I’ve tried Celebrex and others that now are off the market, but they didn’t help. I use Naproxin, that keeps it tolerable. I’ve thought about Omega 3. Help?? I’m only 49 years old! I have osteoarthritis.

I have severe arthritis in both knees & back, I can’t exercise like normal people that can jump around & walk & run. I have to use a walker or wheel chair, when I walk I can walk for just a few steps & have to sit down again the pain is so bad. I take celebrex for it every day. I heard pools are a good way to get exercise but there its out of the question as I am on a limited budget & the pool fees cost way too much, any suggestions on how I can exercise every day & try to keep fit like I used to be? I would appriciate any suggestions.

I have osteoarthritis in the left hip due to hip displaysia. I’m only 37. My dr says that I just need to basically manage the pain and put off hip replacement for as long as possible. I am very active. I work out (limited due to the arthritis), do yoga and am looking for relief other than the celebrex. Has acupuncture worked for anyone? I’m also looking into some supplements.
What is the bonus question?

I have been taking a coctail of Methotrexate (weekly), Celebrex 200mg daily and Prednisone (recently reduced to every other day) for the past 2+ years for Psoriatic Arthritis. I have blood work done every few months. All of my scores are in the normal range except Abs Lymphocyte, which has been trending lower and is now down to 1.1 (x10E9/L) where 1.5 is considered low. Should I be concerned about this trend and level? If so, any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Read this whole thing before you get judgmental about weaning.

I have psoriatic arthritis, a genetic autoimmune disease which attacks all of my joints. I feel like I’m 90 sometimes even though I am just 24. I am breastfeeding my son who will be 11 months old on Monday. I can take one of my arthritis medications while I am breastfeeding, but not the other. This is my problem.

I can take my Enbrel, but it is an autoimmune suppressant, which means I can’t take it if I get sick because it could cause a serious infection and possibly kill me. I cannot take my celebrex, which is an NSAID pain reliever which is what I used to take for my achy days and every day when I was sick so I wasn’t in pain. Celebrex passes into the breast milk and it isn’t good for babies and their livers.

I haven’t taken celebrex since I found out I was pregnant almost 2 years ago now. My fingers just don’t work any more (you wouldn’t believe me if I told you how long it took me to type this). When I get sick, I can’t take anything for the pain except ibuprofen in moderation and that doesn’t cut it. My son is walking now and I can’t run around with him very much even when I can take my enbrel because I just get so achy during this time of year. I want to breastfeed till about one year, but I need to wean by then because my son deserves a healthy (relatively) mommy who can play with him and run with him. I am a stay at home mom and he spends most of his time just me so it isn’t like he gets to run around and play at daycare or anything. I’m all he has. I need useful advice on weaning him.

He does take a sippy cup of water (or juice at grandma’s house) during meal times, but he won’t take a bottle. I’ve tried a couple different kinds of formula as well as breast milk and he doesn’t seem to like it. I don’t mind weaning him from the breast to the bottle if that is what it takes. We can work on that habit after I’m feeling better. He eats lots of solids, all three meals and sometimes a snack or two. He does take a pacifier. He doesn’t nurse to sleep. He nurses at bed time and then takes the pacifier and rocks to sleep.

Please give me some advice on weaning him and don’t tell me how magical breast milk is and how a child should self wean and how I should go through all the pain in the world to give my son the mystical powers of breast milk. Yeah, studies suggest that breastfed babies are smarter and healthier and have better eye sight, but walk into a classroom in any high school and point out the kids that were breastfed and which weren’t. I bet you can’t do it because the numbers in favor of breastfeeding are so slight and skewed by family income level (which is a more accurate predictor of future success unfortunately). I was breastfed and have a serious medical condition, but my best friend was formula fed and is in perfect health. Go figure. Don’t lecture me on breastfeeding please. I know the facts and I made my choice. Thank you.

I’m having a hard time with my ankles more than my knees. They don’t bother me unless I’m on my feet too long, then I can hardly stand; and the pain is pretty bad. What are you doing for yourself? I was taking Celebrex, but stopped because it got too expensive; now I’m taking Aleve but I think my body has become immune too it. I can’t afford to go to a doctor and I have no health insurance. Any suggestions?

After fracturing several vertebrae and a rib, developing arthritis and degenerative disc disease as well, I’ve been through countless MD’s (orthopedists, neurologists, urologists, rheumatologists, etc). I’ve tried chiropractors, physiatrists, physical therapy, TENS, facet joint injections, and RF rhizotomy, without achieving any relief. I’ve used every anti-inflammatory med in the book, and worked my way through pain management programs to the point where they’re pumping me full of oxycontin. The drug, which pharmacists are reluctant to stock, barely addresses the pain and cause a range of unwelcome side effects. I’d just as soon ditch it if I can find something that works. Earlier this year I went through a trial for a morphine pump, at my doctors recommendation, but again, the side effects were monstrous, and I vetoed the idea of committing to a lifetime of drug dependence with a hockey puck sized lump in my belly that would require an abdominal injection of meds every 6-8 weeks.

My pain management MD is referring me to another Doc thursday. Any suggestions as to what I might ask him to consider as an alternative treatment? (alternative as in so far unexplored; I have no faith in herbal remedies, aromatherapy and the like). Don’t know what to do at this point; both the pain and the side effects are unbearable.
I’ve tried accupuncture and Celebrex (as well as a dozen different new and old NSAIDS) without any benefit.

The side effects of the oxycontin include a general mental cloudiness, which I could overcome, but also a common side effect, which is profuce sweating. I can’t sleep through a night without changing my clothes twice since I’m drenched with sweat. I know this is a also an effect of withdrawal, but it happens whether I take my regular dose on a regular basis or try to go without.

I’ve had RA since birth, Its been affecting my eyes lately (Uveitis) as of now its under control but I’m on methotrexate, celebrex, humira. We really want to start a family…but when I tried to get off my meds I got a flare up in my eye…does anyone have any alterior suggestions on how to keep RA under control?

The man had a commuted left patella fracture and supposedly he developed patellofemoral arthritis secondary to this injury. The doctor claims that he has chronic pain syndrome from it and prescribed him Percocet and Oxycontin. Is this proper? Aren’t Percocet and Oxycontin too strong for arthritis of the knee? Would not Celebrex suffice?

FOR ARTHRITIS IN A 96 YRS OLD GAL–Is it okay to take 200mg of Celebrex in the evening with 500mg of Tylenol during the day? Is Aleve more effective? Any other helpful suggestions for extremely painful hand arthritis?