PC #77 – Magic knee pills…

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Can you give me some advice?

My brother is a vet – and he’s constantly dealing with arthritis and cartilage issues in animals. He swears by Glucosamine. And combined with Chrondoitin, he says it can be a very powerful fixer.

His wife has joint pain and she’s been using a Nature’s Own product called Complete Joint Health.

I started taking it yesterday – one tablet – and almost immediately I noticed an improvement. I usually get pain when I stand after sitting for any length of time, and yesterday after taking one of these pills I didn’t get that pain.

This morning when I got out of bed, same thing – no pain. Usually when I get out of bed I limp for the first ten minutes of the morning. Not today.

Does this stuff really work? Or am I just imagining it?

Magic Knee Pill

62 thoughts on “PC #77 – Magic knee pills…”

  1. I haven’t used Nature’s Own brand but have attempted to try other brands. For some reason they made my knees feel a bit better – good enough to run faster to the bathroom…. Something in it doesn’t agree with my innards!!! I have not tried Glucosamine separate from the Chrondoitin to see what the offending item is. 😉 A lot of help I am, right?

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  2. Bill,

    Since my knee surgery, I take two tablets per day, one in the morning and one in the evening. When I forget to take it, my knee bothers me.

    A miracle? I don’t know, but I won’t be without – that is for sure.

    Arlene

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    • Hi Arlene –

      that’s a strong recommendation, thank you.

      The tablets I have are a strong dosage, and one tablet a day is recommended.

      I went all these years not knowing about Voltaren, and discovered it on the Camino. Now I’m discovering this!

      Bill

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  3. Hi Bill, I’m a year or so younger than you and I have osteo-arthritis in my left hip, it looks a bit like your knee. I still have a small gap between the bones, but a much smaller gap than in my right hip. I also had some pain in other joints. My wife had lots of problems in her left shoulder as a result of a previous employer insisting on their staff using a phone without a headset while they used a computer, thereby scrunching up her shoulder to hold the phone to her ear.

    My step-father, who is 90 and is still running a macadamia nut farm on the Sunshine Coast, recommended that we take glucosamine with chondroitin about 5 years ago. We take it every day without fail. Works like a charm, but I believe not everyone gets the same relief. I reckon give it a go for a month or two and see if it helps. It sure can’t make it worse. Good luck, Peter

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    • Hi Peter –

      that’s what my brother says as well – that not everyone reacts the same way.

      For me it seemed to give almost immediate benefits, but I’ll see how it goes over the next couple of weeks.

      Your experience with it though bodes well!

      Bill

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  4. Hey Bill, I’ve been taking Glucosamine 1500mg / Chondroitin 400mg per day for a long time. My understanding (from both naturopaths and medical doctors) is that one must take that combination in those strengths for them to do their work. Early on when I was taking them, I was pretty lackadaisical – not taking them in those doses – and I didn’t notice much improvement. When I started taking them as recommended to me, they really helped – but then so has the stretching, strength-building, Arnica, Turmeric, and MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)! Best of luck with your knee!! (having troubles with wordpress)
    Terry

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    • Hi Terry –

      I’ve just checked the bottle and this pill has 1500mg of Glucosomine and only 100mg of Chondroitin.

      I’ll have to look around for a product that has the 400mg of Chondroitin.

      I’ll also have to check out MSM.

      Thanks for this info!

      Bil

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      • Bill,

        The brand I take is Solgar. It is triple strength Glucosamine 1500mg, Chondroitin 1200mg and MSM 700 mg. The recommended dosage is 2 tablets per day.

        I get mine from Amazon.com and I truly believe it to be magical.

        Arlene

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        • Ok, thanks Arlene –

          that sounds like more the go.

          I know Solgar are sold in the US – I used to get big dosage Vit B tablets from Solgar, and they were great.

          Will chase up, thank you!

          Bill

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      • Arlene,

        I got those Solgar tablets on eBay. They’ll ship to Australia, because for some reason we don’t get Solgar here. They’re a really good brand.

