Update, I Need a Break....

Greetings, I have been on Morphine for years after going through the whole gamut of OA drugs, none of which worked properly and many of which gave me severe side effects. In my experience even Morphine will not counter the pain effectively, it just knocks the edge off, and sleepless nights are merely part and parcel of the perils of OA. I asked my GP for help with the disturbed nights and he merely said that as I am unable to work it didn't matter if I fell asleep during the day! Anyway, enough of my problems. Just remember that everyone is different and that everyone responds differently to the drugs available. Hopefully with the help and support of a decent GP/Pain Clinic a suitable solution will be found for you.

I'm sorry the arthroscopy didn't help. I think it's one of those ops that works for some but not others. I've read that some surgeons won't bother with it. On the other hand I know at least one person who had a perfect result.

I cope with pain by ignoring it as much as possible, doing physio as much as possible and generally trying to fit in enough good stuff. If your knee is very swollen that will be difficult. I hope the lef kicks in soon.

Would it be worth talking to CAB? Or even our own Helpline people? They might be able to see a way forward.

Forgive me if I've asked this before but are you a member of a union?

Are you using any walking aids to ease the strain on your affected joints and thus improve your gait? Correct use also slows the spread to other joints. DD

That's good but maybe it would be of benefit to use two: I found that my walking immediately improved when using two, I was more upright which was better for my spine. I used them alternately, right leg and left crutch forward, then left leg right crutch. My walking speed also increased which helped morale and self-esteem as I was more able to keep up with a group.

I was given crutches after my first synovectomy back in 2002 and had a good physio who taught me how to use them. I managed to get to one stick then it all came back so I've never truly ditched them. I like the ones with shaped handles as my hands are not too good - I remember padding the straight handles of my NHS gifts with yards of crepe bandages, not pretty but effective enough at the time. DD

I am so sorry, what a Catch22 that is. My GPs have never been involved in my athritis prescriptions and I suspect no GP would increase a medication on a patient's say-so for very good reasons. I would hope the hospital would do an emergency letter to confirm the required increase medication but left hands don't talk to right hands let alone the hands of others.

Did you speak directly to the rheumatologist or did the rheumy nurse consult and pass on the decision? DD

I'm wondering.......

It's not long since your arthroscopies, is it? Now, bear in mind this is pure speculation on my part but I wonder if your rheumatologist is feeling that the inflammation is due to the arthritis but your GP anxious that it might be an infection from the arthroscopies, in which case DMARDS wouldn't be advisable.

There are still different opinions on the use of DMARDS pre and post op. My orthopaedic surgeon has, over the years, gone from very cautious to "It probably doesn't make much difference" whereas the surgeon who removed half my twisted bowel insisted on no DMARDS for 2-3 months. ("They're all poison" he smiled )

Not that this helps you but it just might explain the differences of opinions and that both are, in this inexact medical world, valid.

silverfoxxxx wrote:

Hopefully they’ll decide between them, but it’s always us that are the messengers as they don’t actually speak to each other to air their opinions, and funnily enough they always seem to think the other is talking bs as they know best, lol.

Maybe you've just been unlucky with your practiitioners. I think mine have always communicated reasonably well both here and, where I used to live, about 160 miles away. Can you change one or another? I've certainly never heard one dis another though it was a bit of a disagreement that got me my first TKRs.

Hello, how are things? As we haven't heard from you I'm hoping that means an improvement has occured . . . . . DD

You seem to be a bit of a medical mystery. Great fun for eager medical students but none at all for the patient. I wish you all the best for the coming week. Please let us know how it goes.

I'm sorry it was so painful. Unfortunately, sticking needles in to test for infection is quite important given all your problems. I had to have my hip aspirated to test for infection a couple of years ago when I was in the worst pain of my life. Fortunately, like you, there was none.

I've had steroid injections that worked and steroid injections that didn't. Worth a try when you're in so much pain already. Any joy?

I have had a number of knee steroidings and all were vile experiences until one nurse gave me a medical dose of oramorph, I floated through that one. None of them provided any kind of lasting relief despite my following their post-procedure instructions to the letter. Sometimes synovial fluid was there to be removed first, sometimes there wasn't and I soon learned that the size and heat of my knee was meaningless as an indication of what was happening inside the actual joint. The only steroid that achieved anything was in to my right ankle to 'treat' the OA in that. Three blissful months for one joint ensued then life returned to normal. The depth of disappointment far outweighed the short-lived benefit.

Being called in to an injection clinic does suggest a procedure is due to take place but one is never prepared for the actual event. I count myself very fortunate that, despite all the injections and surgeries, my synovial fluid was never infected, I do feel I got away with something there! I know that synovial fluid oils the joints but whether it is also that which causes joints to balloon for protection I have no idea.

I hope some benefit comes your way, it is not a nice procedure and, once the anaesthetic wears off, it hurts in a different way to the arthritis pain, I can still conjure up the sore feeling it causes. Ouch. Rest your joint tonight, thst will help the steroid sink in and get to work (if it so chooses). Good luck. DD