What can i expect !!

daveangie

Hi i have oa in both knees and told i need total knee replacement in left knee, right knee isnt so bad but i feel its going the same way. I cant have the op yet as i have weight issues (iam dealing with them and doing pretty well) anyway i woke up this morning in terrible pain in my left knee which i could hardly put any weight on it at all took some pain killers which didnt really do anything.

Its got a little better during the day but not much. I have only ever had 1 steroid injection in it before (9 months ago) but decided to call the docs to see if i can have another one, they cant get me in for another 4 weeks Grrrrrr. Hopefully it will improve abit in that time.

I was just wondering what i should be expecting.!!!

Will the pain get worse ?, i was hoping my losing weight (over a stone so far) wouldnt put so much pressure on it and would ease the pain slightly but i have noticed more pain since the weight loss especially at night. I was hoping i could lose some more weight and the pressure on my knees would be bearable so i wouldnt need the op as i never been in hospitial and dont really want to. (Who do)

Ok rant over feeling abit better

elnafinn

Hi there

I cannot really tell you what to expect because we are all different. I have had both my knees replaced and so pleased that I did. I am 61 years old at the end of this year. i had one replaced at 57 and one at 59 years old

Do you take anti inflammatories as well as painkillers? I took the maximum painkillers towards the end and anti inflams. I used to find heat made my knees feel better but you could try ice, if they are very swollen. I always preferred to use heat - a wheatbag that you heat up in the microwave. I used to wear a tubigrip sometimes which helped a little - but a bit warm this weather as it has to be halfway up the thigh and halfway down the calf for full benefit.So I was told by my physio anyway. I did not ever need a walking stick but that may help if you do not already use one.

I was always able to ride my bicycle locally before my ops (and now of course) which the knees much prefered to walking.

I do hope that you can find a way around the pain and discomfort without having an operation.

Elna x

stickywicket

Hi daveangie,

That’s not good news. You’ve done well to lose so much weight and I can’t see that being the reason for your sudden extra knee pain.

Bed’s a funny place where things can go wrong. If you’ve slept with it at a bad angle or even just stayed too long in one position, I can see that causing problems for a knee that already needs replacing.

I did something very similar recently although mine’s a 30 yr old TKR. I treated it with elevation, extra quad exercises and a support when I’d to walk any distance and it’s a lot better now.

I think, in your case, I’d try to push again for a steroid jab. Do they know the full situation? That you’re waiting for a TKR & have lost weight with that in mind? That this is sudden? If that brings no joy maybe a consultation with a physio would help.

Whatever happens I don’t see that losing the weight will mean you don’t need the TKR if X-rays have shown you do. Damage done is damage done. I do hope you can get some relief soon.

hileena111

Well done for losing so much weight.....it must be coincidence that it is sorer.....nothing to do with you loseing weight. That can only be a a good thing.
I cant talk about knees....sorry. I have OA but its my hips and lower back.
Heat helps me....a wheatie bag in the microwave.
The other thing .....have you got any anti inflammatories? I dont think you mentioned what tablets you were on. If I were you I would buy ibroprufon over the counter until you get something from your doc...Ibroprufon and paracetamol go well together.....Everyone is different.....different tablets help different people. but unitl you get pain killers/antiinflammatories from your doc that might be as good as anything.
The other thing that helps is to waken up a bit early....take some meds and then lie in bed while they take effect.......dont do what i used to do....get up...no tablets and then take them with brekfast and expect to be pain free
Good luck and let us know how things go
Love
Hileena

mareith

hello.
i have arthritis in my hip and need hip replacement. i always found the pain worse at night (the doc told me your body trys to heal at night and this causes pain(wish it wouldnt bother) i got slow release ibuprofen from docs and took this about 9 pm then about 11 pm went to bed and took slow release tramadol.
i very often woke about 4 am with pain i would then take ibuprofen and rub hip with movalat gel
this gel seemed to help pain a bit .i know it doesnt work the same for everyone but i tried all the gels and this was the only one that helped
also used the wheatbags you put in microwave and found these helped
i am in relief at the moment because i had hip injection just over 4 weeks ago and it is still working so hope you get one soon to give you some help be it temporery
good luck and hope you get sorted very soon
love Mareith x

frogmorton

Hi

You did well to loose so much weight especially being less mobile than most.

I wonder if Hileeena is right and the extra pain is coincidence and not to blame for the sudden extra pain.

I woudl do as teh others have suggested and rest elevate hot or cold and take your MEDS as prescribed.

Good luck and l hope it eases.

Love

Toni xx

daveangie

Hi all thanks for the replys.

It was about the same this morning but i perciviered (sp) and its got slightly better but still more pain than iam used to. I have no painkillers or anti imflamatory tabs from the doctor just over the counter ones, i use "codis" when its this bad it seems to be the only thing that will help and an ibruphoben rub.

To be quite honest i see a different doctor everytime i go and they all say the same not much they can do just keep what iam doing. I have never heard of a wheaten bag but am gonna google it and get meself one

I was told i could have a TKR last June then when i went back to see my consultant in September i got told the local hospitial trust has changed there rules and i had to be under a certain bmi (i cant remember what it was). I know i wasnt far of it so most probably now iam under it or very near it.

I would prefer not to have the op but know i might have no choice (fed up with hobbaling) My other worry is after the op i am quite an independent person and do not like asking family for help and as i have a young family worry about there school runs, dinners etc.

How long would i be in hospitial or not mobile my husband could most probably get 2 weeks of but i doubt anymore than that.(i do like the thought of bossing him around though, but he is an alful cook :eek:

hileena111

Hi
Glad you think you are seeing alittle change in the pain levels. The doc should def be prescribing you pain killers/anti inflamms.....have you been to a rheumy or otho yet to get a proper diagnosis..???? There isnt a lot can be done of OA except joint replacement but they should be able to control the pain.....Fight for that....proper pain control. You shouldnt have to buy them over the counter.
Do you not have one doc that is a little bit better than the others?? Try changing surgeries if you are not happy....I've just changed and it has made a difference
Hope you google the wheat bagand get some results.....lots of supermarkets do them, our Factory shop does them B++ts used to do them but dont any longer they are quite common if you are looking for them
Not sure about recovery time for a TKR but a THR is usually in shop 3 days and then 6 weeks of restrictions.

Love
Hileena

valval

i could be wrong but am sure i did see an artical about weight loss and more pain. because it removes fat from around the joint it can cause more rubbing and there for more pain, but less weight is better for joints. just that the fat does help support the joint as well as muscle so it can happen but be strong and keep going you are doing so well and i can not belive your docs do not have you on some meds that awfull care from them val

daveangie

I 1st went to the docs 2 years ago for knee pain she sent me a physio for the knee pain and a podiatrist who i saw for my feet as they are extremely flat i was having feet problems to, The podiatrist told me to ask the physio for an xray for my knee. I saw the physio for 8 weeks i used to come out in soooo much pain, they also done 6 lots of accupuncture and in the last couple of weeks of treatment said i could have an xray as i wasnt improving. They only xrayed my left knee.

The physio said the results were i needed a new knee cap and signed me of as there was nothing else that she could do for me.

So i went back to the doctors who sent me to a consultant he said it was a tkr and eventually i would have to have the right knee done as well. He said he would keep the appointment open for a year so if i needed a steroid jab it could be arranged other than that i have had nothing. I had to go back to the doctors about 6 months ago as i was having a very sudden pain that lasted maybe 20 seconds but it was painful enough to stop me in my tracks and bring me to tears, he gave me anti imflamatories and said it was most probably a piece of something floating around :shock:

Since i was told i needed a tkr i lost a stone through eating healthy then it plataued, so i went to the docs and asked to see a dietician but instead she gave me tablets which using i have lost another stone. I want to see how much i can lose before i decide on the op.