Anyone here have Arthritis?

A couple of years ago an orthopedist told me I have arthritis in my hip, neck and back. Well it all hurts now (alot). My question is what kind of doctor do I see about this. I didn't like him, he was just plain nasty and in a hurry. Do I see another orthopedist or a rhumetologist?
Also if anyone knows of any foods or vitamins I can take to improve the situation in the meantime I will be grateful for any advice given here.
Thanks in advance.

I'm sorry to hear the orthopedist was rude. I don't know what type of doctor you should see.

What kind of arthritis? Rheumatoid or osteo? If osteo, I just see my regular dr. and she prescribed Motrin. It is an antiinflamatory, but I don't think it is as strong as a med directly for arthritis. I don't think I would take anything stronger. Nasty side effects.

Either way, I would start with your own general doctor.

I just went to a regular doc as well, prescription was Motrin, and it didnt work any better than the generic ibuprofen that I was getting from Walmart, and was 10 times the price. I use a combination of ibuprofen, methocarbamal (muscle relaxant) with aspirin on an alternating basis. I do find that Joint M-D helps a lot, MSM and the other supplements you are supposed to take with it do not help. Just remember, when you start looking at OTC supplements, everyone reacts differently to things, and what works for me may not work for you.

I am sorry I don't have any knowledge about your condition. I do hope however that you find a dr. you like and can trust. Maybe then you will get some treatment that will provide relief.

I've been suffering from osteo-arthritis since I was in my twenties.

I take prescription strength ibuprofen 600 mg, as needed, though usually twice a day. Sometimes I try to skip the morning dose, though my doc tells me I need to take it regularly for full benefit.

Cherriesis the best "natural" anti-inflammatory I have found, and it has really really helped me. One serving of cherries a day. It doesn't matter what kind of cherries, or how they are processed. Just...one serving of cherries a day, every day.

I know the cherries are working for me, because I noticed a difference about 2 weeks after starting eating them every day, and if I run out, in about a 6 days the bad pain starts back up. (I have pain all the time, it's all a matter of degree)

I also take a glucosamine, chondroitin,MSN supplement daily. Again, I know it is helping me, because if I run out, in two weeks time I am again hobbling and moaning about pain.

I also have Fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel issues. The pain from these is not touched by the glucosamine etc and cherries, unfortunately.

But the cherries have been a real help for my knee, hip, fingers and feet (where the arthritis hangs out.)

Originally Posted by otto

I've been suffering from osteo-arthritis since I was in my twenties.



Cherriesis the best "natural" anti-inflammatory I have found, and it has really really helped me. One serving of cherries a day. It doesn't matter what kind of cherries, or how they are processed. Just...one serving of cherries a day, every day.

I know the cherries are working for me, because I noticed a difference about 2 weeks after starting eating them every day, and if I run out, in about a 6 days the bad pain starts back up. (I have pain all the time, it's all a matter of degree)

Click to expand...

WEll, THAT explains why I feel better during cherry season. Note to self - buy tinned cherries!!! and frozen ones!!!

Originally Posted by sk_pacer

WEll, THAT explains why I feel better during cherry season. Note to self - buy tinned cherries!!! and frozen ones!!!

Click to expand...

Yes, exactly! I wish I could find frozen ones around here. The dried ones are delicious but of course sugar added.

I've found some canned that do not have sugar added, but they aren't very nice eating, mushy, you know, so I can only choke them down by adding them to my morning high protein probiotic shake I've created for myself.

Frozen ones would be great, then I could just eat them, or throw them in my cereal.

I would recommend a Naturepath or oriental medicine dr... an acupuncturist may also help...


I have a few different kinds of Arthritis( there are something like 300 kinds( osteo is a common misdiagnosis as it is a "old" age or a Worn out type( folks under 40 not likely unless they were Pro athletes).. A rhuemetologist is a good MD to see as they know more about many of them than a typical Md .. They often also handle Fibromyalgia ( mine diagnosed mine many years back....

I use many things to control pain ... My pain comes from the above and a immune disorder ... so far for pain acupuncture helps me the most

I've had it in my knees for years now. I take gluco supplements on a regular basis and ibupropen (3 tablets are 6oo mg and cheaper than a prescription) when it flares up. My husband also has it in his knees and swears by a tablespoon of olive oil every day.

The last time I went to a doctor about it (my regular doctor referred me to a joint specialist), he claims to treat it in 4 stages: 1) lose weight and specific exercises to strengthen the muscles around the joint to reduce the strain on the joint. 2) anti-inflamatories like ibupropen 3) steroid shots into the joint 4) knee replacement surgery.

I've not had to go past the second stage thus far and hope it doesn't get so bad that I need shots or surgery.

Originally Posted by otto

Cherriesis the best "natural" anti-inflammatory I have found, and it has really really helped me. One serving of cherries a day. It doesn't matter what kind of cherries, or how they are processed. Just...one serving of cherries a day, every day.

Click to expand...

I have been told by the doctor that I have some arthritis in my hands. Lately, I've been having a lot of stiffness and pain in my back, hips, knees, upper arms, hands, and feet especially when I work hard. I work for a nursing home so I know physical pain is part of the job, but this seems like a little too much.

