Knee pain

knackeredknees2

It has been confirmed that I have oesteo arthirits in my left knee. I have noticed that in the week or so before my period starts the pain seems to get worse, sometimes to the point I would cheerfully opt for amputation!! Just wondered if there was any reason or research that had been done on this??

helpline_team

Dear Knackeredknees,

Thank you for your post to Helplines. I'm sorry that there's been a delay in our response. I don't think there's anything specific I can remember in the literature on OA pain being affected in quite this way. If you are particularly interested in the research side of this you might want to see the website of Arthritis Research UK.

The nearest I've found is a link between hormones and OA pain - here's the link http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/q-and-a/causes-of-arthritis/pauline-wooster.aspx

But for something less formal you might find it helpul to post on the Living with arthritis forum and see what other experiences people living with OA knee pain might share.

I'm struck by the severity of the pain you've described and wonder whether you would like to talk about what that's like for you? In our self management groups people share how they manage their pain on bad days. So if you'd like some support do please get in touch with us.

http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/LivingwithArthritis/Self-management

I hope we can help further

Guy

chookgate

knackeredknees2 wrote:

It has been confirmed that I have oesteo arthirits in my left knee. I have noticed that in the week or so before my period starts the pain seems to get worse, sometimes to the point I would cheerfully opt for amputation!! Just wondered if there was any reason or research that had been done on this??

I don't know if you have posted on the living with arthritis threads? But anyway I'm new to this forum and have just been looking for knee related topics to get information and to pass on any that I have (!). I have osteo arthritis too in both my knees (actually presumably not now as I have two brand new knees now), and I noticed too that the pain was worse at period time, and now in my early 50's and heading for menopause I find that I have more pain in my legs when I'm suffering hot flushes (I have days when I get lots, and days when I get none). A few years ago, I was sent to see a rheumatoligist because of pain in my wrists (the GP suspected rhematoid arthritis - thankfully he was wrong), but the consultant said that in the USA (but not the UK) they recognise a condition of menopausal arthritis - ie a hormonally affected arthritis, but at the time I couldn't find anything on the internet about it.

Good luck with your knee, hope the arthritis doesn't get any worse, but if it does, or if the days when you would like it amputated become too frequent, and you are recommended to have a knee replacement - don't hesitate, it is well worth it.