Getting worried about my knee

mrblanche

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Let me say up front, I've always had knee and leg pains. Some of my earliest memories, from when I was 3 or 4, was waking up nights with my legs/knees aching.

But they haven't been too bad, until just recently. Now my right knee hurts almost all the time. After sitting for a couple of hours, it's almost impossible to walk.

I figured this day was coming, and a little arthritis runs in the family, but I can't afford the time off to have knee surgery.
 

bookworm

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If you aren't ready to try the Doctors yet, I'm seeing some relief from arthritis using Ibuprofin twice a day, and drinking a tea of cider vinigar and raw honey twice a day. Maybe not the miracle cure they say, but definate improvement in less than a months time.
 

cheshirecat

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My advice is go now. The best approach is to slow down and/or stop the progression of the disease.

Treating arthritis does not necessarily mean surgery.

Go to the doctor. Better still get a referral to a rheumatologist.

I wish I knew this years ago and had the good sense (and was not afraid) to see a doctor sooner.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by CheshireCat

Go to the doctor. Better still get a referral to a rheumatologist.
Personal experience is that rheumatologists do not want to deal with osteoarthritis. Once blood work and imaging comes back not showing anything significant they'll happily pass you off to another specialist better for treating regular arthritis - even if there are plenty of oddities in medical history.


Go with your GP/PCP first. X-rays and MRI can be ordered by any doctor, as can blood work. Specialist have waiting lists, the more specialized their field the more months you will be waiting. A GP that already has your information could possibly have you in this week or the beginning of next. If you need a specialist after that than it speeds up the process as they don't have to order things like MRIs or blood work that could take a week to come back.

Make sure your lower back and posture is thoroughly checked as issues there are good at masking as problems elsewhere or even eventually causing knee and ankle problems.


I had knee and ankle pain as a young child, too. Dismissed as "growing pains" but in reality is simply some hypermobility.
If you were hypermobile, even just when younger, you'd probably know it and have been one of those kids who could bend arms, ankles, fingers, or legs around backwards or in weird positions to creep out friends/classmates and family.


As for not affording to be able to take time off... what can you do if you're having difficulties walking as it is? Time off for knee surgery looks better than time off for "my knee hurts", too...
 

jcat

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Originally Posted by CheshireCat

My advice is go now. The best approach is to slow down and/or stop the progression of the disease.

Treating arthritis does not necessarily mean surgery.

Go to the doctor. Better still get a referral to a rheumatologist.

I wish I knew this years ago and had the good sense (and was not afraid) to see a doctor sooner.
Don't suffer if you don't have to, and surgery may not be required for whatever is causing the pain. Even if it is, you can postpone it till the timing is better.
 

cheshirecat

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Personal experience is that rheumatologists do not want to deal with osteoarthritis. Once blood work and imaging comes back not showing anything significant they'll happily pass you off to another specialist better for treating regular arthritis - even if there are plenty of oddities in medical history.


Go with your GP/PCP first. X-rays and MRI can be ordered by any doctor, as can blood work. Specialist have waiting lists, the more specialized their field the more months you will be waiting. A GP that already has your information could possibly have you in this week or the beginning of next. If you need a specialist after that than it speeds up the process as they don't have to order things like MRIs or blood work that could take a week to come back.

Make sure your lower back and posture is thoroughly checked as issues there are good at masking as problems elsewhere or even eventually causing knee and ankle problems.


I had knee and ankle pain as a young child, too. Dismissed as "growing pains" but in reality is simply some hypermobility.
If you were hypermobile, even just when younger, you'd probably know it and have been one of those kids who could bend arms, ankles, fingers, or legs around backwards or in weird positions to creep out friends/classmates and family.


As for not affording to be able to take time off... what can you do if you're having difficulties walking as it is? Time off for knee surgery looks better than time off for "my knee hurts", too...
My personal experience is that I was being treated for osteoarthritis, which I do have, while all along the greater problem was rheumatoid arthritis.

But I do agree a visit to the doctor is a necessity.
 

ldg

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Mike, don't be a "man" about this and go do what you need to do! Even if you do need a new knee - technology has improved so much that you'll be up and around long before you would have just 10 years ago. And it may turn out that steps you take now may help PREVENT needing a new knee! So use those knees and get yourself to a Doc!
 

mbjerkness

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You should go get it checked.
If it is arthritis there are treatments available. My husband Jim has had leg aches all his life. He recently discovered if drank a gatorade after work, it made the leg cramps stop.
 

momofmany

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I've had arthritis in my knees for about 30 years now and finally went for an MRI a few years ago thinking that I would need knee replacement surgery. My knees hurt regularly, but they said I wasn't ready for the surgery.

Provided they find arthritis there, they'll prescribe exercises to strengthen specific muscles in your legs that will relieve the pressure on your knees - they really do help if you do them. The first medications they'll suggest are things like Ibupropen to help the inflamation. Next they will suggest that they inject steroids into your knees to help control the inflamation. Once those strategies fail consistently, they start to consider knee replacement surgery. Replacement knees typically last about 15 years, so they want you to be old enough that if you have to replace it again, the replacement will last you the rest of your life. You can only replace your knees twice.

My sister had her hip replaced early this year and afterwards was mad at herself for waiting so long. She lived with pain far too long. She's having her other hip replaced next week. Surgeries are so much easier these days than what they were in the past.
 
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mrblanche

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Thanks for the advice. I guess I need to make an appointment. I'm due for a physical, anyway.
 
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