Does anyone use glucosamine chrondtin...

[butterfly77]

Tell me has it worked for you and any effects you have noticed.

[MrBenchley]

1. It seems to ease joint pain somewhat

and make movement easier......

[Proud_Democratt]

2. Yes...it works for me.

It takes a couple of weeks to start taking notice. It does help with joints.

[The Deacon]

4. Yep

Kicks in after a few weeks. Scientific evidence is sketchy at the moment - though the few studies done have promising results. Haven't seen ANYTHING to suggest it could be harmful in recommended doses. It didn't get me back out on the ski slopes, but I do feel a reduction in pain & increase in mobility (and I can do light hiking again.) And it beats living on a diet of Advil, Tylenol & asprin.

[sugargoose]

3. I take it twice per day

I started on diclofenac for arthritis but added the glucosamine chondroitin a few months later. It has made a huge difference. I have not noticed any adverse side effects.

[napi21]

5. I don't know if means anything to you, but

I bought it for my little dog. She's 17 years old, and last year she was really having a difficult time getting up after she had been laying down for a while, and also had trouble walking more than the length of our driveway. I bought the glucosamine chrondtin they sell for humans, mainly because it was a lot less expensive than the SAME THING they sell for pets.

It took several days to notice a divverence, but it definately helps her. I realize you aren't like a dog, but I related the story because the one thing you can say is that with my Buffy, you know the result was real becaue dogs don't just imagine it helped like people sometimes can.

[MindPilot]

12. I give to my dog too

He's an 11-year-old Belgian Sheppard. It helps a lot; I back it up with some aspirin on his really bad days. We tried Rymadil but that was a clear case of the cure being worse than the disease.

[MADem]

13. I used it on my old dogs too, and it did work

And like you, I used the human stuff. Major improvement in their quality of life and ability to move without pain. One old girl would actually whimper in the wet weather, and after that stuff kicked in, she was much more comfortable, way more frisky, and used her heated bed less!

[tatertop]

6. I think Certo and grape juice works better

Try this:

http://arthritis.about.com/od/certo/index_a.htm

[MADem]

14. I thought I read somewhere that cherries/cherry juice helped also nt

[butterfly77]

19. Thanks ! I just threw away 5 boxes of certo because

i thought they were expired, I wish I had known this earlier.

[Lerkfish]

7. my wife takes it and swears it helps her knees.

she's over 40 and has a lot of joint pain. She takes it every night and can tell a difference.
More flexibility, less pain.

[Nictuku]

8. I'm only 44

And my doctor told me the pain I was describing in my hands (near where the thumb joins), is typical of beginning signs of arthritis. Sometimes my hands just throbbed with the pain, and I'd end up taking lots of ibuprofen for relief. The doctor said there was nothing that can be done about it.

Then my friend told me about glucosamine chrondtin and I got some at Trader Joes. And it works! No more pain. I notice it if I forget to take it the joints start to pop and crackle a lot, which is a good reminder to take it before the pain resurfaces.

I'd swear by it.

[Warpy]

10. If you're having the same kind of pain in BOTH hands

you need to be screened for rheumatoid arthtitis. Osteoarthritis isn't intense, throbbing pain bilaterally. It's a sharp pain or grinding feeling in a joint during use.

The screen for rheumatoid arthiritis is a panel of blood work, not a big deal. The good news is that there IS a lot that can be done for it beyond pain pills.

You also need a new doc. This one doesn't know his ass from his elbow.

[Nictuku]

11. That is the impression I get

... about my doctor. He seems mostly useless.

I'm just not really into going to doctors much.

His only saving grace is that he gives me the ibuprofen script I need (I suffer from pretty bad montly cramps), and it costs less this way through my insurance than buying over the counter.

[Warpy]

9. It didn't do a thing for me, but I don't have that kind of arthritis.

I thought it was worth a trial, anyway.

I know people who DO have that kind of arthritis (osteoarthritis, wear and tear arthritis) who swear by it and say it's made a big difference.

I generally recommend a trial of it, 6 weeks to see whether or not function improves. My rheumatologist says the same. Some don't.

Studies are inconclusive, and the effect may rely on age among other factors.

As always, talk to your doc and make sure you've got osteoarthritis instead of one of its nasty cousins. Those cousins require different treatment.

[Rainbowreflect]

15. Arthritis runs in my family and a few years ago

I started to notice when I was beading my fingers & wrists became very sore. I started taking glucosamine and notice a big change in about 2 months. I still take it every day and have not had any negative side effects.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

16. I took it for 2 months

Until my supply ran out. I wish I could afford to stay on it, but things are just too tight right now.

It helped alot more than I thought it would. I've had 'bad knees' since I was 12, and they have slowly gotten worse as I've gotten older.

Those pills made my knees feel 20 again. :)

[Thirtieschild]

17. It probably works up to the point of no return

I've taken it for several years, but think I started it too late. Have had knee/leg pain for eight years, cope with bone on bone at the outside of edge of the knee, am scheduled for a knee replacement June 6. I'm not a happy camper - dread the operation and the recovery, but can't get much exercise the way things are. Walking for over a block or two is awful. Doesn't hurt at all as long as I don't use it. We just got back from two weeks in Dallas and Atlanta, and DH had to push me through the Atlanta airport in a wheelchair. Sigh.

Still take the glucosomine/chondroitin (sp??), hoping it will help my back.

[roguevalley]

18. I take three once a day. the doctor told me to take it together as it

is more effective. my knees have stopped hurting. I love it.

[tibbir]

20. I can only afford to take it twice a day

but it helps a lot with my knees.