Meds to help OA pain

[JDQuinn75]

I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in 2015. At the time it was just in my hands, feet and Shoulders. But now I’ve got it in my spine , knees and possibly in my right hip. As far as pain goes I’m constantly having pain in my spine mostly and feet as well. Has anyone found a medication that helps with OA symptoms. The middle part of my spine hurts like hell at times. Two years ago I was told the OA has started in the cervical part of my spine. I fear what this will have done to me by the time I’m 50. Can’t seem to get my gp to help me or recommend anything for me. Any suggestions?

[Hidden]

Turmeric and black pepper capsules work for me. (don't use if you take blood thinners)

It works for other people that i know too. You can buy them on amazon.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Oldschool01, no I’m not on blood thinner. I’m wondering if I should ask to go back to a rheumatologist but haven’t asked my gp if I should or not.

[Hidden in reply to JDQuinn75]

It's up to you but I'm not sure the rhumatogist can help with pain, can they?

Try the turmeric and black pepper capsules.

[SecondLife]

think I would agree with the turmeric and black pepper route, I was given Hydroxychloroquine which gave some slight relief however following my last meeting where they said they were going to arrange for steroid injections into the worst areas I started the turmeric routine. For me it has given a great deal of relief so much so that I have cancelled my injection appointment for the time being. It has only been 3 months so of course your body may become used to something you take but at the moment (apart from the weather) I am coping reasonably well

[Batty1]

Who diagnoised you with OA ? If it was GP they should definatley send you to Rheumotologist it seems your OA is spreading and fairly fast which makes me wonder if you might have some other type of arthritis in combination of OA (this is possible). I have OA and Psoriatic Arthritis and thyroid disease as far as meds go cymbalta worked very well but caused my TSH to go into negative territory and celebrex to me was a glorified asprin did not work and then they have cortisone injection and my best pain helper is Excedrine Extra Strength (don't take at bed time) and Voltran cream (liquid asprin)apply to affect areas might help. I love turmeric w/black pepper this does good for me but I found I must take it everyday.

Theraworx makes and Arthritis liquid (buy in drug store) this work surprisingly well.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Batty1]

I went to a rheumatologist in June of 2015. My previous gp sent me there to see what form of arthritis was starting in my hands and feet at the time. I haven’t been back to one since July of 2015. With the way mine is spreading I’ve always thought I probably had a second form of arthritis. They ruled out RA at the time. So if it isn’t just OA Batty1 I’m wondering what else I might could me. It’s started in my spine rather quickly and I fear that with it in my spine now on what it will do to me. It’s already getting very painful in my spinal area.

[Batty1 in reply to JDQuinn75]

Maybe your having reactive arthritis it's hard to really say but a Rheumotologist should be able to sort it out.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Batty1]

I’m not really sure Batty1. But the times I’ve mentioned to my gp about new aches that I’m noticing he hasn’t done anything to help them. He hasn’t brought up me going back to a rheumatologist at all. I was in his office last month. My last appointment with him for the year. Last new symptom I’ve noticed is puffiness on the tops of both of my feet. Especially if I’ve had shoes on all day they are very puffy after I take my shoes and socks off. About the only shoes that don’t make them that way are my moccasin slippers . Sad to say but it’s the truth. Plus the get red on the tops of both my feet as well. I’m wondering if that puffiness is from my OA or something else is causing it. If so what?

[Batty1 in reply to JDQuinn75]

It’s terrible to pay for expertise and get nothing in return. I would find a new doctor but it took me over a year to get psoriatic arthritis diagnosis even though I had severe psoriasis for 45 of 49yrs.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Batty1]

Batty1, I’m thinking about starting to ware my moccasins to work for awhile. My feet were killing me today and I had Skechers on. I’ll probably do that tomorrow to see if I notice a difference or not. Actually quite a few at work ware there moccasin slippers to work where I am on the cooler months anyway. So maybe I need to do the same for awhile. What ya think?

