Knees starting to be a problem - advice?

I have had both my knees Xray'd and they both have arthritis. Both my shoulders have had an ultrasound done and they too show arthritis.
My knees are unbearably painful all the time. I take Pregabalin for nerve pain and nerve damage as I have neck problems giving pain. I take Co Proxamol, which I can take up to 8 tablets within any 24 hour period, because I have bad reactions to many other painkillers including all anti inflammatory medication. I also have Oramorph to take twice daily.
It is extremely difficult for me to walk, even using a Trionic Veloped. In fact I am unable to use that at the moment as it's much too painful.
Every night is really difficult for me as I'm in so much pain. I feel like crying with it but that's no help!
I was referred for my left knee a year ago but I don't have an appointment date yet. My GP has also referred me for my right knee which is currently more painful than my left. The pain travels down my inner calf to my inner ankle and up my inner thigh the bones underneath me on the right side. It's really all my right leg, rather than just the knee but that's where it starts from and where the most intense pain is.
It's pretty much driving me up the wall!
Oh for a speedy response from the NHS, or failing that a windfall enough to pay for private treatment on both knees.

You need to be assessed as to what the problem is before you try anything. I found steroid injections worked wonders on my arthritic knee.

Twenty five years ago I suddenly developed osteoarthritis in my left knee. I was given a hip replacement as was told that would ease the knee pain. An appointment came for knee replacement but as I was recovering from an op for bowel cancer I asked for it to be deferred. Meanwhile my daughter in laws young sister had an appendix op and died from MRSA.
Because the hospital where I had the hip op was so filthy I didn’t have the knee op.
I find that if I sit too long the pain is worse. I have spent a lot of money on all kinds of remedies but nothing really works. Currently taking turmeric but find it gives me indigestion.
As it it bone rubbing on bone on painkillers don’t really help.
I do take co-codamol but because I live alone must keep alert.

Even some mild or herbal relief CANNOT be taken or used with other medications, even rose hip- so i cant stress enough that ANYONE who has other health/medical problems, or is on other medications MUST check with their own G.P. first before taking or using anything- even essential oils.

I have been prescribed the capsaican cream by G.P in past it did not seem to work! But my osteoarthritis is pretty bad now so maybe thats why..What i would say is ...please DONT try any self help things before going to your Dr and getting an xray or scan of some kind first so you know exactly what is the knee problem- Especially if you're on other medications- on warfarin for example i discovered you cannot take even glucosamine, nor the volterol rubs etc- if you have epilepsy you cant use Revitiv- So please do check with your Doctor- My knee trouble started at just 42 and was just a 'clicking' noise i had noticed when i knelt down.Now im 60 soon and i was offered a double knee op about 5 yrs ago- but i had to lose a stone first but was waiting on dietician then covid hit- so once things were open again i never got the op as my other health problems had worsened so now its too risky.😐

pinkquartz try an Acti Patch for pain relief ,you can see the range online on their website or buy from some Boots or Amazon .Everyone I've recommended them to tells me they have had great results with pain relief .

My DH who has had awful knees for about 10 years has been taking rose hip tablets for the last 3. He absolutely swears by them as says he notices immediately if he has forgotten to take them. One of his knees is ‘bone on bone, with fragments’.

Yes. Invest in a session with a very good physio - get their tailored advice and exercise recommendations. Don’t self diagnose or copy others we are all different. If can’t stretch to private, ask GP for referral to physio assessment- you may be surprised at response - our surgery has an in-house physio. Even if there is a wait, make the referral, ageing joints don’t disappear! A good physio can refer for scans if needed. Don’t assume anyone else’s creaks are the same as yours. Surgery is last resort and most folk don’t need it, knee surgery much tougher than hips and many unsatisfied afterwards, though if it becomes completely necessary go for it!

In the meantime op, have a look at your everyday sitting position. Crossing ankles perhaps?

My bad knee is a bit sore today and I think it’s down to sleeping awkwardly on it last night, something I was aware of but was too tired to move. I really should sleep with a pillow either between my knees or under them. Word of warning to anyone planning on having knee surgery. Make sure you haven’t got a fungal nail infection. A friend of mine was all geared up to have a new knee and the operation had to be cancelled when they found that she had an infection and it takes a long time to clear it. It isn’t something I would have thought of.

I have osteoarthritis in both knees and I am only 53! Ibuprofen helps with minor pain, but I am also prescribed Naproxen (a stronger anti inflammatory) by my doctor for when its worse. If you are prone to upset stomachs then any anti imflammatory is best taken with food - I am on Omeprazole as well for acid reflux so that protects my stomach. There is all sorts of stuff crunching around in my knees, but I am not in pain constantly so its tolerable enough. I go for a 30 minute brisk walk every day, including up a steep hill and with a number of steps on my route (I live in a ground floor flat) and I find this helps to keep my thigh muscles strong. My physio at our GP surgery said building up the muscles around and anove the knee is the best way to take the pressure off, as is losing weight. Ironically my knees actually seem worse since losing 16kg over the last few months

I had both my knees replaced almost ten years ago, with ten months between the two operations. I was at the stage of needing a mobility scooter when I went shopping, walking was agony and I took early retirement from my teaching job, I just couldn’t be on my feet all day. I’d had numerous washouts, cortisone injections and did lots of physio. My GP kept telling me I was too young (I was in my 50s) to have replacements. In the end I insisted on a referral and the consultant said he wished he saw more younger people - the success rate is so much higher. These days we can expect the new knee to last 20-25 years, I have never looked back, my knees are fantastic! I can play with the grandchildren, I have been able to be very active for the last ten years, cycling, walking, I even managed some hill climbing in The Lakes. So my recommendation is to get yourself on the NHS waiting list asap.

Two things I can recommend if you can afford to try them: Kinetic Practitioner (I went to a really good one in Reigate recently - I’ve had one knee replacement and am trying to hold off from needing the other done - she really helped through exercise and manipulation and I’m walking pain free and much better again). Before my first knee was replaced I went for Apos therapy which looks at how you walk and was fitted with special boots with discs attached to the bottom which I had to wear for a short period every day - this worked extremely well and delayed my needing surgery for many years. Having said all of that I am very pleased with my knee replacement. I find exercise on a regular basis is essential as otherwise everything just stiffens up.

Kneeling or squats were absolutely unimaginable for me. As I'm always saying on threads like this don't do the physio exercises!! I did for my first TKR which led to inflammation and adhesions. I had to have a manipulation under anaesthetic to break the adhesions. You can't bend a hosepipe full of water so why try to force a swollen knee? Ice, elevation and plain old walking about does the trick. Don't be browbeaten by physios. I just ask them about the NICE guidance research findings for efficacy of Physio after TKR - no difference in recovery from those who did physio exercises and those who don't. My second TKR with me following the ice, elevation and walking routine went very well and I was back driving etc at five weeks.

Keep active which will strengthen the muscles that support your joints, also try exercises specifically for knee problems.
Ask your GP to refer you for xrays as soon as possible- theet may insist on physiotherapy first.
Once xray results are back you may be offered cortisone injections which I can highly recommend and aren't painful.

I had arthritis in one knee - pain going up and down stairs and damage that showed up on X Ray. Family history of arthritis too. I started taking liquid glucosamine (better absorption than tablets) plus two capsules a day each of turmeric and resveratrol and after a month or two I basically have no issue with it now. I was 63 when I was having these issues, 68 when I started the supplements and I’m 73 now.

I have knee problems too but not too bad, I find it hard to get up from kneeling or squatting, especially at the moment, I need to conc on losing ahalf a stone or so as that has helped in the past but has crept on again!

I notice Flexiseq hasn't been mentioned. It is a gel which is applied into the space between the bones of the knee and provides cushioning. As soon as my knees start to ache after gardening I use it and it helps. Ten years ago I had very bad knee pain and the GP refused to refer me for an X ray stating it was a waste of time and money at my age which was 67 then. I made a complaint about him and was then referred. I had an MRI which revealed a torn cartilage which was subsequently repaired successfully with an arthroscopy. If I hadn't pursued this I would have been in pain permanently so I suggest that you get a diagnosis as soon as possible.

