Ostio and Rheumatoid arthritis
 

Has anyone found a medican OTC or prescription that works for both of these? Wife is suffering. Also if you have a really good doctor for these conditions that would be appreciated if she decides to change doctors.
Thanks in advance, VT

You can find many over the counter treatments for osteoarthritis such as Motrin, Aleve, aspirin, diclofenac creams, etc., etc.. There are many products that can help temporarily relieve symptoms. If you have a chronic problem you should check with your primary care physician for more extensive treatment options. Now, if you are talking about rheumatoid arthritis you have a more serious issue and need to talk, at a minimum, to your PCP and maybe then be referred to a Rheumatologist. Osteoarthritis is the pain and swelling from the normal wear and tear of our joints that most of us get as we age. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that results in much more serious consequences. That is why you may want to talk to a Rheumatologist and discuss many of the treatment options for this disease. These specialists are the doctors to talk to if you have rheumatoid arthritis.

There is the pain management side and the actual treatment side. I think you will only find pain management stuff otc. For me ibuprofen is the only drug otc that touches RA. I lived on the stuff for 15 years. You need a big dose. 800 mg 3 times a day but for me it was the difference between crawling up and down the stairs and walking
There can be bad side effects over time with that big a dose
My Villages dr was horrified at the dose I was taking and moved me to 5mg X 2 times a day of prednisone. That also seems to work but my swelling and pain are nowhere neAr as bad as when this first kicked in
Dont neglect the treatment side or your joints will continue to get eaten away. I take Methotrexate weekly and it works fine. Be aware that some treatments cost a fortune like Embril. Dont let yourself get talked into those if you can help it

Thank you all for the info and comments so far, a lot of this is what my wife has already tried or is currently doing, hoping for something she has not tried yet.

Voltarin gives me temporary relief but is not a long term solution. Still waiting for my appointment with a specialist

I’m suffering from RA, effecting my lungs and joints. Been going to Sands in Gainesville, taking Prednisone for two weeks, never felt better . You pm for more info if you need.

CBD works very well for many people with Ostio, including myself. Rheumatoid is a very different and more difficult nut to crack. A couple of close friends have been battling RA and nothing available OTC has provided relief. However, both of my friends got very good results from the prescription medication Hydoxychloroquine. The medication works slowly over time, but after a couple months both friends got significant relief. Played golf with one of them today and he shot a 73 and kicked my a$$. Wishing the best for your wife!

I do not know if this will help or not. Over the counter "schiff move free"

Voltaren can help with some of the joint pain. I wouldn't put it on the fingers though - you need to wash your hands pretty thoroughly after applying it to other parts of the body - rubbing an itch on your eye would be a pretty nasty experience if you had voltaren on your finger.

I just bought a bottle of Bigeloil, hoping it'll help my own OA pain. It's a horse liniment that is pretty popular I guess with the Senior set, made by Absorbine (remember Absorbine Jr? Same company). Ingredients are mostly menthol, with salicylic acid and methyl salicylate (both chemical components of both aspirin and of willow bark), juniper berry, thyme, rubbing alcohol, and water.

The only real treatment for my OA will be a hip replacement at this point, so pain management is the best I can hope for until then.

Dr. Catherine Sullivan, rheumatology at the Center for Advanced Healthcare at Brownwood. She’s been treating my two types of arthritis with lots of success. 352-674-8700

I have been using this for over 20 years. It works for me, and several other people I know of. It does not help everyone.

Is Pineapple Juice Good for Arthritis Pain? | Healthfully

I’ll second Catherine Sullivan

I'm so sorry your wife is suffering. I have both of those plus fibromyalgia. We're all different with our diseases so how she responds to treatments may be different than others. You said she's pursued treatments to no avail. I don't know that OTC can help much as the RX meds are supposed to slow down the progression. OTC and pain meds just cover the issues that cause the pain. One thing I found though to help my fibro. is CBD---I use both tincture and gummies at bedtime. I would say she needs to continue with a rheumatologist. IF she's unhappy then find another one. Dr. Gresh in Ocala is a good one. I see Catherine Sullivan at the Specialty Clinic but heard she's not taking new patients. Not sure if that's correct or not. Used to go to Simed but can't recommend anyone there.
Osteoarthritis comes from aging and use of the body parts. It's different than RA, which is an autoimmune disease. I can't take nsaids so my rheumatologist recommended acetametaphin. She also prescribed a muscle relaxant that I take at bedtime. If pain really hits in certain areas, a heating pad or a soak in the tub might help. I've been the route of pain specialists and won't do it again. Steroids just aren't good for your body. They thin the bones, skin tissue and veins...example with me is being poked for labs or having IV's in the hospital. My veins are hard to find now AND I "blow" the IV's so multiple tries have to happen which isn't fun. PLUS if you get the steroid shots from a pain specialist---I'm talking the kind where you have to fast and they use an x-ray machine to place the needle---these are short term fixes.

