Getting old sucks, but, the alternative is worse.
50 something Ron

The 'alternative' is a long ways down the road I'm afraid Ron.
LOL

If I'm this bad (wimpy) at fifty one what will I be in ten or more years?

Lori

Lori, I am 53 and this is the first winter in two years that my elbows don't hurt. But you wouldn't want to see what I wear to go to bed. LOL

I knitted elbow warmers with wool yarn. Nice and warm. I found, if I sleep with them on, my elbows stay warm, specially the right one, and I don't have any pain.

Try some elbow warmers! :)

Moni

Lori, the box of yellow raisins soaked in a 5th of gin works for me. I quit taking Aleve, all I need is 10 raisins a day.

Wait a couple days, then you can come here.
Coldest nite, here, since, 04, going down to 17.
Then a warmup!
Headed to bed with socks on! And vaporizer going to add moisture for my DRY NOSE, in bedroom!
over and out!

That's funny Linda!
Thanks for the belly laugh!
Over the holidays we would have a cocktail each night and I have to admit I have grown fond of that tradition. I could call my Crown and seven my rheumitiz medicine, couldn't I?

Dry air is a problem here too.

Lori

Have you tried any of the Glucosimin/Chondrotin (sp) supplements Lori? I have no clue if they really help or not. But try them and let me know for future reference could ya? LOL I am 48 til May and just rubbed IcyHot on both my calves cause I have been limping around for a week with what feels like a golf ball sized charlie horse in one and now that it is starting to feel better the other one has the same problem!

Getting older isn't for wussies!

I tried glucosamine for my knees but didn't feel any improvement. Neither did Custer. My sister swears by it though.

Charley horses are the worst!
The only advice I have is to point your toes when you feel charley coming on. It really works if you can get your brain to remember during the pain.

I wonder if Linda's gin soaked raisins would help?

Lori

I just "googled" Linda's recipe, as I had never heard of it. Sounds interesting.

We have our cold weather, too, here above Atlanta. 14 degrees on the porch this morning. The cats are lying over the floor vents. And at 77 (feel like 90 this morning- oh, to be 50 again) my whole body aches most of the time. These are sure not my golden years.

Lori, I don't think Linda was joking.
As Phyllis said, read up on it if you haven't heard about it. If your pain is bad enough, you'll try anything -- no matter how ridiculous is sounds.

Glad it's working for you, Linda!

Lori, I have tried the G/C. Doesn't work for me, and I have also been told since, not to take it. I have learned since Glenda's post a couple of months ago, that Arnica cream works wonders! If you have G N C near you or other health type place, try it! If any scent at all, it's a very slight flower smell. And it grows in, I think my brother said, Montana, so it also helps the US economy! It takes 45 min to an hour to start working and last 4-5 hours. Usually I only apply it once!

Tami..who can't stand raisins, gin soaked or not!

I tried the raisins in gin, no help. I found that Crown is a wonder drug when used for Medicinal purposes of course.

We were out in the cold New Years Eve by the fire pit. Next day my back really hurt. Shivering really hurts when you have arthritis in your back and neck.

Gayle

Do you ever have a spot in your back that hurts when you move but to touch it, you can't feel it??? weird huh?

My toes hurt. It was 13 degrees this morning and I went out in sneakers!

Lori, I wasn't joking about the gin soaked raisins. Glenda posted about it. You put a box of yellow raisins in a glass pie pan, it has to be glass. Pour a 5th of cheap gin over the raisins. I covered mine loosely with Saran Wrap and set it on top of my fridge for a week. Then drain the gin and put the raisins in the fridge in a covered container. Eat about 10 every day. It works for me.

And the AA meetings are fun! LOL!

Gayle

Whatever works - physically or psychologically - to relieve the pain is worth its weight in gold. Some people swear by GC, but others say it doesn't help. Same with the raisins and with creams and heat and ice and OTC pain relievers and so it goes...

Arthritis can be so debilitating, and any relief at all is certainly better than nothing.

Got down to 13 last night in Tupelo, MS. That's cold. And like GMOM, I am 77 and every joint in my body aches today. Everything is stiff. Yesterday I discovered that I cannot sew a hem without lots of pain in my stiff fingers. If I weren't too lazy, I'd head to Florida for a few weeks!~

Lori-- my husband was having lots of pain in his hands this winter. The dr. told him to take the fish oil capsules but it would take 6-8 weeks for them to work. Of course, in my opinion in 6-8 weeks winter will be over and his hands will feel better-- fish oil capsules or not! lol Montana_Jan

Oh Linda!
I know you weren't joking and if I offended you I apologize.
Booze in any form is good for lots of things, including aches and pains!
How you wrote it made me laugh...throw away the aleve and eat gin soaked raisins....it made me smile and laughter is good for sore joints. For instance, in your post this morning I read 'DRINK (not drain) the gin then eat the raisins. LOL If you thought I was making fun of you I wasn't.
Only I wouldn't use gin...I'm a whiskey kind of gal.
LOL
And, not only would I eat the raisins I would drink the whiskey too.
Now you can laugh at me and that's okay.

Today I'm feeling better...probably because it only got ten below last night.

The ben gay icy/hot patches are very good for joint aches and pains. Ibuprofen helps too. EXERCISE is important as well (I haven't done anything since before Christmas) which is probably why I'm so sore. The Crown toddy I had last night didn't hurt anything either.
LOL

Thanks for helping me through this guys!

Lori

I know where you are coming from! The cold kills me. It's like my spine stiffens up, and my elbows and knees and hips and knuckles ache like the dickens. It feels like growing pains, although I am NOT growing LOL! Well, maybe outward ;).

