Introducing me!!

Anjeda

Hi, my name is Annie and I am 62 years young. I have always had popping and crackling noises from my knee for probably the last 5 years. Doctors just say wear and tear but I also have a condition called Lipoedema .This shows itself in me as 2 massive fat pads that cover my knees, quite large masses and make legs very heavy. Over 2 months ago my left knee completely locked out, I was in extraordinary pain and really frightened, doctor again wear and tear but, long story short, pain so bad I had xray and medial,lateral and patella affected, bone on bone. They think my Lipoedema was hiding the problem 🙄

So here I am now having more lock outs, chucking back paracetamol and prescribed codeine. My knee settles then for no apparent reason I suddenly cannot walk on it. Using one walking stick, struggling in and out of car, can only sleep on my side with affected knee on top.

As I'm overweight I realise I'm not at the top of the list, doctor says injections not much use, I am reaching breaking point. Hope you lovely people can offer some advice.

Well that was a long intro😉

PeterJ

Hello @Anjeda and welcome to the community. We are friendly and supportive and I hope that you will find that as well.

I understand that you have pain in your knee which might be related to arthritis and that it is getting you down. Our website has a lot of useful information and has a good search function and I would urge you to have a look around it. To help you I've highlighted a couple of links below that you might find useful.

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

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

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/emotional-wellbeing/

Please do keep posting and let us know how you are getting on and I am sure that others will connect and share their experiences as well.

With very best wishes

Peter (moderator)

frogmorton

Hi @Anjeda

Welcome to the forum from me too😊 Thanks for your intro.

So they were right about the Osteoarthritis (which some people still delightfully call wear and tear!) bone on bone! Big ouch bless you.

You know what? a fair few people do find steroid injections in their knees helpful.. tried to find you some recent threads to prove my point, but didn't do very well:

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/37178/steroid-injections-knees

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/54987/first-appointment-for-steroid-injection

It really is a matter of 'suck it and see' and might be worth a try?

If you are trying to lose weight I know there is someone on here trying to do that only I can't find the thread for you sorry, but do come along and look at the 'Let's move' category there is loads of stuff there that we can all do a bit of. Just about to start stretching exercises.

Take care

Anjeda

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/686346#Comment_686346

Thanks @frogmorton I know lots of people are in the same position. My real issue is not particularly difficult for me to get around however my knee constantly locks out for no reason that I can see and I literally cannot move I can't stand on it, I can't get up up and put any weight on it. Today's a good example, had a fantastic night sleep got up walked around, sat down to get dressed and off it went. As I said in my introduction I have gone from just crackling in my knees straight to stage 4 as I had another condition that was masking my OA. Regarding the injection my doctor has told me that it is really a waste of my time as I need to get referred for surgery and I know that this will be a long long wait. My local private hospital won't touch me with a barge pole as they do not have a critical care unit and as I am overweight they would not do the surgery without that critical care unit being in place. I would just love to know when my knee is going to give way so that I'm not out somewhere because if I fall that will be the end of it for me. Its very emotionally draining

frogmorton

Hi @Anjeda

I hope your GP has at least referred you to see 'someone'?

OA can be like that suddenly worsening for no apparent reason. Keep using your stick (maybe 2 is safer?? or even a walker??) when you're out so you don't fall.

Take care now

Anjeda

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/686383#Comment_686383

Eventually saw a physiotherapist but my knee is unable to be straightened so she could not examine me, I see her again tomorrow. I am just so frightened of falling when I'm out and about if my knee suddenly locks out again as it's just done in the house about 20 minutes ago . I don't want to give up work but I can't see myself being able to walk to the car and then going in and out of the car it's just so exhausting. It sounds very dramatic but I feel my life is over and I'm too young to feel like that. I have to snap out of feeling so sorry for myself as it is so not like me

frogmorton

Good luck at the physio @Anjeda today.

You must tell her what you are saying here maybe ask for walking aids or something you can and will get your life back you sound determined enough ((()))