works.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: WyoWoman
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 12:44 AM

I've been taking it for several weeks and hadn't noticed any difference at all. However, I think I'm taking a relatively low dose (too lazy to get up and go check the cabinet, but I'll check when I've signed off). Maybe I'll increase the mgs and see if it matters.

Anyway, Marian, there was a thread some time back about tendinitis (I haven't figured out the blue clicky thing or I'd do a link for you), and if you want to read more comments from the Mudcateers on various ways we've dealt with that you might do a search of the Forum.

WW

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 12:56 AM

I'd forgotten about those threads, WW. here is a link to the one which dealt with Cortisone for tendonitis.

And, here is a recent one for Help for tendonitis (hope this one works)

kat

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: John Wood
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 03:50 PM

Thanks for the advice Metchosin.
Shows how much I follow....I took the time to read the VERY small print on the bottle(with my glasses on)and it recomended taking 500mg THREE times daily.
According to my fingers that adds up to 1500mg!
Thanks again.
Greetings John

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Fortunato
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 04:02 PM

Seems to help with my knees. 1500mg a day six week trial the med journals say. It can't hurt you, and I believe it helps. Also weight lifting has cured my "guitar players shoulder" tendonitis. I recommend resistance training, aerobic exercise and good hydration in addition to Glucosamine sulfate for overall fitness and well being and increased musicality! Fortunato

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Fortunato
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 04:02 PM

Seems to help with my knees. 1500mg a day six week trial the med journals say. It can't hurt you, and I believe it helps. Also weight lifting has cured my "guitar players shoulder" tendonitis. I recommend resistance training, aerobic exercise and good hydration in addition to Glucosamine sulfate for overall fitness and well being and increased musicality! Fortunato

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Fortunato
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 04:03 PM

Seems to help with my knees. 1500mg a day six week trial the med journals say. It can't hurt you, and I believe it helps. Also weight lifting has cured my "guitar players shoulder" tendonitis. I recommend resistance training, aerobic exercise and good hydration in addition to Glucosamine sulfate for overall fitness and well being and increased musicality! Fortunato

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Fortunato
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 04:03 PM

Seems to help with my knees. 1500mg a day six week trial the med journals say. It can't hurt you, and I believe it helps. Also weight lifting has cured my "guitar players shoulder" tendonitis. I recommend resistance training, aerobic exercise and good hydration in addition to Glucosamine sulfate for overall fitness and well-being and increased musicality! Fortunato

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Fortunato
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 04:09 PM

It sure seems to help with my knees. 1500mg a day six week trialthe med journals say. It can't hurt you, and I believe it helps.
Also weight lifting has cured my "guitar players shoulder" tendonitis.
I recommend resistance training, aerobic exercise and good hydration in addition to Glucosamine sulfate for overall fitness and well-being and increased musicality! Fortunato

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Fortunato
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 04:18 PM

Sorry about that, I couldn't tell it went until the last.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Metchosin
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 04:20 PM

I have a friend, classical pianist and voice teacher, and she was the one who turned me on to it. She thought her arthritus was going to end her vocation before she started taking it. She' still churning out fodder for the Met and painlessly too. She also takes more than 1500 mg daily.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: BK
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 11:26 PM

DO NOT take the vitamin E MIXED tocopherols. Last meeting I went to reported multiple studies showing d-alpha, not mixed is the one for benefit. The health food types always pushed "mixed" as part of the never-ending mantra abt the "natural" ways. There are significantly reduced cardiovascular death rates with only 400 iu daily of the d-alpha, so now they're only using only d-alpha. Research has firmly shown higher cardiovascular death w/the other tocopherol, so the long stridently-espoused darling "mixed tocopherols" falls off the bandwagon.

There are also higher death rates in people taking beta carotene supplements, even though research clearly has shown more problems in people w/low levels in the blood of beta carotene.. go figure.. It ain't that simple. Also reports suggesting potential toxicity asociated with really high doses of E.. Don't know what tocopherols these were related to.

If anybody thinks what you buy in the mall from these stores is natural, I've got some great land in florida to sell you. Many modern medicines come from folk medicine sources, aspirin is a simple example, as are the life-saving cardiac glycosides, so "folk" medicine is not to be ridiculed or ignored, but also not to be taken carelessly.. Off soapbox..

Cheers, BK

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Nov 99 - 12:21 AM

Thanks, BK, always good to hear what you think of all these, with your profession and all!

kat

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Metchosin
Date: 11 Nov 99 - 12:26 AM

Is Glucosamine sulphate a tocopherol?

