Joints aching...my hats off to you northern folks!

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I have to hand it to you guys who live the frozen sections of this country because my knees and ankles are KILLING me! They bother me all the time but I think they are giving me heck right now because the temps are getting colder. It also doesnt help that we had massive amounts of rain this past week and rain does me in too. So rain + cold = pain for me.

The ankle I got the cortisone shot in is well...shot...lol. I told my therapist how bad it was hurting today as I was limping around and she just looked at me and said...that didnt last long enough to go through that again. I said..well I suppose no, it didnt.

Im gonna have to find something else to try on the joints...besides simply heat. Ugh.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Janet, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you get yourself on a good glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM supplement ASAP.

Not only will it help your joints make more joint fluid (more lubrication) and prevent further cartilage damage, but some studies have shown that it actually helps repair cartilage to some degree.

I can't take it myself because it is made from shellfish and I am allergic, but I've seen phenomenal results in other humans as well as dogs, cats, and horses.

The other recommendation is one I'm sure you've already heard. Do what you can to get your weight down.

I'm carrying a lot of excess weight from APs and I can tell you that my weight bearing joints are complaining mightily about it.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
One other thing. Please try to get another consult with a different orthopedist. While cortisone shots are fine for acute inflammation, they absolutely destroy cartilage with long-term use.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
Janet, have you tried arava? (It is available in generic but I can't remember the name.) My mom was much like you and the arava made a HUGE difference. Doesn't help me, but it might help you.

I wish I had more suggestions. If you can exercise the joints inside somewhere it is a good idea. Doesn't have to be a swimming pool, though that has benefits if you can find a warm one.

I am sorry you are hurting.
 

klmno

Active Member
Well I don't have the health problems like that and I still ache in cold weather- I'm just not cut out for it at all. LOL! So may hats are off to you Janet and everyone living in colder areas. I sit and shiver in the house even with the heat on and wearing sweats- I guess I can't even handle a draft.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
KLMO, you are just a wimp, LoL. It's 2 below (not counting windchill), and while I am hardly running around in my bathing suit, I am quite comfy in my flannel shirt and sweatpants and sheepskin slippers
 

klmno

Active Member
Yep- I know! I visited Moscow in the middle of winter once (it was a once in a life-time opportunity while I was in college) and I'm telling you- even in a full length wool coat and one of their hats, I thought my bones would never be able to move normally again by the time I left there. I like the temp to stay between mid-50's and around 90. LOL!!

PS- I hope you have a fireplace!
 

timer lady

Queen of Hearts
Janet, work on getting your core warmth up - wear a scarf wrapped (beautifully) around your neck, turtlenecks, etc. Put on a pair of CuddleDuds with wool socks & if need be wear gloves - even in the house.

I learned this from physical therapy - it really does help your pain to stay as warm as possible. CuddleDuds are the best thing this time of year. You can wear them under your clothes & they don't show but are incredibly warm.

As you are feeling better you can remove whatever layer you need.
 

Marguerite

Active Member
See if you can get yourself some ugg boots. I don't know if you can get the non-expensive ones though. Ours in Australia are about $160 for the knee-high ones with good solid truck tyre soles. You don't have to just wear them indoors as slippers. I put scotchgard waterproofing on mine then I wear them out in the snow (if we visit the snow). No need to bother with socks or anything, unless it's really badly cold.

In Australia these are generic, there are many different companies that make them. That's why I use a lower case "u" to descibe them. I beleive some company has taken out a copyright or patent or whatever in the US, which could make them stupidly expensive for you. They did try to come after the Aussie companies selling them in Australia, but our laws had it thrown out. So you might be able to import cheaper ones form us, or you might find a cheaper generic in the US. The thing to look for - they MUST be genuine sheepskin.

Another good warmth thing - "merino mink" from NZ. It's made from feral Aussie possum fur, the only fur trade in the world ENDORSED by WWF. Aussie brushtail possums are doing a vast amount of damage in NZ, they need the trade to help kill them off. You're doing NZ a favour by providing a market for possum fur. The hair fibres are hollow so they are fabulous at holding warmth, and they're quite cheap too, for such things. It's like angora, but warmer.

As for the cortisoneshots - I really hope people are wrong about the damage - I just had my hips done and I'm praying the pain relief will work properly, and last. I can't take chondroitin, or evining primrose oil, or fish oil. Anti-inflammatories in general make me really ill.

Marg
 

trinityroyal

Well-Known Member
See if you can get yourself some ugg boots. I don't know if you can get the non-expensive ones though.

I beleive some company has taken out a copyright or patent or whatever in the US, which could make them stupidly expensive for you.

