Meniscus tear in knee

Scarlet

Hi everyone,
It's been a while since I last 'checked in'. My RA has been well controlled by mtx injections and hydroxy tablets for the last few months, but I've just had the most dreadful weekend! It started Friday when my right knee completely locked in a bent position. I couldn't straighten it, it was complete agony, then suddenly ten minutes later it unlocked again. It was very painful for the rest of the day but I thought nothing more of it.

Saturday my knee locked again. I couldn't straighten it so I couldn't stand, if I needed to get anywhere I had to either hop on my left leg (not good when you have RA) or shuffle around on the floor! Five hours later (!) I headed to a minor injuries unit where I lost my balance in the car park and managed to unlock the knee - typical! The nurses told me to head to A&E if it happened again, and make an appointment with my GP asap to be referred to hospital. Well it did lock again at 11.30pm that night, but there was no way I was sitting in A&E on a saturday night. It was locked all night until I managed to jolt it unlocked yesterday morning. Since then I have kept it as straight as I can wearing a knee support.

Today I phoned in sick at work and headed to my GP, who told me its likely I have a bucket handle meniscus tear. I was very much expecting this diagnosis after doing a bit of googling yesterday. However I was not expecting to be told that the wait for referral to a specialist would be six weeks! I should have an appointment by the end of the week, but that appointment could be ages away. In the meantime I have naproxen painkillers, and I'm to head to A&E if it locks. I won't be doing that, as I consider it a waste of A&E resources. My GP was very sympathetic, he'd like to order an MRI scan but is not able to (some bureaucratic nonsense) and he was very scathing about budgets; if I could be referred quicker I wouldn't have to go to the already overstretched A&E and use their resources etc etc.

So here I am, scared to bend my knee in case it locks, left in limbo. I'll have to continue to go to work on a very swollen painful knee, in a job that involves standing on my feet (thankfully I'm only part time but I've been picking up loads of extra hours for christmas - that will have to stop unfortunately). Sorry this isn't really an arthritis related post - my GP doesn't think RA makes you any more likely to have this happen. Does anyone else have experience of this condition? From research it looks as though treatment will involve keyhole surgery. Sorry this is a bit of a long whinge - I'm feeling a bit deflated because I don't really know what I'm supposed to do now :-(

dreamdaisy

I've heard of this but had no idea what it meant - you poor thing, it sounds awful. I guess it is one of those things that will happen regardless of the RA (or any other kind of A for that but I realise those words won't help one iota.

It may be worth considering using a stick (held on the opposite side to the affected knee) to ease some of the strain on it (and your other one). This may prevent the locking or may not, I am not an expert, but to me it seems worth a try. I never had much joy from Naproxen so I hope it's better for you - and do go to A&E if this happens again, that is what they are there for, you have been told to do it and it may lead to a faster referral. Take care and let us know how you get on. DD

Slosh

Just wanted to reinforce what DD said regarding A and E, my GP has sent me there on a few occasions and it can speed things up, it sounds very painful so I do hope you can get it sorted soon.

Starburst

You poor thing, Scarlet. That sounds really rather excruciatingly painful. Please do go to A&E if it locks again. Honestly, the resources are there for people like you and it's medical advice, so it's not as if you just fancied an outing. Take it easy.