I recently started taking Vitamin D (Solar D Gems) and am wondering if L-Glutamine may be helpful. Is there a difference between the powder or capsule? Any suggestions for safe brand? I'm not even sure if it'd be right for me and I'm a bit gun shy to take supplements since I've literally spent thousands of dollars with other supplements that were supposed to help and never did. Would it be helpful for muscle/joint pain?
I'm hesistant to call what I have joint pain, in my hips, because it's more muscle related. I am an avid gardener who now struggles with seasonal allergies and suspect histamine issues. Cooking and gardening are my passions and now that I've lost interest in cooking I refuse to give up the outdoors, even if it would help my symptoms. I used to do all day marathons outside in the dirt but now have limited myself to partial days because my hip/butt hurts so bad. I try proper form to bend at the knees but it isn't always practical. I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning and woke up frequently during the night because of the discomfort. After hours of bending, stooping, digging, etc the muscles that run on the sides of my hips and from the low back down the butt are wound tight. I have to think twice about bending over because I want to make sure the pain will be worth bending over for whatever it is I need.
I've been to a rheumatologist and I have been given a big thumbs up with negative markers for everything they tested for. I was told I need to exercise more and have hyper-mobility ( I think that's the word she used) so need to be careful related to injuries of over extension. I've been to the chiropractor and was given the rubber bands for stretching. Once I put my palms to the floor and touched my nose to my knees, he took them back. It seems to be a no win situation since I'm told I need low impact excerise but when I do it causes more pain. I know I should be more attentive to how I bend and limit my time even more but I know I cannot. The outdoors gives me peace of mind and helps me deal with life's daily problems. I'm just wondering if there's anything that could help me out. I don't take any pain relievers anymore because it scares me. I save Tylenol for when I get bad headaches and that's it.
I'm on my way out the door to cut the grass but that shouldn't bother me since it's just walking. But I know unless it rains, after breakfast I will be compelled to plant the eight flats of flowers I've been tending to over the winter in my basement "greenhouse."
L-GLutamine
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Jenny- I have other pains that are food related that I'm still trying to figure out. This muscle tightness I mentioned above I know for sure is not food related. It always happens after a day full of physical movements. I used to work in the Street Department in my Village and experienced this tightness and worse pain after construction projects that required lots of heavy lifting. Now I get it after what I consider to be "simple" gardening. Movement is movement and I suppose it doesn't matter if it's gardening or construction. The only answer may be to avoid the activity that causes the pain but I'm not willing to go there yet. I would say 80% of my yard is garden vs grass and I've been slowly moving my borders inward and planting over with grass knowing that someday my yard will be too much for me to handle.
DebE,
Body builders praise L-Glutamine to high heaven for it's muscle healing properties, and some people find that it helps with their MC GI issues. The only way to find out is to try it. I've never used it, so I can't speak from experience, nor do I have any idea what might be the best type or brand to use. Connie (Stanz) has a lot of experience with L-Glutamine. Maybe she will see your post and comment.
Tex
Body builders praise L-Glutamine to high heaven for it's muscle healing properties, and some people find that it helps with their MC GI issues. The only way to find out is to try it. I've never used it, so I can't speak from experience, nor do I have any idea what might be the best type or brand to use. Connie (Stanz) has a lot of experience with L-Glutamine. Maybe she will see your post and comment.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Christine.
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DebE,
I have only ever used Vital Nutrients Glutamine Powder. One rounded tsp. is 4800 mg. In a flare I usually do 2 rounded tsp/twice a day, 1 ProBoulardi and 2 Probiotics. Have been in an extended flare for quite awhile due to some major stress in my life. Haven't been very consistent in treating myself, so it's not working as well right now and I'm sure it would be if I was better about taking it. I'm approaching 3 yrs. completely GF and in those 3 years the only times I've had flares have been stress related. Obviously there is great variation in meds by manufacturer and I have no experience with the capsules. I buy the powder from/at my ND's office, pretty much at cost to him and I think it costs around 50 bucks for a 16 oz. cannister.
