(no subject)

[jfb]

Okay, so earlier this year when one of the possible diagnoses was arthritis (my hands feel fine now, thanks), I was advised to start taking glucosamine. So I went out and bought some glucosamine tablets, the kind you only have to take once a day, and they were colossal, so big that I really felt uncomfortable having them in my throat, and so most days I ended up not taking them. Eventually I went back to the drug store and found that they had the same substance, in the same dosage, in a chewable once-a-day tablet, for the same price. I bought those and have been pretty much faithfully chewing them ever since.

So here's my question: Why isn't everything chewable? After finally reading some nutrition labels and doing a little math, I figured I could use some vitamin supplements--but they all come in tablets. Why? Am I the only one who'd rather chew something before swallowing it? Or are they more effective if they dissolve in the stomach? Or what?

Comments

[marm0t.livejournal.com]

the question your readers have is: did the glucosamine work?

[jfb.livejournal.com]

Impossible to know. In the face of hand pain, I started taking glucosamine, taking prescription-strength naproxen, applying ice to my fingers, improving my posture, using the computer less, and, sadly, playing less music. All I know is, I still had some pain when I started my trip, and it was gone by the end of it.

I'm still taking the glucosamine because, well, osteoarthritis still seems like a risk, and I might as well be preventative. Although I've just read that glucosamine and chondroitin are generally made from shellfish shells and cow cartilage. Argh.