Oh, my aching knee!

It's been nearly 2 months now.  Last Monday night was awful.  I think I had sprained it on top of the sprain.  Our club had officer installation. Even though I wasn't "installed" ( a funny word for people!), I kept getting up to let an elderly member pass (she has several jobs there, it seems, so she was back and forth a lot). The poor soul is about 90, walks with a cane, and has spinal stenosis. She didn't ask me to move, but out of respect for her, I did. Each time I stood up, I pulled my knee painfully. That night, I was in so much pain, and couldn't sleep--DH wanted to take me to the ER. I decided to take a sick day, and go to an urgent care place I use.  The doctor, apart from telling me that I am "solidly built"   (see my post on this), said I had sprained the knee. I think I actually have another meniscus tear, as I did in the right knee. The pain was the same, and it started around the back, but has healed up to the outer side of the knee (which would be a sprain).  Since it started in late March, I have fallen on my knees twice (ice and tripping on blacktop).

I've been taking Motrin, and the doctor wants me to continue--but it doesn't do a thing for the pain. It only makes me sleepy, which is good at night, but not during the day. I've been elevating it, and applying heat (ice never helps me).  Yesterday, I thought it was much better, and foolishly agreed to walk in a Memorial Day parade with the Marines. Bad idea. I made 1 mile, then, it was killing my poor knee. I had to wimp out and ride in the car. Embarrassing, as 1. Falling out of a military formation is bad form, and 2. All of the other people were a lot older than I, and had no trouble.  Great. I mean, I'm happy for them being in such good shape, but not for me.   They were kind about it, though, and understanding. In fact, they were behind me, saw what was happening, and offered me a lift.

I had another bad night last night, and now, my knee is so stiff, I can't bend it when I walk. This is getting a bit tiresome. And hubby wants to go to Home Depot (we get a 10% military discount today) to buy all of the tile for the many floors we had planned to re-do. I can't bear the idea of walking around that huge place for hours. He also decided yesterday that we should buy a new mattress today. Great. At least I can get off my feet when I lie down to try the mattress! I've decided to scrap the garden this year, as I haven't been able to kneel for many weeks, and don't think I will for a long time.

Oh no. I'm sorry you are having so much pain. Are you using a knee brace at all? Does the doctor have any other suggestions?

Hugs to you MargeCat. I hope it heals soon.

Marge, I'm a fellow knee sufferer.  I've had 3 surgeries over the years for meniscal tears.  Once on the left knee, twice on the right.  My most recent surgery was just last May when I retore the right falling off a kitchen stool.

Can you ask your doctor to have an MRI done?  Last year, I was misdiagnosed for months.  The doctor I saw (new, my old orthopedist wasn't in my current plan) told me basically to "lose weight" and offered me some type of injection for the pain.  I wanted to ream him out for telling me my weight had something to do with it since I knew it was fine before falling again.  I took him up on the injection, which lasted all of 2 full weeks.  After, I spent months barely being able to walk a block without having to stop as the pain was so griping.  I just knew, it felt torn again.

I finally found another new orthopedist, but this one is the head of surgery at a very well known and highly regarded hospital near where I live.  He immediately thought it was a tear and sent me right off for the MRI.  Sure enough, it showed 2 count them, 2 new tears.  I still had to wait several months to schedule surgery due to work, but, at least I knew there was relief in sight.

I did really well with the surgery and recuperation, however, he did warn me that I had arthritis in both knees now and the surgery would only help the tear - not the damage done by the arthritis.

Anyway, my point is, if I hadn't been a squeaky wheel about it, I'd probably would still not be able to walk.  I think we know our bodies better than some doctors give us credit for. 

BTW, I still am having trouble walking due to pain because of the arthritis and I totally hear you about no medication helping the pain you're in.  My understanding of it is there really aren't many OTC drugs which help (I think it's more anecdotal than actual) but there are prescriptions for more effective meds that may be helpful (personally, I have even tried some in the narcotic family and none of those touched it either).   I still haven't found anything for me but I keep on trying.  In fact, I see my regular doctor for my annual next month and I'm going to be quite the squeaker this time around.  I really need to find something which will help me too!

Hi there.  I just finished the round of three Orthovisc shots in my knee.

In the past, I've fallen a lot and always on my right knee.  Well, I had a torn meniscus on my right knee.  At first, my regular Dr. said it was arthritis and put me on Meloxicam, but it didn't help.  I went for months without doing anything.  I went back to my Dr. and he just put me on something else, but that didn't help.  My knee was clunking and it was painful to walk.

Finally, on my own, I went to a knee Dr.  He scheduled an MRI which showed the tear plus osteoarthritis in the same spot as the tear.  He said the tear made the arthritis flare up. 

Late November, I had the arthroscopic knee surgery to smooth out the meniscus and he also smoothed out the bone.  Well, the meniscus part was fixed, but not the OA.  So painful.  I've tried three more different medications but nothing helped. 

From the OA the MCL was stretched and painful.  In fact, the MCL is the main issue for and to me, not the OA, but the OA is causing the MCL pain.  I tried the unloader leg brace, but that made it worse. 

A cortizone shot in my knee didn't help at all probably because it was the MCL hurting, not the knee.  Then I tried  days of Prednisone.  Well, for a couple days, I had no pain, but once it wore off, it felt worse than ever!

So, the next step was the Orthovisc.  A series of 3 painful shots in my knee.  After the first two, the MCL pain was almost gone.  The last shot was last Friday.  Now, I'm sitting here with an ice pack.  The MCL pain has sort of come back.  However, the shots can take 4-8 weeks to actually work.  So, I still have some hope.

I do not want to end up with a knee replacement.  I'll put that off as long as possible. 

I would suggest getting the MRI.  Hospitals are expensive and there are places that can do MRIs for a lot less money.   Once you have the results, you'll know how to proceed.

Good luck.  Knee pain sucks!!  I have a garden, too.  I go out and pull weeds every day, but not for very long.  I want to go to Cedar Point and ride roller coasters in a couple weeks.  I hope I can last all day. 

Well, things have gotten worse. I was in such awful pain last night and today.  DH insisted that I sign up for therapy, which I did, and he also bought me a heavy-duty brace.  I have had some pain in my life, including having my lip torn off by a dog, along with several holes bitten into my face and my nose, and even that  didn't hurt--but this knee literally made me want to cry today. I came close.

Mimiaow, I hope you're feeling better!

I hope you can find something for the pain. And get an MRI done to make sure of the meniscus tear. That does not heal. 

And part 6 in the knee saga...I fell in a parking lot yesterday (on an upward slope), and hit my chin on the blacktop, scraping it up. I had some blood in my mouth, but, luckily, it wasn't a loose tooth.

Tune in next week for another thrilling installment of As the Meniscus Turns!   Will Kate and Josh finally share an MRI together? Or will Lucy fall in love with her hunky orthopedic doctor?  Chad's new knee braces are a challenge...will he conquer them before his hot date with Ashley? Join us weekdays at 1 PM (Eastern Standard Time) for the excitement!

Oh no. Many and for you.


I need pics of Kate's hunky orthopedic doctor! :lol3: