Extreme knee pain - what helps?

[DropEverything]

I have chronic rheumatoid arthritis. My knee needs replacing but I had hip replacements two years ago and just cannot afford more time off work until my next sick pay cycle starts in another 2 years. I cannot live on SSP and savings alone.

I also can’t afford not to drive right now.

So I’ve agreed with my surgeon to wait. But the pain is excruciating. Does anyone have experience for anything that might help? Any kind of bandage or brace which still allows movement for driving?

Have you had hydroluronic acid injections in it? Dh has full bone on bone arthritis and has been having the injections for 5 years now, getting huge relief from them. He recently had x rays just before an injection and then 2 weeks later and you could see it go from no joint space at all to several mm

They’re offered for osteoarthritis @CMOTDibbler but not for rheumatoid (I understand).

I have had steroid injections but I’m very slim and the couple of weeks benefit wasn’t worth the additional pain and black/blue knee for weeks. They work well if you’ve got a good layer of fat apparently.

I saw a message being passed round about a new injection which can replace knee replacements. Began with A, maybe google and see what you can find? Sorry, I didn't read it properly, people send literally hundreds of posts so you can't remmeber them all. It was in the Daily Mail which seems to get people's backs up, but a very left-leaning nurse friend says their health articles can be good.

I think that’ll be the arthrosamid / hydrogel injections @Pistachiocake which are also for osteoarthritis rather than RA. They’re not suitable for inflammatory diseases. Shame though!