Advice needed!

Maddies

Hello Everyone, I got diagnosed with moderate arthritis in my right knee last November, I just received a text saying “you have moderate arthritis in you right knee” there was no follow up appointment no advice or anything. I just managed the best I could - I had good days bad days . Since Christmas my knee has got worse and unable to bear it any longer I saw my doctor who advised a knee injection which I was put on the waiting list . That was 3 weeks ago and during that time my other knee has been very painful and some days I just can’t walk very far at all . I am feeling like a hypochondriac and don’t want to worry the doctor again . Honestly I don’t know how to manage it ! Do knee supports work? I am trying to exercise and walk every day ,l know sitting down for even a few minutes causes stiffness so I’m being as active as I can . I’m normally a happy jolly busy lady but I’m feeling very down at the moment. With all the things going on in the world I feel awful moaning .

Pauline

Ellen

Hello @Maddies Lovely to meet you and welcome you to the Online Community.

Covid has really impacted diagnoses and treatment. I can see you have been diagnosed with moderate Arthritis in your knee while you are waiting for an injection in it the other one has started to hurt too.

A lot of people struggle with needing medical help and feel as though they may be being a nuisance to their GPs. In general though Drs would prefer to know if their patients need help.

While you are waiting to hear from our members I am going to attach a couple of links for you to read which might help a bit:

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

and this one more specific about Osteoarthritis of the knee:

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

Please do join in wherever you feel comfortable.

Best wishes

Ellen.

Wullie75

You have to keep on at the doctor I was the same took me 2 years of badgering before I got my x rays they kept saying it was a staved tie when in fact u had arthritis in both feet .I then changed my doctor just keep chasing it up

Fran54

I too was diagnosed with moderate arthritis in my right knee last June. I was originally given Naproxen as I had been getting back ache and tingling/numbness in right foot and Doctor thought it was sciatica. After an x-ray I was then diagnosed with moderate arthritis. I find that Naproxen does help with the pain. I was also referred to physio and given specific exercises for me to do. I have been doing them now for approx. 3 months and feel that they are helping, although some days are better than others re. the pain. Have you been referred to physio?

I have tried a support bandage, but sometimes find they restrict my knee movement too much and cause some discomfort, but everyone is different, so you could give it a try.

I too have good days and bad days regarding how I feel and try to keep myself occupied. When lockdown first started I took to doing jigsaws and even now I find doing one helps uplift my mood.

Take comfort in the fact that you are not alone with this.

frogmorton

Moaning is fine you know we all do it!! It's best done here too because we all understand and it doesn't worry us the way it does our families.

Are you taking any painkillers alongside your naproxen I wonder? Like paracetamol or co-codamol?

As far as support bandages or braces are concerned I have used the ones with a heat patch inside which was quite nice and tubigrip when in real trouble. Never ventured as far as a brace, but am sure I was told not to overuse supports or my muscles would get weaker.

Like Fran54 I love doing jigsaws too!

Take care

Toni x