Flannel pajamas worn to bed help, I really think there is something to Moni's keeping the joints warm while you are sleeping. I try to stay out of draughts as well, but that can be hard this time of year.

When it gets really bad, I use Motrin (the orange extra strength) and it helps but I reserve it for emergencies only because if I take it more than one day in a row it does a number on my stomach and it makes my kidneys hurt.

In my case, between the cold, wrapping presents and carrying packages, sitting in odd chairs while visiting and at events, and a bout of gastroenteritis Christmas Eve, I can hardly stand straight right now. Apparently throwing up strains the spine. Who knew?

This calls for the BIG guns - rice packs heated in the microwave and placed around my body. I'll probably fall asleep LOL.

Lori, my dear child! Let me tell you what it feels like at 83! LOL. And has been feeling like that more or less, off and on for about 60 years. (I was first diagnosed with arthritis when I was 23.) And getting worse all the time.

I have not tried G/C. I have not tried the Gin and raisins, which by the way I think that idea came over on the Mayflower, it is so old. Don't do magnets, either. I've never believed any of those things would help. I could be wrong, but I've never known anyone who would vouch for them over the long run.

I have tried a lot of things, including all the Nsaids; they all help, for a while, or until your stomach ulcers appear, or your liver goes screwey. or they are taken off the market, whichever comes first. I did water aerobics for 12-15 years, until just the going and doing was exhausting. I have had several rounds of physical therapy, including through the Pain Clinic.

I've had both knees replaced, and yes, they still hurt sometimes. I have had the left elbow problem, which my Rheumo doc called "golfer's elbow." Never played golf.

My spine? You don't even want to know.

Cold weather? Horrible! I haven't even finished putting away my Christmas decorations, because they go in the garage and it is freezing out there, even though it is attached! We are up to a sizzling 32 right now.

Golden years? I've said many times: My golden years turned out to be brass plated!

Enough of, no, not complaining, just stating the facts.

Even so I still insist that I'm going to live to be a hundred!

It does beat the alternative.

Stay warm as best you can.

Sue

I prefer to soak my raisins in bourbon, cover and leave on the counter for 3 days until they're nice and plump, then refrigerate covered. 4 or 5 of them during a stressful afternoon will give you nice little attitude adjustment. They get nice and crunchy in the fridge! I don't know what they'd do for pain.

I'm sorry the cold is hurting yer joints, Lori. Don't come here to get warm, though, it's been in the low double digits 2 mornings in a row now, with a howling wind. Brrrrr! And I know you're not a wimp, maybe you're just sick of winters in Utah, they aren't for sissies, that's for sure.

I can sympthize with all of you who have injury or joint pain. I just turned 61 and question how much worse can it get. I don't want to know actually or I'll just drink the whole 5th of Gin and forget about the raisins. LOL I am going to try them though, why not. I did the GC years ago, no help. I've had, altogether, 6 epidurals, no help. Now it's just me, my ice pack, heating pad and a hydocodone or Aleve when I need it. I like the alcohol soaked raisin idea the best. :) My aunt used to swear by it. I had actually forgotten about it. Glad I saw this thread. I have golden raisins on my grocery list now.

Hope everyone who hurts finds some relief in some or all of these remedies. If you tried one not mentioned and it helped. Please do share.

I have regular raisins and Crown in my cupboard.
Will this work, temporarily, until I get golden raisins and rum. (Sorry Linda. I'm just not a gin person...:))

I really like how you guys are encouraging the alcohol.
Only real friends encourage each other to become a lush in the name of joint pain!

Signed,

Your Friend,

Lori the Lush

I started taking CosaminDS...it really helps ye ole joints...you can find it at Wally World...of all people, my VET recommended it..hey it stopped him from having knee probs so maybe it'll help you with the cold...until you get your raisins soaked that is...LOL

Hey...all good things in moderation...my mom would take a tsp of Crown every morning in the winter in her later years...she said it really helped the pain of cold weather...

Hi Lori,
I happen to know where there is a really nice guest room that sits empty most of the time:^) It's a balmy 40 degrees here right now!! The guest room also has a nice empty dog run outside the window, and sits on 2 acres of land...great for dogs...or a horse.....

ahem.....since you think you have to stay in the frozen north, the Arnica cream from GNC really does work well, and is not greasy!! If you don't have a GNC, let me know and I will get a dose in the mail to you tomorrow!!
Blessings and warm thoughts to you!

So far with a few exceptions here in the Northern tier of ND the weather has not been bad. Yes some snow, yes some temps are below 0, but yesterday was about 34 but slightly windy.
At 76 I don't feel too bad, had trouble with sciatica nerve, and shoulder, but went to a chiropractor and use Bio-Freeze. It is a rub on and if there is inflammation--so cold. Also I used a emu oil-camphor liquid from Mn called Deep Pain Relief. Maybe you should winter in ND????
Except when Canada shares their Artic Express.
But really do hope you feel better.
We also get what they call dry cold, not too damp here, but very dry, even if it rains or snows. Very seldom feels "wet--or damp"

Just don't eat raisins and drive! lolol

I think I might put golden raisins on my grocery list too. Does it matter what kind of hooch you soak them in? I'm usually a wino type but we might have a bottle of Crown in the cupboard. Wonder why they have to be golden raisins. But no matter, I don't have any regular raisins either. lol

Lori, living where you do and knowing all the chores you do, you have good reason for your joints to hurt! I get all cold and achy when our temps drop to the low 40's. I'd be a popsicle with your weather!