Question/Comment:

What About Certo and grape juice for arthritis relief???

Question/Comment:

i take Iceland Health Joint Relief for my OA. i was diagnosed a little over a year ago and struggle to lose the weight i need to lose to take pressure off my knees and ankles. they also have joint relief with sleep support. this is pharmaceutical grade OTC. there are no side effects and costs about $30.00 per month. i don't take prescription medication for OA because of side effects and costs.

Answer/Reply:

How long have you been taking the Iceland Joint Relief for OA and does it help you? I take 800 mgs. Motrin daily and Darvocet as needed if pain gets worse. Thank you.

Question/Comment:

I have been prescribed Celebrex for at least the past 3 yrs for severe osteoarthritis pain, taking the maximum dose prescribed (750mg twice a day). I developed GERD as a side effect and am taking Zegrid once/day at bed time for that problem. Thankfully, it is very effective. However, the Celebrex, being an NSAID, creates moderately severe fluid retention in my extremities as soon as hot weather starts. This year, I put on 10 pounds of excess fluid in a week, enough to give me an additional unexpected pleural effusion. I am now better, a week later. I have decreased the Celebrex by half, and increased the frequency of short-acting morphine sulfate under my doctor's supervision. There is nothing in the NSAID literature about edema as a side effect (that I could find very easily). In my case, the benefit of the Celebrex outweigh the side effect of edema. Other NSAIDs tried were not as effective in controlling the arthritis pain. Is my problem unusual? Thank you.

Answer/Reply:

Having suffered with neck/shoulder/back pain due to OA I recently found out that switching to Alleve was not a good thing because even with taking Lasix 40mg, I had a 25 pound water weight gain (285-310) in a few days. I had to go back to Xtra Strength Tylenol and Vicoden (w/acetemine). My quiery now is continued safe weight loss before surgury on my neck to replace vertebrae. My total neck is arthritic and my Dr. said I need the surgur soon, but he recommended lap band surgury first.

Answer/Reply:

Aleve caused me to have a skin disease called Lakin Planus. It was an outbreak of a red rash like substance that took weeks to clear up. I saw a dermatologist who said this rash was definitely an allergy to Aleve. Take all NSAID drugs with great precaution. Exercise so helps with osteoarthritis, especially stretches every morning and biking on a recumbrent bike. Don't fall victim to a drug cycle. Also, pressure point therapy works wonders as it is the covering over your muscles (facia) that gets iritated and with simple pressure point therapy you would be amazed at how much better you can feel. Move it or lose it!