Turmeric

Turmeric has been a lifesaver for me. I am on Embrel put needed something a little extra for my right knee because I have Osto in it. I started taking Turmeric two years ago and noticed a little help but it was not till I read an AP story in the health section of our local paper on how one can have to 2,000 mg of it a day I added to my daily dose and bingo it helped.

I spoke to all my doctors about this and they said they have known it to help and they said keep on it. It has no side effects and if it helps then keep on it. So I am.

Just wanted people to know that there is something out there that can help if NASID are giving you trouble. But please note it can take up to 6 months for it get into your system.

Interesting, Rebel mom. Great that you are using it alongside your prescribed meds, and that you consulted your docs. Fantastic that it seems to be helping!

I did some research, and I found this interesting article from a reliable source:
http://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/natural/supplements-herbs/guide/turmeric.php


If I may add a note to newbies that are reading this:

Rebel mom is using turmeric for symptom control and Enbrel for disease control. They aren’t the same –

http://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/forum/topics/symptom-co…

And that’s why turmeric is called a complementary therapy: it works with the conventional doctor-prescribed therapy.

I’m interested too…I had tried it just a little before I went on Enbrel-it was one of my last natural attempts at feeling better. I only made a half-hearted attempt at it, I have to admit. I thought I had read there’s a paste you can make with it to apply to psoriasis, but not sure.

Off the top of my head (LOL, you know what that means!) I think you need to consume more turmeric spice powder than is reasonably possible to make a difference. I was looking at some concentrated supplements (capsules) online yesterday. I gather that would give you the kind of concentration of the active ingredient (curcumin?) that you would need to get an effect.

The trouble is, the natural stuff is not cheap. No insurance coverage on it, so it can really hurt the pocketbook.

True, Grandma, the supplement industry is worth billions. If supplements were proven solutions, insurance companies would be encouraging you to use them by offering to pay. The fact that they don’t tells you something.
Still, some people find relief in some supplement products. And relief, added to scientifically-proven medical therapy with doctors’ approval, works for some people.

When I took tumeric, it came in little capuslesthat appeared to be filled with actual tumeric spice.

Something that occurs to me is how far these remedies compensate for our often inadequate western diet. I've taken on board that the amount of turmeric in the supplement form is considerably greater than that used in cooking, but there are lots of foods that have anti-inflammatory properties and I'd guess that if they're eaten regularly the effect can mount up and give us a bit of a boost.

I'm going to give turmeric a go. I don't take NSAIDs regularly but when I do take even one Naproxen my entire body feels more relaxed. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that I must have low-level but constant discomfort that I only notice when it goes. Obviously that in itself doesn't merit the risks associated with regular NSAIDs but maybe turmeric can deal with this safely.

Just got to find the best supplier now. And looking at Seenie's Arthritis Foundation link, seems it should contain at least 75% curcumin.

Thanks for the heads up Rebel mom! And it would be all the better if those of us who try turmeric report back ..... well, early next year I suppose!

I’m a supplemennt skeptic, you know that, but here’s another article that makes me think it may be worth giving turmeric a go:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22407780

I’m reassured by what appears to be its safety, even in high doses. My docs really want me off diclofenac, so maybe this will help. Will run that by them.

Yes, I am too for the vast majority of supplements. But having also looked at some data for turmeric I'm reassured enough about safety to actually give it a try. FWIW, my dietician/medical nutritionist friend told me four years ago to take it.

Would be really great to review this again amongst ourselves in a few months time.


Seenie said:

I'm a supplemennt skeptic, you know that, but here's another article that makes me think it may be worth giving turmeric a go:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22407780
I'm reassured by what appears to be its safety, even in high doses. My docs really want me off diclofenac, so maybe this will help. Will run that by them.

I've ordered the stuff. You won't recognise the new me. With a bit of luck!

I’m interested in the supplement, too. I had tried the cooking spice before I went on Enbrel, but for a really short time. I tried ginger and other natural things, too. But, I’m interested in what exact product you purchased and did you purchase it through Amazon? I might give it a try!

Just using the spice probably won’t give you enough of the active ingredient to make much difference. It’s a turmeric supplement, and the label says curcumin. I ordered mine from Amazon. I can’t say I’ve noticed any miraculous improvments, but when I’ve been taking it for a few weeks, I am going to try reducing my NSAID dose. That will make my doctor and my pharmacist happy. But probably not my feet. LOL

Oh Seenie, it would be so great if the curcumin really DID work and you could stop or at least reduce your NSAID dose! Cross your fingers (haha if that's possible) and keep us posted on this. Even if it helps by 10% that would be great. My feet are hurting really bad tonight, but they're so darn unpredictable, they seem to hurt randomly and I have no clue what causes it. But my feet are all for a different discussion. They have been my biggest complaint the past few months and I was just wishful thinking about the curcumin. :-)

You mentioned cost before .... I did the conversion, they'd be just under $22 for 60 tablets & you take one a day. The ones I'm getting are made in the UK but I'll message you the link anyway. It's the % of curcumin that matters most I think.

Grandma J said:

I'm interested in the supplement, too. I had tried the cooking spice before I went on Enbrel, but for a really short time. I tried ginger and other natural things, too. But, I'm interested in what exact product you purchased and did you purchase it through Amazon? I might give it a try!

My four month supply of Turmeric tablets (with 95% curcumins) arrived on Saturday morning so I got started straight away. I have also recently re-started fish oil capsules which I'd got a bit lazy about taking. If between the two I get any noticeable improvement in my skin, feet (especially the psoriasis on the soles of my feet) or knees I will be very, very, very happy.

OK now you all have me curious about this and people at work have been talking about it as well. Please, please come back with a yeah or nay offer trying it. The idea of adding get another pill my poor liver may need to process unprescribed seems overwhelming at this point. The new Gabapentin regime has me reeling already. To think just over a year ago I tool nothing but allergy pills and ibuprofen as needed. Now well its 19 pills and the weekly shot, arg! But like everyone mentioned if it works well…

I hear you Rachael .... when you're not used to taking and relying on pills and shots it can be totally overwhelming when you realise how things have so suddenly changed.

My meds are pretty static, I'm not expecting any changes to be made unless anything changes with my blood pressure or PsA activity. So my thoughts are that for me this is a good time to try the omega 3's and turmeric as it might make it easier to identify any improvements that develop. I'll settle for just a few percent here and there.

This wouldn't be the right time for me if my prescribed treatments had/were changing. By the time we've all got several months of treatment under our belts and can report back then maybe you'll be stable on your meds and either won't need to be looking for just that bit extra improvement (which would be great!) or you'll have checked with your docs and want to give it a try if we're reporting anything positive.

Speaking of lots of medication .... I've got to the point where I'd like to be able to use my fridge for the purpose for which is was designed rather than Humira syringes, every steroid cream & potion known to man and doubtless other medications in the fullness of time. I can't just get a big fridge 'cos I like having a little space in which to move around in my small house.

So I'm looking into small fridges for medication, which apparently do exist. Of course they do! Yay!

And Rachael, I know you'll want to check with your own doc, but I'm seeing dermatologist later today & will ask her if turmeric is contraindicated with any of the common PsA meds.