Osteoarthritis

[lovemyaussie]

Ive recently been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my knees.

I just wondered if anyone else has been through this and has any advice eg taking supplements such as collagen, turmeric etc and any success with physio?

Its a bit of a minefield trying to figure out if anything is a real help.

Many thanks.

I've been diagnosed with osteopenia in my back,hip and ankle. I've been prescribed vit D and calcium supplements and started taken collagen. Also weight bearing exercise.

Just realised you have osteo arthritis not osteoporosis - sorry !

@TeaRoseTallulahThank you anyway!

@TeaRoseTallulah Have you found collagen makes a difference? Having read up on it I really can’t decide if it’s all a big con or not. I’m thinking of giving it a 3 month trial……

I have osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

My view is that if there was a cure your doctor would have mentioned it at your appointment.
There's big business in selling all kinds of supplements and potions to people with arthritis, because actually there isn't a cure. Someone will come along and swear by x,y or z and say they have "done research" but there is very slender evidence of benefit from these things. My mother swore by various supplements and spent a fortune on them but there was no detectable benefit. Maybe placebo.

There are things you can do though. Number one keep the joint moving, it's easy to give up when it hurts but failure to mobilise accelerates the damage. A good physio will give you exercises to strengthen around the knees.

Ultimately joint replacement surgery is very successful as long as you do the exercises (unlike my aunt who had her knee done but never did any exercise ).

Use things like diclofenac gel (brand volterol) for pain relief, it can be very helpful and is kinder to the stomach than ibuprofen.

I have Osteoarthritis in my hands/fingers and knees. Had a knee replacement last year. My feet have been really aching this past while too so think it may have started there as well. I took collegan for nearly 2 years..never honestly noticed a jot of difference.

I do take high dose Tumeric with Black Pepper, Vit-D and Vit-K. The one I do really feel that helps is Rosehip 10,000mg. Definitely try and do strengthening exercises.

I have osteoarthritis in both knees and my left hip. I think I also have it in my left hand, but that has never been confirmed. I don’t take anything for it.

I do quite a lot of exercise which has helped my knees, by strengthening the muscles around them, but hasn’t made any noticeable difference to my hip.

Thanks everyone, helpful even if a little depressing. Kind of what I suspected to be honest. However, good to hear that strengthening exercises can help.
I think I’ll save my money on the supplement front, would no doubt be better to try and stretch to mounjaro instead to help lose a bit of weight.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

I have it strangely in ankles and 1 hip and have crunchy knees but no actual pain or movement issues( I’m 63) I have found losing weight has helped and in my case a dance excercise class once a week too

I run and know a lot of runners.

When "we" get diagnosed with osteoarthritis it's heartbreaking because doctors usually tell runners it means a whole new way of life, as running and other runners often make up most of our social life.

However, I know several runners who've managed to get back to/continue running by losing some weight and doing strengthening exercises for the muscles around the affected joints.

Personally, I think NHS doctors are rubbish at keeping people active, and will often advise stopping exercise when keeping active would be much better for the patient.

I also think the NHS generally is a bit rubbish for anything musculoskeletal, so whilst I tend to agree with PP re supplements, I wouldn't say that because an NHS doctor hasn't suggested anything helpful there's nothing that can be done.

I’ve managed mine well for the last twenty years with suitable exercise in the gym and the occasional use of painkillers, but I’m now at the point where the only realistic option is knee replacements. Like others say, keeping the joints mobile is important, as is controlling weight.
I suspect that supplements are of limited or no use.

Supplements won’t take away your pain, just your money.
Neither will they prevent deterioration.
It is a degenerative disease. How fast it progresses depends on a variety of factors, none of them tumeric related.
I have advanced osteoarthritis in my hip and spine.
My main advice would be don’t take longterm naproxen and the stomach protecting antacids prescribed along with them. Too many nasty side effects.

Exactly what @isitmyturn says above. I have osteoarthritis in both hips and knees. The only thing that has worked has been replacing both hips and, so far, one knee. I also do Pilates 2 or 3 times a week to keep the muscles around the joints strong and supportive. Despite my 3 joint replacement, I don't even walk with a limp now.

Spine and both hips. A good physio kept me going for a long time, but last week had first hip replacement. Second one in a few months.

GP not much help apart from painkillers. As others said keep your weight down and the right exercise.

A friend a runner staved off surgery for a decade with the right exercise.

Only just started it,I'm a week in. I'll let you know when I look 20 and have the bone density of a teen 🤣

@TeaRoseTallulah I look forward to it!