Glucosamine and Chondroitin

T

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Do any of you use these huge pills to restore flexibility in arthritic fingers?

Do they/it work? (The same pill contains both.)

If you quit taking them, were you worse off than when you began?

My doctor tested me yesterday for shellfish allergy, and okayed my use of the pills. But she doesn't know anyone using them, so couldn't comment.

Help? I couldn't find the old thread about this, and newer info may be in from new members, too.

Oh: is it true that you can break them in half before swallowing? They're awfully big...

T-Star
P.S. Just got through to my pharmacist. He said that they can be broken in two before swallowing, and that it normally takes at least three months to see if they'll help
 
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I've been taking them for years to help my knees. They seem to work. If I stop for a couple of weeks, my knees get worse.
 
My wife uses them for her knees too. She says they work and can really tell a difference if she goes without taking them for a while.
 
As I understand it, they work for osteoarthritis; lucky me I have rheumatoid arthritis. The pain s the same, but osteo tends to be from wear and tear, and RA is an autoimune disease.
 
I've been taking them for years. I have a lot of wear in the knee joints. Seem to help. I've never suspended so I do not know what happens if I were to quit.
oldogy
 
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Like many remidies they work for some people, for others they don't. You just have to try them and see. Luckily they don't cost much. (unlike most perscription medicines)
 
Been using them for several years. About a year ago I questioned if were they helping. So I stopped for 30 days t see the result. I couldn't wait to get back on them My hand joints hurt so bad I couldn't even type on my keyboard. Look for the kind that also has MSM in it. Not sure what it does, but it helps with the pain. When I first started I couldn't hardly close my left fist in the morning. Now I am using it almost normally. Prices at Sam's are best I've seen. Wally World is close.
 
It seems that nearly all of the medical studies have been to evaluate the effect on knee arthritis rather than the hands. I've taken G/C for years because I believe it has helped my joints to be more flexible. However, it has done nothing for me in relieving pain - I take a prescription NSAID for that.
 
I tried the glucosamine but it really didn't do too much for me. I've had knee trouble and tendonitis in both shoulders. I broke one shoulder in 2002 so that didn't help.
What did help most of all was the fish oil pills. I take two in the morning and the shoulders and knees are waaay better. Some people can't take them in the morning because their burps taste like they've been licking a bait bucket, so it's a bedtime pill for them.
 
I'm active duty USAF so, whether or not i like it, running is a part of my annual physical testing. I'm also assigned to a command where we do a monthly 3-mile formation run at 9:30 pace. My knees were killing me. My AF doc put me on the Glucosamine-Chondroitin and after 3-months the pain was pretty well gone. It did help to walk a 1/2 mile first to warm up the joints. I went off the GC for a time and it was a mistake -- it's good stuff and I expect to be buying it until I die.
 
I took them for years and at first they did seem to help. I finally started wondering if all I was doing was lining someone elses pockets with money, so I stopped taking them, and after 4 months, I am not feeling any worse and my joints don't seem to be getting any stiffer. As far as I'm concerned, now I'm saving money.
 
I take the triple-strength G&C from Vitamine Shoppe. It definitely does help me with the pain & stiffness in my joints, and I can definitely tell the difference when I go off it.

So, it works for me. Whether it works for you remains to be seen.
 
My son swears by the stuff. I take it, and am not sure. Seems to work wonders on dogs (no placebo effect there). We have a 7 year old yellow lab. She had somewhat of a cronic should/joint problem. About 3 years ago, I started giving her glucosamine supplements -- she hasn't limped since -- knock on wood.

Paul
 
Sip mentioned they would "assist" him when he auditioned.
So, I'm just sayin....
 
I don't know the connection, however my mother had to give up meat to help her control her cholesterol. since then she has noticed her arthritis pain has been very mild and the swelling in her joints has subsided. she feels better that's all that matters. I'm not saying meat is the key, but maybe you could try adjusting your diet and see if anything changes. just a thought.
 
I've taken them for over 10 years. My wife started giving them to me when my back went out from getting firewood and I notice it within a month or so if I stop taking them. So I now take the combo pill daily. I've recommended it to others but do not get back positive feedback.
 
I'm especially concerned with how it might help with finger and knuckle articulation. I suspect that I have RA.

T-Star
 
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