Hi everybody.
Advice needed please - my onc advises that I take all the above, I’ve had 8 chemo sessions, and now on Femara. I can get these supplements OK, but how much is the right amount. Every bottle seems to be different.
Cheers
Anne x
Hi Anne
To keep things simple, I look for the bottles that say “one a day”. or give you the amount for one dose a day. That way, I only have to remember to take it once a day. Not sure if that answers your question, but it keeps me from fretting!!!
Good luck
Sharon
PS I think I have seen in other posts that you are on Arimidex as I am. I have found that glucosamine has helped me a bit. Still get achey joints but I think it’s a bit better
Hi Sharon
Thanks for the help. I must admit I was quite happy plodding along with my “one a day”, but over the last week the aches have increased and I started looking at other makes - big mistake! and notice that my usual has only a third of the amount of Gluc… as the others and then started wondering.
Think I’ll ask my GP next time I see him (this should be interesting!).
Sorry, not on Arimidex, Femara with Ramipril - i wish they would get the profiles running again.
Thanks again
Anne x
my OH is using it to help fix a strained knee and it’s helping we think. I have been told by several people that you must have over 1000mg a day of the glucosamine or you may as well not bother, and it takes months to have any real effect.
seeing as several people (all of whom I respect and have advised me well in the past) say this I’m inclined to listen to them 
HTH
Angie
I was told by my nutrtional therapist that the body can only assimilate 500mg of glucosamine in a 8/9 hour period so if you take any more than that it is just excreted. You can however, take 500mg in the morning and again at night if you feel you need 1000mg.
I am on Arimidex and this is what I do - no more stiff joints!
L x
I should add that we were told you need more than 1000mg because the body will only abosorb about 700mg of it so that fits.
I have read and been advised to take 1500 a day of Glucosamine and 1200 of chrondrontrin, seems alot but you can google it for research and thats the amount recommended for helping joint pains and arthritis etc,
Hope this helps, why did they recommend it for you to take.
I will try find best info and get back to you
Dawn X
Thanks everybody
I’m taking two tabs a day now and hopefully that will help. My Onc recommended these when I asked if there was anything I could take that would help my recovery and at the time was moaning about the aches and stiffness that seems to be caused by the letrozole.
Thanks again for all your input.
Cheers
Anne x
I have posted this on bhalf of new user Denise
Regards Sam.
My Oncologist also told me to take 1500 mg of Glucosamine per day, it takes a month or more to start working. However, I still felt stiff (taking Arimidex) so she told me to take the one that’s 1500mg Glucosamine plus has Chondroitin - the one that I found is from Boots and is called Glucosamax (and they’ve a 3 for 2 offer). I’m also going to try acupuncture, and if that doesn’t help, then I’ll try reflexology.
Apparently massage won’t help because it is a joint pain, not a muscle pain.
Keeping mobile helps - but doesn’t stop it.
However, when I exercise I don’t have the stiffness.
I was interested that lots of your with stiffness are on Arimidex or similar. i am on Tamoxifen and my stiffness has got a lot worse lately. I feel ‘bony’ and sensitive all day now - thats after 2.5 years on Tax. I should really be on an aromatase inhibitor but am worried that I will seize up altogether!
Any other tips from anyone that would help? I have tried Tai Chi but find it reallly, really hard to do because of stiffness, so am thinking of trying Yoga which is a lot more stretching.
Many thanks.
Good to hear all your comments. I wasn’t aware, until I went on this forum, that Arimidex etc. caused joint pain. At my post op examination, the day before surgery I was asked about which medications I was taking, advised them that Glucosamine (for arthritic knee and ankle joints) was one of them and was told to stop taking. I didn’t ask why, as it was only one week after my diagnosis and I was still like “a deer in the headlights”. Of course whilst on steriods during chemo I had no joint pain at all, but this came back with avengance about 6 weeks ago. It was much worse than arthritis pain had ever been and I could barely get out of bed on a couple of mornings. This drove me to the GP who said no reason not to go back on glucosamine. To my suprise told me that he could prescribe it. Apparently this is because it is a ‘proven’ aid to joint pain. Been on it for about 5 weeks and already so much better. I was given Ostex 750mg twice a day. This is also saving me alot of money!
By the way I am on Arimidex. I had a mastectomy Oct. 2007 and finished chemo in Feb this year. Best wishes to you all and keep your spirits up! (The joint pain got me down more than the cancer).
Ttfn, Barbara
Can anyone tell me the source of Glucomsomine/chondriatin ? Is it from fish or is it vegetable in origin? I am a vegetarian and do not want to take it if from fish.
Rach
Hi Rach,
Glucosamine comes from things like shrimp and crab shells so if you are allergic to seafood you shouldn’t take it.
Chondroitin comes from the cartilage of cows,pigs,sharks.
You can get vegan glucosamine I believe.Try holland and Barrett.
Hope this helps.
Alli x
I have started taking glucosamine and chondroitin in liquid form once a day. Costs £20 from holland+ barret
Does anyone know if you can get it on prescription
I get my Glucosamine on prescription (I have arthritis too) - they can do this, but they don’t like to because of the expense and we are able to buy it. I have a prescription season ticket so it does not cost me more.
Ask your GPs to prescribe it.
Thanks I will see my GP
Yes me too, but dropped Cod Liver oil when got really bad heartburn. Not sure if they work but harmless I’m told so will keep taking them even though I rattle with all the pills I take. I bought a job lot through zipvit.com but my sister in law gets hers on prescription and doesnt pay.
Irene
Hi, i’ve heard that the glucosamine is one of hte essential sugars found in cow/shark cartilege and marine animal shells. Probably a lot of people dont get it in their normal diet so i think its probably a good thing to take as a supplement.
Hi
Anyone out there tried Rose Hip Tablets? My husband suffers arthritus and our Dentist suggested trying Rose Hip. Hubby started taking them and seemed to benefit so, as I am on Arimidex, I tried them too…they do seem to help.
Best of Luck everyone
Linda P