Osteoarthritis - new NICE guidelines

Thanks for that. Very interesting to those of us with the condition.

I am planning another visit to my GP soon about the pain in my hip which causes difficulty in walking. I hope he will have read this report and therefore be up to speed on latest recommendations.

Thanks for that. I note it says that age, smoking, obesity etc should not stop joint replacement.

Including maybe earlier referral for surgery petallus which is on the list.

Exercise and weight loss are the first preferred recommendations for quite a few age-related (perhaps I should say often age-related...) conditions.

I have to put in a word for glucosamine and chondroitin Jess

Firstly I started taking them five years ago when my knees and ankle were so bad I could hardly walk. An x-ray confirmed osteoarthritis and also spotted osteopenia. Now I am pain free and can walk a good distance.

Now, after watching last night's programme on Placebos I'm happy to admit it might be the placebo effect, but that programme did point out it's not just 'all in the mind' but it can be an actual physiological change.

Secondly, had a dog that could barely walk due to arthritis in her back legs. After taking glucosamine she was able to scramble under gates and over styles. Not sure how that worked but ...

So while I agree with the weight loss and exercise (though I was in too much pain to move much) my motto is 'if it works for you and I ain't doing any harm then go ahead'

And please don't tell me about double blind trials

4Joints for pets - trying this for my cat Spice who is 20 this month and definitely unsteady on her feet....so far given it her for a week, so I can't tell yet.

She is not fat and you can't make a cat exercise............but I think she is a little more lively?

My sister is rubbishing it, but she does the same with vitamins!

I gave up on glucosamine and chondroitin. Took them combined for several years. Did no good. Waste of money for me.

I know I should lose a bit of weight. Am about 2 pounds into the overweight bit of the charts. Can't do it though. Food is such a pleasure.

I agree, I spent a lot on glucosamine and chondroitin over the years and it also did nothing for me.

Should have added, if after 6 months it ain't working for you then give them up.

A lot of people who swear by them also spray WD40 on and say it helps?

Galen... thou jestest.

WD40 stinks!

Might help if you are a carburetter

And of course there's the mumbo jumbo with magnetic jewellery.

I jest not! I've known several people who swear by it.

Do modern cars have carburetors any more? I was a dab hand at cleaning out the blocked jets in the carburetor of my rubbishy old Renault 4 in the late 1960s!

How do they get the stuff into their joints, galen?

You're supposed to spray WD40 on a hornets sting, so it obviously has medicinal properties...

They just spray it on! Placebo effect I think.

Should make their tights glide on easily.

I'll hold that one in reserve I think Galen. My old GP used to take glucosamine for her arthritis. She's dead now.

I love the way they say exercise is good for arthritis - have they not grasped the basic principle that IT IS PAINFUL!!!??