Hey all. I haven’t posted in O35 for awhile, but I’m back to try and get some good information from some fellow aging muscle-heads.
For those who don’t know I’m a bodybuilder, competed once, still train like crazy man, and I find an annual excuse to get ripped up so I can maintain the sexiness.
I am developing early symptoms of arthritis. I want to make sure I’m doing everything I can to reverse/prevent/ manage this. It’s early days, but I have to admit it’s really upsetting. It’s mostly in my hands and my big toes. Most days I feel completely normal and have full function. Some days I have a low grade feeling of heat, kinda like lactic acid burn in my fingers. Some days it just plain hurts.
I eat a low inflammatory diet. I tend to be a meat and veg kinda guy. I don’t eat much dairy except for whey, I don’t eat much sugar, I don’t eat a lot of grains either. I still eat like a bodybuilder. I take my fish oil, and am going to start introducing theracurmin/circumin again.
I need to be better informed so I can manage this myself. My doctor, who is really quite wonderful, isn’t much help. Her philosohpy is to take meds when there’s pain, and live with it otherwise. I want to be more focused on prevention. This is part of my reality, and I want to do everything I can to stave it off.
So has anybody got any advice to offer? Websites I should visit? Communities I should join? Books I should read?
Ah, the Dentist. I remember you and your abs from before.
I don’t have a diagnosis. I tested negative for rheumatoid, and my X-Rays looked normal. And yet my intermittent discomfort (and occasional outright pain) is still here. So my doctor doesn’t know what to do with me other than hand over a prescription for Celebrex. I’d like to take a more active role.
I’m pretty sure I’m arthritic. But it’s only certain joints. The joint at the base of my index finger hurts constantly. Don’t know much about arthritis myself. Will follow so I can suck knowledge from you.
If I were in your shoes, I would consider asking my physician to refer me to a rheumatologist for a thorough workup, to rule out causes of arthritis that are potentially modifiable.
KPsnap - HEY SNAPPER! Fine, then. Just lurk and exploit me… I feel so cheap. I think I like it.
Bulldog9899 - Doug, I’m shocked and hurt you don’t remember me. Didn’t I mean ANYTHING?!?!?!
Dentist - I was trying to avoid the referral to a rheumatologist as the nearest ones are 3 hours away. It’s a bit of drag, but perhaps a necessary evil. Time to book an appointment.
[quote]Canada_K wrote:
Dentist - I was trying to avoid the referral to a rheumatologist as the nearest ones are 3 hours away. It’s a bit of drag, but perhaps a necessary evil. Time to book an appointment.[/quote]
To spare you such a trip, perhaps your local physician would be willing to ‘curbside consult’ a rheumatologist re what lab studies to order. If all the labs come back stone-cold normal, you and your (local) physician might decide it’s not worth a 3-hr drive for a consult. Just a thought.
When things are fine I feel literally nothing. When things are acting up, I’ll get sort of a “hot” feeling in the back of my hands and my knuckles. It sort of feels like a mild version of lactic acid burn; like when you do high-rep sets on a machine. Whent things are more severe those same fingers joints will be painful when I squeeze a fist or grab a bar. I’ll also feel pain when I go to the extreme of the normal range of motion - either stretching my fingers open, or wrapping my fingers into my palms. It’s rare that the pain persist when I keep my fingers motionless in a neutral position. And strangely, if my joints hurt and I exercise, the pain goes away; almost like the increased blood flow reduces the symptoms.
Earlier in the year it was bad. I learned by self-testing that the combination of lack of sleep (less than 5 hours a night for several weeks) combined with a VERY high caffeine intake (I was drinking 8 cans a day of super-caffeinated Diet Pepsi Max) aggravated things in a big way. Since replacing the soda with caffeine free Diet Pepsi, and getting more sleep, things got better quickly. In fact, symptoms msot often come back during periods of high stress & low sleep.
So there you have it. I’d appreciate any words of wisdom. Or good articles to read. Or suggestions for on-line groups to join.
On another note, I’ve tried twice to post this on the Injury forum and I can’t. Odes anybody know why that might be?
I have arthritis in my wrist and hands. To combat this I use Cissus Quadrangularis Extract, Boswellia, fish oil, High Actives Tart Cherry, MSM, and make sure to get my daily chelated magnesium and magnesium orotate. Those supps have helped me a ton. Oh also about 3 grams of tumeric spread throughout the day. Hope this helps.
Age 71 For some years is have sued a number of self, non big pharma poisons or side affect, helps that have worked. From Life Plus Co in Arkansas I use their Proanthanol Bio Complex 100mg 2x, and a Digestive Formula(the major fight for good health, and against trouble is a load of god stomach flora), and from Puritans Pride Astaxanthan 5mg X4. Because you are interested in being atrractive after several months of the proanthanols and astaxanthan people will notice a great improvement in your appearence.
Do not forget a top of the line vitamin/mineral complex. I would mention the one I take, but I am sure this site has a version of tis also. And it all works. I also take 8g of fish oil a day.
Age 71 For some years is have sued a number of self, non big pharma poisons or side affect, helps that have worked. From Life Plus Co in Arkansas I use their Proanthanol Bio Complex 100mg 2x, and a Digestive Formula(the major fight for good health, and against trouble is a load of god stomach flora), and from Puritans Pride Astaxanthan 5mg X4. Because you are interested in being atrractive after several months of the proanthanols and astaxanthan people will notice a great improvement in your appearence.
Do not forget a top of the line vitamin/mineral complex. I would mention the one I take, but I am sure this site has a version of tis also. And it all works. I also take 8g of fish oil a day.
