anti-inflammatories

Stickless

I broached this subject on a different thread (Training>Woe is knee) but I think it needs a thread of its own.

I take anti-inflammatories almost routinely (celebrex) for reasons that do not originate in running injuries. For reasons nobody understands it seems to minimize the apparent neurological problems. Great stuff: with it, I'm pretty much normal. After about 10 days without it, things begin to go pear-shaped.

So much of the time I'm running I'm taking the stuff. I worry about its effect masking routine running injuries. I try to run first thing in the morning, and leave off taking the morning dose til later, and every week or so I try to "dry up" and see how long I can go before I end up back on the stuff again.

Clearly not ideal, and yet the best I've come up with so far.

Yes, I know this is highly specific to my somewhat peculiar state, however, there are two issues that might be of common interest:


1) I have it vaguely in my head that using healing joints/muscles gently is a good thing provided there is no active inflammation. This would argue for getting going gently even while using anti-inflammatories. Good idea? Bad idea?

2) Does inflammation itself actually wreck muscle/connective tissue? Is it worth therefore being rather generous with the stuff rather than trying to get off it too early?

Anybody had any experience?

Thanks, Marj