I'm going to try a daily serving of cherries to see if it helps, and I'm also going back to the doctor.

Yes, exercise of the right kind is very important. When I had the broken foot last fall my hip and knee got very bad from the lack of daily walking. I was still going to the gym, but was greatly limited in what I could do.

For me prescription ibuprofen is cheaper, under my prescription insurance plan.

Sharky, that is good info about seeing a rheumotologist. I though they were just for rheumatoid arthritis, thank you for mentioning it.

I've added it to my list of questions for my doc at my physical next month. He's been pretty good working with me with the fibromyalgia and arthritis pain, and even the hypothyroid. But he won't hesitate to send me to a specialist if he thinks it would help me. (I just hate the co pays for specialist, they are very high )

Originally Posted by otto

Yes, exactly! I wish I could find frozen ones around here. The dried ones are delicious but of course sugar added.

I've found some canned that do not have sugar added, but they aren't very nice eating, mushy, you know, so I can only choke them down by adding them to my morning high protein probiotic shake I've created for myself.

Frozen ones would be great, then I could just eat them, or throw them in my cereal.

Click to expand...

I know I have seen them frozen....going to look when i go in tomorrow or the next day and will at least check the brand name. The only thing that bothers me is that they may be awful pricey, and if so, will try tinned in light syrup or see if there is cherry juice - I THINK there is

Cherry juice is also very expensive. The canned cherries are, too, and the dried. Cherries are expensive no matter how you look at it!

However I've decided, after judging the benefits to myself, that they are worth working in to the budget. After all, if this was something for the cats, they would have it no matter what. So aren't we, the hoominz, worth it, too?

I love frozen fruit, so if I could find them, I would buy them. I love dried fruit too, but wish they would sell them without sugar added, (except for cranberries of course!)

My left ankle is arthritic and I also have to occasionaly deal with tendonitis. I also have a bone spur in that same ankle.

Originally Posted by jamasmom

A couple of years ago an orthopedist told me I have arthritis in my hip, neck and back. Well it all hurts now (alot). My question is what kind of doctor do I see about this. I didn't like him, he was just plain nasty and in a hurry. Do I see another orthopedist or a rhumetologist?
Also if anyone knows of any foods or vitamins I can take to improve the situation in the meantime I will be grateful for any advice given here.
Thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

I too have arthritis as well in my knees, back, hip neck,etc in fact they just tested me for RA. YOu would see a Rheumotologist and i see you live in NJ have you considered going to Hospital for Special Surgery? I go there and have a WONDERFUL Orthopedist and Rhemutologist there.

I have osteo-athritis in my hands, hips and knees. The knees are the worst right now. I take glucosamine, and voltarene anti-inflammatories, which help quite a lot, but now my GP is sending me to see an orthopaedic surgeon as my last x- rays showed I have no cartilage left in either knee. Fortunately we have one of the best clinics in Europe only 30 miles away and it is all state funded, so I just want to get it done. I can't live like this for much longer.

Originally Posted by sharky

( osteo is a common misdiagnosis as it is a "old" age or a Worn out type( folks under 40 not likely unless they were Pro athletes).. A rhuemetologist is a good MD to see as they know more about many of them than a typical Md .. They often also handle Fibromyalgia ( mine diagnosed mine many years back....

Click to expand...

I'm diagnosed with osteoarthritis. I've spent my entire life so far avoiding anything that remotely looked like sports or hard exercise - so not an athlete by any stretch of the imagination. (note: It's because of my terrible coordination, weak joints, and other issues that I have always had that has kept me from any type of hard/strenuous exercise.) Mine started in my teens, BUT I am genetically predisposed to it (most of my mother's family has spine problems) and I have a deformity in my lower back.

My mother just turned 47 and is already on disability for the same issues. And a day like today, well actually since last week, I cannot turn my head to the right because of the arthritis and muscle issues in my neck.

In my experience, unless you have something autoimmune going on a rheumatologist isn't going to be very interested in you. You'll get passed on to an orthopedic specialist, one reason being that some end up eventually needing surgery for hips/back/knees and that's something that a rheumatologist just doesn't handle.
If you've had all the test to determine its not anything autoimmune just stick with an orthopedic specialist - and yes, any doctor can order those blood tests so you don't need to go to a rheumatologist just to get them ordered.
If anyone get's very rude/nasty with you. Tell them off and tell everyone you know how rotten they are - there are rating sites online for doctors. You do not have to take being treated like that.

I have rheumatoid arthritis. It is still in the first stages, so I just mostly feel stiff in the mornings now. Please be careful about how much OTC pain relievers you use. They can ruin your liver. I have cirrhosis from taking them with other painkillers for a long period of time. They are much more harmful for your liver than narcotic painkillers. That information recently came out and the FDA wanted it posted on things like aspirin and tylenol labels. Make sure your doctor checks your liver frequently if he prescribes anything like that. I can't do anything about mine, but would hate to see it happen to you. Feel better!

I have it in my hands and will be trying the cherries to see how it goes. I did know an elderly lady who wad told to have mint with everything, including mint tea, cooking potatoes with mint etc for her it worked really well, so that may be another thing worth a try.