When first dx/w/MC this is all the "drugs" I took and nearly 3 years of D stopped within weeks. I'd tried pepto bismol, which made me totally spacy and hated it and stopped it fairly quickly before I started with L-G. Also was using immodium for awhile and still do when I'm working and worried about having an available john and haven't had a problem with that. I did the 4 tsp/day of L-G for several months and then went on a lower dose for the better part of a year and then quit it entirely. Have only used it prn since then.
When I do remember to take it, it's instantly soothing. Ate Indian food last night and woke up this morning in major distress and pain - which is rare. After I got off the john I took all my meds and w/in minutes felt much better. The stuff worked wonders for me - and I've little doubt I'd feel better if I were more consistent, just been depressed and probably sabotaging myself.
My ND has several patients who rely on it with great success, but we're all different. Don't see how this could hurt anyone. Jenny is the first person I've heard say it gave her D.
Before going GF I also used to have a lot of body pain and also was negative for anything my Rheumy tested me for. Still have damage from the AI disorders that were obviously gluten caused, but most of my body pain is GONE and considering that I'm 63, and do what I do for a living, that's pretty amazing.
Connie
I have only ever used Vital Nutrients Glutamine Powder. One rounded tsp. is 4800 mg. In a flare I usually do 2 rounded tsp/twice a day, 1 ProBoulardi and 2 Probiotics. Have been in an extended flare for quite awhile due to some major stress in my life. Haven't been very consistent in treating myself, so it's not working as well right now and I'm sure it would be if I was better about taking it. I'm approaching 3 yrs. completely GF and in those 3 years the only times I've had flares have been stress related. Obviously there is great variation in meds by manufacturer and I have no experience with the capsules. I buy the powder from/at my ND's office, pretty much at cost to him and I think it costs around 50 bucks for a 16 oz. cannister.
When first dx/w/MC this is all the "drugs" I took and nearly 3 years of D stopped within weeks. I'd tried pepto bismol, which made me totally spacy and hated it and stopped it fairly quickly before I started with L-G. Also was using immodium for awhile and still do when I'm working and worried about having an available john and haven't had a problem with that. I did the 4 tsp/day of L-G for several months and then went on a lower dose for the better part of a year and then quit it entirely. Have only used it prn since then.
When I do remember to take it, it's instantly soothing. Ate Indian food last night and woke up this morning in major distress and pain - which is rare. After I got off the john I took all my meds and w/in minutes felt much better. The stuff worked wonders for me - and I've little doubt I'd feel better if I were more consistent, just been depressed and probably sabotaging myself.
My ND has several patients who rely on it with great success, but we're all different. Don't see how this could hurt anyone. Jenny is the first person I've heard say it gave her D.
Before going GF I also used to have a lot of body pain and also was negative for anything my Rheumy tested me for. Still have damage from the AI disorders that were obviously gluten caused, but most of my body pain is GONE and considering that I'm 63, and do what I do for a living, that's pretty amazing.
Connie
Resolved MC symptoms successfully w/L-Glutamine, Probiotics and Vitamins, GF since 8/'09. DX w/MC 10/'09.
Hi DebE,
I started using L Glutamine when Connie mentioned it awhile back. I'm using the powder (way cheaper). I just bought a new tub yesterday. No negatives. So much of my healing is very slow so I can't report quite the results of Connie but figure I'll give it another 3-6 mths. I believe several studies have been mentioned on this forum in which they are studying 30-40 mg per day on patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
I'm pretty much taking Connie's dose of 2 rounded tsp twice per day, sometimes I go 3 times per day if I'm having an "iffy" MC day.
I got mine at Simply Nutrition but Vitamin Shoppe has a lot of brands. Mine is marketed to body builders and has only L Glutamine in it.
Two other things I like about it is that you add it to a tall glass of water so it forces me to get at least 3 glass of water per day. The other thing I like about it is it aids in "muscle recovery." I'm not really sure what that means but that is why the athletes use it. Despite going to gym all last year I had a lot of muscle atrophy in 2011. I'm not sure if that was due to MC, a side effect of Ento, or maybe due to me lying around more but I'm trying to build up more muscle. The athletes typically take it after a workout so if I walk or hit the gym I try to take one of my doses after work out.
