Have been suffering with a swollen painful knee for 7 years

40withKneePain

Hi all

New to the forum. I have been suffering with a swollen, very painful bent knee now for over 7 years. After numerous meds, allergic reactions, severe continued pain, I have decided the drugs are not for me and I need to actually go for the knee replacement. My hips are going and the back has also taken a hit due to the irregualr walking pattern. Severe muscle wastage and weakness. I have only turned 40 however with two young children and a husband having to do all the work, I now want my life back. We all do.

Has anyone gone through a full knee replacement? I have heard/read good and bad, every ones experience is different I guess.

Can anyone recommend any orthopaedic consultants who are well known in their industries and have happy clients?

Look forward to hearing from you.

[Deleted User]

Hi 40withKneePain
welcome to the forums. It sounds like your knee has certainly been causing you problems over the last 7 years. I think the first place to get recommendations about a suitable surgeon would be your rheumatologist and your GP.
As regards knee surgery, the success of these also varies from person to person so it would be good to discuss this in detail with your surgeon once you have found one. Here is a link to more information about knee surgery https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/surgery/knee-replacement-surgery/
Lots of our members have had knee replacement surgery and I am sure they will share their experience with you
Best Wishes
Sharon

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's nice to meet you and I am sorry you have had to find us. Do you know what kind of arthritis you have? I am one of the lucky ones with a creaky foot in both camps; I began with an auto-immune kind which started in 1997 with swelling in my left knee. Osteoarthritis was diagnosed in 2011.

Does the joint feel hot to the touch? Does the swelling go down when you rest the knee? Do you find ice or heat the better way to reduce your pain levels? What meds have you taken and what were you expecting from them? Many members here have had knee replacements and once they are fixed they go off and live life, not needing us any more. I was refused new knees when I was 52 due to youth but younger people then me have been able to swing it. The only person in real life I know who is dissatisfied with her knee replacement is a lady who failed to do any of her post-operative exercises because she found them too painful - her choice and her loss: all my other acquaintances with joint replacements are living the life of Riley but they had only OA and only in one joint, definitely the way to do it!

I hope others see your post and reply but it is very quiet at the moment given the time of year. I am in my twenty-first year of it and certainly feeling the post-festive strain at the moment. I wish you well. DD

stickywicket

Hello and welcome from me too. I think I qualify as having had three knee replacements Don't worry. They have all been excellent but I started at 15 with RA and, as there were no modern drugs to treat it back then, OA set in too. I had my first replacements when I was 35.

It's true, as you've discovered, that having one joint out of kilter can set off others. But, has anyone suggested a TKR (Total Knee Replacement)? I ask because it's unusual for surgeons to do one on someone as young as you. I'm sure money plays a part (The younger the patient the more likely it is they'll need the replacement replaced later.) Replacing a replaced joint is more complicated and there are potentially ongóing problems. I got away with it. I had to have bone grafts (not enough bone left) but it's been great.

From my time on these forums I'd say that, given a good surgeon who will do a good job, there are two ways in which the patient can mess things up (i )By not doing the prescribed exercises and (ii)By trying to do far too much too soon.

We're not allowed on here to mention doctors' names for good or bad. Basically, if yours is a teaching hospital, you should get a good one. But I'm not sure how far we may choose our own hospitals. I think, normally, we must use a hospital in our own PCT. If not doing, there would be other considerations such as how easy / difficult for family to visit; the number of journeys to be made before and after the op; what happens if there's a problem.

If you have decided you want a TKR I suggest you ask your GP to refer you to an orthopsedic surgeon. That's the start of it all but do prepare for a long wait.

If you get one I hope it will turn out as good as mine

frogmorton

Welcome to the forums from me too

I know you are young for a TKR, but if your Dr thinks that's best and you want it done go ahead.

My own daughter had a new shoulder joint when she was only 19 I know it was very young, but it had totally collapsed and I know she will need it doing again probably a few times over her lifetime. There was no choice she was in agony and now she has very very little pain

This is the thread you need to read. On here we had a summer of TKRs!!

https://arthritiscareforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=34009

Love

Toni xx

dreamdaisy

Hello, how are things going now? Have you made an appointment with your GP to ask for a referral to orthopaedics? DD

40withKneePain

Wow! Didn't realise I would get so many responses and also some insightful ..