Sadly, this seems to be the case. Ugg boots are a specific brand, and cost a bomb. I looked at a short pair last winter, and they were selling for $400.

Check these out though...
http://www.sierradesigns.com/womens.footwear.php

Warm as anything, and a reasonable price too!

Janet, I also recommend the glucosamine/controitin if you can tolerate it. husband used it when he was recovering from knee surgery and I'm starting to use it now. Works wonders.

Trinity
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
GN....I just had a round of the WD40 shots in my knees. Ok...not really oil but the stuff made out of rooster combs. I have done that 3 times now. I tried that condroitin stuff years ago and didnt get any relief.
 

Josie

Active Member
I was going to suggest the glucosamine/chondroitin supplement also.

I was in a health food store last summer and they were giving free samples of it. They gave me a couple of days worth. For me, it worked that quickly and I went back and bought some more. I'm thinking they wouldn't be giving it away like that if a lot of people didn't come back to buy it.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I only get the cortisone shots maybe once or twice a year because I dont see the ortho doctor very often so I dont think that is a huge worry. He is a rare go to guy. I really want to get in with a real arthritis doctor.

I guess I will try the supplement ya'll are talking about again. One of the problems with the knees is that I really have no cartilage left at all in my knees. They scraped it all out when they did the scopes. My knees were that bad. My left knee looks like there are rocks where my kneecap should be. You can see it and feel it. Right one is slightly better but not much.
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
Janet, I know what you mean. The weather changes at times keep me literally bed or couch ridden. Right now I'm a royal mess. I hurt literally everywhere. I can't stand straight. It hurts to the point of yelping out loud to get up or to sit back down or even to reach for my tea cup. I can't think of a place other than my head that doesn't hurt, if you don't count my neck. Yuck yuck yuck!

It is currently 13 degrees below zero, with wind chill it is about 27 below zero. Unbelievable, and just the beginning to the winter season. 5 more months of this, and days of 40 and more below zero temps. I'm ready to move to a nice, dry, steady temperature desert. Arizona sounds good today!!!

Even Ugg's couldn't keep feet warm outdoors here in true winter. My feet require their out gas fireplace!
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Well its no where near as cold here as it is for you guys and I feel for you. My feet do get cold and I am getting me some good slippers that go all the way up over my feet because they are cold. My right ankle is bothering me bad now. It has just become a real problem in the last year. I have been lucky that my ankles are just now starting to go. It was only my knees, hips, ribcage, shoulders, and sometimes fingers that bothered me. Now having my ankles start is worrisome.

Good thing I have my wheelchair already!
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
I hear you. I just hired a cleaner to come out next week and scour my floors and counter tops. I mean scour. Not only can I not get back up off the floor, but my back is so fried that I can't stand up for long enough to do the dishes.

ICK!
 

mstang67chic

Going Green
GN...that sounds like my normal stay at home and don't go anywhere winter outfit. husband has some normal looking flannel shirts but the inside is lined with either the fake sheep stuff or long underwear material. I love those shirts!

Janet....I don't know what to tell you. Dress in layers if you get too cold and maybe wrap a warmed ace bandage around your knees and/or ankles.

I guess this means you won't be visiting during the winter? LOL It's going to be downright balmy today....mid 20's.
 

Marg's Man

Member
Sadly, this seems to be the case. Ugg boots are a specific brand, and cost a bomb. I looked at a short pair last winter, and they were selling for $400.

Check these out though...
http://www.sierradesigns.com/womens.footwear.php

Warm as anything, and a reasonable price too!
Trinity I just googled "ugg boots sydney" and got a huge number of hits.

With no real preference I just went to the first 'hit' I got and checked the price for the boots Marg was describing at A$175.00 (which is about US$150 or CAD$164). Add in an unreasonable freight charge (let's say $75) and you're still getting them for LOTS less than US$400.

Aussies got REALLY ticked off (I want to use stronger language but the site censor won't let me say what I really think) when that Yank company registered the trade name over there AND tried to shut down our local manufacturers who INVENTED the flaming things!

I've just checked the brand we usually buy from (for no better reason than they have an outlet in out local mall) Golden Fleece Sheepskin. They don't seem to do international orders but get around the controversy by, mostly, calling them 'sheepskin boots'. They seem to cost a bit more too, a bit over A$200.

Marg's Man

Quick PS When you mob say 10 below to describe cold, what do you mean? I'm guessing you mean 10 degrees Fahrenheit below freezing(?) ie 22 degrees Fahrenheit or do you mean -10 degrees Fahrenheit?
 
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