I don't believe the L Glutamine will directly help with joint pain but as your gut heals some more, and we're talking perhaps months here, not days or weeks, you may see a significant reduction/elimination in your joint pain.
Best wishes, Brandy
I started using L Glutamine when Connie mentioned it awhile back. I'm using the powder (way cheaper). I just bought a new tub yesterday. No negatives. So much of my healing is very slow so I can't report quite the results of Connie but figure I'll give it another 3-6 mths. I believe several studies have been mentioned on this forum in which they are studying 30-40 mg per day on patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
I'm pretty much taking Connie's dose of 2 rounded tsp twice per day, sometimes I go 3 times per day if I'm having an "iffy" MC day.
I got mine at Simply Nutrition but Vitamin Shoppe has a lot of brands. Mine is marketed to body builders and has only L Glutamine in it.
Two other things I like about it is that you add it to a tall glass of water so it forces me to get at least 3 glass of water per day. The other thing I like about it is it aids in "muscle recovery." I'm not really sure what that means but that is why the athletes use it. Despite going to gym all last year I had a lot of muscle atrophy in 2011. I'm not sure if that was due to MC, a side effect of Ento, or maybe due to me lying around more but I'm trying to build up more muscle. The athletes typically take it after a workout so if I walk or hit the gym I try to take one of my doses after work out.
I don't believe the L Glutamine will directly help with joint pain but as your gut heals some more, and we're talking perhaps months here, not days or weeks, you may see a significant reduction/elimination in your joint pain.
Best wishes, Brandy
There's a muscle in the butt called the piriformis. Sounds to me like yours is tight, and the way you garden is making it tighter.
2 things:
One - can you get a low stool on which you can sit while you garden? I used to have one on wheels so I could move around. It also had a drawer where I could keep my tools.
Two - treatment AFTER gardening. Heat - pads, bath, shower. Then exercises designed to soften the piriformis which I will suggest. Then ice to close it all up.
Look at this site. It will explain about the muscle, the pain, and show you some stretches.
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/ar ... ndrome.php
I suggest STARTING with lying supine on the floor, bending knees, bringing them up to your chest while tilting your chin forward.
Stretch your arms out to the sides at shoulder level, and bring your knees over to one side, while turning your head to the opposite side. BREATHE! RELAX like that so your knees come down with each exhalation. Take the kidney area deeper into the back to accentuate the stretch.
Place feet on floor and center. Then do the other side.
SLOW movements and don't forget to breathe.
Ice after is very important. You will lose much of what you gain if you don't do it.
Understanding what is happening and doing appropriate exercise is key here. What you did for the doctor in no way uses the muscles involved in your pain.
I hope this helps!
2 things:
One - can you get a low stool on which you can sit while you garden? I used to have one on wheels so I could move around. It also had a drawer where I could keep my tools.
Two - treatment AFTER gardening. Heat - pads, bath, shower. Then exercises designed to soften the piriformis which I will suggest. Then ice to close it all up.
Look at this site. It will explain about the muscle, the pain, and show you some stretches.
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/ar ... ndrome.php
I suggest STARTING with lying supine on the floor, bending knees, bringing them up to your chest while tilting your chin forward.
Stretch your arms out to the sides at shoulder level, and bring your knees over to one side, while turning your head to the opposite side. BREATHE! RELAX like that so your knees come down with each exhalation. Take the kidney area deeper into the back to accentuate the stretch.
Place feet on floor and center. Then do the other side.
SLOW movements and don't forget to breathe.
Ice after is very important. You will lose much of what you gain if you don't do it.
Understanding what is happening and doing appropriate exercise is key here. What you did for the doctor in no way uses the muscles involved in your pain.
I hope this helps!
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mzh
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That is exactly the pain I have. I have a rheumy appt on 6/4 but it will probably show nothing. I know I have the HLA-B27 gene. Ankylosing spondylosis (or -itis) is a part of that low back-hip pain and the main symptom is that pain.
Thanks for the exercise and info, Lesley. I'll add it to my already too-long regimen. Ice, ice. BTW I iced last Friday and got a flare up while I was icing. I think the cold isn't too good for my gut; I don't know about anyone else.
