Question:

[my beefs deleted] this question may seem naive but have you found a way to counter constant pain while avoiding advil and naprosin and aspirin?

I use Tylenol twice a day.  It seems to help *enough*, although it doesn’t let me *forget* about my shoulder.  Constant stretching (about one to two hours/day total) also keeps individual joints from getting too sore (these with the guidance of a physical therapist). Actually, a suggestion that helped more for me was for Vitamin C, from a "myotherapist" (muscle therapist).  She told me about how important C is for collagen maintenance, which basically holds everything in your body together – muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones.  Because C is so similar to sugar, it gets trashed a lot more in diabetics’ bloodstreams, and so we need more*, although she said that most people don’t take enough to begin with.  Apparently most animals – except for humans, primates, and guinea pigs (!?) make their own C, at about 2000 mg. per 100 pounds per day, which has a lot do to with why Linus Pauling recommended such high doses.  Anyway, I take 2000-3000 mg/day, and I definitely notice within a week or two of stopping (like when I didn’t have any on my recent trip): I get achier and stiffer and older-feeling. There was a good article about C in a recent Diabetes Interview; unfortunately, I’m moving next weekend and have no idea which issue it was in or where I might find it… And, I’m no expert; any biochemists out there, can you fill in any gaps like exactly how it is the C gets trashed so much more, and how much animals make for themselves (and where I’m wrong), etc.? * [I was telling my retina doctor about discovering Rutin for night vision, and he mused, "It's funny; it's almost like diabetics just need a lot more of *every* vitamin and mineral to get any benefit at all out of them, as if the minimum requirements were just getting tossed out and only excesses were being used." I didn't ask what others he had in mind, but I've found I have trouble without Calcium supplements, too.  Anybody else notice this?] edward and i both are at the age of bufe—we try to keep from using anti-inflammatories but somedays ibuprofen really helps us handle the aches of muddle-aged activities.                    with respect, melynda

I dunno "bufe", but while some deem me a little shy of middle age (37), I dread finding out how much achier it gets in yet another couple decades, cause the change since 10 years ago is *so* noticible. Same <sigh for the muddled part…                      ^ Lyle, *definitely* achy from shoveling snow and thinking Mexico sounds       good just now

Response:

May I point out that this study only indicates that _two_ aspirin a day are not contraindicated.  People in constant pain, as I was with my adhesive capsulitis, and as many with arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis etc. are, generally take a lot more than that.  I was advised _by my endo_ to take 6 to 8 _extra strength_ aspirin a day — a far cry from just two regular aspirin; and my doses of Advil and Naprosin were equivalent to that of the aspirin.  After a year and a half of constant high doses _and_ eye deterioration, and then having had my eyes recover noticibly within weeks of stopping, I am convinced that larger amounts of anti-inflammatories aggravate retinopathy, and nothing says just how much aspirin you can take before it starts to affect you negatively.  Thanks, but I’m just going to avoid it. Lyle

this question may seem naive but have you found a way to counter constant pain while avoiding advil and naprosin and aspirin? edward and i both are at the age of bufe—we try to keep from using anti-inflammatories but somedays ibuprofen really helps us handle the aches of muddle-aged activities.                     with respect, melynda melynda reid   who wears hats but does not type caps   snail: p o box 378 greensboro, florida 32330

Response:

The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) has shown that two aspirins a day does not influence the course of retinopathy.  ETDRS was a large-scale long-term (7+ years) study completed in ‘88 or ‘89 which investigated a number of issues related to retinopathy–especially the benefits of early laser treatment.  Also, half of the participants took 2 aspirins a day and half took a placebo.  A major finding of the study was that aspirin has absolutely no effect on retinopathy.  ETSRS is considered a landmark study in the treatment of diabetic eye disease. Ask your endo or optho about it.

May I point out that this study only indicates that _two_ aspirin a day are not contraindicated.  People in constant pain, as I was with my adhesive capsulitis, and as many with arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis etc. are, generally take a lot more than that.  I was advised _by my endo_ to take 6 to 8 _extra strength_ aspirin a day — a far cry from just two regular aspirin; and my doses of Advil and Naprosin were equivalent to that of the aspirin.  After a year and a half of constant high doses _and_ eye deterioration, and then having had my eyes recover noticibly within weeks of stopping, I am convinced that larger amounts of anti-inflammatories aggravate retinopathy, and nothing says just how much aspirin you can take before it starts to affect you negatively.  Thanks, but I’m just going to avoid it. Lyle

Response:

The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) has shown that two aspirins a day does not influence the course of retinopathy.  ETDRS was a large-scale long-term (7+ years) study completed in ‘88 or ‘89 which investigated a number of issues related to retinopathy–especially the benefits of early laser treatment.  Also, half of the participants took 2 aspirins a day and half took a placebo.  A major finding of the study was that aspirin has absolutely no effect on retinopathy.  ETSRS is considered a landmark study in the treatment of diabetic eye disease. Ask your endo or optho about it.

Can you post more about the findings of this research?

Response:

The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) has shown that two aspirins a day does not influence the course of retinopathy.  ETDRS was a large-scale long-term (7+ years) study completed in ‘88 or ‘89 which investigated a number of issues related to retinopathy–especially the benefits of early laser treatment.  Also, half of the participants took 2 aspirins a day and half took a placebo.  A major finding of the study was that aspirin has absolutely no effect on retinopathy.  ETSRS is considered a landmark study in the treatment of diabetic eye disease. Ask your endo or optho about it. Can you post more about the findings of this research?

Is the reason for taking two aspirin a day related to the prevention of heart disease, or is there another reason for taking aspirin regularly that I am not aware of?  It seems to me that if you are taking aspirin for pain or inflammation relief, there are better choices which are not suspected of effecting retinopathy.  Personally, I would be very reluctant to start a program of taking aspirin daily. — Steve Kirchoefer Naval Research Laboratory Washington, DC  20375-5347

Response:

The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) has shown that two aspirins a day does not influence the course of retinopathy.  ETDRS was a large-scale long-term (7+ years) study completed in ‘88 or ‘89 which investigated a number of issues related to retinopathy–especially the benefits of early laser treatment.  Also, half of the participants took 2 aspirins a day and half took a placebo.  A major finding of the study was that aspirin has absolutely no effect on retinopathy.  ETSRS is considered a landmark study in the treatment of diabetic eye disease. Ask your endo or optho about it.

Response:

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