        So thanks for that!

        Bill

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        • Good, I think they are the best! I saw a change almost immediately once I took them twice a day!
          Arlene

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          • Hi Arlene –

            yes, I notice on the packaging they recommend 3 times a day, but I figure twice a day will be enough.

            I got 2 bottles, each with 180 tablets, so that should last me a while!

            Bill

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  5. Hi Bill, Yes, glucosamine and chondroitin can help. I take a formula called Tri-flex from GNC that has MSM added to it as well. Drinking plenty of water and taking fish oil can also help. Now, on the other hand, none of that can replace the synovial fluid that is gone between the bones in your joint…that is why they developed the artificial fluid that they want to inject. You definitely do not want to do more damage to the joint or you will be facing knee replacement. :-/

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  8. Yes – fish oil as Julie says! My acupuncturist (who is dean of the School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at Bastyr University) insists on fish oil. The G/C that I take is OsteoMove Extra Strength Joint Care made by Natural Factors.
    Terry

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  9. You are imagining the pain relief aspect, as there is nothing in glucosamine chondroitin to diminish or subdue the pain response. BUT for some people it works in arthritis type illnesses to regrow cartilege. It takes time, but worth a try,definitely. Caution is, don’t OVERGROW your cartilege, or you’ll have a worse problem.

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    • And don’t make the mistake of thinking because its natural, it won’t hurt you. You really should see a rheumatologist to get the right dosage.Buying stronger pills or taking more ofcthem can make you quite ill. It doesn’t work for me, but a dear friend won’t go a day without it.

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    • The glucosamine (on its own) did help reduce my own pain, after a week or so of taking it — my doctor said that was unusual, and that it can take even up to 2 months before any effects start being noticeable, and also that it varies so much between individuals that some people gain no benefit whatsoever.

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      • Hi Julian –

        yes, that’s what my brother said – and the chemist today too when I asked him.

        I notice a few niggles tonight – but it’s much better than a few days ago when I wasn’t taking it.

        Bill

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  10. Hi Bill, Jennifer and PGS Family –
    Thanks to everyone for this so-very-helpful information. I’ll get the tablets today. The information on the required strengths is particularly useful.
    Cheers – Jenny

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  11. Sister, you are so wise – thank you so much for the above two postings!
    It is so important to have professionals you can trust to give you good advice, and to continue self-educating – and to know when to question your self-education!
    Getting the dosage right for oneself is key, and getting suggestions from friends and well-wishers is fine, keeping in mind further exploration and fact-finding is necessary, however.
    Bill, your learning curve is getting pretty steep!
    Buena suerte!

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    • Hi Terry –

      I agree with you about Sister’s advice.

      And yes, my learning curve is getting steep! Two days ago I didn’t know anything about this stuff!

      Bill

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    • Wow!This is a top of the line brace, worth every penny. It will lift the weight,and thereby the pain, off your knee when you take a step. With this and gc, and some strengthening physiotherapy, you can regain nearly full function. Bill, get a specialists advice about dosage, and go for the brace. You wouldn’t hesitate to spend this much on a car downpayment, or a terrific ten speed bike. Your health and strength are the greatest gift -go top of the line, and you will avoid surgery. Wish I had a couple of these myself!!

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  13. How interesting, that so many of the regular ‘posters’ (if there’s such a word?!) to this blog, all have (and obviously need!) info on glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM … and I too swear by them for helping out with my various ailments; but then I also top it up with a concoction of lemons boiled in water with (lots of) garlic – a yummy way to start my day!! 🙂

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  14. PS – YEAH, have finally worked my way through the banked-up posts and will now have to – finally – own up to doing something about the un-packing, washing of mounds of clothes, shopping for food and other necessary chores to get my post-holiday life back on track. Thanks, though, to you all for entertaining me and keeping my brain so wonderfully engaged for the last couple of hours 🙂

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    • Britta –

      like I said before, great to have you back on the blog!

      And yes, the amount of info on Glucosamine etc has been fantastic.