Thanks for the exercise and info, Lesley. I'll add it to my already too-long regimen. Ice, ice. BTW I iced last Friday and got a flare up while I was icing. I think the cold isn't too good for my gut; I don't know about anyone else.
Also have sleep apnea
Ankylosing spondylosis - you have it? Do you already have spinal fusion? Or is it latent?
When did you ice? How? You can always put ice on your back and heat on your tummy so that the cold doesn't affect it.
Those are the exercises that will help free up your back a bit. Piriformis syndrome is very difficult to treat. I have tackled it from both sides of the coin, as a therapist and as a sufferer. Doing these exercises can make the difference between being able to do what you love to do and not.
Other things that DEFINITELY help: walking. Half an hour a day concentrating on using your abdominals to support your back, walking from your core rather than just moving your legs. Takes practice, but it helps.
Also being in a pool. Not necessarily swimming, unless you do backstroke, or crawl with correct bilateral breathing, but walking (VERY low impact), running etc. You can do it in shallow water, but I find using some equipment and doing it without touching the floor is better on my back.
When did you ice? How? You can always put ice on your back and heat on your tummy so that the cold doesn't affect it.
Those are the exercises that will help free up your back a bit. Piriformis syndrome is very difficult to treat. I have tackled it from both sides of the coin, as a therapist and as a sufferer. Doing these exercises can make the difference between being able to do what you love to do and not.
Other things that DEFINITELY help: walking. Half an hour a day concentrating on using your abdominals to support your back, walking from your core rather than just moving your legs. Takes practice, but it helps.
Also being in a pool. Not necessarily swimming, unless you do backstroke, or crawl with correct bilateral breathing, but walking (VERY low impact), running etc. You can do it in shallow water, but I find using some equipment and doing it without touching the floor is better on my back.
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mzh
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Not sure if I have it. We moved just after the HLA dx was made and never followed up. This was in 07. (That's bad, I know.) No spinal fusion but my PT says my spine and muscles are very stiff. Seeing the rheum in 2 weeks so time will tell.
I iced 2 hours after dinner for about 10 minutes. I will try heat on the tummy. I am iced like a fish at PT and the flare never happened then so it may have been a fluke.
You're so right about the piriformis. (I didn't know you were a therapist!)
Re: walking: This is my biggest problem right now. My dogs injured my left foot and ankle exactly one year ago and I can't walk fast enough for it to do much good. (Crazy docs said it's just gonna hurt a long time w/o even doing an xray. Argh.) I'm going to my GP today and will push for diagnostics. I have serious shoulder trouble too from getting hit by a car in 1995.
I just started concentrating on my abdominals at all times. Unfortunately they are terribly weak; I babied them after my cecal volvulus surgery in '08. My PT assistant told me about thinking of the abdomen as a bucket of water that shouldn't spill out. Great analogy!
Years ago in PT (the lower back thing has been going on for 30 years, the should for 18) I spent time in the pool w/o touching the floor. The water was like bath water; it felt so good.
Thanks so much, Lesley!
I iced 2 hours after dinner for about 10 minutes. I will try heat on the tummy. I am iced like a fish at PT and the flare never happened then so it may have been a fluke.
You're so right about the piriformis. (I didn't know you were a therapist!)
Re: walking: This is my biggest problem right now. My dogs injured my left foot and ankle exactly one year ago and I can't walk fast enough for it to do much good. (Crazy docs said it's just gonna hurt a long time w/o even doing an xray. Argh.) I'm going to my GP today and will push for diagnostics. I have serious shoulder trouble too from getting hit by a car in 1995.
I just started concentrating on my abdominals at all times. Unfortunately they are terribly weak; I babied them after my cecal volvulus surgery in '08. My PT assistant told me about thinking of the abdomen as a bucket of water that shouldn't spill out. Great analogy!
Years ago in PT (the lower back thing has been going on for 30 years, the should for 18) I spent time in the pool w/o touching the floor. The water was like bath water; it felt so good.
Thanks so much, Lesley!
