Alo Vera Juice

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi everyone, I haven't sent any messages since January as I have been so busy with work, family and pain.

I was diagnosed last year with PMR and at moment have managed to get down to 7mg of pred, but I also have to take two calcium tablets daily and 1 x alandronic(?) acid tablet on a sunday, the one where you have to sit up straight for an hour, I experience usually about Tuesday a bad tummy but the dr says that is probably the alandronic acid

I have been in so much pain when walking that my doctor advised for me to go for an MRI scan, which is showing wear and tear on my spine and problems with my sciatic nerve, which is probably causing the pain when walking - I can only walk for approx. 5 mins(sometimes not even that) and the pain is so bad I find it hard to lift my feet one in front of the other and I get breathless - surely at 56 I should be fitter than that. I also find that going upstairs can cause the burning sensation in my leg and I have to sit down for a few moments until it eases As for housework well....................... I really enjoy cleaning my house ( probably because it is such a change from when I am at work sitting at my desk all day) but I find after about 10 - 15 mins I have to sit for a few moments and then carry on if I can it is so frustrating. My doctor after the results of the scan has now put me on Co Codomol and I have to take 2 x 15mg tablets four times a day. I only started them yesterday and cant say there has been any difference yet in my pain.

I have also got the "hamster" face from taking the pred and have put on a lot weight around my stomach area, my doctor has now told me I have to go on a very low carb diet. He advises porridge in the morning and then for the rest of the day just either salad, fish, lean chicken and veg. I am to have no extra milk(he says I will get enough calcium from the tablets) and no bread, potatoes, pasta(don't like it anyway!) or rice.

I have my breakfast at 5.00am every morning so by 9.00am I am starving and then it just gets worse throughout the day - although oddly enough this morning I had porridge instead of my usual two slices of toast and so far I am not terribly hungry.

A friend of mine says she drinks between 60ml and 120 ml of aloe vera juice every day and she feels great - she hasn't got PMR or any illness for that matter but she says the juice helps with her weight loss and is entirely natural so shouldn't do me any harm. She also says it helps with inflammation.

Has any one else experienced this juice that has had PMR and was there any benefits to it?

I haven't posted any messages recently but I do read the discussions regularly and find them very helpful - especially from Eileen and Mrs O.

Take care everyone x

2

Yes, I tried it some years ago when it was considered useful for stomach problems. It made no perceptible difference to mine or to my general health. It also tasted disgusting.

Did you have a DEXA scan before you were given the AA to establish whether you needed it or not? It really doesn't prevent the bones from osteoporosis, it just helps them when they've got it. Doctors are forgetting there is a need to show the use is justified because you can only take it for 5 years.

A low-carb diet is best and porridge is the best thing about it for me. You have also given me hope - I thought I was the only person in the country who didn't like pasta!

You really must get as much rest as you can and not overdo it all, it's so easy to do that when feeling good and then find it turns on you with it's teeth. 'Pacing' is what is needed even on a good day and it is one of the hardest lessons to learn. It's probably best described as resting before you feel the need and I totally agree it is frustrating, but really necessary. At my worst I couldn't walk either and was incapable of even looking at the housework much less lifting a finger to do some!

It do hope you have a good journey down the PMR road, but it is full of potholes for the unwary traveller, so keep an eye out for those.

I also take co-codamol when necessary but you should bear in mind that one of it's more depressing side-effects is constipation, so make sure you are eating and drinking enough to avoid this.

3

just wondering , does everyone make sure they take any tablets after food and not on an empty stomach ,???

4

Maureen - what Nefret says!!!! I don't even bother with the porridge much as I love it! I only ever feel hungry when I've eaten carbs and eat loads of non-root veggies and salad and a moderate amount of meat/ . I have lost over 33lbs in 18 months like that. And I'm still on pred.

To be honest "I've managed to get down to 7mg" and the rest of the description sounds like 7mg is too low a dose - but you need a decent opinion on whether you have trochanteric bursitis (or whatever they call it nowadays). The pain you describe and "going upstairs and walking makes it worse" sounds typical.

Aloe vera tastes disgusting - and I didn't find it did a lot either.

Old nanna - some tablets MUST be taken on an empty stomach (alendonic acid is one, and there it is essential), pred is best in the middle of a meal if you have any stomach problems.

Eileen