      And Sister thinks she might have found a leg brace same as mine for 20% of the cost on eBay!

      Good luck with all the washing etc. One of the drags about coming back home…

      Bill

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    • Britta –

      like I said before, great to have you back on the blog!

      And yes, the amount of info on Glucosamine etc has been fantastic.

      And Sister thinks she might have found a leg brace same as mine for 20% of the cost on eBay!

      Good luck with all the washing etc. One of the drags about coming back home

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  15. YIKES! I have been squeezing my eyes tight shut and hoping I won’t have any knee problems on the Camino. Yesterday a friend dropped off the book by Hape Kerkeling called “I’m Off Then” and in the very first chapter (and second and third…) the topic is KNEE PAIN. And today everyone is talking about remedies…it must be a sign! That, along with the fact that every little joint in my body has lately woken up to remind me it is there…what is going on?
    So today I am feeling very blessed and forewarned…and am rushing out today to find something to help keep my knees working. I am VERY bad at taking pills, after the second day I forget entirely that I had decided to supplement with something..but I feel quite motivated now. Thank you for this post, and Sister for the reminder to be careful.
    I am planning to buy my trekking poles in Switzerland, my daughter says it is “the Paradise of walking sticks” and will check with Air France on my way there as to the rules re carrying them on.
    Thank you everyone for this discussion, and all the helpful tips.

    Debra

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    • May I just say again to one and all, please don’t go out, buy a bottle with the highest possible dosage and start taking as many as.possible. A bottle label is not a doctor! When I was working in herbal medicine years ago, I was astonished at how many people found themselves very ill, even in hospital, after taking what they.imagined was a safe dose of a natural product. Just because you are using a plant or mineral based substance does not mean it won’t harm you if too large a dose is taken on the assumption that if a little works, more will work better. As an example, foxglove, the source of digitalis, can stop your heart,belladonna -a ‘natural product ‘made from the opium poppy, can put you in a life threatening coma, and cornsilk, used as a diuretic, can land you in hospital with serious dehydration problems. Consult the appropriate specialist before starting a regimen of any natural, herbal or organic medication. It could save your life!!!!

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    • Debra. I bought trekking poles in St. Jean in a shop across from the Camino office for €15. They were great. Why worry about Air France if you don’t have to? Steve

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  16. I take a brand called Ligavar which has glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, Tumeric, ginger, and a couple of other herbal anti-inflammatories. I swear by it. I know the vet connection! I have had three golden retrievers with severe arthritis, two of whom also had hip dysplasia. They were all on glucosamin, chondroitin and MSM. They passed away at a ripe old age (for goldens) without ever needing surgery or prescription ortho meds. I think you should try it. General recommendations are 1,500 mg glucosamin and 1,200 mg chondroitin. I wouldn’t exceed that without a recommendation from your vet, er, ah, I mean health care provider! Smile. Julie

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    • Hi Julie –

      I bought on ebay yesterday the Solgar version – 1500mg+1200mg+MSM.

      Landed in Australia 360 tablets cost me $85.

      Much cheaper than if I’d bought them here.

      Bill

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  17. Bill: Amazon US has several braces which look like what your doctor has recommended. Cost is $85 to $200 US dollars. You might want to check out Amazon. I searched for osteoarthritis knee brace. Good luck! Julie

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  19. Hi. Sorry im a bit late In replying.
    I’m using USANA Procosamibe at the moment on the camino. It has all the stuff mentioned above and tumric. ( which has antiflam properties). So far so good with the knee.

    Im also using magnesium oil for my mucels. Be careful if you try this stuff….it can have an effect on your need to find a bathroom at short notice. If you get my meaning here. ; 0)

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  20. The Chondroitin is a laxative, which explains why the other guy got the runs, and my doctor tells me that its usefulness has not been demonstrated and seems unlikely.

    Maybe just stick with glucosamine on its own ?

    I asked him about the food additive cucurma, and he was a lot more supportive of it.

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