'that icky feeling of being squished' - like after you've caught them in a door? If so, I know that feeling.
I've got more swelling and walking is a bit harder some days but I'm staying with the turmeric on the grounds that whatever we take there's likely to be flare ups, mini-flare ups, bad days etc. and my rheumy thinks turmeric's a good add-on. I'd just plough on!
Grandma J said:
I ran out of turmeric a couple days ago. I had taken 2 a day for 60 days. I wasn't sure they helped my inflammation, but today my fingertips had that icky feeling of being squished--one of my many past PsA symptoms. I did take my Enbrerl injection 2 days late this week, but delaying my injection has never caused any flare ups before.
So, any advice? Should I restart the turmeric?
Also, does anyone know if turmeric is a natural blood thinner?
Exactly, Sybil! I can't believe I put up with that for at least a couple of years before starting Enbrel! I almost couldn't handle one day of it this week--and it wasn't even half as intense as it used to be! Did your fingers also feel "fizzy"? (That's the only word I could think that described that weird feeling accurately!).
OK, I'll plough on, too. I am beginning to think it helped a little. But, dang, those natural pills get spendy. I need coq10 and turmeric right now, and I'm broke (Christmas, you know).
Yep, we can do without the expense. I know having PsA is cheaper in the UK but even so I can't wait to be 60 (and I can't believe I said that either) because I'll get completely free prescriptions then. I do think hard about whether I need drugs because I don't want to waste NHS money but Turmeric's not on the NHS. I pay £24 for 120 days' supply, I'll convert that into $ in a minute.
I do have fizzy fingers. People with OA say that too though & I assume I've got a bit of both going on.
Grandma J said:
Exactly, Sybil! I can't believe I put up with that for at least a couple of years before starting Enbrel! I almost couldn't handle one day of it this week--and it wasn't even half as intense as it used to be! Did your fingers also feel "fizzy"? (That's the only word I could think that described that weird feeling accurately!).
OK, I'll plough on, too. I am beginning to think it helped a little. But, dang, those natural pills get spendy. I need coq10 and turmeric right now, and I'm broke (Christmas, you know).
30%! Wow! Turmeric hasn't helped mine one iota but then neither has Humira. But with that kind of evidence I just assume that some inflammation, somewhere is being dented by turmeric and that's got to be a good thing.
Mel B said:
I see a rheumatologist and a dermatologist and my derm suggested adding Turmeric because it can't hurt and she read a Spanish study that said psoriasis patients had 30% improvement from it in the absence of other drugs. I'll take all the help I can get because my psoriatic toenails are a chronic problem (which is what I saw her for.) She also recommended putting thymol solution under the lifting toenails to prevent infection and to "preserve the nail" while it hopefully grows out.
Grandma J, I pay the equivalent of $36 for 120 days supply. I'm sure it was different last time I checked. Anyway, that's at the same strength and same dosage as you take.
I can't say turmeric helps my psoriasis--wish it did--because my right leg seems to be slowly and steadily getting worse. Not super bad, but my patches almost seemed infected for awhile so I put a combo of betamethasone and antibiotic ointment on it for several days. I purchased a bottle of 60 turmeric capsules a few days ago and realized afterwards they were only 500 mg. They only cost around $15, but if I take 2,000 mg/day, well that's simple math, and not a month's worth. I've had a weirdly upset stomach off and on since Saturday and I wasn't sure what was causing it, so I haven't taken the turmeric the past couple of days. Stomach ache still bugging me off and on, so I don't think it's anything I'm eating, and most likely not turmeric. I'm guessing my worrying about our youngest daughter's planning to move away in two weeks--thinking about the big job of moving--the expense of it--the trip itself--I'm going along and then flying home from Atlanta all by myself--something I've never EVER imagined myself doing (bought the plane ticket online today--it's a huge plane)......this stuff has a way of getting me worked up and as we all know, that kind of stress can definitely affect one's health! So....I guess I'll continue the turmeric and hope it helps a little with the inflammation that possibly will increase these next few weeks.
I am so rubbish at remembering to take things. Humira and Mtx loom so large in my brain that I usually do remember them. I forget the turmeric some days but I keep trying because of the research that suggests it is of some use as an anti-inflammatory and my rheumy's 'it'll do no harm and may well do some good' type of endorsement.
I can't see how we'll ever know if it helps given how variable PsA is. Seems to me the only way I could get any idea at all about its efficacy would be to stop all meds for a year or something till I was in a complete and utter pickle, then start on the turmeric, give it at least 8 weeks to kick in and then assess whether sitting up in the bed I'd been confined to for months was that little bit less agonising. I may be over-dramatising the scenario but you probably see what I'm getting at.
So I'll just keep taking the tabs then!
Grandma J said:
I've been forgetting to take the turmeric. Oh well.
I was out for a few days and then I bought a different brand and realized they were only 500 mg and the first day I took them I got a really bad upset stomach which I thought was caused by them. Well, the stomach thing lasted for 5 days, even though I stopped taking the turmeric. I probably should start taking them again, though, because my left SI is acting up with the burning in that area and a slight feeling of my leg being filleted (is that how that word is spelled???). I hope to God it doesn't get any worse while I'm helping our daughter move.
