BajaNomad - any arthritis sufferers out there in mexico/baja?

any arthritis sufferers out there in mexico/baja?

capt. mike - 4-6-2008 at 06:55 AM

looking for recommendations for pain relief, anti inflammatory meds over the counter mex farmacias for osteo and rhumatoid forms of this condition.
meds have to be aspirin free.

suggestions?
thx!

Ken Bondy - 4-6-2008 at 07:41 AM

mike
I have it pretty bad in both hands. Putting on and taking off a wetsuit is agony, as is cold (water or air). Both Aleve and Advil help a little if I remember to take some. I have had a strong recommendation from a friend for Celebrex (prescription), but I haven't tried it yet.
++Ken++

DianaT - 4-6-2008 at 09:00 AM

When I first heard about the benefits of taking MSM and using MSM cream, I thought it might be a little like snake-oil.

It has worked quite well for me. Best place to buy the pills are at Costco and here in San Diego, we find the best price on the cream at Henry's Markets.

I started using the cream on my knee that never healed well after surgery. The first benefit I found was that my hand no longer had joint pain. :yes:

Careful---if you are allergic to sulfur, don't use it.

Diane

DENNIS - 4-6-2008 at 09:15 AM

Be careful with too much Aleve/Naproxin as it can cause a gastro reflux condition which can be as uncomfortible as arthritis.
Speaking of snake oil, what ever happened to DMSO? Is it still around? I used to buy it from a vet supply house in Ensenada for a friend in the states. She swore by the stuff. If I recall, the brand name or the Spanish name was DOMOSO.

DianaT - 4-6-2008 at 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
Be careful with too much Aleve/Naproxin as it can cause a gastro reflux condition which can be as uncomfortible as arthritis.
Speaking of snake oil, what ever happened to DMSO? Is it still around? I used to buy it from a vet supply house in Ensenada for a friend in the states. She swore by the stuff. If I recall, the brand name or the Spanish name was DOMOSO.

It is still around and still used----but the MSM is a little less harsh. John used DMSO for carpal tunnel several years ago. It worked quite well, but where he rested his arm on the arm of our oak rocker, it took off the varnish. :yes:

Diane

DENNIS - 4-6-2008 at 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jdtrotter
John used DMSO for carpal tunnel several years ago. It worked quite well, but where he rested his arm on the arm of our oak rocker, it took off the varnish. :yes:

Diane

Oh Gawd....That's not funny but it's funny although not surprising since it's a solvent made from wood pulp.

Bajagypsy - 4-6-2008 at 09:36 AM

I use glucosamine with MSM & Cod liver oil, it works very well, so does tequila :saint:

lingililingili - 4-6-2008 at 09:56 AM

My dad lives in Mainland Mexico and takes diclofenaco for his osteo and rheumatoid arthritis. It is a prescription drug.

windgrrl - 4-6-2008 at 10:25 AM

Just turned 50 this year every joint aches in the a.m. or when I get up, except when I am in Baja, when I am windsurfing or not working. All that time spent at the office sure takes it's toll.

I'd hate to think where I'd be at if I didn't do yoga and exercise regularly. That old chestnut, "if you rest, you'll rust" is coming true for me

It sure takes a lot of work to stay ahead of rusting!

It's ache in the places that I used to play.
Leonard Cohen

Oso - 4-6-2008 at 10:27 AM

My mother-in-law used mota. Not smoked, just steeped in a jar of alcohol which was then rubbed into the joints. She claimed it worked. There was a time when Mexican doctors would prescribe it for that and other things and the law had no problem with it.

I used Celebrex for a while with mediocre results until my doc prescribed stronger painkillers. Since my second hip replacement, I've had no problem. With arthritis, that is. Tripping over my dog and breaking my leg in February has been a bit of a bother.

capt. mike - 4-6-2008 at 10:53 AM

thx all.

anything with aspirin no go. so aleve and advil nada, no naproxin either.
what is MSM?
and on the diclofenaco - is that spelled right?
she sees her rhumatist next week. has been told its osteo but getting so bad i fear its rhumatoid.
maybe the celebrex is the answer.

i may make a rocky point run for meds soon.

DianaT - 4-6-2008 at 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
thx all.

what is MSM?

Try looking at this site for information re: MSM

http://www.msmguide.com/

Diane

DENNIS - 4-6-2008 at 11:08 AM

Just for the record...Aleve and Naproxin are the same thing.

vgabndo - 4-6-2008 at 11:09 AM

I have fought osteo for many years. At 64 I really wish that I had always stopped the motorcycle and put down the kickstand before dismounting all those times!

Glucosamine has worked really well for me, but I find that the benefits diminish, and it works a lot better when I re-start it after a couple of months. OTC pain meds, tailored to the rest of my "stuff" make life a lot easier.

The warm dry climate in Baja is the best medicine of all. I rarely suffer much with my joints down there.

