Is panic and fear normal? (Hello, newbie, started feeling knee pain yesterday)

thatoldomegleguy

I should probably spend time reading a few threads first but in case any of you are lurkers who pick off the newbies out of habit:

Brian...living in Watford but working in Hackney...Just turned 46

12 years doing a walking job...

Started feeling a stiffness and ache in my left knee yesterday.

Woke 3am in agony, almost impossible to bend my knee.

Rang NHS Direct this morning 3:50am.

Got a 10:15 telephone consultation from my GP.

Prescribed pain killers and given a link to this website for some exercises to try.

Is this how it starts for a lot of people or could I maybe just have sprained my knee without realising at the time???

CCM

Greetings @thatoldomegleguy I am a lurker. My job as a Volunteer is to keep an eye for new posters to the Forum and give pointers to information that may help.

You had sudden onset pain in your left knee yesterday and aftere a bad night hve managed to get some help via NHS Direct and your GP. Without a specific diagnosis, it is difficult to select the best links to send you, bit the following may help.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/knee-pain/#knee-pain_knee-exercises

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/arthritis/

Hope this hlps, at least as a starting point.

Do keep in touch and let us know how you are getting on. Good luck.

Lilymary

Hi, panic and fear are entirely normal, but the pain in your knee doesn’t necessarily mean you have arthritis. It’s more usual that it’s preceded by niggling pain or a gradual build up, over months or years. If this is your first incident of pain to your knee, it could be one of a number of other issues. Try the pain meds and the exercises first and see if that helps. Rest your knee (as much as work will allow anyway), if it’s swollen get a bag of frozen peas on it and keep your foot elevated.

If the pain persists it would be worth seeing a physio, and given that your job needs you to be on your feet a tot, rather than wait forever for the NHS referral, I’d find a good private physio, they’re usually c £40-£50 per session, to get it properly assessed.

Hope it heals soon, and that it’s just a one off injury. Be kind to it though, it needs time to heal.

frogmorton

Hi @thatoldomegleguy

Good news we have no nasty people here to pick on newbies we are a supportive group of people who tey to help each other.

First of all your GP will have started out with the most obvious cause fro now and it may well work for you. My own husband fixed his knee pain by moving the seat forwards in his works vehicle! So your exercises might well sort you out.

If it doesn't though you will probably want to have an X-ray done and further tests. Chances are your GP will expect you to give the exercises a fair chance. A good few weeks I imagine.

Oddly enough my own inflammatory arthritis pain did indeed start off with one sore knee (for no apparent reason) followed by other symptoms fairly quickly like a matching one on teh other leg then both swelling up and rather glow in the dark red and hot!

Things are extra tricky ATM getting diagnosed with COVID so you may need to be patient.

In the meantime keep in touch with us lot and join in with is wherever you fancy - we are very welcoming.

thatoldomegleguy

I never got any notifications of these lovely messages so thanks. I don't think I have arthritis considering this year I've walked my butt off around Hackney, Chiswick, Kingston upon Thames, and Southall. Just recovering from Covid in fact. Time to get my fitness back with some walking!

frogmorton

Hello @thatoldomegleguy

I think you set your notification level in your profile bit, but I think it's very good of you to take the time to thank us for replying to your post🙂

I am so very glad your knee has settled back down I hope that it stays that way for a long time to come!

Get well soon best get back to fitness steadily after COVID!

Fruitmix

Hello there I am a newby Fruitmix

thatoldomegleguy I have read different articles and comments and feel that I am not alone in this. I would definitely get a definite diagnosis regarding your knee if it continues to give you pain request an X-ray.

I am 59 currently on a waiting list for knee replacement I’ve got severe osteoarthritis, I also suffer with manic depression disorder and I’m finding everything very difficult. I work full time and have a job that combines standing for long periods, kneeling and covering a large estate up and down stairs. I’m fed up of taking painkillers, they mix with my mental health meds so I have to go long periods without pain relief while I’m at work, work don’t seem to understand my pain. I’ve been on sick now for 4 weeks I’m wearing a leg brace and just fed up.

chrisb

Hi @Fruitmix  

Welcome to the Versus Arthritis forum.

I see that you have osteoarthritis, have a job that requires you to be mobile for long periods and are currently on sick leave whilst you wait for knee replacement surgery. 

Given the above it’s not surprising that you’re feeling somewhat fed up. Well I hope that joining the forum and having the opportunity to chat with people who have found themselves in similar situations will help you get through this. 

If you haven’t already visited our website you may find these articles of interest:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/surgery/knee-replacement-surgery/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-of-the-knee/

I hope that you find joining the forum beneficial and good luck with your surgery, I hope you don’t have to wait too long. 

Best Wishes

ChrisB (Moderator)

Fruitmix

Thank you ChrisB, for welcoming me. I feel better now I have joined versusarthritis and that I can share experiences with people who are going through similar things. Is it wrong feeling like a whining wuss as that’s all I seem to do, people ask “how’s the knee?” My answer is always the same painful and getting me down because of the lack of sleep etc☹️O poor me🎻