Ginnie

I would look at your diet. Try to not eat the nightshade foods(tomatoes, potatoes, red and green peppers, eggplants, tobacco-yes you got to give up chewing that stuff LOL. I used to have arthritis so bad and celebrex was hard on my kidneys. You can try to avoid the food for 2 weeks and see if the pain is getting less and less. There will be some stiffness but better. Google the word nightshades, a lot of studies have been done.

Nina Baker

I learned of this here, on The Quilting Board, and have been using it for over a year. Two Old Goats is an all herbal lotion, made in a goats' milk base. It was developed by a fiber artist with arthritis in her hands. It is safe to use when handling fabric or thread because it does not rub off on it. I recommend it to anyone who has a pain problem, and many are really helped by it. You can find it online, there are some local distributors, or you can order it. there is now a distributing company who does not charge shipping. that's a real bargain. Price is reasonable.

sewnsewer2

I take ibprofein.

QM

Celebrex, massage. I was recently told I have "moderate" arthritis. If this is only moderate and I can't stand for more than 2 minutes, I have to feel really sorry for those who have severe arthritis.

EllieGirl

I have had two knee replacements because of arthritis. For a while I took Tramadol, but then suddenly started getting jittery like a caffeine high, so quit that. I just used arthritis strength Tylenol. I can't take anti-inflammatory meds so I was limited. I honestly think it works well. I took it 2-3 times a day. I don't do well with narcotics and four days after my knee replacements I stopped the narcotics and took arthritis strength Tylenol. I was very strict about taking it every 8 hours. I also found alternating heat and ice helped a lot, plus stretching.

I think we have to learn to manage arthritis, not let it manage us. That means being very religious about taking medications, doing exercises...yes, exercise does help arthritis, using ice, heat, massage, and learning what activities aggravate it, then avoid them.

IshtarsMom

Tramadol, Tramadol, Tramadol......take 1 Gabapentin(2 last dose before bed), 2 tramadol, and 2 tylenol 4 times a day...only thing that keeps me going. Have osteoarthritis, cervical spondylosis, back injury from falling down stairs, fibromyalgia. Rheumatologist prescribed more than ten years ago and have not had to increase the dosage...it doesn't always keep everything at bay but goes a long way. Waiting now for steroid/lidocaine injection in shoulder that will last for 2-4 years. Hope you will try it and it works for you....It's hard to have a life at all when you have to spend all your time making it from minute to minute to survive the pain. Best to you....

IshtarsMom

You do have to work your way into the higher doses of tramadol...the degree of pain also alters the effects. The pain medication works in accordance with the pain level....any left over does make you sleepy, dizzy etc. My pain level eats it up and there is none left over...tramadol is also non narcotic....the only addicition I have noticed is I'm addicted to no pain.

AllAboutScraps

I recently came across some information on Honey and Cinnamon as homepathic remedy for a lot of things....one of which is arthritis. I've only been using it for a couple days so don't know for sure if it works or not - but here it is:

"ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured.

In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week out of the 200 people so treated practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain."

It goes on to say to use honey that has not been boiled...so wild non-pasturized and caylon cinnamon. Something about the boiling kills the healing properties of the honey. I'm still researching it.

Good luck.

Patchesnposies

I agree with the poster who wrote to avoid the nightshade vegetables. I have had rheumatoid arthritis for 15 years, fibromyalgia for longer than that and have been on tons of medicines that have caused worse side effects than the RA and fibro themselves. (Methotrexate, Enbrel, Arava.....)

Two years ago I gave up grains and sugar, along with the nightshades veggies. I saw incredible improvement and lost 40 lbs......but was still not 100% healed which was my goal. I added dairy free and that was what helped me over that last hump.

I don't take any meds any more. At all. If I work too hard in the yard I might have to take some naproxen or soak in an epsom salt bath. I supplement with magnesium, vit D, co-Q, zinc and selenium and get lots of sleep. I try to keep my stressors to a minimum.

I don't eat anything processed any more. I don't necessarily eat organic since it is cost prohibitive, but I try to eat my food as close to the way God made it as possible. lol

Some famous ancient person (Aristotle? Socrates?) said that "All disease begins in the gut" and I believe it.

Everyone's body is different and we all have to find what works for us. Good Luck and God Bless you on your healing journey!

damaquilts

Yes keep trying things everyone's body is different. I take Zyflamend PM. It does help me sleep through the night and without ouchies. I have bad reactions to every single medicine I have ever taken. The only thing I am on now is a BP with a diuretic, low dosage. I tried everything else first and waited too long to go on meds and damaged my eye, I think it was so high because I was under a Lot of stress at the time. But its the only thing I take. I have to be dragged kicking and screaming to a doctor . I tend to use them for diagnoses then come home and do research.