Hello I'm a newbie today

Robbsore · 19. Dec 2013, 06:54

Hello

New hear today, just felt I needed to find out more about how to cope with arthritic knee(s) I fear I may sound very trivial after reading only a few posts.

I am female aged 55. I new from about 40ish that I had painful knees. By the time I was 50 I struggled with walking and stairs. I had a knee arthroscopy 3 years ago. My surgeon told me after the op that the news he had was not what I wanted to hear. He said my arthritis was very bad and the only way forward would be a knee replacement, however, he wanted me to persevere for as long as possible to see how things went after the op. I have persevered for 3 years and am tired of not being able to do things normally, i.e. being able to walk for more then 10 mins, being able to enjoy holidays, festivals, walking around supermarkets etc.

I asked for new referral (my GP asked if I would be okay to see the previous surgeon to which I said yes) and was given an appointment at orthopedics outpatients. However it was a physiotherapist I saw, nor an orthopedic consultant. She stated how bad my knee was 3 years ago from the notes, and from a physical examination. I was x-rayed and she saw further deterioration. However she said that the next line of treatment would be intensive physiotherapy, using poles to walk with and painkillers, she also said to try supplements.

I had hoped for a better outcome, though I do not know what! I feel my quality of life at this age is being ruined and I won't get a knee replacement until I am much older, and goodness knows what the rest of my health will be like by then. I just feel so down after this consultation that I just have to resign myself to poor quality of life at a time my husband and I would like to enjoy holidays and travelling and sadly its taking that pleasure away from him too.

I am going to scour this forum to look for tips and hints on how to improve things for myself, hopefully many others will have posted lots of useful information.

Hate sounding like a moan, will buck up and get on with things now its off my chest!

villier · 19. Dec 2013, 08:33

Hi Robbsore

Welcome to the forums, no need for apologies that is what the forums are for, to be able to let off steam, air your views and general chit-chat. I am afraid I cant help you on the knee front as it is my hands that are affected, if you repost on Living with Arthritis you will get a better response although the forums are a bit quieter at the moment on the run up to the festivities. There is also the helpline you could phone and ask their advice they are a mine of information. Lovely to meet you and hope to see you around..........Marie x :noel:

stickywicket · 19. Dec 2013, 09:14

Hello Robbsore and welcome from me too. Please don't apologise about 'sounding very trivial'. Pain is pain is pain. We all have it so we all understand it and it's not a competition to see who has most :xmas_cheesygrin:

You will find many kindred souls on here waiting for new knees and/or hips. They like to make people wait as long as possible to try to ensure that a further one isn't required later. I got lucky or unlucky, depending on one's perspective in that I got two new knees ages 35 but I'd had RA for 20 years by then. I've looked after them and still have one. The other was replaced 3 years ago. It works beautifully but it's a bigger operation second time around with more ongoing risks. Hence trying to get the most out of the originals.

I can well understand your disappointment but please don't feel your quality of life has been ruined. A few adaptions and changes will be required but there are usually ways and means of doing the things one really wants to do. I travel to Los Angeles every year to see my son and grandson. Physio does help. I still do my exercises every day as they keep the supporting muscles strong. Have a look at some of Arthritis Care's publications at the top of the page.

As villier has said, it's rather quiet on here right now in the run up to Christmas but people will be back. Join in on any thread. Living With Arthritis and Chit Chat are where most people hang out. I hope to see you around :noel:

Robbsore · 19. Dec 2013, 09:56

Thanks both - I feel encouraged already! I will use this site as my "crutch". I do appreciate both your responses.

Have a great festive period.

dreamdaisy · 19. Dec 2013, 12:21

Hello, it's lovely to meet you but I am so sorry you have had to find us. There are ten million or so arthritics in the UK and the vast majority of those have osteo arthritis (abbreviated to OA). I am a lucky punter in that I have a creaky foot in both camps, I began with an auto-immune kind aged 37 and the joint damage caused by that has led to OA in both ankles, both knees and now my right hip. It's not fun.

I am on the waiting list for new knees (I was 52 at the time this was raised as an option, the verdict was come back in three years and then we'll see, so maybe come the end of 2014 I may be in luck) but I have realistic expectations about what they will achieve for me. Those who have only OA in limited areas demand a deal more from their new joints (which is understandable) but, after seventeen years of this malarkey I have learned to keep my expectations very low just in case I might be pleasantly surprised.

I look forward to seeing your name here and there around the boards and I wish you well. DD

valde · 19. Dec 2013, 12:38

Hello and welcome. I also class myself as a newbie as only being diagnosed this year. I am so glad I found this forum it has helped me no end to get through some very bad and frightening times when I did not understand what was going on. I am sure you will find so many people here that will help and support you through this, I most certainly have. Good luck and hope you come through the down feeling very soon.

frogmorton · 21. Dec 2013, 04:57

Hi Robbsore

Lovely to meet you, but not so good to hear about your poor knees :xmas_cry:

I fear you will have to 'give it a go' the course suggested by the physio, but maybe not for long before you will be able to see the surgeon and hopefully look at surgical options.

They avoid this at all costs, as new knees only last for a number of years, but if your pain is too severe/intolerable/affecting your life too much you may have to be assertive.

I hope you will find the forum a great resource and benefit from the support I have on here to get you through

Love and WELCOME :xmas_cheesygrin:

Toni xxx

Robbsore · 27. Feb 2014, 06:47

Well I could have predicted 2 months ago where I would be today - no further forward. "Intensive physio" the physiotherapist attached to the orthopedic department said, well eventually I got a physio referral and surprise surprise I have been told "there is absolutely nothing I can do for you" and "I have no idea what they mean by intensive physiotherapy" - sigh! So really I have just to go away and don't come back until you are old (or what they might consider to be old enough to have surgery!).

barbara12 · 27. Feb 2014, 07:10

Hello Rob sorry I have only just seen this
You must ask for a second opinion to another orthopedic surgeon,you can understand them hanging back because a second or even third op would be much harder..you have tired all options now, so Like I said ask to be seen again by someone else..pain is pain whatever your age...good luck..put a post in LWA about anyone that has had a knee op at your age..maybe that will help you x

stickywicket · 27. Feb 2014, 10:05

This must be very disappointing, Robbsore, and I do wonder if you've fallen between two stools. For my money, if orthopaedics said you needed intensive physio, they should have provided it. It sounds as if they sent you back to your GP to arrange the physio (All a matter of who picks up the bill :roll: )

At the risk of sounding arrogant (When did that ever stop me :oops: ) I think I know what intensive physio is as I've been referred for it on 3-4 occasions during my long arthritic career. On each occasion I was an in-patient on a ward specifically for patients needing intensive physio. Most of us had some auto-immune form of arthritis but the odd OAer sneaked in too. We spent 3-4 weeks on the ward and were usually allowed home at weekends if all was going OK. We had a personally-tailored exercise regime and had to do the exercises every hour. The physio checked us daily to make sure we were (a)doing them, (b)doing them correctly and (c)making progress. In addition there were other therapies, including hydro.

That's what I understand as intensive physio though, admittedly, it usually only came when the Disease Modifying meds needed upping or substituting. It always involved very hard graft on the part of both patient and NHS.

Maybe you could explore what's available in your neck of the woods? You might have a look at some of Arthritis Care's Publications too (Top left of the page.) There's no cure for any form of arthritis but some things do make life a bit easier and prolong the life of the joints.

Hello I'm a newbie today

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