BS: My new friend Arthur Itis

Subject: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 23 May 03 - 12:22 PM

The good newsfrom the xray is that it's not torn cartilege or a broken bone that never healed properly. The bad news is that my aching knee, which has bothered me on and off for the past few years, has the official diagnosis of arthritis! The only lore I know is "use it or lose it"- so I plan to go on morris dancing, contra dancing, walking up and down the hills of my village, occasionally hiking- but what can I do to relieve the pain, besides Ibuprofen?

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 May 03 - 12:49 PM

Acupuncture AND Zheng Gui Shui. This stuff is incredible! I recommend getting a bottle of Absorbine Jr., with the rub-on applicator top, empty it and wash it out thoroughtly, then fill it with this stuff and use as needed. Be careful not to put anything tight or binding on it and if you use any kind of heat on it be very careful as your skin may burn more easily.

Also, topical arnica can be helpful.

They told me I had this when I was 17 and had me on all kinds of drugs for years, progressing from aspirin to prescriptions. I finally had had it and looked into other treatments, etc. I haven't taken any drugs for it in years AND found out some of it is not even arthritis, but was a side effect of a diuretic I was on!! So...be sure of the diagnosis, too.:-)

Keep moving, yes!!

Susan S. Weed's book, Menopausal Years, the Wise Woman Way: Alternative Approaches for Women 30-90 says these can be helpful:

Visualise your aching joints getting hotter and hotter, to the point where you can't bear it, then imagine them getting colder, and colder. Do this 4 times, ending at a temperature which feels just right.

For knees, hips, shoulders and elbows, find a hatha yoga teacher and attend class regularly.

Expose your knee to light shining through a blue filter 15 minutes per day.

Hypericum - St. John's wort may be helpful.

White birch is recommended, as well as black currant; swimming in warm water; moxibustion, esp. using artemesia; massage arnica or st john's wort oil into the area, or apply a fresh chickweed poultice.

Also, take essential fatty acids from flax seed or evening primrose oil. (I take flax seed oil capsules.)

Cold veggies are great to releive pain, try a poultice of tofu, raw grated potato, or squash.

Ginger baths, soaks, and compresses will sooth, as will sweat lodges, saunas, steam baths, mud baths, and mineral soaks.

Also, she says some women report dramatic improvement when they eliminate any or all of these foods: sugar, nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers) citrus, dairy products, meat, vegetable oils (excluding olive oil), MSG, and alcohol.

She's got a bit more on making tinctures of anti-inflammatory herbs. If you are interested, let me know, and I will post them, too.

luvyakat

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: Áine
Date: 23 May 03 - 12:56 PM

Ah darlin', welcome to the 'oh my achin' (fill in appropriate body part here)' gang! Although your new friend may be a 'pain', the good news is there are several pharmaceutical and/or alternative methods for getting him off your knee.

kat's recommendations are excellent, and she knows whereof she speaks. I've been able to keep off the pain meds with an occasional dose of Naproxin (sp?), which is an anti-inflammatory. Usually, I only need to take one pill in the morning for a pain-free day.

And keep singing and spreading the music, darlin', that'll keep you going, for sure!! ;-)

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 23 May 03 - 01:28 PM

Prescription wise, Vioxx works wonderfully,but is expensive. Nice damp warm towels put across the knee works well.

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 23 May 03 - 01:43 PM

Try glucosamine sulfate. It works miracles for some people and does nothing for others. For both of us it has kept our guitar playing fingers moving for several years.

If you do try it, shop around as prices vary widely.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 May 03 - 02:10 PM

Tai Chi in the Water (Carol Argo video), other water-based, self-administered therapies. Build flexibility and muscle strength without hurting it, make it a regular exercise program.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: JennyO
Date: 23 May 03 - 02:12 PM

A friend of mine swears by Celebrex.

Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: GUEST
Date: 23 May 03 - 02:15 PM

thats what my grampa takes for his leg....he broke that falling off a horse years ago when he was out hunting....

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: Mark Clark
Date: 23 May 03 - 02:57 PM

I'm sure sorry to hear that Arthur has come to stay at your place.

Arthur comes in two forms, osteo and rheumatoid. Mine is RA, mostly in wrists so far and complicated by osteonecrosis of the lunate—one of the carpals.

Celebrex worked well for me but you have to have frequent blood work-ups to check for liver damage. I've now been taken off Celebrex. Just as well, if I wasn't insured it would run $250/mo. in the U.S. Cheaper sources are available in Canada. With insurance it's still $60/mo. here.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: DougR
Date: 23 May 03 - 03:26 PM

Get it replaced. My wife said the smartest thing she ever did was to have knee replacement.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: nutty
Date: 23 May 03 - 04:03 PM

Whatever painkillers you take ...... I'm on Diclofenac ......... remember that they take time to get into the system.

I also found I need more at night as I stiffen up while asleep and have difficulty getting my joints moving in the morning.

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: Áine
Date: 23 May 03 - 04:14 PM

And if you don't already to this, start doing some mild yoga exercises. Great stress reliever, and it's a wonderful low stress way to 'warm up' in the morning.

I got a beginner's yoga videotape on the recommendation of my physical therapist after my back surgery, and I memorized the exercises quickly. Most of the beginner exercises are easily modified to whatever your knee will let you do.

Take care and keep singing, Áine

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 23 May 03 - 05:44 PM

Thanks so much, everyone!
I have been wanting to get back into yoga- I was quite a practitioner, at one point. I put it off when the knee got bad lest I do some damage. Now I really should get out the mat and tapes again (and clear a space on the rug!)
I don't think I need anything heavy-duty yet, neither meds nor surgery- my mom just got her knee replaced and agrees with your wife, Doug- but just wanted to plumb the Wisdom of the 'Cat since I knew that there would be much to learn from y'all!
Kat, thanks for tellimg me about Zheng Gui Shui. I have a friend who owns a health food store- I'll ask her about it.
And thanks to all of you for the support!

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: gnu
Date: 23 May 03 - 05:47 PM

I had my first knee drain 23 years ago. I've never let them put me under the knife or on drugs. Of course, I use two hands on the tea cup near the keyboard. Aspirin as required and exercise. If I get my hands on that SOB Art, I'm going to kill him slooooooooow.

I'm often asked how I play the Hran with Art holding me back. Well, that's medication of a different sort... milk and whiskey. The milk gives the muscles the calcium they need to perform and the whiskey gives the mind the courage it needs to send Art packing for a few hours. Of course, aspirin is still needed, but not necessarily on Art's behalf.

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 May 03 - 06:02 PM

That's the spirit, gnu!!

Animaterra, you're welcome, darlin', but most health food stores don't carry it, from what I've found. You're better off checking with a martial arts place or ordering it from that outfit. They are fast and always get the order right. I had them send some to my dad for his knee. He said the smell took him back to childhood and horse liniment!**bg** They may tell you you get the same from Tiger Balm or one of those more common in health food stores, but this does something more and different. The name translates to something like "middle bone water" meaning it goes deeper into the bones, not just muscles, and an acupuncturist told me it has been used to heal broken bones, fwiw.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: MAG
Date: 23 May 03 - 09:01 PM

I'm violently allergic to naprosin, so if you try that, watch out for side effects. I was on prescription strength, but wouldn't touch it in any form, now.

I've decided arthroscopy is a scam. If your doc wants to get inside your knee just to look, do a lot of homework first. I didn't even begin to feel better after until I got gel injections.

They tell you to hold off on knee replacement because the surgery goes through periodic breakthroughs. They could be injecting cultured shots of your own cartilege within a generation.

The best advice I got was, non weight bearing exercise that works your knees and keeps body fluids pumping through them, such as a reclining bike. Water walking too, (swimming is unfortunately out) but is more trouble to get to.

