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Bad knees?


beachbum53
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When I was a younger man, I could go up and down stairs with ease. Now that arthritis has set in, it kills my knees to go up and down stairs. Is there anyone here that has that same problem? If so, what OTC cream do you use to help relieve the pain? What have you had the best results with? On the ship, if I'm just going up or down a deck or two, I'd rather take the stairs than to wait on an elevator. I just can't go as fast as I used to. I refuse to let arthritis get the better of me.

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Ben Gay is great but I like it's equivalent which I facetiously call, Wally Grease. You can guess where to get it and it is much cheaper. It does get warm and it has the added benefit of making you smell like an old Geezer. But when you're hurting, who cares? I'm married but I have heard that it is 10x more potent than Chanel#5 with seniors of the opposite sex. ;)

This stuff is also great for repelling mosquitos and other bugs. Once stung though, an application will reduce the swelling and eliminate the itch in a few minutes. It is by nature an antinflammatory.

I have applied it after contact with sand fleas and having an instant and violent allergic reaction. I covered myself in Wally Grease and in ten minutes no more reaction.

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He likes Australian Dream. My mom didn't, though. She returned it for a full refund.

 

Thanks for the reply. I'd guess that Australian Dream, like any other OTC medication, works well for some people, but not everyone. I'll give it a try and hope it works. I like the fact that there's no odor, unlike BENGAY. I also like that it comes with a money back guarantee.

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  • 3 months later...

My doctor told me to start using Tumeric. I take 2 tablets daily and have found it really helps! Anti inflammatories were bothering my stomach. If you research Tumeric, you will see lots of positive feedback. I am hoping it will make me able to enjoy my Brittish Isles cruise this July!! Facing knee replacement in the future.

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  • 2 months later...

My husband and I swear by Glucasamine and Chondroitin. I started taking it 20 yrs ago while deciding when and where to have surgery on my knee and within 2 months I was cancelling all surgery plans!

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  • 1 month later...
When I was a younger man, I could go up and down stairs with ease. Now that arthritis has set in, it kills my knees to go up and down stairs. Is there anyone here that has that same problem? If so, what OTC cream do you use to help relieve the pain? What have you had the best results with? On the ship, if I'm just going up or down a deck or two, I'd rather take the stairs than to wait on an elevator. I just can't go as fast as I used to. I refuse to let arthritis get the better of me.

I've since had a complete knee replacement but before that, the best aid I had was the elastic type knee braces. They work better than one would think.

Edited by bmwsav44
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Go on-line and see if you can find some "Dr. Sloan's Liniment for Man or Beast". It comes in a bottle that has a picture of Dr. Sloan who looks like one of the Smith Brothers cough drop guys. On the front of the bottle it used to give you the amounts to use for your various ailments and on the back you can add a few tablespoons to five-gallons of water to ease the pain of your horse's fetlocks or something along those line!

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I also have had good experience with the elastic braces (I have a bad ankle, not knees). I have always found that other passengers are very nice if I'm taking stairs slowly. The ramps can also be tough on bad joints. The elastic braces seem to help reduce the need for linaments or painkillers. (You can also ask your Dr for something to take with you, if you need help with the inflammation if your knee starts to get sore from work-outs onboard.)

 

I just returned from a bus tour to Ireland, which had a LOT more walking than I expected. (I'll probably stick with cruising from now on.) A few of us ended up comparing notes on remedies for our joints LOL. There were 2 people who had knee problems. One gentleman said his first knee replacement was agony in Week #1, better in Week #2 and that he felt like new man in Week #3 of recovery. He was planning on getting his second knee replaced when he got back, and felt that he could handle the agony of Week #1 better knowing what a great result was coming. He was told that the knee replacement should last 20 years. The other individual had done his 2nd knee replacement as soon as he was healed from the first one. They both seemed very happy with that solution. Too bad they haven't come up with an ankle replacement yet!

Edited by Truluv
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  • 2 months later...

I've had both knees scoped. Basically "cleaned out". My ortho dosent want to do full replacements yet because he says I need to wait a few yrs if I can to get the full benefits. The scopes have done a lot of good however it's amazing. I do still get cortisone shots before I cruise and I wrap my knee in the elastic bandage at night. My Otho also gave me Mobic which is just an anti inflammatory on as needed basis. It is easier going up steps then down and I like taking the steps also. Good luck and enjoy your cruise.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

After getting some surgery some years back to clear out some spurs, my doc told be "You'll be back soon because you're close to bone-on-bone.". I did go back and I got three shots of Synvisc, a lubricant, which worked great. Several years later, I got a single shot of Synvisc which worked almost as well.

 

Lastly, I went to one of those knee pain clinics (Osteo Relief) and got 5 shots (a week apart) of another brand of lubricant which worked a little bit. I'm due to go back for another 5 shots in about 3 months.

 

I gave up on glucosamine/chondroiten pills after I read on WebMD & the Mayo Clinic websites that SAM-e (S-adenosylmethionine) works pretty much as well as Aleve (Naproxen Sodium). I've been taking 4x 400mg tablets a day for about a month and a half and I'm getting around pretty well with tolerable pain. I also take 1,000mcg of B12 which is suggested to be added to the SAM-e by WebMD & Mayo.

 

But I'm considering future partial replacement (MAKO robotic system surgery at St. David's Center for Joint Replacement) in the next few years.

Edited by Oak Hill Cruisers
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  • 3 weeks later...
When I was a younger man, I could go up and down stairs with ease. Now that arthritis has set in, it kills my knees to go up and down stairs. Is there anyone here that has that same problem? If so, what OTC cream do you use to help relieve the pain? What have you had the best results with? On the ship, if I'm just going up or down a deck or two, I'd rather take the stairs than to wait on an elevator. I just can't go as fast as I used to. I refuse to let arthritis get the better of me.

 

 

I have had both replacement surgery on both knees. One about 10 years ago after all kinds of pills, shots, braces and creams, all of which did not relieve the pain, until I had the surgery. The other knee I had replacement surgery on three years ago and have never looked back. I play tennis (both singles and doubles) 4 times a week with absolutely no knee pain what so ever. I don't know why I waited so long to have my first replacement done. Go for the surgery and live again.

 

 

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When my knees starting paining me, I went to the Orthopedic dr. and would get cortisone shots in them before a cruise. They really worked, until the arthritis got so bad. Then I needed knee replacements. Good luck in whatever you do.

Cortisone shots spike your blood sugar real crazy. I had 2 within 3 months of my scheduled A1C test. It went from 5.4 just above being diabetic to 9 cause for alarm.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I had a partial knee replacement after all the above too. It was done robotically and I have 100% happy!! Now I can do 50 flights of stairs in a day and walk up to 7 miles in a day. No more pain and swelling. I recovered quickly too. If you qualify for a partial with the new technology I highly recommend it. I too have arthritis. I take turmeric too and my other knee and joints respond to this. .

 

 

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