Non-motoring > Cod liver oil or snake oil? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: devonite Replies: 24

 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - devonite
Over the last couple of months i`ve been feeling very stiff and sore! - Ankles, knees, elbows and wrists, feels like Arthritis to me, but doc says old age- wear an tear! - Bah! i`m only a pup yet! - last week elbow swelled up so much with fluid that i couldn`t get my arm down my shirtsleeve, so sweltered in a jumper. tonight my ankle is twice normal size and so sore i cant stand on it! I`m taking Ibrupoven 400mg which hardly touches the pain, so was thinking prevention more than cure. Is anyone out there willing to say that cod liver oil capsules are worth the money when it comes to supple joints?
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - rtj70
If your post is not a wind up... go to see the doctor immediately. Tomorrow might be a Sunday so likely to be an out of hours service. Otherwise A&E. So take a book.

Or from the title is this a wind up? I am assuming not. Sounds like you need a medical opinion.
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - -
Sounds like
>> you need a medical opinion.
>>

Agreed, possibly a second one too.

 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Dog
This sounds like Rheumatoid Arthritis comrade, which is an auto-immune dis-ease and can affect anyone at any age ~ inc. children.
If you go to the quack you'll get anti-inflammatory drugs & pain killers, but they won't effect a cure, alas.
Much can be done however ~ by a change in lifestyle/diet etc., etc., etc.
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - henry k
>>This sounds like Rheumatoid Arthritis comrade, which is an auto-immune dis-ease and can affect anyone at any age ~ inc. children.
>>
My guess too is RA. Go see the doc.

SWMBO is a case history of RA. she has had it , was called Stills Disease since a baby ( over 65 years ago) and has been treated by some of the worlds experts for her whole life.
Fortunately the RA is restricted to a few joints.
I hope all goes well.
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Manatee
>>Is anyone out there willing to say that cod liver oil capsules are worth the money when it comes to supple joints?

SWMBO has had similar painful symptoms for some time. She is currently much improved for which she gives some credit to glucosamine hydrochloride/chondroitin sulphate tabs, and cod liver oil capsules. If we forget them when we are away she can feel the difference in a day or two.

The science of this seems a bit elusive, and it's not a substitute for medical checks, but it seems to work for her. She chucks them down at breakfast with her porridge and trill.

This sort of thing can be silly-expensive; we stock up from Costco where their own brand versions are relatively much cheaper than chemists etc.

I might add she also uses anti-inflammatories as advised by the quack, but these are not generally great things to take a lot of, and she no longer takes them on a regular basis.
Last edited by: Manatee on Sun 11 Jul 10 at 09:51
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - MD
Simply supplements based in Guernsey I believe is the place to get the pills etc.

Anti-inflammatorys will cuff up your bowel if taken for too long.

Quality Hemp oil is better than Cod.

Best of luck sorting it.

Regards, Martin
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Focusless
The cod liver oil capsules I take are from Asda, where they're £1.25 for 60. Even cheaper if you buy bigger packs eg. 360 for £4 (the £2.98 180 packs are currently in a 2 for £4 offer). I don't currently suffer from joint problems, but can't say whether that's down to the cod liver oil.
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Old Navy
We have both taken cod liver oil capsules for years, and though enjoying our pensions are generally joint pain free. Luck or cod pills, who knows? My first memory of them was treating them as sweets as a child during rationing at the end of WW2.
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Clk Sec
>>Much can be done however ~ by a change in lifestyle/diet etc., etc., etc

I'm with Dog on this one, particularly in respect of the diet. A couple of sessions with a good naturopath might be worth the investment.

 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - L'escargot
>> My first memory of
>> them was treating them as sweets as a child during rationing at the end of
>> WW2.
>>

I don't remember it in capsules, but I do remember it in bottles.
www.yourdiscovery.com/video/food-flash-cod-liver-oil/
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - devonite
Thanks for the replies and advice folks.

Managed to get looked at by one of our other practice Doc`s this afternoon, who has taken some blood samples to test for Arthritis and Urates!
He thinks it may well be Gout! Plantar F something or possibly Gouty-Arthritis! ?? He`s stopped my Statins for two months to see if it rules out leg pains attributed to Statin treatment, and put me on a course of Indometacin. At least he seems to think i`ve got a problem! thats half the battle won!

The old lass has got me a big box of cod oil. and has plastered my ankle with a Comfrey poultice - which has turned my foot green.

Still in agony though! - painkillers not strong enough - humour fading.........ouch :-(
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - devonite
>>>I don't remember it in capsules, but I do remember it in bottles.

