Need help for my mom's neck condition! Too many meds!!

[Zizzle]

My 68-yr old mother lives in Guatemala and was recently diagnosed with a degenerative disk issue in her cervical spine. I think she has slipped and arthritic disks. She is having finger numbness and pain in her arms. Her doctor prescribed several meds and has offered to do a disk-replacement surgery that is not FDA approved.

My mom has a history of subacute subdural hematoma (brain bleed x 2), H.Pylori ulcers, gastritis and Barrett's esophagus, frequent amoebas and more recently giardia infections (due to rural living conditions and food/water contamination in her country), and an obvious anxiety problem.

These are the meds prescribed by her neurologist. When I looked them up, I freaked out. She's been on them for a couple of weeks, but just stopped them cold turkey becuase she was getting stomach pains. My mom is a case of MC waiting to happen!


1. Gabapentin (aka Neurontin) 400 mg (pills) ANTI-SEIZURE MED USED OFF LABEL FOR PAIN. WITHDRAWAL COULD BE A BIG PROBLEM.

2. Glucosamine Sulfate 1500 mg plus Condroitín 1200 mg (powder) ANY REAL RISK/BENEFIT HERE?

3. Piroxicam 20 mg (pills) A POTENT NSAID WITH HER GI HISTORY?!!

4. Muscoril (aka Thiocolchicoside) 8 mg (capsules) A MUSCLE RELAXER WITH SEIZURE ACTIVITY. WHY RELAX THE MUSCLES?


She is visiting me in early July and I plan to make appointments with my integrative medicine doc and a chiropractor for second opinions.
What can I tell her in the meantime? I've tried the GF/DF arguments, and she eats little of both, but that alone won't help her. As the family "medical expert" what do I do?? My mom is falling apart!

[tex]

She should be OK since she was only taking the Gabapentin for a couple of weeks. The withdrawal risks are primarily associated with long-term use.

FWIW, I've been taking capsules of Glucosamine Sulfate plus Condroitin virtually every day for about 12 years now, and I attribute my ability to preempt a need for knee replacement to my use of it. 12 years ago, I could barely walk, even with the aid of a cane, and by taking glucosamine sulfate plus condroitin, along with flax seed oil, I was able to throw the cane away, even before I started the GF diet. Of course, the GF diet eliminated any remaining pain, but by taking those pills every day, I was able to continue working, which involved stacking hundreds of 50 pound sacks of corn on pallets each day, and delivering them to feed stores, without wearing out my knee or hip joints. Most people who do that type of work require knee and/or hip replacement long before they get to my age, and my knees and hips don't bother me at all, these days.

Glucosamine sulfate plus condroitin helps to regenerate the cartilage that separates the bones in our load-bearing joints. If that cartilage wears too thin, bone-to-bone contact can occur, and the pain becomes excruciating, to say the least. Surgical joint replacement is required, once that point is reached.

I have no idea whether or not it would help spinal problems, though. That's a somewhat different problem. FWIW, my neck has permanent damage from too many years of untreated gluten sensitivity, and if the glucosamine has helped it, I really can't tell. Unlike my knees, my cervical vertibrae joints didn't seem to respond to it (nor to the flax seed oil).

Unfortunately, I know very little about treating spinal disc problems. I've had problems with slipped discs before, and I found that a combination of correct stretching procedures, and proper posture when doing load-bearing work, was the best way to resolve those problems.

Tex

[brandy]

Hi Zizzle,

I've taken Cosamin DS (Glucosamine chrondroitin Sulfate) for about 10-15 years with no negatives. The dose they are recommending for your Mom is the starter 8 week dose. My bottle says you can cut back a little after 8 weeks if your situation is improving. My Mom has taken Glucosamine chrondroition Sulfate for about 25 years for joint issues. My dog has also taken it for joint issues with no negatives. None of us have had any negatives--me, Mom, or the dog.

I think it is a pretty routine over the counter supplement for joint issues.

Best of luck with your Mom. Brandy

[Gloria]

I agree with what's been written about glucosamine-chrondroitin. I began taking it several years ago due to arthritic pain in my knees. After a couple of months, the pain went away and rarely bothers me now. Due to chrondroitin being made from fish, I've stopped taking it, but have continued taking Freeda glucosamine tablets, which are free of fish ingredients. The glucosamine alone is still doing the job.

Gloria