Dear everyone out there with OA. Blooming awful isn't?! I've been sitting with my laptop for an hour or so (naughty me, must get moving!) and have been looking through a number of articles and am in danger of becoming quite gloomy. How about we have a discussion about what helps us? Food, supplements, alternative medicine etc etc etc etc? Are you up for this?! Positive stuff only for 2019.......
Like the idea JayJay. I’ve started blending my own aromatherapy oils, they seem to be better for me than anything else at the moment. 
I take turmeric rosehip and ginger along with my meds. Also smiles from my new granddaughter lightens my day.
Hi JayJay
I’m sitting with heating pads on my neck & low back. Almost in tears when I clicked on your post!
I’m in Missouri & it’s been in the high 60s the last few days. I overdid it – even got a sunburn on my 58yo face! 
I’m rarely using hydro anymore. Use heating pads for OA Every time I’m sitting.
A friend who has had more back pain than I could endure has researched
Oops I posted too early!
Anyway she has extensively researched & now used a plant powder called Kratom. It’s from the leaves of the trees growing in Indonesia & other countries in that area.
Ive started using it 2-3 times a day & had some good progress with it. She says it helps when it is built up in your system. Depending on the type of tree it is derived from, it can help with pain, energy, nerves & sleeplessness. I’ve only used it for pain.
Kratom powder has been controversial & has been outlawed in some countries & in a few states here in America. So, you all need to investigate for yourselves as much as you can if you are interested in it.
Unfortunately I myself am relying on my dear friend’s expertise, so I can’t give you any advise at all.
Best of luck to ALL of us in 2019!!
I try to keep moving. I ride my recumbent bike most days for 30 min or more. Then I also walk for an hour most days. I have always exercised. When my joints started failing me, I had them replaced. I have met many people who stop moving because of the pain. I chose otherwise. I have had knees replaced, hips replaced, one shoulder and just recently a back fusion. If I hadn’t done all of that, I would be in a wheel chair. I was bone on bone with all of them. I am very happy with my results.
Do you still get pain from your replacements deb?
What helps most of all for my excrutiating knees are steroid shots given every 3 months. They only last for 2 weeks but still I am very thankful. Oxycodone helps tremendously and Arthritis tylenol, meloxicam, and lyrica help some. I go to a pain clinic. I have to lose 15 more lbs. to have my knees replaced and it started out being 40. Not being able to be active has made it hard.
Oh that sounds interesting. What have you tried? Do you use them as massage oils?
There seem to be a few good oils out there. Have you got OA?
Do you take them as supplements or in your food? I used to make some turmeric paste to eat every day. The taste was ok…need to dig out the recipe again. Is rosehip an anti inflammatory?
Keep warm, keep moving, get an exercise program from a good physiotherapist if you develop problems - you may have a muscle imbalance which puts strain on certain joints, for example. Avoid taking nsaids as they interfere with cartilage regeneration. Try taking glucosamine. I take 1000 mg twice a day, have done for many years. Some people don’t like taking glucosamine. I get a kind in a capsule, not a hard tablet or caplet, and always have it with a meal, and have never had any problems. First diagnosed with OA when 40, now over 70, and still have mostly full range of motion, able to do most things, even commended for my flexibility considering my age! All because I’ve kept moving and done the other things mentioned. And a healthy diet, of course! I’m a bit underweight now but have been a healthy weight throughout my adult life.
Well it’s blooming freezing in the UK! Oh for some warmth like Missouri!!
I agree, heat pads are great. My hot water bottle can get great heat…naughty (nice red skin) but effective!
Keep in touch. Hope the sunburn is better today
I dont seem to be able to exercise as much as I’d like (lower back a big problem), so I envy you. I keep trying. I’m going back to finding a baseline with everything and see how to improve it. Where was the problem in your back (if you dont mind me asking)?
Have you noticed a difference with the weight loss? You’ve done well so far..keep going! How have you done it?
I think you are right about a good PT…there is a lot of variety out there! I went to one who tried to get the weight off the joint. It works but I couldn’t walk around like a stalk all day! Not sure how I can solve that! I too have a bit of an issue with nsaids…I worry about the long term, so I avoid taking them. I think thats what prompted me writing the original point of discussion. If there’s ANYTHING we can all try naturally, that’s the aim.
Thank you for replying. Sounds like you are doing well
I have OA, possibly Sarcoidosis and Fibromyalgia. I’m an aromathetapist so I blend my own. I use them as massage oils, put them in a diffuser and make rollerballs, handy for fibro for brain fog and fatigue.
I tried Turmeric capsules but they made my eyelids yellow! 
Well done on the weight loss. so difficult to do when in pain and meds make you put on weight. I need to find a way of losing weight and exercising.
My right knee was the worst one before the replacements. The doctor told me that it had almost been too late to do the surgery. I get around fine, etc. But it has always swelled a little, but no pain. My advice, is to just keep moving. When I couldn’t walk very long because of my back, I bought a recumbent bike. It doesn’t hurt my back or any joints. Doctor told me riding was the best thing to do.
With my back, it is L 3, 4, 5. I had a Laminectomy in 2003. After that a herniated disc in 2005 in that same area. For me I believe that weakened the area. I ended up with what I call a stair step, where vertabrae don’t meet up correctly, Spondylolisthesis. Doctor fused all three. The reason I finally decided to do the surgery, was the stair step was worse, cutting off spinal fluid and nerves. All of that caused spasms in my legs, mostly the right leg. I had gone to the Pain doctor to see about getting an injection to see if that would help. I had had them before for the herniated disc, which worked.
Over the years the spasms just kept getting worse. Many Doctors and meds later… Doctors were treating them like Restless leg syndrome, which it wasn’t. It was from the pinched nerves.
I am 3 months post op from back fusion. Spasms have improved about 80%. 10% for nights I don’t have any spasms and 10% on nights spasms are bad like they used to be. So I call the surgery a success. I went into it thinking that if the spasms stayed the same but didn’t get worse, that would be a success too. Time is the factor. I have to wait and see if I can get off my meds that were treating the spasms. I take gabapentin, 300 mg TID and methadone, 2.5 mg Q 6 hrs. Very small amounts. I am waiting for several nights back to back with no spasms. Weaning off the meds isn’t easy, but I have done it before when they would try other meds. I’ve tried probably 20 other meds.
Good luck to you.