Knee arthritis affecting my physical and mental health

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Kneepain
Kneepain Member Posts: 5
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:06 in Living with arthritis

Am previously active 63 yr old woman who's been diagnosed with arthritis (a bit according to the hospital XRay lady, moderate according to my GP's view of same x-rays and severe according to local NHS Orthopaedic assessment). If these opposing views aren't bad enough, the NHS chap said this isn't probably due to twisting my knee walking my dog in a field but because of 'age degeneration'. Agrees my menucis probably tore but said nothing can be done (including surgery) due to my age and should expect further degeneration. My GP has given me lots of different pain meds plus a steroid injection - of which only the last has helped at all. I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis in same leg before pandemic (have had both cervical and lumbar surgery over the years linked to over exercise) as well. Have tried exercises but pain keeps waking me up/very painful to walk my dog, sit at my computer to work and pretty much everything else. Hoping that I might get both practical and 'emotional' support from this site.

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  • Jona
    Jona Member Posts: 406
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    Hi knee pain,

    im in the same position and fully understand what your going through although have not had surgery but it does annoy me when they say wear and tear and degenerative and been told it will only get worse I’m 62 going on 63 I use ice pack wraps for my knee bit cold when they go on but helps also tens machines for my spine multi level degeneration with oseophytes pushing on the nerves funny really when my left arm shoots upwards because it’s pressing on a nerve but mentally I feel worn out and at times beaten down I also bought a foot massager and it’s great we all get old but I’ve noticed help and care doesn’t seem to have changed for a long time hope I’ve helped in some way but know your not alone and the lovely people here will advise you better

    take care warm gentle hugs 💐💐

  • Chris_R
    Chris_R Moderator Posts: 794
    edited 24. Sep 2021, 19:14
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    Hi @Kneepain

    welcome to the online community great you have found us. You have come to the right place for support in both emotional and practical support as you can see with @Jona posting to give advice and support.

    What a lot you have been through we all understand what you are going through as everyone on this forum has some form of arthritis and pain.

    You say that you have just been diagnosed with arthritis with conflicting results From your GP and NHS not very helpful to say the least. Also you have had spinal surgery in the past and spinal stenosis,and you have had medication for pain.

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

    https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/55012/spinal-stenosis

    Hope these links help you in some way. Please keep in touch and tell us how you get on and do chat to others on our forums for support and advice

    All the best Christine

    Need more help? - call our Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm

  • Kneepain
    Kneepain Member Posts: 5
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    Thanks Jona and Christine. (I'm a bit confused as to whether this 'comment' box is to respond to both of you, but as I didn't see a space to reply individually am doing so anyway).

    Jona - thanks so much for your very kind message - I can't tell you how much I appreciate that! I've apparently got osteophytes all over the place. The reason that I'd had to have cervical spinal surgery around 6 years ago was that there were a large number of them squeezing the main nerve. Just before the pandemic started I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis in my left leg - again from osteophytes - which the xray of my knee is showing. I'd previously tried a Tens machine for my chronic neck/shoulder pain (from the surgery) and now bought a Revitive machine with attachments for knee pain (I got it VAT free). It's helping the numbness in my left foot from the spinal stenosis but so far hasn't made much difference to my knee. I'm also trying exercises for knee arthritis that I've found online and also find that cold sometimes helps (currently sitting with a bag of frozen sprouts on my knee)! Another thing that helps is doing daily Mindfulness sessions on an app that I subscribed to last year - especially the one on using visualisation to deal with pain. None of them helps, of course, when I keep waking up in the middle of the night from the pain. Thanks too for the gentle hugs and the same back to you.


    Christine -thanks for your message. I was so pleased to find this website and had already looked at both the links above - many thanks for them.

  • Jona
    Jona Member Posts: 406
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    Hello again knee pain ,

    You are very welcome and you sound like you’ve had and still are having a nightmare, I tried the mindfulness but nothing helped don’t cope with this alone msg me anytime I’m always popping on here they’re lovely and very supportive just knowing I’m not alone with all this helped me

    big gentle hug xx

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