Knee Arthritis

deadone

8) Greetings I am knew to this but, here goes Ihave been suffering with joint pain in feet and knees for the past three years and have had to date four operations including bone graft and keyhole surgery and know I have been told I have to have injections in the knee in the next two weeks can anyone suggest recovery periood at present I am surving on prescribed pain killers 24/7

stickywicket

Hello and welcome, deadone.

On the assumption that the injections are steroids (They usually are) there isn't really a recovery period. Sometimes people are told to rest the knee for the next 48 hours as that enables the injected steroids to remain in the joint where needed. Sometimes, though, people are told it's not necessary. Personally, I think it's best but be guided by your doc.

I don't know how much you've been told about them. For some they work like a dream: for others barely at all. They tend to last anything from 6 weeks to three months.

There are many ways of coping with pain. Have a look here https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/managing-arthritis . We all have to take pain relief to a greater or lesser extent but I prefer the 'lesser' and look to exercises and distraction first.

What operations have you had? And where? I've had hips and knees replaced. The rest of me are the original bits

TheLordFlasheart

Hi deadzone,

I suffer from OA in my left knee, and though im not on pain medication 24/7 ro ahd any surgery, I still suffer from pain and the flare ups.

I too have been referref for a steroid injection, but have been warned it does not always work for everyone and varies in how long it lasts for. As for recovery periods after the injection, my Uncle had a steriod injection and he was told to rest up for 2-3 days.

As sticky said, take advice from your GP.

hileena111

Hi
I can only repeat what the others have said......Everyone is different. I've had injections in various places including my knees
Some have worked really well but others haven't.
So just go by what your doctor says.....but do have them, you will never know how it will affect you if you don't
Love
Hileena

dreamdaisy

I too have arthritis in both knees, both feet and ankles and my hips are now joining the party. My first arthritis was one of the many auto-immune kinds (namely psoriatic) and the joint damage it caused has led to OA which was diagnosed in 2011: both knees are now bone-on-bone throughout the joint. My ankles and hips are only OA-affected and I can control how much they hurt by not overdoing things. I had one successful steroid injection and that was in my right ankle, it lasted for just over three months and gave some relief for that time. The ones I had in my knees were all a waste of time. I was told to rest for at least 48 hours to help it work.

I think that everyone on here takes some degree of pain relief because it is essential; I keep mine to the minimum so I can feel the 'feedback' from my joints, as the pain levels rise I know it's time to take a break from what I am doing and rest for a while. I always sit with my feet up on a stool, with a cushion under my knees for comfort. Keeping to the minimum also means I have escape routes for when things worsen - and they do! The meds I take for the auto-immune do not affect the OA in any way because they are different versions of the same disease. You may find that even if the steroid does work you will need to pop a pill or two: they are not a cure, they only mask what is happening. Good luck and I hope they help. DD