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cherry juice, joint pain and prednisone

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Posted 2/3/2010 2:19 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning everyone,

I've been hearing about the effects of tart cherry juice/tablets to help ease inflammation and pain of the joints.  I was wondering if any of you have tried this and if you noticed any relief.  I just get so sick and tired of having to medicate myself daily with anti-inflammatories and pain meds and am worried about the long-term side effects of constantly using these drugs and prednisone.  I keep trying to reduce my levels of prednisone and every time I do I am miserable.  I've been on prednisone for 10 months and it seems to be the only thing that gives me any relief.  I have to take anywhere from 5 to 10 mg a day to keep my inflammation in check.  How long can I go taking this much pred before I endanger myself or can I be on these levels for the rest of my life? Thanks for your input!

Hugs and Angels,

Lynnette

DX - sle and carpal tunnel syndrome

RX - plaquenil, prednisone, anti-inflammatories, lisiniprol, folic acid, daily hormones, fish oil, flaxseed oil, vit c and d and daily vitamins - darvocet and flexeril when needed 

Posted 2/3/2010 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Lynnette:

I'm sorry that you're having so much problem with joint pain and inflammation. I noticed that you're not on an immune suppressing agent like Methotrexate, CellCept, Imuran, Arava. Have you tried any of those? You may need something in addition to your plaquenil and prednisone to keep your lupus at bay. You may find once you find the correct immune suppressing drug that you'll be able to decrease you prednisone.

My husband and I both drink cherry juice daily for our arthritis, I personally don't feel any different but I have both SLE, RA, Fibro, and blood cancer. My husband says that he doesn't ache as bad but the juice doesn't resolve his pain totally. As to the length of taking prednisone I've been on high doses of pred since June 2001. Every time I try to cut back I get worse with my symptoms. I'm currently on 25mg a day, and according to my doctors I'll probably be on pred the rest of my life. Yes, I have all the side effect that are bad from the pred, but it's keeping me alive. My newest side effect is muscle wasting, my calf muscles have wasted away to almost nothing and I'm very weak when trying to walk or trying to step up a step. I'm afraid I'm gonna end up in a wheelchair soon.

I hope that your doctors can find you a solution soon and you can get out of pain soon. I'd suggest if you've not tried an immuno suppressant talk to your Rheumy about it and see what he/she says. As for the cherry juice or tablet it can't hurt to try it. Good luck and let us know what happens.

Hugs,
Barbara
Posted 2/3/2010 6:57 PM (GMT 0)

Hello Barbara,

Thanks for responding.  I was on methotrexate just for a couple of weeks and ended up with a major respiratory infection so my rhuemy took me off it and I was doing just fine without it.  I really don't want to add any more meds to my daily regiment if I don't have to - I worry about all the drug interaction and the effects of drugs like methotrexate and cellcept on the liver.  I feel like all I do is pop pills all day long - even if some of them are just natural supplements.  2 years ago all I every took was a tylenol or advil once in a while and now I have a drawer full of medication.  I live in Mississippi and we have had quite a change of weather patterns this winter - hot, cold, damp and even snow and I'm wondering if all of these changes in the barametric pressure are also causing some of the discomfort, plus my gynecologist feels I am peri-menopausal which I'm wondering if that is having anything to do with some of the joint pain as well.  Well, if it isn't one thing, it's another and like all of you I am trying to accept the "new normal" of life.  Thank you for your advice and input.  I really appreciate all of your support and kind words - some days it is the only thing that keeps me from falling into a state of depression just knowing that I'm not alone and that somewhere somebody has it worse than me and I need to get off my "pity pot" and snap out of it and enjoy life.  Well, I just started yesterday drinking the juice so I will keep you posted to any changes I may feel.  Thanks again!

Hugs and Angels,

Lynnette

dx - sle and carpal tunnel syndrome

rx - plaquenil, prednisone, anti-inflammatories, lisinoprol, folic acid, fish and flaxseed oil, vit. c and d, daily vitamins and hormones

Posted 2/4/2010 3:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lynnette,
I'm sorry you are having a rough time. I live in Alabama and I have had a good bit of discomfort this year with the crazy weather patterns we are having.

Sometimes soaking in a nice warm tub of water helps or wrapping up in an electric blanket. I hope you get some relief soon. Take care and keep us updated. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Babs
Posted 2/4/2010 1:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Lynette, I was just recently diagnosed with lupus. My rheumatologist is talking prednisone/ I'm like you I don't want to be a walking pharmacy. Shoot I'm already there. That's just with my diabetes. I just had a kidney biopsy. Good news lupus hasn't got to them yet. The only damage that is done is from the diabetes. It really sucks when you have multiple crap wrong with you. If you ain't depressed by now who would be. Trust and believe I understand. I have my days and some times I only have good hours. But you take day by day and when you can take on the world take it on. But when you get tired don't be afraid to take a nap. Good luck with your experiment of cherry juice.
Posted 2/4/2010 1:36 PM (GMT 0)

Hi! Everyone,

I know just what you are saying... can't get down from 5 mg. prednisone, our weather in Buffalo is nasty on a good day this time of year, and I look at every handful of meds and try to get up the foolish courage to decide I feel so lousy anyway, which of my eight twice a day meds can I stop taking. (It ain't gabepentin, that's for sure, I forgot to reorder it on time through Medco, and had to take half tabs for 9 days until it got here. Big mistake, I won't make again). I still have the locusts buzzing in my rt. ear. Can't put my ipod bud in it either. The impaired sound conduction drives me out of my mind. I learned that the gabepentin really helps soothe my screaming nerves. But, the cherry juice thought. I remember hearing or reading about a study with inflammation that did indeed strongly suggest good antinflammatory effect from tart dark cherry juice. And if I remember correctly, it was a reputable source study. It is hard to find in our market, but may be worth a try. One caution, I believe drinking it as juice is way better than taking it as a manufactured tablet. It is good mixed with apple or orange juice, too. I never got around to trying it in a bananna smoothie, my husband gets to it first.

hugs to all, suetoo

Posted 2/4/2010 3:03 PM (GMT 0)

Hey everyone,

Thanks for all of your responses.  Like I said, I know I'm not alone, but it is frustrating to say the least.  Once again, the weather pattern has changed (pouring rain today) and I feel so stiff.  Feeling guilty as well because my husband took off of work today to go take my son on a college campus tour to Southern Miss and I know that there is no way that I could handle a day like that with feeling stiff and sore.  I'm sooo lucky to have him because he really is very sympathetic and understanding and tells me not to worry about it, but as a mother, you can't help but feel like you are letting your family down, again.  I get sad at times thinking that this is a time that my children are going off in different directions and the next phase of their lives, and I should be excited about the next phase for my husband and I, but I have know idea what limitations I will have now with this horrible disease.  Oh, here I again, the pity pot.  Well, anyways, thanks for listening everyone, I'm waiting for the meds to kick in so I can get to the store for more cherry juice!!

Hugs and Angels,

Lynnette

Posted 2/9/2010 3:52 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lynette, we must be almost neighbors. I am a Mississippi girl too and about 30 miles from Southern MS. I have just been diagnosed with an unspecific connective tissue disease so I have just been reading about different issues people have. I changed to a rheumy in Jackson after seeing one if Hattiesburgwith an inconclusive diagnosis. I am learning more of what questions I need to ask when I go back. I am finding out that so many people have same symptoms that I have and didn't know they were related. I am oing to try that Cherry Juice. Athletes use it I have heard.
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