I feel like I’m nagging my GP, but I’m in so much pain

[WeCouldBeNiceToEachOther]

I have a knee issue - suspected torn meniscus. I’ve contacted them and been told to book physio, so I have. It’s two and a half weeks away.

im in so much pain right now. Even sitting at my desk is painful. My knee is catching, I can’t straighten it properly and it’s feeling swollen and “full” inside. Walking is becoming more and more painful.

i want to put another form in to the gp because it’s getting worse, but I also think they’ll be annoyed at me because I have the physio in two weeks

If it’s a torn meniscus then physio may make it worse.
it needs an mri, some anti inflammatory and slight immobilization/stabilization until it is scoped and treated.
you need to push for the mri.

I don’t know what I can do though. My e consult form has apparently been reviewed by a doctor who has said my only option is physio and they won’t do anything. I’ve got a video physio call in 2 weeks. I can’t afford private scans or appointments or anything unless I ask my parents to help me out

In my area knees are not a priority! The process is contact GP who will refer to physio. Then physio will either treat or refer to orthopaedics. Orthopaedics can request MRI and may or may not operate depending on their findings and waiting list.

I damaged my knee in a fall in 2014. The wait for physio was 16 weeks so I dipped into savings to see a private orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in knees. Saw him on a Wednesday, MRI on Thursday booked in for surgery on the following Monday! The surgery has bought me some time as I really need a new knee but the NHS won't consider it until I've had my 60th birthday. I take daily ibuprofen with co-codamol when the pain is more severe and I have a yearly injection from the surgeon which is a mix of steroid, pain relief and hyaluronic acid. If the NHS won't replace my knee then I'll have to find £12k to have it done privately.

The pain relief gels you rub onto your skin are useless as they can't penitrate deep enough to make any difference - you may get a placebo effect but no proper pain relief. A knee support might help.

Good luck OP, just keep nagging!

You need to do PRICE as analgesia typically doesn't work well on knee pain:

P - Protect - Reduce load on the knee and guard against movements that cause pain, for example twisting or bending
R - Rest - Reduce load on the knee, avoid standing or walking as much as possible
I - Ice - Apply cold to the joint. A bag of frozen vegetables is good as it moulds to the joint, but wrap in a teatowel or similar, do not apply cold directly to your skin (it burns)
C - Compression - Apply a tubigrip or similar gentle compression bandage to provide support and reduce swelling. Ensure that sensation remains normal in the leg and remove if you see excessive swelling around the bandage, change in colour or change in skin sensation
E - Elevation - support the knee in line with your hip to to reduce swelling. Ensure the knee is supported while elevated, so you aren't creating loading on the joint.

This emergency first aid should aid the initial healing process in the first 0-72 hours after injury.

I’m sorry you’re going through this, it sounds very painful and debilitating. Would you consider going to A&E?

I ask because I injured my ankle a few months ago and it was so incredibly painful that I went to A+E where they x rayed it and said it was just torn ligaments. Sent home barely able to walk and needing to look after 3 small children. I got a call 3 weeks later saying the x ray had been reviewed and my ankle was actually broken.

While I realise that makes A&E care sound poor (it was in that instance) I was able to get an x ray that was eventually properly interpreted by someone. I knew something was really wrong because I was in so much pain but I didn’t want to make a fuss. You know your body. If it’s this painful, you need treatment quickly. You will hopefully get a scan in A&E.

Feel for you, I had one about 5 years ago, I did get an MRI then surgery maybe ask your parents for help for an MRI and that will indicate the correct treatment, I had a buckle handle tear and the docs were quite dismissive until the MRI showed that

DH puts the voltarol directly onto the knee he says it's much better for the pain. He's seen the GP again and insisted on being referred for a scan. The x-ray didn't show anything which the radiographer agreed it wouldn't.

I'd go to a minor injuries unit. This sounds awful op.

You have to get over feeling like you're nagging or being difficult. You need to advocate for yourself and it's not easy. Is there anyone that could go with you?

Keep nagging OP. Ive just had a knee replacement after nearly 20 years of reporting pain and swelling to the gp.