[Batty1 in reply to JDQuinn75]

Only thing you can do is try it just be sure to bring another pair of shoes just in case it doesnt.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Batty1]

Batty I’m on a hard tile floor and on my feet 8 hrs a day. This time of the year is the worst for me. Like I said in my previous post that I had Skechers on today, and even those weren’t comfortable for me. I usually don’t put my shoes in going to ware for the day on til I get in the parking lot at work. Most of the time anymore I’ll drive there with my moccasins on do to the fact they keep my feet so comfortable and I don’t really wanna come out of them. The only time I don’t drive to my work with them on is if it’s a morning that it’s raining. But tomorrow I’m very tempted to keep them on and not change out of them. It was low 30’s here this morning so they kept my feet very toasty this morning til I changed out of them. I discovered men’s ugg moccasins a few years ago. Not only are they a very comfortable moccasin slippers but very stylish as well. They can actually be used as a casual day at work if need be. So I’m probably going to be changing up things for tomorrow’s footwear tomorrow while I’m at the office. Just trying to keep myself comfortable that’s all.

[Batty1 in reply to JDQuinn75]

Your GP should send you for MRI on your feet to rule out stress fractures since your on your feet all day and on hard surfaces to boot. I say this ONLY because at one time I was a avid runner and one of my feet hurt constantly my GP would do x-rays repeatly and everytime nothing until 8 months later I threw a fit and she did MRI she found out that all my pains were from tiny cracks in my foot near the ball/toe area (stress fracture) xrays will NOT show stress fractures.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Batty1]

Batty1 I do have arthritis in both my feet . My right foot can be very painful at times. I’ve had to pull out my crutches I have and get around on those at days at a time. I do feel it in my right foot the most. Both in the arch of my foot and on the top as well. It makes me think if it’s arthritis in the mid foot area of my foot that I’m feeling. I haven’t had an X-ray done on my foot to see what’s causing my pain in my foot. I just nurse it most of the time and if I feel I need to get around on my crutches to keep weight off of it for awhile then that what I’ll do most of the time . Even though doing that does hinder me having to do that when I do. Luckily it’s not to often that I have to use those when it gets bad . But now that cooler temps are back it’s starting to act up some again. O the joys of getting older.

[Batty1 in reply to JDQuinn75]

If cooler temps are a problem for your feet have you ever gone into a outdoor sporting goods store and look at the heated boot inserts they have ?

I would still want my feet x-rayed to see whats going on and pain on top of foot I had this two yrs ago it was extensor tendonitis another PSA nightmare.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Batty1]

I may ask for a referral from my general practitioner. Because again today I was very uncomfortable after being on my feet all day today. I tried a different pair of shoes today. They weren’t my moccasins like I had mentioned yesterday. So I’m guessing tomorrow with me not having a full day I’ll probably go on and keep my moccasin slippers on for the time I’m there. They are the Olsen ugg style . So if I go through and do that for tomorrow they will not hopefully make my feet feel better but keep them warm as well.

[Raelouise in reply to JDQuinn75]

Have thought about orthopaedic inner soles for your work shoes?

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Raelouise]

Raelouise, I haven’t considered that do to the fact that my right foot I’m starting to notice that it’s getting more painful than I was earlier this year. Especially in the mid foot area of my foot. That whole top part of my foot hurts like hell at times. Those day I have to pull out my crutches I have for a few days til the pain gets so I can put weight back on it again. I’ve had to get around on my crutches before for as long as three weeks to a month til it calms back down enough I can walk on it. It’s a pain having to do that but I do what has work for me. It’s just when I have to be on the crutches it limits me on what I can do including my errands away from my house.

[StayStrongOver60 in reply to JDQuinn75]

I used to have a lot of pain in my right foot after my car crash 15 years ago. A few months later under light sedation I had lots of steroid injections into my feet. Never again would I go through that pain. I literally was screaming in agony for hours afterwards. I also later got plantar fasciitis in both my feet and tried ever type of support but nothing helped. Then over 10 years ago I discovered the brand “Fitflops”. They cured all my feet problems very quickly and I’ve worn nothing else since. I have 2 pairs of boots, moccasin suede slippers, and of course lots of pairs of the original style for the summer months. They are amazing and when I have a fairly regular pedicure, a small luxury because I can’t reach my feet very easily due to mobility issues, they always comment on how I have virtually no hard skin in my feet, even though I never treat them with anything at all. The Fitflop website always has lots of offers too. May be worth a try?

