Is it advisable for someone with scleroderma to use only alternative methods such as vitimans, herbs, and natural health products for treatment and refuse any and all approved drugs for treatment.

I have very bad knee pain. I’ve had the Halygen shots and they worked well for a while. I know I need to lose weight but dieting alone doesn’t work for me. Exercise alway has but everytime I try to excercise my knees hurt. It’s a catch 22. What, specifically, do people do in these cases?

Hi, my diagnose is Ankylosing Spondilitis (AS). In the beginning I had a pain in the knee and hip joints. Than it moved to my neck and to the small of my back. First time that happened in 1993 when I was 20. At the moment the most of my time I don’t feel too much pain. But after some stress situation AS is being activated and at that time I need to use some medicaments (indomethacin and others). Also I’ m using bosswelia serata (Sallaki) which helps me a lot. 2 years ago my doctor (rheumatologist) prescribed my the injections HYALGAN and since than I received a lot of those injection in my knees and my hips. I don’t know how much those injections helped me, but they are really expensive. This is why I would like to ask you is it really necessary to me to use those injection to treat AS? I have read that those injection can be prescribed only for osteoarthritis of the knee. Is that true?

Are there any follow up trials or ongoing research into the use of tetracyclines antibioctics such as Minocycline for Rhuematoid Arthritis? Several studies were done in 1990’s & Minocycline is used as a DMARD for RA by some Rheumatologists in the USA & UK, yet i could find no reference to it on your drug information?

I’m reading alot of articles where people are getting some relief from their RA by taking fish oil. Whats your thoughts on this? How much should someone take? Any side effects?

My mum meenu, who is 54 has osteoarthritis in both her knees. She weights around 70 kilos and is 5ft 2 inches.Her mother, as well as her four aunts and all her cousins have osteoarthritis. She has recently joained a gym, and for a cardio activity cycles for aroung 10-15 mins. She says that after a week, the cycling has worsened the pain in her knees, and is afraid that cycling will further damage her cartilage. What effect does cycling have on the knees, and if it is infact detremental to her well being, can she engage in any other cardio activity?