Very painful knee - advise needed

[BippityBoppity87]

My knee is absolutely goosed. Currently sitting on the sofa with it propped up with pillows, taken 8mg of co-codomol and I'm going to ice it. Other than that what can I do?

I'm in absolute agony. It's been like this on and off for a couple of years ever since my DC was born. I've tried physio, but because my mental health had deteriorated, it took a back seat and now I'm in pain again.

It hurts around the front of the knee cap and on the inside. Sometimes I can hear a clicking noise or a grinding sensation, or my knee will buckle without warning.

Should I ring the gp again? But I don't know what they would be able to do? Can I ask for stronger pain killers as the co-codomol just isn't cutting the mustard. They were reluctant to give me anything stronger the last time I asked

Bump.

Still in agony, can't bend my knee at all. Should I go to a&e? Even if someone could give me stronger pain killers. I fell over again today too.

I doubt they will do anything at A& E rest ice and time are probably the best if it is ongoing chronic pain.

Do go back to your GP though and maybe get it x rayed and he may ask for an MRI

Thank you for your reply. I have monthly medical reviews with the gp anyway, so I'll mention it then and hopefully I can get a referral.

I have this and was referred to the pain clinic (I also have back issues)
I was given cortisone injections into the knees, unfortunately I only felt relief for a few days so got to go back.
I'd see the gp again and ask for an X-ray.

If you're in lots of pain, cant bend your knee at all and you fell over today why don't you ring 111 for their advice, do you think you could have injured it when you fell. Has it ever been xrayed.

Surely you need to see a consultant and get a diagnosis? There are loads of things it could be and surgery might be required or the joint might need flushing. Push to see the right person.
Are you overweight? I have a friend who was down for knee replacement. She has made the effort to lose three stone and the knee is back to normal.

I've had numerous blood tests. They ruled out four and arthritis. I had an x ray last summer when my knee buckled. Nothing. Then it buckled again, and I went to a minor injuries clinic, but they couldn't x-ray then as it was swollen. They said I could have torn a ligament, but this was about 4 months ago and I'm still having problems. Munch knee has been getting progressively worse over the past 3 years.

*my knee

I'm probably about 3 stone over weight, but it was never mentioned as a bad ribs lye cause for my knee pain.

Sorry, my autocorrect is being weird!

*Gout not four

Osteopath. Sorted my knee out.

It needs an MRI scan to look for issues that wouldn’t be seen on X-ray.

Fell over or knee gave way leading to you falling over ?

Knee gave way. It's happened a couple of times. Today I slipped and fell.

That's what I was thinking @FadedRed Can a gp make a referral if I ask? I can also sometimes feel a grinding sensation when I move it.

Now you are in pain situation, ther is little to be done until it calms down. But it sounds like more investigation is needed. My knee used to give way..cartiledge tear, so can only be seen on mri.

Most things can get better with physio, but it’s not easy and requires huge commitment from you. The physio tells you what to do, but they can’t do it for you. They can’t physio it better ..only you can do that.

Weight makes a Huge difference to knee joints also. I’m normal weight, but I notice the difference between being mid or high end of normal. As with the physio, it takes real commitment from you to fix that also.

On the bright side, both the training and weight loss can be done and make a huge , life chang8ng, difference. But in both cases, you have to fix yourself, under guidance, which is hard. So good luck.

It's awful. I'm sick of being in pain. I have some physio excercises I was given the last time, so I will try and give it another go.

GP referral to Orthopaedic clinic, who ordered scan them physiotherapist. I did have history of previous ski injury, but turned out to be arthritis aggravated by my work. Steroid jabs very helpful (retiring was better in the long term )

THere are multiple levels of exercise, not all suitable for when it’s proper poorly, so you will need advice/ careful. ( can’t find my Bits of paper to advise) . It took over 6 months of progressive physio to get me basically functional! There were tears. But so worth it. It’s awful, I know!

Sounds like you may need a knee replacement. Get exercises to strengthen the muscles around it while you wait.

Oh god how I hope not @Footle

It's disrupting my sleep too, as I wake up constantly in pain.

Steroid jabs sound like it could work. I'll ask my gp when I next go as I can't carry on like this. It's affecting everything. Had to use my crutch today just to get around the house!

I would make an effort to lose that weight OP. It might make all the difference. I am currently 6.5 kilos overweight and I am certain it is affecting my back. I lifted 6 one litre cartons of milk at the supermarket yesterday and realised how much that is in real terms and frightened myself

The human body is not designed to carry the extra.
As for no-one advising you to lose weight in a clinical setting. They don't. They are tired of saying it. There are posters everywhere though in the clinic I attend. 60 - 70% of hip and knee replacements are in people of BMI 29 and above etc.

We are expected to think for ourselves. I am going to lose this weight as I think it would really help the issues I have. If medics told patients to go away and lose weight first it would save the country a fortune which would benefit all of us.

I used to be a size 8/10. I'm now a size 16. A combination of having my dc and the meds I have to take can make it hard for me to lose weight. I eat very little.

Yesterday for example I had 1 piece of toast with low fat cheese and smoke salmon. Then steak and salad with low fat dressing. That was it.