[lowraind]

My pain became unbearable so I asked to see a pain management dr. He also had me see a rheumatologist:

--rheumatologist prescribed occupational therapy (for wrist pain) and had me see an orthopedic surgeon(for shoulder pain) ;

--pain management doctor gave me a shot of prednisone (in the back) which did not help back pain (in the past oral prednisone helped, but when my pcp prescribed it for me at the beginning of April, it did not help any of my pain);

--pain management dr. then prescribed novocaine injections in preparation for a spinal block, those helped, as did the spinal block that I finally had mid-Oct.;

--orthopedic surgeon prescribed physical therapy;

--rheumatologist diagnosed me with lupus and also gave an injection of prednisone for inflammation.

Four months after all this began, I am relatively pain free, as long as I continue exercises for my wrist and shoulders and sleep with a lumbar pillow (some pain on right side of lower back).

My point is, do not give up and keep searching for help.

Good luck!

[tselph]

I’m sorry this is affecting you at such a young age. I’m 63 and have been fighting OA for about15 years. I’ve been told that there’s not much they can do for OA. I’m on Celebrex. But I also take CBD oil, and other medical marijuana forms to help. I’d hate for you to resort to using narcotics for pain control. I’ve had my low back fused & my right hip replaced. So I know what you’re going through. You might consider getting your medical marijuana card & try it. There are different form of taking it, honey, oil, edibles. Just a thought for you.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to tselph]

tselph, I’m so afraid of this affecting my mobility. With this no all down my spine. I can feel it in the middle of my spine as we speak. It’s very painful at times in that area. I’ve already had mornings that I can barely get undressed and in the shower to get me ready for work. It can make me very uncomfortable at times as well. No sure what to do unless I request to go to a rheumatologist.

[tselph]

A rheumatologist only treats RA & other autoimmune diseases. They use powerful drugs, too. I know. I was treated for RA for 3 years before I found out I was misdiagnosed. I did find that the methotrexate did help my pain in my back, though. Good luck.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to tselph]

tselph I was under the impression that a rheumatologist treated any type of arthritis. Not just RA. A rheumatologist is an arthritis DR. So there for they should be able to treat any type of arthritis not just one type.

[tselph]

Ok, I wasn’t aware of that. So the rheumatologist I had that misdiagnosed me dropped me as a patient because I have OA. I often wondered that.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to tselph]

Ya a rheumatologist specializes in any type or form of arthritis. A rheumatologist website will tell you what they treat. And name off some of the types just to give you a few. A rheumatologist is an arthritis dr. They specialize in all types of arthritis not just one type.

[tselph]

Sounds like I should go back & see my rheumatologist then. But hesitant after he misdiagnosed me & was treating me for RA for 3 years when I didn’t have it. I don’t trust him anymore.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to tselph]

Go back to a different one if you can. I think I have more than one form of arthritis now. Do to how quickly it’s advanced in my spine. My spine now has it in the lower middle and the upper part of the spine. But yes I would definitely see a different Rheumatologist. Don’t go back to the one you saw before. I get the feeling they really don’t care. You’ve got to have more than just one Rheumatologist’s where you are. Asked to be referred to a different one from your gps office. Tell them you don’t want to see the one you originally saw.

[tselph]

Thanks for the tips. I have to do that.

[kohai OA Ambassador]

I hate to be the party pooper here, but this group is not medically qualified to make "any" medicinal recommendations.

A doctor will have all of their patients notes, listing allergies and things a patient is sensitive too.

Just as a doctor and pharmacist will warn 'Never share your medications with others', it is wholly unwise and unsafe to 'recommend medications for another person unless you are a licensed General Practitioner or Pharmacist'.

JP, you and I have gone over this at great length in the Arthritis forum.

I am not here to give out warnings of any kind, that is not who or what I am, or what my role here entails,

I will however state again strongly that no group within HU is here to offer medicinal advice.

You can post a particular drug you're on or that your doctor has recommended, and ask here if anyone else has experience of it,

but we're not here (by law, UK law at least) to offer "any" medical advice on medications.