I was diagnosed with needing knee replacement surgery at 42. Years old! I decided instead to go with a ‘washout’ which actually kept me going until I was 60. I then went for my replacement pre op and didn’t get to see my consultant only a registrar who was totally impolite and frightened the life out of me (I have complications though due to previous spinal infections) anyway 2 weeks before the op I cancelled it! Stupid thing to do because we moved and I got much worse and had to start again. I had hydrotherapy, steroid injections, couldn’t do physio and in the end couldn’t go out because I couldn’t walk or drive etc then I tore the meniscus or whatever it’s called. I finally had my first knee replacement last February and it was the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced but I stuck with the physio and now even though I’m still on the list for my second knee I can drive up to about 3 hours and go for a walk. I need to now lose weight again because I’ve put on some due to 2 bereavement’s recently and getting Covid which has turned into long Covid it by the looks of it! My advice as someone that has had lots of ‘bone’ surgery over the years is get as much weight off as possible if you need too, try hydrotherapy if you can and get a steroid injection to help tide you over. Don’t do stupid things like kneel on them because they will become worse and lock, then you are in trouble and if you’re put on a waiting list for knee replacement try to get your health as good as possible, I found this surgery really took it out of me because having the surgery is just the beginning, how you progress and how successful it will be is down to you and your determination and you have to go through the pain to do the exercises. (Imagine doing exercises when you have 2 breaks in your leg is what they told me). Don’t put it off like me because you will end up not able to drive or walk or stand like I did and with hindsight that was a totally ridiculous thing to do.

My specialist told me that cycling is the number one best thing you can do to strengthen your knees and avoid pain.

My knees have been dodgy for years but much worse since retiring, followed very shortly by lockdown and lack of activity, and resulting weight gain. Yes, I know what I need to do....

A word of warning - I asked a well known high street health food specialist about turmeric and was advised that if you have gall bladder problems or have had the gall bladder removed (as I have had to), that you shouldn't take this.

Mr GO was waiting for knee replacements for many years, overlooked and ignored by his GP whenever he raised the issue, was walking bone on bone, in terrible pain. A follow up appt with the covid discharge team after he had been in ICU with covid, revealed he was actually considering suicide because of the pain and lack of quality of life, meant his surgery was actioned (a very strongly worded letter was sent to his GP by the covid consultant), and he is pain free from his knees following replacement of both joints.

So, be persistent with your GP if you have need of treatment, don't suffer any more than you have to.

I had problems with my knees a few years ago especially when climbing stairs. A friend was a distributer for Forever Living products and suggested I try something. I started taking a daily shot of Aloe Vera Gel containing glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. It is called Forever Freedom. I found it made a huge difference. I went on holiday and as I was camping didn't take it with me as I didn't have a fridge. After only a week the pain was back so I was pretty sure it was the reason for my improvement. I moved away from the friend and so she signed me up as a distributer too so I could buy the products more cheaply without ordering from her but I don't sell as I don't want the hassle, although I will sell to friends at what it costs me. It is expensive but I think it is worth every penny. I take a small shot glass every day, less than it says on the bottle, and I rarely have any knee pain now.
Since then I have lost a lot of weight and started exercising much more which I'm sure has helped a lot too but I don't want to risk giving up the Aloe Vera! I'm 68 now and my problems first became significant about 15 years ago.

I also found that leg lifts when sitting helped in terms of exercise, though I rarely suffer now. I still do some seated exercise to make sure and I walk quite a lot. I'm hoping I've done enough to prevent mobility issues as my age increases.

If you want to give Aloe Vera gel a try I'm sure you'll find a distributer near you - contact the company online.

Could you get a gardener? Pay someone to do any jobs that involve kneeling.

I’d also suggest getting yourself a grabber stick to avoid too much bending.

I was told by the consultant who carried out an arthroscopy on both of my knees 11 years ago that she would likely see me for knee replacements within 3-5 years. On a friend's recommendation I almost immediately started taking ahigh dosage of Turmeric with black pepper and ginger capsules on a daily basis and have never looked back - pain was at times 10 on a scale of 1-10 and on a bad day now it's maximum 1/2 of 1

I'll second Aveline's post.