About six months ago, I went to my Kaiser doctor complaining of knee pain. My doctor took X-Rays and found mild arthritis.  She prescribed a cream Diclofenac Sodium Topical Gel.  You squeeze this like toothpaste on to a plastic scale to help measure the correct dose.  I spread it upon my knees and it was a near perfect solution.  I was amazed that a product applied to the skin could provide such relief.

Totally unrelated in any way to the knee problem was my quest to find a better bottled water.  I did the usual Internet search and a number of web sites offered suggestions.  What convinced me to try Figi water was an Internet story about how NBA players really needed this water because they felt their basketball playing was improved.

The Bottled Water Obsession Taking over NBA Locker Rooms

How can water improve your athletic skills, I asked myself.  Well, I tried it out.  I could not detect any different flavor from the cheaper bottled water I was buying in the super market.

But, over a rather short time, a few weeks maybe, I found that my knees were feeling better, less pain.  Could this be the Fiji water?  I looked at the label and it showed the following:

• Silica 93mg/L
• Calcium 18mg/L
• Magnesium 15mg/L
• pH  7.7

My Internet research findings really supports the importance of taking silica, calcium and magnesium!  I recommend that you take the time and look for the health benefits of each.  I found the results to be astonishing.

Experiment followed:  I decided to stop applying the diclofenac sodium gel when I looked at it’s side effects.  Since stopping applying the gel, I have not noticed any knee pain increase.  In fact, my knees feel pretty darn normal except I can not put my knees to the ground and then try to stand up without some pain and struggle.

Let me warn you that this water is typically more expensive.  I go to COSTCO to get it cheaper.  I recommend that you shop around for the best price.  There are different water bottle sizes.  I love using the 500 ml because this size bottle fits into our car door side pockets.  This size is also perfect for  taking to the gym.

Dilemma:

#1:  Prior to my discovery of Figi water I was prescribed with diclofenac sodium gel for my knee arthritis problem.  Here are the side effects:

“Stop using diclofenac and seek emergency medical attention if you have signs of a heart attack or stroke: chest pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, slurred speech, feeling short of breath.”

Also call your doctor at once if you have:

• the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild;
• swelling, rapid weight gain;
• severe headache, blurred vision, pounding in your neck or ears;
• little or no urination;
• liver problems–nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain (upper right side), tiredness, itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
• low red blood cells (anemia)—pale skin, unusual tiredness, feeling light-headed or short of breath, cold hands and feet; or
• signs of stomach bleeding–bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

Common side effects may include:

• heartburn, gas, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting;
• diarrhea, constipation;
• headache, dizziness, drowsiness;
• stuffy nose;
• itching, increased sweating;
• increased blood pressure; or
• skin redness, itching, dryness, scaling, or peeling where the medicine was applied.

Source: https://www.rxlist.com/voltaren-gel-drug/patient-images-side-effects.htm

I have quit applying diclofenac sodium gel to my knees since using Fiji water.

#2  After, I discovered Figi water, I made the mistake of trying to improve my knee conditions prior to a trip to Alaska.  I was given Kenalog-40 by orthopedic surgery at Kaiser.

Side effects of Kenalog-40 include:

• • • • allergic reactions,
      • sleep problems (insomnia),
      • mood swings,
      • headache,
      • euphoria,
      • spinning sensation (vertigo),
      • dizziness,
      • nausea,
      • bloating,
      • appetite changes,
      • stomach or side pain,
      • stomach upset,
      • acne,
      • scaling or other skin changes,
      • a wound that is slow to heal,
      • thinning hair,
      • bruising or swelling,
      • sweating more than usual,
      • irregular menstrual periods,
      • redness or pain at the injection site, or
      • weight gain.

Source: https://www.rxlist.com/kenalog-40-side-effects-drug-center.htm#overview

My dilemma is that Figi water comes with health enhancements while the pharmacy solutions come with pure scary warnings  that might make one’s health condition worse (see lists above).

Update for using Kenalog-40:  I go to a gym every day and I can only do 100 lbs on a leg press.  The day after receiving Kenalog-4o I was able to go up to 130 lbs with almost no knee pain and 140 lbs the second day!  A down side with Kenalog-40 is uncontrolled  hiccups which lasted two days.  It is not common to have hiccups.  It started just after the injection.

Disclaimer:  The above health situation is singular, in that the test was not scientific.  There was no control group and only one sample, me.  I share this story because it just might help some one else.  Each person is different and your experience might not be the same as mine with this product.  The cost, to see if this works for you, is the cost of buying a pretty good water.  The cost of this water should be higher than the pharmacy approach.

By the way,  I found out that my Kaiser Orthopedic surgery doctor only buys Figi water.  He does not recognize any connection between drinking Figi water and improved health.

I have absolutely no connection to any product listed in this blog piece.  I get no benefit, in any way, from this recommendation except the satisfaction that I just might be successful in helping someone else.

 

Posted April 25, 2019
Revised April 26, 2019
Revised April 28, 2019