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Marion
Date: 12 Nov 99 - 02:01 PM

Thank you very much to all who answered. I am starting on glucosamine sulfate, as well as a number of other strategies (material, physical, and spiritual). I won't know which one or ones did the job, but I won't care.

Marion

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Jim Martin
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 10:35 PM

Marion - did you have any success?

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 08:29 AM

I have been taking 2000mg of glucosamine daily for over four months for osteoarthritis and it hasn't made the slightest difference. In fact, the stiffness in my back is getting worse.   I bought about a year's supply when I found it on special offer, thinking I would give it a real chance to work. I'll keep going, but I'm pretty sure I've been conned. If I start to get better I'll come here and eat my words, but pigs might fly too.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: mattkeen
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 08:38 AM

I took it for 6 months - didn't help what is essential "rust" caused by RSI.

Had greater joy changing the way I sat and played the guitar - also played softer and that helped.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 09:03 AM

I found that it is most beneficial in a liquid form.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: mike gouthro
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 01:32 PM

I used 6 capsules a day for a few years then stopped two years ago. I noticed no positive effects when I started and during the years of use. I noticed no negative effects when I stopped. For me it was nothing more than a failed placebo. I have yet to figure why it took me years to get to that conclusion instead of weeks.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 01:37 PM

I find it helpful.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 01:40 PM

Marion hasn't been around for a while. I wonder how she's doing.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 03:59 PM

When I began taking liquid glucosamine complex several years ago, I noticed a very marked improvement in the flexibility and comfort of my artritic fingers.

That doesn't mean it'll work for other people, and especially where other body-parts are the problem.

After a reprieve of several years after starting the glucosamine, my fingers have recently become stiffer and more painful, despite continued use. When I started skipping doses (out of disgust and loss of faith), my condition really worsened. Back to taking the stuff, and increasing the dose, the pain has abated to a manageable level ~ but I am no longer as completely "cured" as I was for a decade or so.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 10:32 AM

Even if it was only a placebo effect the Glocosamine worked for me, a rather quickly.

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: mattkeen
Date: 20 Feb 08 - 06:59 AM

I think placebo effects are the best kind of medecine - its brilliant really

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 20 Feb 08 - 12:54 PM

The problem with the placebo effect is that it ONLY works if you DON'T KNOW it's the placebo effect. Not too brill after all...

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Feb 08 - 07:12 AM

The received wisdom is that it's supposed to take months to kick in. Very crafty. By then you're in the habit, and what's more you don't know whether it really hasn't worked or whether the fact that you're no better means that the glucosamine has stopped you from deteriorating. Of course, the only way to find out is to stop taking it. But then you're scared that it'll take months to kick in again if you resume, and you'll have wasted all that precious time suffering unnecessarily. The whole setup discourages you from experimenting. Like I said, a big con, and not a cheap one at that. Or am I just too suspicious?

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 21 Feb 08 - 11:51 AM

Steve,

I understand, and had the same doubts myself before buying and starting to take liquid glucosamine complex a few years ago. It is a bit of a gamble, and it will take longer than one would prefer to evaluate any results.

My arthritic condition is in my fingers, specifically in the top knuckles, worst in the left hand. Directly affects my abilty to play my guitar (and very likely was caused, or at least aggrevated, by long hours of playing in my younger years).

All I can say is that I experienced positive results within less than a month, immediately cut the dosage down to "maintenance" level, and then had 5-6 pain-free years. More recently (after turning sixty, coincidentally or not), my symptoms returnde and began to worsen.

I quit taking the glucosamine (out of anger & disgust, pretty much), the symptoms worsened seriously, and I quickly resumed taking my daily dose. It helped. I am no longer completely pain-free and flexible, but the condition is bearable and manageable with the gluco, and now I know that I would feel much worse without it.

My internet/mail-order source provides the stuff for a little less than $1/day. A bottle that lasts 30 days costs just under $30, or you can buy three at a time for about $75. If you're interested, Google "Syn-Flex."

Subject: RE: Glucosamine sulfate for tendinitis?
From: robomatic
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 06:58 AM

I've had instances of tendenitis in the past which were alleviated by a two week course of a strong anti-inflammatory called "feldene" which in the US needs to be prescribed. I believe it is related to aspirin but different. I had no side effects and was able to discontinue use, but I've been on it about four times in twenty years.