Hello, I'm new

MiaG

Hi everyone, I'm new to this but not to arthritis sadly. I have osteoarthritis in multiple joints, but the worst by far is my knees. I'm awaiting a consultation with my GP to see if he will refer me to the hospital for an operation. I'm also a full time carer for my husband who is disabled.

I am very interested to read all of your stories, comments and advice.

noddingtonpete

Hello @MiaG and welcome to the Community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that will be your experience as well.

I understand that you osteoarthritis in many joints but especially your knees. I've put a bit of information below which I hope will be of some interest and helpful to you.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/exercises-for-healthy-joints/exercises-for-the-knees/

and also

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

Please keep posting and let us know how you are getting on and I am sure that others will connect with you to share their support and experiences with you.

With very best wishes,

Peter (moderator)

frogmorton

Hi @MiaG lovely to meet you.

I'm glad you've found us. This forum has been such a support to me over the years.

Ask any question if someone can help they will.

Join in anywhere you fancy you might be able to help someone else.

Take care

Toni

MiaG

Thank you Toni, it's good to have found people who I feel will understand what this is like! I am gradually going through the site, to find my way around etc and look forward to contributing if I can, later on.

Mia

jonr

Welcome @MiaG,

I'm one of many here with OA in our knees and on the list for a double replacement.

The process isn't necessarily straightforward depending on what your GP will and won't do.

I'm presuming you've been formally diagnosed with XRays,etc because if not that will need to be done first.

Secondly, if your GP agrees to refer you, it will be to MSK first and someone there will assess you before making their recommendation as to what happens next. In other words, you've potentially got 2 people you need to persuade in order for you to get to your end goal of referral to an Orthopaedic Surgeon who will most likely order an upto date MRI (if you only have XRays and/or your last MRI was some time ago). He or she may recommend a full or partial replacement depending on how severe your condition is, or may opt for no further action at all.

See how you get on with this and do check back in for any advice or help if you're getting stonewalled, etc because there are options open to you if you don't get what you want but it may be smooth running so no need to drown you in detail if unnecessary.

In the meantime it's certainly worth following the website links you've been given to help understand and manage your condition because it could be many months before you get an outcome. Knowing what's best to do through physio, diet and pain management is going to be vital for you to have a decent quality of life.

Take care,

Jon

MiaG

Thanks Jon. First of all I have to confess my ignorance - what is MSK?

I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis over 30 years ago, when I was still in my thirties. At that time it was in my hands, wrists and ankles. About 12 years ago my knees joined the party. My GP at the time said that my knees were very bad, particularly the left one and he said if it had been my hip he would have referred me straight away for a replacement but that knees were more difficult. He told me at the time that 1 in 5 knee replacement operations were not successful and that those unlucky people simply had to learn to live with the pain. This put me off and I have been living with it ever since. But it is now much worse and because of home circumstances (my husband has cancer and I am his sole carer) I feel I must do something about it. I did have x rays and MRIs, but as you say, some years ago now.

One of the major stumbling blocks in this area is simply getting an appointment to see your GP. When I phoned for an appointment I was given a date 6 weeks away, which I accepted because it was the best they could do. This appointment is on August 25th, so although there may be a way to go, as you indicate, at least this is the first step.

Thanks for your interest, and I will keep you informed.

Mia

Jewels1973

Hello @MiaG I’m quite new here as well so I just wanted to reassure you that everyone on here has made me so welcome and I’m sure they will do that for you too. I just wanted to wish you good luck with your doctors appointment. Our practice is very much the same I sent a letter and can only have a telephone appt on the 11th Aug so I do understand. Sending you my best wishes for a positive outcome and there’s a place on here called Val’s Cafe where people talk about everything and anything I just thought it might be a place where you could chat as I know caring for a loved one can be very isolating. Just click on the Val’s Cafe link and I’m sure everyone will welcome you. Take care. Julie x

GloriaSmeltzer

wellcom

jonr

Thanks for taking the time to write back @MiaG and what I am about to write may also help @Jewels1973 and anyone else who is struggling with uncoperative GPs or long waits to see one.

Firstly - to answer your question Mia "MSK" is an acronym for "Muscular Skeletal".

There is a way of bypassing GPs altogether and that is via an organization called Connect Health who handle some high volume workloads for the NHS of which MSK is one, think of it as a fast-track service. You can be referred by your GP (as I was) or self-refer if they won't do so or it's taking too long to see one (as in your case).