Also have sleep apnea
DebE,
I've been taking L-Glutamine powder from Vitamin Shoppe for a couple of months now, usually a teaspoon mixed into a glass of coconut milk at bedtime. I notice when I'm good about taking it and my other supplements (fish oil, D gems, Cal/mag citrate, curcumin, and B-complex), I have more normans, so I'm a believer. I just bought a large tub - the VS brand marketed for body builders, but they assured me it's the same as their regular label powder.
I am also hypermobile and deal with hip and low back pain - which improved on the GF/DF diet. I've had piriformis syndrome on and off, pelvic separation during pregnancies, etc. Chiropractic has helped over the years, but my current doctor, a DO, explained that this all happens as a result of my hypermobility. My pelvis is "locked" as a way to maintain stability when the connective tissue is loose. He did adjustments over several months and acupuncture, and I've been great for several months with no treatment. But I'm sure my issues will return. Stretching is actually a problem, as is high impact activity. I sleep best with a pillow between my legs -- he explained that your joints are loosest while you sleep, so if you side sleep like me, your knee drops forward opening your SI joints in back too far.
I recently tested negative for HLA-B27. Don't expect a rheumy to be of any help with your hip pains. Mine sure wasn't.
I've been taking L-Glutamine powder from Vitamin Shoppe for a couple of months now, usually a teaspoon mixed into a glass of coconut milk at bedtime. I notice when I'm good about taking it and my other supplements (fish oil, D gems, Cal/mag citrate, curcumin, and B-complex), I have more normans, so I'm a believer. I just bought a large tub - the VS brand marketed for body builders, but they assured me it's the same as their regular label powder.
I am also hypermobile and deal with hip and low back pain - which improved on the GF/DF diet. I've had piriformis syndrome on and off, pelvic separation during pregnancies, etc. Chiropractic has helped over the years, but my current doctor, a DO, explained that this all happens as a result of my hypermobility. My pelvis is "locked" as a way to maintain stability when the connective tissue is loose. He did adjustments over several months and acupuncture, and I've been great for several months with no treatment. But I'm sure my issues will return. Stretching is actually a problem, as is high impact activity. I sleep best with a pillow between my legs -- he explained that your joints are loosest while you sleep, so if you side sleep like me, your knee drops forward opening your SI joints in back too far.
I recently tested negative for HLA-B27. Don't expect a rheumy to be of any help with your hip pains. Mine sure wasn't.
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mzh
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I'm not DebE but as you said, I won't be expecting any help from the rheumy. However, she was highly recommended to me by a friend of a friend who was getting no help from others docs she saw but did get her problems straightened out by this one. So I am cautiously optimistic but realistic too. I think acupuncture might be next or one of the other therapies, like laser therapy and the like.
Incidentally, my problem is too much tightness, not looseness. A friend has the loose problem that keeps sending her to a chiropractor. My PT told to be extremely cautious about going to a chiro but strongly urged me to go to a massage therapist. Thankfully, there are all sorts of modalities to try.
Incidentally, my problem is too much tightness, not looseness. A friend has the loose problem that keeps sending her to a chiropractor. My PT told to be extremely cautious about going to a chiro but strongly urged me to go to a massage therapist. Thankfully, there are all sorts of modalities to try.
Also have sleep apnea
Hi Deb. I put 2 heaping teaspoons of L-Glutamine in my "green drink" once a day. I don't know if it's helping, but I am healing at a pretty good clip, so I continue to do it. I'm a fitness trainer, and it's used to repair muscles that have been worked ( because they microscopicly tear when you work them). Can't hurt to try.
It's too bad that gardening is becoming so painful for you. My suggestion is to take breaks... maybe every half hour- and lie flat for about ten minutes at a time. Then ice after the work. Sounds like you are stressing the ligaments too much. Since you have hyper mobility, be careful with stretching. It could make things worse. If you have a foam roller, it may help to roll your glute muscles ( butt) to soften them up.
Good luck
Leah
It's too bad that gardening is becoming so painful for you. My suggestion is to take breaks... maybe every half hour- and lie flat for about ten minutes at a time. Then ice after the work. Sounds like you are stressing the ligaments too much. Since you have hyper mobility, be careful with stretching. It could make things worse. If you have a foam roller, it may help to roll your glute muscles ( butt) to soften them up.
Good luck
Leah