Related story: My diet changes are working, and when I went for my regular diabetes check up last week weighing eight pounds less, my doc asked what I was doing. I told him I'd just returned from Baja. He whipped out his RX pad and wrote me a prescription to move to Mexico.

baitcast - 4-6-2008 at 12:00 PM

Well Capt. your talking to the right bunch :lol:

,my wife has it in her hands I have it in the hips and shoulders,moving to Az. helped my shoulders right away.

Ellie went to a Doc who works with arthritis suffers only and there are plenty around here,he recommended the following.

Osteo BI -Flex
Glucosamine Chondroitin
MSM
with Joint Shield
Advanced
Triple Strength
2 per day

They make several types but this seems to work the best,we have got a few others to try it and most have been happy with the help it provides,takes about a couple of weeks to start working.

Good luck hope it works for you.
Rob

DENNIS - 4-6-2008 at 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by baitcast
Osteo BI -Flex
Glucosamine Chondroitin
MSM
with Joint Shield
Advanced
Triple Strength
2 per day

Is that over the counter?

Oso - 4-6-2008 at 12:50 PM

Considered Glucosomine Chondroitin at one time but read that it is made with crab shell. Since I have a shellfish allergy (crustaceans actually- allergic to shrimp, crab, lobster, but can eat oysters, clams etc.), I was afraid to try it for fear of a reaction.

baitcast - 4-6-2008 at 12:50 PM

Dennis it sure is,most any store will be carrying it,one more thing the doc said there are a bunch of imitations just make sure its Osteo-Bi Flex,one more thing I haven,t any stock in the co. :lol:

Rob

Mulegena - 4-6-2008 at 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
Just for the record...Aleve and Naproxin are the same thing.

Yes, Aleve is the brand name for Naproxin. It is one of the first medications in the NSAID, non-steriodal anti-inflammatory, category. It does not contain aspirin. Always take any NSAID with food to avoid gastric problems.

kodiak - 4-6-2008 at 01:30 PM

diclofenaco is also known as Evadol Retard in Mexico. And that is not a typo. I buy it OTC when in Mexico.

Diclofenac (marketed As Mobidic, Flector Patch, Voltaren, Voltarol, Diclon, Dicloflex Difen, Difene, Cataflam, Pennsaid, Rhumalgan, Modifenac, Abitren, Arthrotec And Zolterol, With Various Drug Dose Combinations) Is A Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug (nsaid) Taken To Reduce Inflammation

lingililingili - 4-6-2008 at 01:52 PM

Thanks Kodiak. Wasn't sure of the spelling on that diclofenaco. I know my dad is also allergic to aspirin so no problem there.

Natalie Ann - 4-6-2008 at 01:54 PM

Mike - There is one item available in Mexico and not that I know of in the US... Magna Vida. It is a form of magnesium salts and a number of Mexicans I've known from the Sur swear by it. I have also known 3 gringos who feel it really helps to cure what ails ya.

The salts are 100% pure cloruro de magnesio, a powdered form that mixes easily with water. After mixing it is stored in a glass container at room temp (easy for travel). A 1/4 cup is to be taken each morning and, for some, each evening.

I have a severe form of what was originally juvenile arthritis. I do not take the Magna Vida, although I have a supply of it that I keep thinking I ought to try. I've not been able to find out much about the long term effects of ingesting magnesium salts, and that's my hesitation. I do know - how to say this - it loosens your stools.

Some but not all farmacias carry it.... mostly it's the older pharmacists who know of it. The farmacia in the Mulege town square has ordered it for my friend, although that took several weeks. I found it in a large Tijuana downtown famacia... also in a couple of small neighborhood farmacias in La Paz. It is inexpensive.

If you're interested in trying it and don't find some easily, send me a u2u... I'd be willing to share a box from my supply.

Nena

vgabndo - 4-6-2008 at 02:12 PM

Nena...You may have made the right choice. That is..if this is the same thing.

http://www.sciencestuff.com/msds/C2019.html

Natalie Ann - 4-6-2008 at 02:32 PM

Nope, not the same stuff. Magna Vida is available many places in the world (I found it under another name at an Ayurvedic site) and is taken by an apparently large populace. How it is processed seems to be quite important to taking it orally. No one I know has complained about stomach or gastric side effects other than to say it helps if you are prone to constipation.

Mind you - I'm not saying y'all should do this... I'm simply saying it's done, I know people who take it and feel/seem much healthier since they began.

Nena

Iflyfish - 4-6-2008 at 04:52 PM

A few of thoughts on the subject. It is clear that one size does not fit all.

Grape juice with Certo, liquid fruit pectin helps some people. Get pure juice, not juice c-cktail. Quart bottle and one packet of liquid pectin per bottle. Drink small glass every day.

Cherry juice concentrate. One tablespoon per day.

Six dried cherries per day.

Celebrex is a wonder drug for some but has been found to increase risk of heart disease.

Ultram works like a charm for me.

Mota is a treatment of choice. In Oregon we are fortunate enough to have it legaly available through perscription. There are still Federal restrictions on it's posession or use. This will no doubt soon change with more compassionate administrations. Most people are in favor of legalizing Medical Marijuana and it's use with Arthritis is well documented. It is a wonderful natural antiinflamitory. So far the entire west coast states have enacted Medical Marijuana laws: Washington, Oregon and California all allow it's medical use.