Yes I do now! horrible thick brown stuff ....Cod liver oil and Malt! shoved in your mouth on a spoon. Hated it! ;-(
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Perky Penguin
Plantar fascitits is a strong pain in the foot/instep, particularly when first getting out of bed in the morning, feels like standing on broken glass! I effected a 100% and permanent cure by wearing built up insoles (Orthotics) in my shoes. I used them for about 2 years and have been pain free for 8. Also sometimes known as a heelspur and is suffered by athletes who bang their heels on the ground a lot, long and triple jumpers and the like. Probably not you then!
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Dog
>>Still in agony though!<<

Statins are known to cause muscle or joint pain in some folk,

I doubt if cod liver oil will do much, in your case comrade,

You could try using an ice pack placed around the joint, you could even use a bag of frozen peas etc.

Good luck!
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Mike Hannon
I suffered for years with painful knees but I've been taking one a day cod liver oil capsules - any cheapo brand - for a long time now and I've had much less trouble. On other people's recommendation I've also tried things like Glucosamine, with no discernible effect. Only problem is I have to get things like that by mail order or via visiting UK friends and family. Pharmacies in France are a disgraceful closed shop - you can't even buy an aspirin in an ordinary shop, so what costs a couple of quid in the UK is 12 euros at the pharmacy.
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Netsur
"I suffered for years with painful knees but I've been taking one a day cod liver oil capsules"

Mike - you may have flat feet and could need orthotics. Go to a podiatrist or physio. I have this and orthotics got rid of my pain almost immediately.
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - IJWS14
>> He`s
>> stopped my Statins for two months to see if it rules out leg pains attributed
>> to Statin treatment, and put me on a course of Indometacin. At least he seems
>> to think i`ve got a problem! thats half the battle won!


Take this comment very seriously

Read the book called "the Great Cholesterol Con"

My father stopped taking statins 5 years ago and has never felt better. His GP still can't explain why his cholestol leves fell despite him switchin back to cooked breakfasts (fried in lard) and low carb diet. The Book explains it. He is the fittest octogenarian I know and fitter than many 50 year olds.

zipvit.co.uk is also a source.

 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Dog
>>and low carb diet.<<

Herein lies the answer.
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - henry k
>> He`s stopped my Statins for two months to see if it rules out leg pains attributed
to Statin treatment,
>>
>>Take this comment very seriously
>>
A few years ago I too suffered joint pains, especially in my legs and Alopecia Areata from taking statins.
48 hours after stopping the statins the pain went and the Alopecia was eventually reversed.
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Clk Sec
>>A few years ago I too suffered joint pains, especially in my legs and Alopecia Areata from taking statins. 48 hours after stopping the statins the pain went and the Alopecia was eventually reversed.

What about the cholesterol, Henry?
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - henry k
>>What about the cholesterol, Henry?

It has been regularly monitored in the meanwhile and is still "a little high"
It is obviously something that I would prefer sorted but the pain from the side effects was not acceptable. The loss of hair I could live with including the name badger as my hair was part black and part white. :-)

I suspect GPs are on a bonus for the number of bods on statins.
My consultant says there are better statins available now so I might be in line for a revisit to pills.

A few months ago I attended a consumer group to discus statins.
It was about promotong a 4.0 level of cholesterol and we were shown some sample adverts that appeared to be from the USA. I am waiting to see if this advertising starts.
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Clk Sec
Thanks for your reply, Henry. Perhaps you should badger your GP for an alternative that, hopefully, won't have any nasty side effects.
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - devonite
All this stuff about Statins and cholesterol has had me puzzlin` for quite a while now. I`ve been on Statins 40mg since `93,(Lipostatin then Pravostatin) till last year, then this year Doc decided my levels were too static at 5.9 - 6.1, so he changed me to Simvastatin 80mg. My levels dropped almost immediately to 4.1 - 4.6, and Doc was pleased. I`d previously heard something on tv about Statins continuing to protect patients for up yo 5 years after stopping taking them, I meant to ask him about this, but never got around to it. Then recently it was announced (tv again i think) that high levels of statin can cause liver damage that outwieghs any benefit they have on the heart. Just after this i got a letter from doc wanting to put me back on 40mg, unless i had any objections. So i went to see him and discussed it, and at same time aired my joint probs, told i was getting old and it was wear and tear, he got a wee bit ariated when i suggested stopping statins (citing the 5yr study) and basically told me that he had finally managed to get my cholesterol under control and in the required range and i`d be foolish to stop. When i stated that my level may rise again to the 6`s on the 40mg dose, he seemed to think not!
Anyway, Statins are stopped for 2 months,(different Doc) still getting joint pains and flare-ups, will see how things pan out generally without them, before deciding if i want to go back on them.
If plant Sterols are proven to cut cholesterol, why aren`t more food manufacturers using them? or why cant i get Flora on prescription?

p.s will try to get a copy of that book! - cheers!
 Cod liver oil or snake oil? - Old Navy
>> I don't remember it in capsules, but I do remember it in bottles.
>> www.yourdiscovery.com/video/food-flash-cod-liver-oil/
>>

I remember the concentrated orange juce in those bottles.
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