Good luck. Is a drag, but you see you have lots of great company.

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: Mudlark
Date: 24 May 03 - 02:26 AM

Sorry to hear you've met this evil doer's acquaintance. I'm on intimate terms myself. Unfortunately, Kat's Jheng Gui Shui didn't help me...I got mine from the local accupuncturist. I've tried everything from accupuncture to essential oils in a conserted effort to avoid hip replacement, but so far the only thing which has proved dratmatically helpful is a liquid solution of glucosamine/chondroitin/msm taken 3xday. It took about a month but definite improvement after that. Unfortunately, it also activated Dupuytrens Disease in my left hand (screws up tendons), so had to discontinue.

I can't take any of the newer, expensive analgesics, but get by on 400-800 mg of Advil a day, and find that more effective and a heck of a lot cheaper. Also, an OTC product is available is UK (also available on Web) called NurofenPlus which contains 200 mg ibuprofen plus about 10 mg of codeine. This works great for times when extra short term pain relief is needed...doesnt last as long as Advil but it goes into action much more quickly...and is not enough codeine to activate such common side effects as drowsiness and constipation, at least in me, and I'm very drug sensitive. Used sparingly it has been a very helpful addition.

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 24 May 03 - 05:35 AM

Yes it's hooray for Glucosamine Sulphate in this house, it's really helped me, just one tab. a day. I have Art in my hips, and the advice from my doc. was exercise is good, but it should be low impact, i.e walking good, jumping bad.
Stay loose.....Giok

Subject: LYR ADD: All Kinds of Trouble
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 24 May 03 - 11:31 AM

This thread reminded me of a song:

ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE


Well, I went to the doctor, doctor looked sad
Well, he looked in his book and he told me what I had
And it's all kinds of trouble
Gonna find you somehow.

Arthritis is the thing to miss
It'll leave you walkin' with a double twist
And it's all kinds of trouble
Gonna find you somehow

Doctor, doctor, doctor, get your x-ray machine
Well, it feels so good, just about like morphine
And it's all kinds of trouble
Gonna find you somehow

Ya cain't stand up, cain't lay down
Cain't sit in a chair, ya cain't roll on the ground
And it's all kinds of trouble
Gonna find you somehow

When you get to Heaven, tell the Judge for me
I've had sixteen years of the third degree
And it's all kinds of trouble
Gonna find you somehow

Arthritis is the thing to miss
It'll leave you walkin' with a double twist
And it's all kinds of trouble
Gonna find you somehow

From singing of Ramblin' Jack Elliott

DRO

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: DougR
Date: 24 May 03 - 12:19 PM

Mudlark: my wife said the second smartest thing she ever did was to get her hip replaced. Why bear the pain when you can just get a new one?

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: Mudlark
Date: 24 May 03 - 07:58 PM

Doug...thanks for the input. My own 2nd hand experience is 100% get pain relief, but only about 50% get back anything like real mobility (as in walking for pleasure and exercise a couple of miles a day). What was your wife's experience re mobility?

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: DougR
Date: 25 May 03 - 12:47 AM

My wife had a terrible time with this disease for at least twenty years. She was a brave soul though, and seldom complained. Ultimately, it was complications from it that caused her death almost four years ago.

When she had her knee, and her hip replaced, it was like she was born anew. No pain, no limitation on walking, both operations were a Godsend. Long story, and I won't go into it here, but she, as far as we can tell, had a broken hip for twenty-four months before it was discovered. She had a high tolerance for pain evidently and even the doctors were amazed that she bore the pain. Incidentially, at the time her knee was replaced, we are fairly sure the hip was broken.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: My new friend Arthur Itis
From: Mudlark
Date: 25 May 03 - 06:10 PM

Good grief...and I thot I was good at handling pain! Very reassuring to her she regained mobility. Thx.