antinflammatories

[richyb1950]

Having major issues with degenerative arthritis. Have pinched nerves in lower back and the neck.. Went thru multiple steroid shots in back that did nothing ..Finally after 10 months was put on an ant inflammatory that worked great within 3 days. (dicoflenac sodium).  Problem is it started shooting up my blood pressure quite high so had to come off it.. My questions is will all meds of this type do the same thing.

[LoveCelebrex]

Good point (about lack of evidence for solanums causing inflammations); however, no fungi (like mushrooms) are "nightshades", i.e., members of the Solanaceae family.

[jemma116]

Although you won't be able to do the same as you were younger (getting old is no fun!), you do still need to be active within your limits.  This will help to keep your muscles supple and strengthen the core muscles.  It also helps to stop seizing up completely.

I make a point of moving about in between commercials when I watch TV and move about when I am on the phone.

For your neck problem, wear a scarf to keep it warm and keep out of draughts.  Sitting in a car with all the windows open is a real killer for the neck.  A lot of people do not realise how damaging being in a through draught or having wind blow on you all the time can be.  

[richyb1950]

thanks everyone for the ideas.. I know it's a big experiment to find something that works. At the age of 63 I can look back and ask myself why did I do all that running and weight lifting to stay in shape

[jemma116]

Cherries are yummy fruit but they are very expensive even when in season.
You can purchase cherry capsules (I have not tried these yet), but some people say they do help.

I did use Rosehip capsules some years ago and did get some relief, buy stopped to the expense.  I also used Celadrin (Celaritis contains celadrin) and found some relief, but again stopped because of the expense.   There are other natural anti-inflammatory formulations available to buy, but it is a question of trial and error to find the one that suits you best.  Unfortunately, once there is severe degenerative changes in the bones, the only remedy may be surgical intervention.  

With pinched nerves that cause referred nerve pain, Amitriptyline which is an antidepressant is sometimes prescribed to relax the tense muscles to lessen the pains of pinched nerves, it also helps with sleep which is usually disturbed with for sufferers of acute and chronic pain.

You may find that gentle exercises that a physiotherapist would recommend for you to do would help to prevent further stiffness.  You may find that heat packs, massage or acupuncture may help to release the tension in the muscles which are making your pinched nerve pain worse.

As WyoSue says, all medications have the risk of causing allergic reactions or other problems, but the risks need to be weighed against the benefits.  

I had to stop taking Ibuprofen because I got severe oedema because of it.  Tramadol made me extremely ill just after taking 1 tablet.

Unfortunately, there is no magic want that will cure the chronic pain due to degenerative changes.  Do pace yourself throughout the day when you tackle jobs, move around so you do not become stiff, do gentle exercise, learn breathing and relaxation techniques, eat a healthy and well balanced diet and rest when the condition becomes acute.

Take care,
Best wishes.

[WyoSue]

Avoiding "nightshade" vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, and eggplant is controversial. There is no valid scientific research to back up claims that these foods cause inflammation. In fact, the Arthritis Foundation recommends including more vegetables in your diet to promote a healthy weight which will definitely ease arthritis symptoms. Also, there was a recent scientific study that showed that tart cherries can reduce inflammation. The study concluded that eating 45 cherries a day would have the same anti-inflammatory effect as taking a single 81-mg baby aspirin. Hmmm, 45 cherries (which costs about $5/lb) or 1 baby aspirin which costs maybe $1?
But hey, you have nothing to lose by trying dietary changes and/or restrictions to see if certain foods increase or decrease your arthritis pain.

[silverfox67]

Some natural "NSAIDs"  are Boswellia, bromelain, echinacea, ginger root, licorice root, MSM and turmeric.

     However you also need to avoid foods that cause inflammation:  potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, and eggplant.

     Hope this information was helpful.  Wishing you the best...

[WyoSue]

Yeah, that's about right. Any drug you take has risks. Doctors prescribe them if they feel the benefits outweigh the risks. Also, NSAIDS reduce blood flow to the kidneys and over time will destroy your kidneys if you don't have a stroke or heart attack first! So, you have to ask yourself:
"Hmmm, which one do I want--pain relief and a better quality of life now or a longer pain-filled life?"
It's a hard decision.

[richyb1950]

So it looks like anything you take for inflamed nerves could help the pain a lot but will probably kill you in the process Yet these drugs are approved..

[carolanivey]

If there is an NSAID that doesn't raise blood pressure to some degree, I'd dearly love to know what it is!  Years ago I tried Vioxx (the non-sulpha version of Celebrex) and wound up in the ER with dangerously high BP. Trouble is, even after I stopped Vioxx my BP never went back to normal. Now I'm on two different BP meds to control it. (Full disclosure: I also have a family history of hypertension.)

I took meloxicam for a long time because I could take it along with my BP meds, but eventually my stomach couldn't take it anymore. Thanks to Enbrel and methotrexate, I find I can get along without daily NSAIDs, but there are times I take an over-the-counter NSAID like Aleve. But even that tears up my stomach, so it's usually Tylenol for me. I take Prevacid twice daily for my stomach.

That's the h3ll of having RA - eventually you wind up taking meds to deal with the side effects of the original meds.

[WyoSue]

I took meloxicam daily for a year and noticed that it elevated my blood pressure. The trouble with these NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflmmatory) meds is that they all increase the risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events, although naproxen (Aleve) is thought to be less risky. I read that diclofenac sodium (aka Voltaren) is considered one of the most toxic NSAIDs. I have found that getting more exercise helps relieve my back and neck pain and water exercise is the best. Have you tried it? I hear tai chi is good for arthritis, too. And regular exercise should lower your blood pressure. Bonus!
Ask your doctor about other NSAIDS you could try that are less toxic and if physical therapy would help. Some insurance companies will cover the cost of a gym membership that offers Arthritis Foundation classes.
Best of luck to ya. I feel your pain.
Sue