Sybil, ugh, don't try that! I'm sure you'd regret it!!! Although I was wondering if I could cut back on my Enbrel. Like injecting every 10 days instead of once a week. I feel like, what the heck, it's working pretty well for me, and maybe taking it a little less would bring up my white cell count without affecting my PsA.
It occurs to me that something is different recently. No cramp! I've had painful cramps in legs and feet, especially feet and toes, almost nightly for many years. I suppose there have been periods when it's not too bad but for over a month now I have not had any cramp whatsoever. This last year it's been toes that have taken the brunt. So at night they would start feeling 'crampy' as soon as I got into bed and I'd have to be careful to keep them in the right position and not attempt any dangerous manoeuvres such as trying to retrieve my hot water bottle with my feet .... that one always led to trouble.
Not saying this is down to turmeric, but it might be. Or it could be due to taking Mtx alongside Humira which is another new thing that started about the same time. However Mtx alone or Humira alone never did much for cramp. I've still got a bit of swelling & pain in one foot but the hot, tingly, weird feelings in feet which were also very persistent are also loads better.
That's interesting Irishchick. I checked and didn't see any mention of bioperine. That substance doesn't have another name as well by any chance, does it?
There's no mention of bioperine in the reports of studies though:
I have to admit I stopped taking the turmeric almost a month ago! If it's really working for you, maybe I should start it up again. It's just so hard to pop all those "pills" - even when they aren't really pills. I often think, what's the use--especially when it's questionable if it really works. I'm convinced coq10 works--it definitely helps my blood pressure and the times I didn't take it for several days I started feeling more achy. But, lately I've been having increased stiffness and a little more pain in various joints than I've had since I started Enbrel. And, my psoriasis is really stubborn on my legs. Maybe I'll give turmeric one more shot for 3 months and see if I notice any difference. Thanks for getting the discussion going again, Sybil!!! I'm glad you're feeling better!
To some extent I'm happy to add on things that may just be placebos as long as they're harmless. But the research does suggest that turmeric has useful anti-inflammatory properties. I think it was tntlamb who said something about forest fires and buckets of water ..... I see Humira as one of those aeroplanes that chuck tons of water on the flames and things like turmeric as a good few buckets here and there.
I've stopped using steroid cream on my legs. I noticed that topicals worked brilliantly for my inverse psoriasis although I thought they weren't generally that good for sweaty places(?) but made no flipping difference everywhere else. I think the drier my skin, the worse the psoriasis so I'm not washing my legs ... they get wet in the shower but that's it, no soap, no shaving, no nothing and I'm bunging the Balneum cream on every day. And that is showing results. When I go swimming it flares up a little. Psoriasis is a stubborn swine isn't it?
Grandma J said:
I have to admit I stopped taking the turmeric almost a month ago! If it's really working for you, maybe I should start it up again. It's just so hard to pop all those "pills" - even when they aren't really pills. I often think, what's the use--especially when it's questionable if it really works. I'm convinced coq10 works--it definitely helps my blood pressure and the times I didn't take it for several days I started feeling more achy. But, lately I've been having increased stiffness and a little more pain in various joints than I've had since I started Enbrel. And, my psoriasis is really stubborn on my legs. Maybe I'll give turmeric one more shot for 3 months and see if I notice any difference. Thanks for getting the discussion going again, Sybil!!! I'm glad you're feeling better!
I don't know if I can get by without the steroid cream--the itch would drive me nuts. But sometimes the cream doesn't work very well and I itch until I bleed and then it feels great!!!! Yesterday my entire legs itched really badly. I used some Gold Bond healing with aloe lotion and it helped. Yes, Sybil, psoriasis is a stubborn swine, and I wish mine would fully disappear, even if just for a few months. It would be a treat to not have to deal with that ugly stuff, even though when you have it so long you get used to it. My mom just shook her head when I showed her my legs once. I know I'd be sad if one of my kids had it. I hope the never do, but I guess there are a lot worse things!
Ooops, I got off track. I started taking the turmeric again yesterday. But, I just checked my bottle and mine don't have bioperine.
I checked online for info about bioperine and turmeric. So is bioperine simply black pepper? Also, I noticed there are a few brands made in America--can anybody tell me what brand works best for them?
Sybil ... if you get to the point where you want to 'wash' the area with psoriasis you could try Epaderm or Hydromol. They are both emoilients but are multipurpose and can be used in the bath as a soak and also a skin cleaner.
Back on the turmeric topic, yes bioperine is black pepper but I also noticed references to fats improving the bioavailability. Wonder if this is why they say 'take with a meal'. Not at all unusual for things to need to be taken with food to improve their processing/absorption. Just so happens that I take mine at the same time as my fish oil capsules in the middle of my main meal. I think I'll stick with that. I'm happy with the quality of the turmeric I buy, it is made in the UK to pharmaceutical standards so I know it contains exactly what it says it contains, no more and no less. Maybe just another grind of black pepper on my dinner ... as my hubby asks "are you eating any food with that pepper on your plate?" I LOVE black pepper :-)