Never say 'never'

If you are a regular Maria Talks Back reader, you know that I prefer exercise over medication to manage my joint pain. But, as Mark recently reminded me, sometimes you just need to take a pill.

I recently returned to Dr. K., my rheumatologist, because -- despite extenstive physical therapy -- the stiffness I experience from inactivity in my right knee was not improving.

"This is a good knee," she told me. I was surprised -- and relieved, since I had convinced myself that I would be needing a knee replacement, as well as a hip replacement, in the not-too-distant future.

So, why is my knee pain so bad?

"It's your hip," she said. Apparently, the muscles extending from the hip, downward, wrap around the knee, bringing the pain along with them.

We talked about meds (again) and (again) I expressed my resistance to prescription-strength NASIDs. Dr. K. offered a compromise: two weeks of ibuprofen, to reduce the inflammation, and another script for physical therapy that will focus on strengthening my quadracep muscles. This will, hopefully, address my knee pain.

I must admit, although I prefer to avoid meds, ibuprofen does wonders for me (God bless, Stewart Adams!). And although I prefer to know how I "really" feel -- without medication -- it's also important to be (and stay) flexible and remain open to other options.