Bad knee for 3 months - can't get a GP appointment - what do I do?

[WheatShreds]

I have plantar fascitis in my left foot for a while and then my knee became very painful. It is swollen, it burns. Sometimes I can hardly walk.

I suffered over the summer and didn't go to see anyone since it wasn't exactly urgent. I did RICE and found some gentle exercises to do.

About a month ago it got worse again. My fitness and mobility is deteriorating rapidly. My other knee is starting to niggle, my hips and back get sore. I eye up the wheelchairs in the supermarket. I walk like I am eighty but I am only fifty-one. I'm a carer so don't need to worry about being able to work however we won't manage next year on DH's salary so I need this fixing so that I can.

I have been ringing the surgery for three weeks. It takes forty minutes to get through then there are no appointments left. I've asked them what I'm supposed to do but they just say to call tomorrow.

I can't afford to go private.

Does anyone know if walk-in centres can refer on? I don't need urgent care but I do need help and I don't know where to get any.

Where are you? Some surgeries have the option to self refer for physio or can even book physio appointments for you.

Alternatively, do your surgery do EConsults? That may be an option to contact them.

Ditto pp

Find a physio

I am not a medic, but I do think that needs to be checked out quickly. It could be indicative of an infection in the knee, and while it’s getting worse I’m sure it’s impacting on other parts of your body as you describe.

im sorry I don’t know what to suggest other than ring earlier or part yourself at the GP until you get an appointment. Good luck.

East Midlands
Not heard of either of those services. I can ask...

Yeah...have begun to fantasise about sitting all day in the waiting room in protest.

I ring as soon as lines open unfortunately.

I wouldn’t see a physio for a swollen knee initially. You say it burns, is it red and hot? If so, I would go to A&E if you can’t get an emergency appointment with your GP. Red and hot indicates an infection. I’d still go for an emergency appointment or 111 in any case.

It's not red and it's been three months. Doesn't seem like an infection.
My brother has gout so that's a possibility though that might include redness thinking about it...

Are you using your mobile or landline to phone the surgery? A mobile dials quicker.

Alternatively can you queue up outside the surgery just before it opens to avoid the need to phone .

See if your surgery has a First Contact Physio. They don't give you physiotherapy, they assess and diagnose and refer for tests if needed. They can refer for physiotherapy or give you exercises as well. Ours has one and it's not well publicised. May be on the website.

Many places have eConsult where you can submit a summary of symptoms online and someone contacts you, but not all. I assume your surgery would have mentioned it if they do.

Not red and hot is good. Just because you’ve had it three months doesn’t mean to say it can’t be infected though. Does ibuprofen help?

I can see an osteopath for £40. I know it is not cheap, but they are pretty good at examining joints and giving advice.
Otherwise, do an e-consult, or, and this will work, write a letter to your GP explaining the problem clearly and concisely, giving dates and times of when you have tried to get an appointment.
Your GP will have no idea that you have been trying to get an appointment, no clue that you have even contacted the surgery.
Anything in writing they have to respond to, if addressed to a GP they have to read it.

Great ideas thanks.

Ibuprofen - not sure - as I don't work, rest is always my first option and always available. By the time I take painkillers it's pretty bad - it's probably too late and it's waking me up at night.

Can you call 111 and explain that you can't get through to gp? They may give you an appointment at the out of hours / urgent centre. Much better than sitting in a and e forever!

Phone 111 on a Saturday morning when the surgery is closed for an out of hours gp appointment. You might have to say it’s getting so bad it’s agony though and you really can’t wait until Monday

Sign up for eConsult or however the surgery is doing online requests.

Then send them a consult telling them about your knee.

I have had so much better service both at my and my mum's GPs since giving up calling reception and doing this instead.

Physio is your fastest and best bet, sports physio as well.

Most knee pain is referred pain from the ankle or the glutes, so the quad muscle will be tight and pulling on ligaments.

You've adjusted your gait, so this will throw out hips and back and the chain will just carry on, literally until your shoulders, neck and upper back carry's the tension and stress.

A good physio can help release the surrounding muscles, release the tension and get you balanced with a few sessions.

I'd do this while waiting for other plans, like scans or GP but they will only refer you to a physio.

What area of the Uk are you in?

They closed the online form a while ago. It used to work well. You can no longer queue up at 8.15 either. That was also useful in an emergency too.

The surgery used to be very good until this year.

This summer I took my son who had a throat infection. He was seen by a paramedic and sent away. Two days later he was in A&E. She had failed to spot a quinsey.

My DH had an abnormal result to a home kidney test they sent him a couple of weeks ago. They cancelled the appointment it generated due to lack of staff and remade it in 4 weeks time. I have no idea what an abnormal kidney test means.

It's so dangerous and is going to cost the health service more in the long run.

I've had some good ideas to look into here so am feeling a bit less hopeless. Thanks all.

What about seeing a private GP - it's maybe £70-90 They can problem see you in a day or so and will be able to tell you what you need to do next.

We did this with a problem my kid had and it was brilliant. The private GP couldn't have been more helpful.

I get knee pain sporadically, I find voltarol gel really helps, I know it’s a sticking plaster and the cause needs to be found and treated, but the gel does help in the meantime.

If you can find the money, I'd see a physio privately. Just an initial assessment will help and quite possibly will be sufficient for them to diagnose what's wrong and what steps you can take to improve it.

I started with knee pain recently and within a few days was limping badly. I rested it for 2 weeks (enforced rest as I was actually having surgery for something else) and it was no better, in fact possibly worse. So I went straight to a sports physio (someone I know is very good) and he worked out what the issue is. That was 10 days ago and I'm doing much better already. Not fixed yet but definitely improving. It cost me £80.

Can you self refer to NHS physio? My local hospital allows us to do this.

Have you checked the website for your surgery about how to get an appointment? I just can’t comprehend that you can’t get one, ours you can ring up or book one on the online system. Otherwise I would do what someone else suggests and phone 111 when the surgery is shut to get an out of hours appointment