After arthroscopic surgery on my right knee in 1995, I learned about glucosamine/chondroitin supplements and began taking them. My left knee was very bad also, but improved almost immediately without surgery, and now 13 years later, no pain in either knee. I take two triple strength tablets a day. If I feel a twinge, I up the dosage to 3 a day for a week or two. That supplement works for me (a 68 year-old male) - at least on the knees but not in the back.

One day, my good knee (the left one...the right one has had six surgeries, including ACL replacement and subsequent retear of the replacement and partial miniscus removal) just started to swell. The previous night, I felt it was tight, then the next day after a casual 2.5-mile walk, it was a balloon. There is no pain, just tightness, swelling, and the usual cracking that has existed for years. For the record, I am 39 and female.

My pain began at the age of 37, after an injury sustained on the job. A burning sensation along with severe spasms was my first clue that something was wrong.

I am a 38 year old male and have been in the army for 18 years. Two years ago bending my fingers made my hand feel achy and stiff. Eventually the feeling spread to my knees, my shoulders, my back, feet, and neck, now I can't lift my arm without pain medications. Even with the pain medications my ROM in that arm is limited, and I still hurt all of the time. I finally have a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, but nothing seems to do much for the pain at all.

I have osteoarthritis. In my case, the problem started when I was 35. Most doctors though say that is too early for the disease to start. Currently, I am 41. Over the years, the disease has progressed. While earlier I experienced pain in my knee while climbing and descending stairs, these days if my knees are stressed, I experience mild pain, even in walking. It has me worried. One particular exercise that involves contracting the knee, if done excessively, further aggravates my problem.

I have osteoarthritis on both hips; the left being more advanced than the right. I'm on anti-inflammatories and pain killers for it, but I'm having terrible pains in my left leg, and it gets worse when I'm on my feet for a long time. When I sit down, my bottom and my thighs -- especially my left thigh -- ache and I have to keep moving positions to relieve the pain. My doctor thinks it's sciatica that's causing the pain.

I'm 45 years old and have osteoarthritis in my lower back. I've had pain with my back for years, but, finally, I have a cause. Because I have the arthritis in the lower back, it kicks my right hip out of alignment, which I see a chiropractor for every month. I don't take medications because I'm one that hates to rely on them, but I do exercise, lift weights, and I speed walk every day. I refuse to give up my freedom of movement to this problem, I'll fight it every step of the way! Of course I have pain in the morning, and if I make the wrong movement at any time.

I knew something was wrong when at age 28, I had trouble waking up for about a week. I was diagnosed at age 32 through an x-ray when I could barely climb the stairs. One of the first symptoms I experienced was my knees would flair up and get very hot. I took medication, but after 7yrs had to stop due to re-occurring stomach problems. Through medication use, change of diet and eating healthier I lost weight and this has definitely helped.