I found the GPs to be pretty crap about knee pain. I ended up asking for an MRI as I thought that was the only way of them finding out what was actually going on.

I also found that though the physio was a good physio , ultimately the only person who knew what they were talking about was the consultant. Had to push and push for a referral .

I had a torn meniscus a few years ago. It took the physio to arrange a scan to confirm it was a tear as exercises didn't help the pain, although strengthened the muscles around the knee making post surgery a bit easier. Just keep pushing as the pain is awful 😞
I hope you get a resolution soon.

I've ordered Voltarol from Amazon for my knee. I had my first physio appt by phone. They've given me exercise sheets and told me to use ice and heat packs. Once you have the phone one they book you in for an in person one. It's outsourced so they couldn't see my xray results. I have to take a copy in. They had no idea what was wrong with my knee before i spoke to them.

Try ibuprofen gel and cocodamol both OTC then review with gp

I don’t think I can go to MIU or anything as the original injury occurred so long ago?

I just feel really deflated. It’s really starting to impact everything I do and it’s getting in the way of exercising and especially getting outdoors, which is vital to me at this time of year. I explained this in my e consult form and they’ve basically said any further forms for this issue won’t be answered

Also it’s really wobbly at random points, and it feels like it’s going to give way. It’s really horrible when I’m walking, especially on wet leaves. I feel like I can’t trust myself to walk.

I had this a couple of years ago. Took Naproxen for pain at night. NHS recommended physio but said it would be months away. Luckily could afford private physio, then had private scan to confirm torn meniscus.Had an injection which sorted it within a day. Am back playing sports, no pain 🤞 (and I’m old). Borrow the money if you can. You shouldn’t have to but it is what it is. If my kids were in pain I’d give them the money in a heartbeat.

I would go to MIU, actually. You don't know that the original issue is the whole cause. It sounds like it was manageable, but now it's very painful and feeling weaker. So you can go to MIU and say that your knee is very painful and weak and although you did hurt it a while ago, you're concerned you've done something to worsen it.

Can you get a pair of crutches from Amazon or similar? It might help give you stability if the knee feels wobbly.
A good quality knee support may also provide some comfort.

Maximising pain relief is key …. Ibuprofen 400mg three times a day AND paracetamol 1g 4 times a day. Biofreeze gel or voltarol gel (can be used an hour apart from each other).
This won’t solve the problem of course, but may make the waiting less painful

Being cheeky has paid off, I have a cancellation appointment on Tuesday! It’s still video but it’s something

I use a knee support from Boots/Argos and a walking stick when out and about, anything that keeps my knee from twisting. I also use the knee support for getting in and out of cars.

It's been two years since I buggered up my knee gardening. Using the knee support and doing the physio exercises (when I remember) I've eventually got to a place where it's pain free providing i do not twist it.

Good news that you've got an appointment. I would push for an xray or mri.

When my knee first went i saw a physio privately. She thought it may have been a meniscus tear and said she'd had one in her 20s playing badminton and that was sorted with surgery, and she was back running marathons.
I do have a meniscus tear but not one that can be sorted with surgery, so obviously not all tears are the same. Think mine is more ragged (??).
Anyway she gave me some knee strengthening excersises which I still do now.

Torn meniscus here too. You need an MRI, also the orthopaedic surgeon I saw said surgery for torn meniscus is for those with mechanical symptoms - eg locking, giving way, inability to straighten leg. I didn't have those, so had physio which has helped a lot, but as you do have mechanical symptoms you need to push to see a surgeon.

I worked at a GP surgery and you would be seen by the physio who would then make the necessary referral. They are the specialists who will know what service to refer you to. The GP can help with pain relief but the physio is the best option for onward referral

Oh god I hear you. I’ve had exactly this. You have to put a ticket in from a different angle…I need pain relief prescribing for an acute and very painful issue. Sounds like you’ve done that today so hopefully they respond.

I recently resorted to booking an appointment to request starting HRT (which I wanted to do because of my shoulder pain) just so I could talk to a doctor about my shoulder rather than be sent to see the physio to be given a sheet of exercises.

I hear you our self referral physio at the hospital is a cop out.