Glucosomine?

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I have about had it with the joint/muscle pain on Femara.  Has anyone tried glucosomine and chondroiton (sp) and if so, does it help any?  I have also ordered voltaren cream but haven't received it yet.  Does anyone know if glucosomine is OK to take with with Femara and if you are ER/PR positive?

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2007

    Hey Liz...I just saw your post and am surprised it didn't get a response...where is everyone?! Anyway, I take glucosamine with chondroitin and MSM and have done so for about a year and a half. I started it in order to help with the muscular pain I was experiencing from Aromasin and, though it took a few months to kick in fully, it helped. Of course, I did other things to address the pain issue (exercise, massage, stretching, heat, ibuprofen, entertaining suicidal thoughts, etc.), so who knows, but I did notice a difference at the actual joints, rather than the muscles. My oncologist has reviewed all of my supplements and has not objected to my taking it, so I'm assuming that it's okay for ER/PR+ women as well as those of us on AIs. So I'd say go for it....it can't hurt!

    ~Marin

  • Jenniferz
    Jenniferz Member Posts: 541
    edited November 2007

    Liz,

    I did take Glucosomine with Femara, and it did help.  It didn't affect the Femara at all---in fact, my onc. recommended it.  I had to stop when I noticed a rise in blood sugars, however.  Hope you feel better.

    Jennifer

  • ddd
    ddd Member Posts: 82
    edited November 2007

    I can highly recommend Move Free with MSM that I get from Costco. The tablets are 1500mg. Glucosamine with 1500mg. MSM.  I take three a day.

  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
    edited November 2007

    Liz - I've been taking Glucosamine supplements immdiately after finishing rads because of the left over neuropathy from Taxol.  I have good and bad days but figure it woud be worse without these supplements. (My onc provides no information on supplements so I have to figure out myself from reading articles.)  IMO the winter weather does make it worse so sometimes I take some OTC aspirin or tylenol.  For me it seems critical to remain as physically active as possible with daily walking, riding, etc.  Getting out of bed is the worse time and sitting too long also a problem, but i am determined to cope with it. Best wishes Joann

  • gracejon
    gracejon Member Posts: 972
    edited November 2007

    I have taken glucosamine with and without chondrotin and with or without MSM for a prolonged period of time.  Over the years probably about 7 years pretty constitently.  I have been able to talk myself into the fact that it works and sometime I am sure it doesn't.  I had been afraid to stop in case it really does work.  My orthopedic surgeon recommends it from the research studies that indicate it works.  My pharmacist says that those studies mostly indicate that only the glucosamine is effective and the addition of other things is not helpful.  Both agreed that MSM is not necessary.  Since it is more expensive with all those additives, I now purchase the most inexpensive brand available.  Over the past month I have stopped it completely and I am reasonably sure it does not help me personally.  The orhtopedic surgeon did say it does not work for some people and if used for three months without effect it probably does not work for you.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2007

    Glucosamine can raise one's blood sugar?  Hmmmm..

    Shirely

  • LizM
    LizM Member Posts: 963
    edited November 2007

    Thanks ladies, I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.  I only purchased glucosomine and chondroitin 500/400 mg.  It says to take 3 pills daily which would be 1500/1200 mg.  Should I take them all at once in the morning or take them separately at each meal?  I did not purchase the one with MSM because I am not sure what that is.  Anyway, I am usually very picky about the other ingredients and thought I read the bottle but didn't realize until I got home that it has soybean oil which I'm sure is a very small amount plus I had read that soybean oil is OK since it does not contain phytoestrogens. 

  • Jenniferz
    Jenniferz Member Posts: 541
    edited November 2007

    Shirley,

    Glucosamine didn't raise my blood sugars, Femara could be.  It was suggested that I stop using it, because it does contain glucose.  HOWEVER, my gp did say that if things got really bad again, to start back up.

    So far, nothing I can't live with.  Just morning stiffness that goes away quickly.

    Hope that clear thing up abit.  Now, are we having fun yet?

    Jennifer

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2007

    Thanks, Jennifer.  Yep, you cleared it up. 

    Heck, I think I'll lay off of them just to see if there's a difference.  That would be four less pills I'd be taking.  It takes four to equal 1500 mg.

    Liz, I take my glucosamine 750 mg twice a day thus, 600 mg of chondroitin twice a day.  I don't know if that's necessary.  Also, I don't believe MSM is all that important.

    Shirley

  • ddd
    ddd Member Posts: 82
    edited November 2007

    MSM works for pain in some people, but maybe not for all.  If glucosamine alone isn't enough, you can always try adding the MSM.  If you do a Google search, you can get more info on MSM.

  • msannie57
    msannie57 Member Posts: 84
    edited November 2007

    Glucosamine is made out of shellfish shells, not glucose.  The only research that showed real benefit showed it in people with mild to moderate knee joint pain from osteoarthritis.  But I don't imagine it has been studied in cancer survivors. 

  • mthomp2020
    mthomp2020 Member Posts: 1,959
    edited November 2007

    My oncologist recommended Glucosamine, 1500 mg when I started taking Taxol.  I get a Glucosamine/Condroitin/MSM liquid supplement from Sams that you just take an ounce a day - a lot easier than the tabs, and it seems to work well.  Pretty good price too, about $18 a month.  I was using it before all this for hip/knee pain, and it totally got rid of the hip pain, and does a good job on the knee as well, which I hyper-extended a few years back. 

  • Sierra
    Sierra Member Posts: 1,638
    edited November 2007

    I have arty in knee

    and hands, shoulder



    seems to be worse now

    that winter is here



    I do take MSM



    also.. have some Bromelain here



    It is my belief that walking

    moving about helps us so much

    I do enough of that

    up and down 4 sets of stairs each day

    but.. it is good for us..





    :)))



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