As someone who lives with Fibromyalgia, I am no stranger to the chemist’s shop. Each day I take between six and eight Co-Codamol and Amitriptyline (you can read about my experience with Amitriptyline here) and I am also prescribed Ibuprofen Gel 10% whilst the Ibuprofen Gel does provide relieve there are various issues that can make it impractical for day to day use.
Problems with Ibuprofen Gel
One of the most obvious issues is the fact that you have to sit and wait for the gel to dry before you get dressed (about 15 minutes). Last year when I was last using this gel regularly I was still going into an office every day and the delay was something I could do without. The next problem was that the gel had a numbing effect on my hands so I either had to use disposable gloves to apply it or make sure Michael was available to do it for me and he tended to leave for his work about 90 minutes before me so this wasn’t fantastic for our morning routines. On the same subject, some of my joints that required application were simply out of my reach so I needed him to apply it to those parts for me.
Discovering Pernaton Gel
In the summer of 2016, I discovered Pernaton Gel and this has been a complete game changer. If you have not heard of it before I can tell you it is a natural product made from mussels. Here is a more detailed explanation from the makers themselves.
WHAT IS PERNATON® ?
Doetsch Grether AG, Basel
PERNATON® is a range of products with each item containing Perna, a unique extract sourced from New Zealand Green lipped Mussel (Perna Canaliculus). PERNATON® is available as a dietary supplement in the form of capsules and two care gels are available for daily external application. The best results are achieved when internal and external applications are combined.
PERNATON® Gel, with added menthol and other essential oils, helps to improve joint mobility.
Formulated to aid connective tissue and joint care, it can also benefit sportsmen and women before and after exercise, with a fresh and pleasant aroma. Applying the non-greasy gel direct to the problem area, it’s quickly absorbed creating an instant cooling effect.
Available in 40ml, 125ml, 250ml and 1kg
How I use Pernaton
I have to say I haven’t as yet tried the capsules but I have very much enjoyed using the gel and it has addressed some of the issues I had with Ibuprofen Gel.
This gel rubs in instantly there is no longer the need to sit around for 15 minutes before you can cover your skin. So if Michael needs to head off to work long before I have to be up he can help with any application needed and I can remain in bed causing minimal fuss and disruption to us both.
The gel smells really nice, this may not seem like a big thing but one of the wonderful symptoms of Fibro is that you can have aversions to certain smells. I have never liked the smell of Coffee for instance but these days it can actually make me feel ill!There are no problems with my hands going numb during application so I save money on all those disposable gloves (and help the environment)
As for the most important thing, how well does it work? I think it is really good, I would actually say that it is better than Ibuprofen Gel. When you first put it on as the extract states it gives a cooling sensation, after the cooling has worn off I find it gives a sort of warming sensation. I don’t mean that the skin actually gets warm more the warmth you would get from a gentle hug if that makes sense.
The frustrations of the Medical Profession
When I discovered just how effective Pernaton was, I discussed it with my GP and asked if they could prescribe it instead of the Ibuprofen Gel but because it is a natural product and not a chemical one they are not able to do that. Although this was a bit frustrating as I am already paying for a pre paid prescription and have to buy this product as well I was resigned to the fact.
Quite recently though I saw an advert for a small pelvic floor toner contraption that stated it was available from your Dr on prescription. This brought me back to thinking about Pernaton. If they are able to prescribe a gadget that can be bought over the counter by anyone that clearly contains nothing chemical then why not pernation too!
I recently saw a documentary on the BBC with Dr Rangan Chatterjee which I am sure other sufferers of Fibromyalgia in the UK may have seen too (Doctor in the House Series 2 Episode 4) and the underlying message was certainly that throwing prescription medications at people is not necessarily the best way forward but average Dr’s are so short of time that this has become the standard way of treating people.
As the Fibromyalgia Action UK Forums show, people with Fibromyalgia and other pain and fatigue conditions do have the time to really research, question and grow to understand their condition. In fact, the GP often comments that I understand my condition better than they do. Given that it is a shame that when we find natural cures that can make a real difference they do not have the power to prescribe them. Especially as a lot of people with conditions such as this are unable to work to a meaningful level which can make it difficult if not impossible to fund the purchase of natural cures (and I would actually include Essential Oils with this because I find them effective especially with Headaches, read more here). I do believe there are questions to be asked there.
If you would like to try Pernaton for yourself though (and can afford it!) I can recommend purchasing it from Amazon:
If you try Pernaton out and find it helpful do drop a comment below or come and join the Facebook Discussion group.
Until next time,
Gentle Hugs,
Susan
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