Some answers to your questions:

It is inflamed and very warm. Icing and rest helps the joint. I am on predinsole 5mg daily for the pain. My GP and Rheumatologist do not want me to do the knee replacement due to my age. I am in the position of not wanting to take any painkillers as I am becoming more and more allergic to food and drinks...immune system crashing due to these.

I have found a surgeon who I am speaking to tomorrow. Yes, came around very quickly. So I am hoping (privately) they will consider me. My knee (as I was told when I had an key hole surgery back in 2009) was as bad a s a 90 year olds. Its only now got worse over time.

Its so promising to hear success stories of knee replacement. Believe me I have been on a 7 year journey, if not longer to naturally heal, and now as I have been putting pressure on my hips, back and the "good" knee, I feel the body has had enough and wants rest. Spent a lot of time trying to find natural solutions, it has prolonged the knee surgery that's for sure.


Ill keep you posted on how it goes, and thank you for all responding!! I'm really grateful to be able to finally talk to people who are or know are sufering in simialr ways!

Thank you for welcoming me

Hannahis40

Hi,
I’ve just read your post and it’s like I wrote it myself!! I’ve also just turned 40 with 2 kids and I finally had my total knee replacement on 10th October, it took me a long time to convince my local specialist that my quality of live now needed to change, in the end I was referred to Guys hospital in London and the surgeon there agreed straight away!!
I’m not saying it’s been easy by any means but there’s def a light at the end of the tunnel, my hips are loads better and my back hasn’t played up since the op 🤩
Anyway hope this helps, any questions fire away
Hannah xx

40withKneePain

Hi guys

So a quick update:

Went to see the surgeon and he gave some really confident information that my knee would be all well and good. I was booked in for surgery 02 Feb, i was looking forward to it until...

Went to a holistic dentist who advised knee surgery would not be an ideal option and i should try other means. She recommended Ozone injections...have you heard of them?

I went to see a Dr who has injected my knee with Ozone. 2 treatments done and yes I have felt a difference in the pain. Glad to say i am also off my Steroids now as well which is a bonus..

I am planned to take another 5 sessions and will see how that goes.

I am no very skeptical of the knee surgery, really worried if soething went wrong it is reversible. I want my life back but am scared of making it even worse.

I may even re-consider going on the biologics

So confused right now

stickywicket

It's great that you're off steroids and, yes, if offered biologics, why refuse? We who have autoimmune versions of arthritis all have overactive immune systems so, while tinkering round the edges with injections and holistic stuff, nothing other than the prescribed DMARDS or biologics will alter that. I believe these injections are supposed to last for 3-6 months and I hope they do. You might find this NICE investigation useful. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30498370

dreamdaisy

I am still not clear what kind of arthritis is affecting you but I have to admit that I wouldn't take much notice of advice from a dentist. I have received much advice over my arthritic years from loads of people who know nothing about arthritis, let alone living with chronic pain, food intolerances and asthma as I do. I like giving advice in return when they are struggling under the burden of a cold, or a self-induced broken bones, normally among of the lines of 'quit moaning, you're going to get better.' I am not and never will, that is my reality of arthritis. DD

40withKneePain

Hi all,

Treatment no 4 and no change unfortunately. As the knee is very badly damaged and I have had numerous injectons and on sterioids, the treatment is taking much longer than I wanted.

Positive news is my heel wasn't touching the floor and I had severe lower back pain on the same side of my bad leg - with the Ozone, the pain disappeared straightaway with no return!! My husband who has also been suffering with sever back pain for years had one ozone treatment and it worked!! So I know it works, just not on my "damaged knee". I think it could work on people who have OA tho who have not had any injections or severe wear and tear like mine.

I have contacted my rheumatologist and we will start on Bioloigic treatment...I do feel I have OA however when I started I had RA...just the damn knee is killing me slowly!

Knee replacement is now out. I am hoping I will not have to go down the road for this until a much later stage.

How are you all doing?