I know this is an older question, but just found it. And it's still a great question. Get going? Still a problem. I thing ephedrine would help us all with energy. About 25 yrs ago, advocate marketed
a vitamin weightloss packet that contained ephedrine. I felt great, had a great amount of energy and used it. Lost 20 unwanted pounds and got into weight training. Accomplished a lot. But then, ppl abused it and it was outlawed and made a controlled substance. But for those of us with auto immune diseases who are almost incapacitated, wouldn't it be better to help us remain mobile and active? To help control our weight? To help us take care of our home, families, work, and keep our health? Especially ageing ppl with osteo arthritis and failing brains who just sit and waste away.

But nope, you have to get extremely overweight first. And that is limiting the use of a medication that could greatly benefit ppl like us. How many more helpful meds are not used to help us while we are guinea pigs for dangerous therapies that have worse side effects? I would like to stay mobile and do things I used to enjoy.

Your ideas?

Ok I’m sorry I finally have time to answer your question. Berberine is a dried root used for gastritis diarrhea common cold dysmenorrhea a few different types of maladies comes in a capsule but it cuts off the appetite enough for some to be able to control eating you can take 0.5-1.0. Gm three times a day.

I absolutely agree with JayneBradley2 on the ephedrine! Years ago back in the 80's I worked as a convenience store clerk and that stuff was right there next to the cash register and I worked the graveyard shift alone, so one day I tried it because at the time I was also a single mom of 3 little ones (2 of them in school) and my youngest was 3 and I was running ragged trying to keep up with just her alone so I decided to try the little white bottle of this ephedrine and boom, like that I had tons and tons of energy! But like you said, people abused it and it was taken off the shelves. Last time I seen any of that was in '87. Sure could help us now. My cardiologist said that stuff is really bad, especially if your heart was bad in the first place.
As for the question Mr. John asked, for me, it depends on what I ate the night before. If I ate too much sugary stuff or anything that contained tomatoes or tomato based food like pizza, Lasagna, spaghetti, anything that was of shrimp or fish, then the next morning my hands hurt so bad and feel like they are big as boxing gloves and my lower back would kill me or the gout in my big toes (didn't matter which foot) would all put me in a bad or angry mood until a couple of hours later. My hands I would hold them under water as hot as I could stand, I would throw a very hot wet wash rag over my face, then a cool wet rag. But as soon as I got out bed I would slowly walk to my recliner where I always keep a heating pad, I turn it on high, go do my bathroom ritual described here, then walk to the kitchen ping ponging from wall to wall getting there, make my cup of coffee and very slowly head back to my hot heating pad laying on my recliner for my lower back pain.
And I always have to get up at least two hours before hubby, just to get moving fast enough to get dressed and makeup on, hair on and thermos made to be ready for work, walking out the door by 7:45 in the morning. We still have to work to survive because SS isn't enough to live on. He's 77 and I am 63 and we are both worn out by 3 in the afternoon when we get off work and head home to feed the dogs and cats.
However, if I don't eat any of those foods or even snack on them just a little, then the next morning my pain isn't so bad and I can move better and a little faster.
The Voltaren gel? This is weird but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, go figure?
I apologize for the long answer. Lynn

See, all kinds of claims out there. It's bad, no it's good. Wacky pseudo doctors and flakes out there confusing ppl. I'm glad that's solved

I’m very thankful to God I have another day with Him. He didn’t give this to me but…..He is a mighty Comforter!🥰