kat is lucky to not need any kind of
drug/medication to help with pain somewhere in the body. I wish I had listened
to all the adults when I was growing up, telling me NOT to lift that alone, to
not get off my horse and run back down the fire road with him, as my knees might
suffer later etc. Overnight, I went from knees that never, EVER hurt or
bothered me, to having them hurt after riding 20+ miles without my knee supports
from Pro. Choice. Thankfully, they ward off knee pain at all but the toughest
rides, such as Tevis. I can no longer get off and lead the horse down long
hills, even at a walk. Wish I had listened when I was younger, but age, and wear
and tear of riding since I was 2 years old, lifting hay and feed since I was big
enough to do so, contributed to my issues as age catches up with
me.
On rides like Tevis, I use Voltaren, or Diclofenac
which is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) effective in treating
fever, pain, and inflammation in the body. As a group, NSAIDs are non-narcotic
relievers of mild to moderate pain of many causes, including injury, menstrual
cramps, arthritis, and other musculoskeletal conditions. Since
the response to different NSAIDs varies from patient to patient, it is not
unusual for a doctor to try different NSAIDs for any given condition. It can
cause kidney and liver function issues, so if I was to use it much, my
doctor suggested I come in to have panels done on a regular basis to make
sure I am not compromising the rest of my system. I explained to my doctor what
endurance riding was, and talked to him about drug interactions, dehydration
issues, and other concerns for using such drugs while out in the sun riding all
day long. TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR! Explain the sport, and risks, mental and
physical needs for the sport.
When my knees "tweak", I ride VERY poorly and off
balance, and my mind is altered due to the pain. Keep the pain away, and I can
indeed alter the outcome of ride results. You will see my horse and I listed
down there towards the end. Hey, maybe I just need to ride FASTER, to get it
over with sooner! Might not need the drugs then! Wait, I wonder how often
riders who do NOT use drugs for pain ride faster, thus alter the out come of the
ride. LOL
As I said in my first post, I have no problem with
riders using legal, prescription medications as needed. Hopefully they have a
relationship with their doctor, and they both understand how the use of the
medications for OUR sport interact with each other.
Oh, and don't even try to take away my
caffeine! Not a coffee drinker, my pick me up is Red Bull.....
LOL
