I was diagnosed with Arthritis years ago and have had little success with homeopathic or pharmacological treatments. Over the years, I've just learned to deal with it.

Until recently. Arthritis was just the "icing on the cake' when it came to my knees. Numerous injuries, sports and car accidents, and a gunshot when I was younger to one of my knees, has left them in pretty bad shape. Since I was 35, the docs have been wanting to replace my left knee and I've been fighting it tooth and nail.

However, the pain is chronic and today, my doctor put me on Celebrex. To make matters worse, I suffer from neurological pain from my right sciatic nerve. He had me on Elavil for that, but I couldn't tolerate it.

Believe me, I've tried everything imaginable and have a horrible time tolerating medications of any sort. I was on Celebrex very, VERY briefly right before they took it off the market, so my doc back then, stopped it right away.

Is anyone on Celebrex that has trouble tolerating medications and if so, how is it working for you?

And for those not on Celebrex, what do you that brings you relief?

Yeah I know, I'm a nurse and I should know this stuff... but I'm a psychiatric nurse, I only work with the brain...

You will need a doctors prescription to get anything that will REALLY help.

I have it bad in my knee and my thumb. A great home remedy is heat up regular oatmeal and wrap it aroud the infected area, not sure why it works but it sure helps my thumb!!!!

The only thing I have found to help my Sciatica/Degererative Arthritis, is LORTAB or Percocet-N, at 1/2 the usual dose... works wonders, if you can find a Dr that will prescribe it for you.

I am living on borrowed time anyway, because of COPD, so addiction is a moot point...

my brain has atrhritis...can you help me with that?


j/k hon...I hope you find relief soon.

My doctor will not prescribe narcotics to me because I have a tendency towards dependence. We work very closely together with my treatments as I have a very addictive personality and he's very cautious with me.

I can't take either Lortab or Percocet as they contain Acetaminophen and I'm allergic to that plus, I like them way too much and it probably wouldn't take much to make an addict out of me.

Also, as a nurse, I have to take great care in what I take for pain as it cannot alter my senses. I'm on call when I'm not at work, so at any given time, I could end up at work and I must have my senses about me.

Ultimately, I will end up with the replacement, I just want to hold off as long as I can.

lol tried to give you a script for brain arthritis, but your mail filters caught me!

Glucosomine Chondroitin sulfate is the onlt known thing to work, and it only helps a little. It helps keep your cartilage healthy. You can buy it over the counter at just about any store. It's not to expensive. 20 to 30 dollars for a couple months supply. Hope that helps, take care.

Scott.

I was just mentioning the aching in my knee's to a co-worker.. they mentioned that they take Glucosimine. They said it works wonders, it's over the counter. I'm going to give it a try.

I was diagnosed with arthritis roughly eight months ago. However, it is probable that I have had it since my early 20s. Certainly, it would explain the chronic pain I was in back then.

Medications? As you say you have an intolerance for them, so to do I. I don't touch them, not for any reason, because of how some medications interact in my intestine. I have had inflamed joints to the point that I can barely walk. This past week in particular has been extreme, and I have a mandatory 20-block walk for groceries every two days and no one other than myself to do it. Sometimes I get out of bed and can barely put any weight on my left ankle. However, the pain of arthritis---my arthritis---is inconsequential compared to the bloating, near-rupturing pain I am susceptable when certain foods and most medications are being broken down in my intestine.

So in a word, it would have to get incredibly bad for me to resort to the use of medication.

Blaze, sounds like it's more than just an intolerance to medication, almost sounds as if you have a mile to moderate case of diverticulitis.

Glucosimine Chondroitin works for many people, unfortunately, after six months on it, for me... nothing. I do recommend it to my patients though, especially those with addiction issues.

I am looking at an injection called SynVisc, which is a synthetic synovial fluid (the fluid in your joints) that has had great results.

I'm allergic to cortisone, so that's not an option for me. I'll have insurance in a month so I'm looking at that in an effort to give my knee a little more time. Fortunately, my doctor is treating me strictly for the sciatica, so the arthritis doesn't show up as a pre-existing.

I was diagnosed with arthritis in my knees a long time ago and have been on a low dose of celebrex all this time, it works for me.. we had a track coach, about your age, that had bad knees..They didn't want to do the replacements because of his age.. Got to where he couldn't walk so they did it anyway and he is doing great!! Wished they had done it long before.. He has no problems.. My mom had both knees replaced and got along great, she was older... Good luck what ever you decide..

hi
I'm a pharmacy technician, and I have arthritis in my shoulder. I need arthroscopic surgery ... I told the docs that a year-and-a-half ago and now they agree....I can't wait!! As for your meds, speak with a pharmacist often - don't bother with docs - they don't know much about meds - have too many other things to know. I started taking Tylenol Arthritis and it is the only thing that helps a little. I've tried everything - it is unresponsive - tried meds, physio, massage, sports med. docs, mri, ultrasound, cortisone twice....so now I get surgery. Ask a pharmacist about Tylenol arthritis....since the cortisone didn't work, I put my "balance bracelet" back on - had it from a MVA - seems to work. If you can't take tylenol, see about going to a orthopaedic surgeon. good luck

I am on Naproxen and can tell the difference if I don't take it. A Friend of Mine has bad Arthritis and recently got put on some Med He takes with an Epie Pen like applicator. It's working wonders for Him. it used to take Him an Hour of Pain every Morning to get up and motivated, now He takes an injection every other week and is a lot better. I have camped, hunted, and fished with Him ( maybe had a beer or two also ) so i have seen it first hand and know it's not just wanting to lay around and not go to work. I will try to find it out and mail you.

Actually, a doctor diagnosed me with irritable bowel syndrome. It's an innocent enough sounding illness, but different than diverticulitis. There is no right or left quadrant pain, but rather the whole abdomen just cramps after certain meals and exposure to certain chemicals. Just this relentless contraction in the stomach muscles, and/or a feeling of building gas nearly to the point of rupture.

Thankfully, it's under control compared to my nightmarish adolescence and teenage years.

Celebrex worked for me and it didn't tear up my stomach like the other anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen did.

There is an herbal out there called "phenocaine" -it can be bought at health stores, about $20 a bottle. It works for lots of people but not everyone, is something of an herbal version of the COX2 inhibitor (which is what Celebrex is) but it apparently is easier on the body in the long run. A doctor I work for has been putting his patients on it and it is working for most of them. Some don't notice any difference, but some have had amazing results with it.

As far as knee replacements, I know a lot of people who have had them and they say they regret waiting so long to have them because they felt so much better afterwards.

Synvisc is chicken cartilage and I have heard of people having the injections but don't know anyone personally, have heard it is a series of 3 injections, but that is all I have heard about it.

Hope whatever you decide, it helps you feel better.

I have Psoriatic Arthritis, but i dont take anything for it at the moment. They gave me Methotrexate, which is likely to give you Liver damage if you drink above a certain level of alcohol. Which i do, so i stopped taking it.

I just put up with it for now, but i must try get on a different drug.

I have arthritis in both of my ankles. I do not take prescriptions when I can help it. I trust in the herb, and every once in awhile, I may take an Aleve, but not very often at all. A bottle will last me like 6-7 months.

i have a friend that uses Celebrex and it hurts him terribly when he forgets to take it

my self i have degenerative joint disease and they had me on naproxin till my insurance quit covering it

then they switched it to nabumetone

these are used as anti-inflammatory medications and they work well

i was on celebrex for a short time about 6 years ago give or take and it really did not do much good in my case

i can understand you issues and hope you can come to terms with the conditions that are hindering you

may much good come to you and yours