I was referred to Dr. Kennth Stark in Tavares and saw him last week for the first time. I was very happy with him and Dr. Blum and felt they were well worth the 45 min drive. They spent a lot of time with me, and explained things in a way I could understand them. They think there are a couple things going on and gave me a couple of options to ease the pain. Prednisone was one, but it whacks me out and once done with it, the pain comes back. My other option is Methotrexate, which they monitor closely with bloodwork. I think I'm going to go that route. I hope your wife gets some relief soon.

Doctors always go to drugs as a treatment, and I know arthritis is very painful, but maybe she can also try anti-inflam foods and all holistic approaches. Like others have said, I've heard CBD oil is quite effective. All the best to her.

If she has not tried turmeric, highly recommend.

Dr. Catherine Sullivan
restored my life
Referred by my Primary Care Dr.
Had to wait 2 months for appointment

My husband has been seeing Dr. Stark since 2010 and wouldn’t leave him for anything. He doesn’t accept Advantage plans. Regular Medicare pays for infusions that can only be done in a doctor’s office. Dr. Stark is very knowledgeable about these and his office does administer them. He also used to be (may still be) on the state Medicare board for rheumatology.

Arthritis doctor
 

Not many good arthritis doctors around here. I definitely recommend going to Shands. A bit of a drive but worth it.

Don't know about RA but if it's OA, take Krill Oil, it helped me a lot. I used have very stiff fingers in the morning.

Cheers!

Schiff Move Free Advanced (not the Ultra) does really work for me. Take 2 in am and 2 in pm. Starts working in about a week. Have used for years. I have tried other brands when on sale etc. always come back to Move Free Advanced (again I say not the Ultra).. I was surprised myself when it actually worked. Must take everyday, if you forget or run out for a week or so it will be like starting from scratch. I hope it works as well for you as it has for me.

OTC arthritis med
 

My OTC is Tylenol for Arthritis. Dr Gresh 352-861-0100 is the Rheumatologist I was referred to. His office is in Ocala, but well worth the drive.

It took about 2.5 - 3 years to figure out what worked for me. Presently on a combo of 2 meds that work for me. The hard part is that some meds take time to build up in your system (4 to 6 Months). It does take time to figure out.

I sent a PM.

I swear by Celebrex for Osteo

I have found some relief with tart cherry extract..Zazee found on Amazon.

I stumbled upon someone suggesting collagen and bone broth. I tried the collagen and I was shocked that it took away most of my pain. I haven't even tried the bone broth yet. I use the Orgain brand 10g per day. If I skip a day I notice the difference.

Everyone is different and different things work for each person.

I like the dietary or OTC supplement approach as it's easier than dealing with docs. I was on celebrex which didn't work well.

I like naprosyn Rx best for pain and next best is OTC naproxen (Aleve). It is better long term use than other common drugs.

A topical CBD also works wonders - Green Roads muscle & joint relief.

I think stem cell treatment is coming along in this area.

It's also possible just getting daily exercise can help. Or losing weight to take stress off your joints.

I prefer a functional doctor who doesn't push Rx meds.

Good luck!

CBD oil and tart cherry along with Naproxen

Sorry to hear about your wife, chronic illnesses are difficult for patient and doctor alike. My best advice is to see a good rheumatologist, either locally or at the university. Just as you probably chuckle at the responses to an electrical engineering question when posed on this forum, it is even worse when a medical question is asked.

So far, the suggestions have been "food and a holistic approach", CBD, pineapple juice, collagen, bone broth, tart cherry extract, turmeric, and "possible future stem cell treatments". There have been several well meaning amateurs attempting to give a didactic discourse on OA and RA. No different than past threads and just as expected. Just get to a rheumatologist and let the professionals help her.