Connect Health operate throughout the UK and have a search function on their website to find your nearest one.

I phoned and made an appointment to see a specialist for an assessment (I'd recommend face to face, not over the phone), I saw one within 2 weeks and from there I was referred to a Surgeon who ordered an MRI and then recommended a Double Total Knee Replacement which I should get in September/October.

This is the link to their website:

https://www.connecthealth.co.uk/patient-information#facetwp-map

There is a lot of information here and its actually how I discovered Versus Arthritis who is one of their Partners.

Hope you get a result, please do ask away if you'd like more help or have any more questions, etc.

Jon

MiaG

Thank you, it's nice to be here.

Mia

MiaG

@Jewels1973 thank you for a lovely message. I have had a quick look at Val's cafe, and everyone seems so friendly, when I get a bit more time I'll go into it a bit more There's so much to learn and take in!

Mia

Jewels1973

@MiaG I know there’s lots to learn isn’t there this is such a valuable group and just nice to know you aren’t on your own x

@jonr Thank you so much for that information I will go and have a look now you are kind thank you x

MiaG

Thanks everyone for the welcome and the comments. There is a lot of information to take in, and I didn't know anything about Connect Health and the part they could play in referral. My GP certainly kept that bit quiet. I am going to spend some time researching all this so I am well informed and ready for questions when I finally see the doctor. This is a different doctor, the one I saw originally in 2011 has now retired. I may have more questions later!

Mia

Jewels1973

@MiaG I knew nothing of Connect Health either so both our doctors had been keeping it quiet xxx

stickywicket

Re Connect Health

I've never heard of it except in posts by @jonr so I had a google. It seems they are a commercial organisation which claims to help NHS patients but overall reviews are not good.

https://www.nhs.uk/services/independent-sector-provider/connect-health/NMG/ratings-and-reviews

i'm sure @jonr is right when he says they helped him but he seems to be in the minority.

jonr

Re: ConnectHealth, I read the bad reviews too but thought "hey, I've nothing to lose so I'll give them a call".

Maybe I was just lucky, speaking with someone who wanted to help and was willing to be proactive, a case of "right time, right doctor".

MiaG

Thanks, I'll have a look at the reviews.

Mia

MiaG

@Jewels1973 I have just read some of the reviews, and now I don't feel so hopeful! This seems to me to be part of the problem, going from day to day not knowing what is available, what is the best option for me, etc and in constant pain to boot. As someone said in one of the reviews I read, the worry alone is enough to reduce you to tears. But tears won't help anybody so I'm going to carry on with my plan of informing myself as much as possible and laying it all before the doctor on the 25th. Poor man won't know what hit him!

Mia

stickywicket

@MiaG , I've just re-read your thread and, frankly, I don't know where your GP got his info about knee replacements but it wasn't from the BMJ. Here's what they say

https://www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l5680/rr

I had my first knee replacements in 1981 after 20 years of RA and a few less of OA. One was replaced 27 years later. The other I still have with me - unfortunately, as it's a total mess but can't be operated on. All were very successful for many years.

It is true, though, that the surgeons can only put the new knees in. It's up to us to make them work by doing the prescribed exercises, both before and after the op, and not trying to rush our recovery. If you want to convince your GP it's a good idea to refer you to an orthopaedic surgeon then start now with Versus Arthritis' knee exercises. They are good, will help and will make recovery quicker.

MiaG

I'm here with an update for everyone who was kind enough to take an interest. I had an appointment with my GP at the end of August, he sent me for an x-ray, referred me straight away and about a week later I received a letter giving me a password to sign into the NHS site to book a consultation with a surgeon. There were 5 or 6 choices for hospitals near to me, so I went with the one with the shortest waiting time for a consultation (which happens to be a private hospital). I was given a date of 5th October. I attended the appointment and met with the surgeon who talked me through the options. These were basically to do nothing (not realistic, I am in pain now and it can only get worse), steroid injections (only a temporary fix) or a total knee replacement. So we have agreed that the knee replacement is the way forward and he booked me in then and there for 8 November. This is as a NHS patient. I must say it is moving faster than I thought it would but I am very grateful. He did say that it was very severe and should be done sooner rather than later. I have been doing my exercises and will continue to do so. I am now going to read up on what to expect, post operative care etc. I do feel nervous about the procedure but I think it is for the best.

Mia