A bit of exploration on the web will help you learn how to make tinctures, oils that you can take in capsule form that then do not require smoking.

Vaporizing also avoids smoking, which can be very hard on the lungs.

Iflyfish

Iflyfish - 4-6-2008 at 04:58 PM

In regard to my previous post. Night time doseages of Mota can relieve inflamation for an entire 24 hour period. Used in this way it tends to facilitate better sleeping and does not interfere the next day with normal daily function. Since the main ingredient is fat soluble it is absorbed in the fat and released over time. With some time on the web or at a local Clinic one can learn from others appropriate doseages, forms of administration etc.

I have recommended it to many of my clients who have had intractable pain, including arthritis and they report that they have been greatly helped by this medicine. The first step if in the US would be to set up an appointment at a local Clinic that is staffed with an M.D. who understands it's use.

Iflyfish

bajarickster - 5-20-2008 at 11:01 AM

My wife had had problems for years. Some told us to get water from Sea of Cortez, boil 7 minutes and drink a quarter cup every day. Worked wonders for her in just a few day, no inflamation or redness. Make sure you several miles out of the bay. We filled our 1 gallon mile jug from our boat

lingililingili - 5-20-2008 at 11:47 AM

bajarickster

The gal down the street was telling me she does the same thing and that it works for her.

Capt. George - 5-20-2008 at 12:16 PM

DMSO, great stuff but ya never lose the craving for apples and oats.

bajaretreat - 5-20-2008 at 12:55 PM

A great anti-inflammatory drug that worked for me when I was living in TS was Mobicox...I was on crutches for several months due to a strained groin muscle that Naprosin/Motrin/Advil didn't touch. Within 24 hours, I felt tremendous relief, and within 48 hours, I was able to put away the crutches. Nothing short of a miracle for me - as before that, even with crutches I kept restraining the muscle just doing every day chores.

Barry A. - 5-20-2008 at 03:01 PM

OSTEO ARTHRITIS------

ARTHRO-7 by GeroVita International works for me. Been taking it for a little over 7 years and would not be without it. Quit it once a year ago, and within a week I was in agony----went back on the ARTHRO-7 and the pain went away. I never miss my 2 pills per day anymore after that experience. Costs a little over $100 per 6 months supply. It contains the Glucosaminime and Chontrotin, plus other goodies.

Excercise and weight training also helps------use those joints often with resistance and this also helps keep them plyable and pain free.

----sometimes pain comes anyway (??), and then I resort to ALEVE ("Naproxin"----- works very well), or CELEBREX which also works even better. I resort to Aleve or Celebrex only about 4 or 5 times a year, and then only on family outings with the kids and grandkids where you want "no pain". :lol:

roamingthroughbaja - 5-21-2008 at 06:43 AM

Well, this probably won't go over well, but I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in February. The pain in my hands was bad enough that handshakes were a thing of dread. Not good if you live in Mexico. I did hours of browsing every site, mainstream and left field, that I could find and decided to try an allergy elimination and challenge diet. Its a huge pain to get through, (initially 4 to 6 weeks of eating not much more than fish and veggies) but I was pretty desperate. The pain and inflammation have been reduced by around 60 percent. I don't even think about flinching when I shake hands. Again, not for everyone, but there are many "inflammatory foods" that, if removed from the diet, help control and reduce pain. If anyone is interested, U2U.

wilderone - 5-21-2008 at 08:41 AM

There are so many dietary components to treating any illness. There is a ton of information online - an hour of reading will put you on the right path. Don't rely on a drug to alleviate symptoms, which will, in the long run, only add to physical problems, since the kidneys must filter all the drugs. Try this site for starters, and then order products from ihealthtree.com, or swansonvitamins.com, or puritan.com. Use bromelian for sure, tart cherry juice, sam-e, arnica gel, etc. - you'll see.

http://holisticonline.com/Remedies/Arthritis/arth_herbal_med...

Iflyfish - 5-21-2008 at 09:19 AM

wilderone

Great post!! Very interest site. Thanks

Iflyfish

Iflyfish - 5-21-2008 at 03:01 PM

Another report in the paper today about Certo, liquid Pectin and grape juice for Arthritis. More reports of good success. Packet of Certo in a bottle of unfiltered grape juice, drink a glass in the morning and you may be good to go. I told someone about this and they had remarkable results from using it. Not me. I had to have my hip replaced.

Iflyfish

TMW - 5-22-2008 at 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajarickster
My wife had had problems for years. Some told us to get water from Sea of Cortez, boil 7 minutes and drink a quarter cup every day. Worked wonders for her in just a few day, no inflamation or redness. Make sure you several miles out of the bay. We filled our 1 gallon mile jug from our boat

I wonder if adding sea salt to distilled water (or maybe tap water) would work the same way. I know people who add sea salt to water and drink it to cleanse their system.