The sad reality, we are not 20 anymore. Amusing? Ponce DeLeon discovered Florida in search of the fountain of youth. The Villages in here. With all the digging are they really building homes or searching for the fountain of youth. Imagine home values if they find it.

The best pain killers are opioids. Every drug has side effects. Opioids have as well as being habit forming, the effect diminishes and the does needs to be increased making addiction worse. Aside the same is true of Steroids.

I think it was George Burns who said if I knew I was gonna live this long I woulda taken better care of myself.

Where is that fountain of youth? I need it.

His better line was his response to the inquiry: "Mr. Burns, you drink 4 martinis and smoke 6 cigars each day, what does your doctor think about that?"

George: I don't know, he's dead :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Third.

I have osteo and sure enough as soon as I get in bed the pain starts to crank up.
OTC I use Biofreeze, none greasy, comes in a roller form. My physical therapist suggested it. I roll some on my barking ankles and shortly in LA LA land. Best of luck.

If you are looking for a great Rheumatologist, Dr. Catherine Sullivan (at Brownwood specialties) is amazing and wonderful. Phone number is 352-674-8700. Good luck.

My wife used Dololed. She got off of it to see if her Kidneys were being affected,
After review by primary doc that advised her dololed was safe she went back on it and got immediate relief. It's a marigold abstract.

Normally I think these are all a bunch of marketing crap but this really seems to work for her.

I think you have tried a lot and want something unusual but good.

I suggest items you can have shipped from Europe.

I recommend NutraLenk Gold from Iceland.

Do not be confused by products named NutriGold or NutraLenk Gold from Denmark, etc. Here is a website for NutraLenk Gold from Iceland:

NutriLenk Gold fyrir lidina 180 toflur | Lyfjaver

Google will translate this website.

They will ship here. It is about $50 for a two month supply, but the shipping charges will add quite a bit to this. Plus, the 2-3 weeks you should take 2 tablets 3 times a day, then you cut back to 2-3 tablets a day (so it costs a little more for the first 2-3 weeks.)

You must order two bottles and pay $25 shipping, so about $125 for a four month supply.

You won't feel a difference immediately, but within a month or two there is a great difference.

This worked wonders for me where nothing else did very much.

Additionally, as others have said, I strongly recommend Dr. Sullivan of the Villages Healthcare.

Finally, physical therapy implementing the right exercise program has the potential to make a huge difference. You do have to find a good physical therapist (I visited with one in Europe and so have no one to recommend here.)

The irony of it, good doctors don’t want to practice in a market where most of the patients are on Medicare, which pays low reimbursement rates. Yet, most of the arthritis doctors patients are 65 plus and on Medicare. That’s probably why there is a nationwide shortage of good rheumatologists?

I think different drugs either work for different people or harm them. My particular version of arthritis first started at age 34 when I was hospitalized with a rheumatic-like illness. In the following years it would come and go with acute episodes in the fingers but did not progress beyond the fingers. By acute, I mean red, swollen, and painful joints. In the 1990's, while taking prescribed Feldene, I suddenly contracted Ulcerative Colitis. With no family history of UC I think the use of Rx NSAIDs caused it, although the doctors more or less scoffed at the idea. However, the gastroenterologist at Baylor College of Medicine who treated me advised that I should never take OTC or prescribed NSAIDs again. Said to use Tylenol, and "just live" with the pain. I followed his advice. The acute episodes continued for the next seven or eight years, attacking one finger at a time, sometimes for as long as a year, then suddenly leaving when the damage to the joint was done.

After treatment for the initial episode of UC, I was among the lucky ones who have never had a flare-up of that disease. 25 years after the onset of UC, I cautiously tried Celebrex, which wasn't available during my active years of arthritis, and found out that it suppressed acute pain and swelling after a few days.

Just my story and no advice offered here. Just that there are many aspects related to arthritic diseases, how to diagnose and how to treat.

OA and RA are two different inflammatory diseases. The former can be thought of as "wear and tear." The latter is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakes friend from foe. The first is treated, as you know with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. The second is treated with other classes of agents. Because different agents work differently on different persons, this is not the place for that discussion.

pain relief
 

Gabapentin 800 mg 3 times a day helps me. Prescription needed.