Glucosamine

[daisyd]

My joint pains have been really bad and getting worse I have been taking codeine and paracetamol, I can’t take any ibruprofen or other similar drugs as I am on warfarin, I was finding it difficult even to move at all, I have started to take glucosamine hoping it will help, just wondering if anyone else takes this and how long it takes to work

[Hidden]

Hiya daisyd,

You may wish to consider the following about the use of glucosiamine. It is an extract of a report. Says it all really !

John

Potential glucosamine-warfarin interaction resulting in increased international normalized ratio: case report and review of the literature and MedWatch database

We describe a 71-year-old man who had received warfarin 7.5 mg/day for 5 years for atrial fibrillation, which had maintained his international normalized ratio (INR) within a narrow range of 2.5-3.2. During this 5-year period, he had also been treating himself with the supplement glucosamine hydrochloride 500 mg-chondroitin sulfate 400 mg twice/day for arthritis. The patient then increased his dosage of glucosamine to 1500 mg and chondroitin to 1200 mg twice/day; his INR previous to this change was 2.3. Approximately 3 weeks later, his INR increased to 3.9. His supplement dosage was reduced to glucosamine 750 mg-chondroitin 600 mg/day; a repeat INR done 16 days later was 4.7. The supplement was then stopped, and his warfarin schedule was changed to 7.5 mg every other day alternating with 3.75 mg every other day. Sixteen days later, his INR was 2.6. This case report suggests that a potential interaction exists between warfarin and glucosamine that is associated with an increase in the INR. We therefore performed a pharmacovigilance survey of spontaneously reported adverse events in warfarin-treated patients concomitantly exposed to glucosamine, glucosamine-chondroitin sulfate, or chondroitin sulfate and present a literature review of this apparent drug-drug interaction. Using the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) MedWatch database, 20 reports of glucosamine or glucosamine-chondroitin sulfate use with warfarin associated with altered coagulation (manifested by increased INR, or increased bleeding or bruising) were identified. In some cases, a decrease in the supplement dosage was followed by a return of the INR to the previous therapeutic range. Similarly, a decrease in warfarin dosage was followed by a decrease in INR in one patient who received long-term warfarin therapy. One report described an intraventricular bleed and subdural hematoma, which resulted in a persistent vegetative state. The World Health Organization (WHO) adverse drug reactions database documented 21 spontaneous reports of increased INR associated with glucosamine use, 17 of which resolved when glucosamine was stopped. We located one published case report of concomitant use of glucosamine-chondroitin sulfate potentiating the effect of warfarin. In aggregate, the reports from the FDA and WHO, the published case report, and our case report suggest that the use of warfarin and glucosamine may lead to an increased INR. Patients should be advised that the use of the two products may cause an increase in INR, and they should inform their health care provider if they consume glucosamine. More information is necessary to define this interaction.

[daisyd in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much for your reply, I had asked about glucosamine about a year ago and was told from a well known pharmacy that I shouldn’t take it.now, I can hardly walk so i asked again and was told it would be ok but check with my haematologist first, so I did they are keeping an eye on my inr, I also have a inr self test machine so being really careful and taking 500mgs twice a day

[Hidden in reply to daisyd]

I do sympathise with you. I am on Warfarin too and have my own device like you and so I take great comfort for this because I really can control my own destiny. Far be it for me to comment but I am probably getting close to the stage where I will do something like you are suggesting because my device will have to do all the analytical work and flag up when my INR is outta range et al. At the moment I am on Cocodomol 30/500 for arthritic shoulder joint pain.

John

[DorsetLady]

Might be worth trying flexiseq gel -non drug -but it depends how bad your arthritis is. If you have got to the stage of bone on bone it may not work. Quite expensive but very often on offer - with Superdrug at the moment-

flexiseq.com

Or try Pernation green lipped mussel extract gel - pernaton.co.uk

Online -Amazon or H&B

[daisyd in reply to DorsetLady]

My pain seems to be everywhere now mainly my rt knee which they won’t operate on because of blood clots feel like an old lady and I am only 64

[DorsetLady in reply to daisyd]

If you have pain everywhere, are you sure it’s only OA and not something else as well. Sorry to hear you can’t get operation on knee.

[daisyd in reply to DorsetLady]

To be honest I am a bit nervous to ask, I have to have some blood tests soon so perhaps I will find out

[DorsetLady in reply to daisyd]

Let us know please.

[piglette]

I have been taking glucosamine for years. You should not take it if you are on anticoagulants like warfarin. One time I bought some tablets from eBay and I suddenly had pain so they were probably a scam lot. It does show they help though. I should say they did not stop me needing two new hips!

[daisyd]

I will keep that in mind thank you

[CDPO16]

My husband stopped taking it years ago after his GP said that taking glucosamine is a waste of time and that there is no evidence that it has any beneficial effects.

[daisyd]

Ok thanks I think I will give it a few more weeks and see

[Charlie123123]

Hi i have been taking it for years now, along with tumeric and ginger. I have thought somtimes - this isnt working for me anymore!! But believe me i know its working when i stop taking it for a few days or so. Hope this helps.

[bowler21]

Hi, I had my joints scraped some years back and the consultant advised me to try industrial strength glucosamine. He said it works for some so try it for six months. I did and felt no improvement. I'm on apixaban now rather than warfarin, after a pulmonary embolism left me hospitalised for a while. No more surgery as clotting risk is too high. So I just knuckle down with the pain killers.😟

[Yasmee]

Hi glucosamine didn't work for me bit turmeric with black pepper did .check the amount of turmeric I. Differebt brands the higher the better.