Arthritis

[John Anthony]

The usual disclaimers: Not a doctor, never played one even as a kid, although I did grow up watching Dr. Welby and Dr. Kildare

So for the last 4 or 5 years I've had arthritis in my hands, especially my left and most notably in the thumb joints. I've been on NSAIDs for that whole time and I'm not real keen on taking meds long term if it can be avoided so I talked with my doc and he suggested we try shooting up the joints with cortisone.

While my thumb was a little painful for the first day or so, after that, it's been smooth sailing. Doc tells me I should get at least several months of relief. I can dig it!!

YMMV

John

 

[sherob]

It either works or doesn't on people... I've had the mega dose shots for my back, it doesn't do anything for me Wish it did

Glad it game you some pain free living

 

[John Anthony]

Yeah, bike riding in heavy traffic and yard work are the pits. Great excuse to get out on long rides in the boondocks!

 

[Mellow]

Glad it's working for ya... Mom has had a few misc shots for knees and back and they work for her.

 

[Uncle Phil]

JOHN - If the pain is especially 'focused' in the thumb joints (feels like somebody driving a 16d mail through the base), you might look at a STT resection. It's a very painful procedure with a long recovery but it did solved my thumb problems. Basically they grind space between the joints and then tack a piece of the fat wrist tendon in between the bones. The only problem I have now is if I do a lot of work then they may get a bit sore. And ... you can't go rock climbing anymore! ;-) I've had a bunch of cortisone shots and they usually will 'cool' down the inflammation for a while. But if the root cause is not addressed, it comes back. And be careful - the cortisone makes it feel so much better that you tend to overdo things and make the end result worse. Not trying to discourage you, just BTDTGTTS! ;-)

 

[Mark]

Chris got them in her knee when she was in school... she found (like UP did) they work for a while...
Now she doesn't need them any more; but, I doubt you want to use her technique... The knee has been replaced twice...

Be good to yourself!

Mark

 

[uptoblackwood]

Great John! I'm starting to suffer a bit....not just from normal joint issues that come with age....but from years of abuse, playing woodwind instruments. I really work hard in the morning to "limber" things up. I keep anti-inflammatory meds close by...and try to stay ahead of the need.

Glad it's working for you...

Forest

 

[BigTom]

Glad it's working for you, John.

I moved way south 10 years ago, when my doc said 'nsaid'. So far I am still wiggling along with OTC meds, low humidity and high temps. My day is coming...

 

[John Anthony]

Phil,

Thanks for the tip. I'll keep that option in mind if the pain gets much worse.

John

 

[Geoff]

John..I have had arthritis in my hands and neck for years now...I take Celebrex and it partially controls it. Once in a while i take a steriod pack and it gives me relief for about 2-3 months and then the "rebound" effect takes place and we are back to square one.. I'm at the point that both my pinky fingers are almost useless and I can no longer make a fist. I blame it on 30 years in the newspaper delivery business.

After my recent accident on Jan 11th they ran a battery of tests in the ER. The doctor came in and said everything was fine except I had so much arthritis in my neck in showed up in the chest xray...Gee thanks doc!

Anyway whatever helps you is the only answer..everyone has different tolerences to steriods and NSAID's. I do recommend though you be careful taking tylenol in large amounts. I find generic ibuprofen to be the best for quick relief when it really flairs up..

This getting old is not what its cracked up to be..

 

[ST/SV]

I've had pain in my left wrist for years, finally went to and orthopedic surgeon last year hoping some small little operation could fix it. He said it is arthritis, no cartilage left in the wrist. He gave me a cortizone shot and it helped for a while. He also gave me this wrist band to imobilize it and said you need to wear it from now on. Yea right, I'm a lineman for the power co. and not quite ready to retire yet so I'm living with the pain. I'm trying to sell my Suzuki SV right now because to lean over to the bars now is painful. Went back just recently and had another cortizone shot before my son and I took our Vegas trip, 3900 miles, and this last shot didn't help as much. Dr. did mention there was an operation he could do to alleviate the pain but I would go down to 30% mobility. Arthritis sucks.

 

[John Anthony]

... This getting old is not what its cracked up to be..

True. But it's better than one of the alternatives!

John

 

[drrod]

John,
Something that you may talk to your doctor about. Synthetic "cartilage" injections. My sister-in-law had it done to her knee and it did wonders. Here is a link relating to it.
Rod

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000801/565.html

 

[John Anthony]

Rod,

Interesting article. Thanks for sharing.

John

 

[ohiodon]

I understand your concern over the nsaids and the cortisone/ prednisone,long term use. But the bottom line is you keep doing whatever it takes to keep you going to do the things you love most.I've had rhuematoid arthritis for 17 yrs now and I have my up's and downs, but the bottom line is to keep going, because just giving up and stopping is even worse.D.

 

[Uncle Phil]

JOHN - The main reason I went with the surgery was I was losing nerve feelings in my hands. My other option was for them to fuse the wrists which meant my days of riding were over since my wrists would no longer bend. It would have definitely solved the pain, but to me the cure was worse than the disease. When my orthopedic did it, it was a 'experimental' at the time and he and one other surgeon were the only ones doing it. But I now seldom take any nsaids at all so my stomach and system likes that a lot better. I am keeping my eye open on the injected cartilage since I have a knee that the doc says needs replacing. It's past the point where Synvisc (joint lubricant from chicken parts) and cortisone do any good. I asked him why he couldn't just put a grease fitting in it so I could fill 'er up when things got bad, but he just smiled ... ;-)

 

[slammr]

Quit drinking coffee. I did and noticed marked improvement with less early morning and lingering stiffness and less lethargic feeling. All in my head? Maybe, but it doesn't hurt to try it. Allow at least two weeks off the stuff. If you don't feel any better you can go back to your Java routine.

 

[John Anthony]

... I asked him why he couldn't just put a grease fitting in it so I could fill 'er up when things got bad, but he just smiled ... ;-)

See, now that makes perfect sense to me.

John

 

[moosulkwanman]

there is new research that arthritis is actually caused by a pathogen

mycoplasma

very small, hard to see even with electron microscrope

they eat cartlidge/connective tissue, often attack spinal discs,

small enough to pass through the pores of latex

there are many strains, and many illnesses are now being linked to them

there is a test for them

treatment is currently limited to a long term use of doxycycline, which prevents their replication, and your own immunity system then has the chance to reduce the population....

not many people, or doctors either, know about them

I have a friend that was having severe problems with "arthritis" (a catch all term for joint pain) but he learned about mycoplasma, did the doxycycline treatment, and is now rid of joint pain and the other associated ailments...(exhaustion, digestive disorders, headaches)

 

[Capt_Gruuvy]

I have a Prescription Card from the Rasta Doctor for my pain meds.

That seems to be the very best solution I have come up with for the pain in my hips and hands. I looked at the NSAIDS and decided on the smoke instead. The others seem to have some harsh side effects that I would prefer not to deal with.