Arthritic Knee.

I have 2 arthritic knees. There is no cure for arthritis so you have to do what you can to adapt to it.
I went on a six week course at my local hospital where we exercised and had discussions about diet, (tomatoes are a no-no), medication and generally dealing with the pain and discomfort that arthritic knees can bring.
If your husband is overweight then for every pound he loses he will take 2-3 pounds of pressure off his knee. This can help greatly. The most helpful exercise for me was strengthening the muscle in the front of your leg above the knee. Making that tighter relieves pressure on the knee.

I have had steroid injections in my knees, one hip and one thumb. Very effective but I am on amiltriptyline at night now as my sleep is poor due to discomfort in my back and groin. I was on naproxen for two weeks but they won’t prescribe more due to my age!!
Exercise is important to keep the joints working such as Swimming and gentle walks plus stretching exercises. I find Pilates is very good and helps a lot.

When we saw the consultant privately he was keen to do it but he was much less enthusiastic doing it on NHS
I bet he was much better cash doing it privately!

I have been told that imaging does not necessarily show what is causing the pain. In 2012, I had imaging done which showed nothing. My consultant eventually agreed to do an exploratory op and found I had "debris" which was causing pain and a thickening plica. He cleaned the knee up and said I would probably need another op in about 5 years. I haven't needed it done since.
Rather than going to a private specialist for a knee replacement which will cost thousands, you can go for the injection which will be considerably cheaper and may be enough to keep him going.

Saw consultant only last month after 9 month wait. MRI followed by xray last year outcome severe arthritis in hip hence referral. Outcome, as I am not using a walking frame I am not considered for surgery! Yes, now need to be almost incapacitated before treatment. Now considering changing car to automatic as problem changing gears. Consultant said just take ibuprofen for pain. Having been told by GP a year ago not to take that drug told Consultant. He laughed said GPs try to fix things, we just want to maintain things! Contacted GP who was fuming, clear NICE guidance that ibuprofen should not be used by over 55 year olds. Back to ibuprifen andcadviced to contact hospital in January complaining that leg is worse and want to be seen.NHS, Scotland just doesn't exist.

Oops! back to paracetamol not ibuprofen.

jomo

Has anyone at all had the gell injection which can only 🤔 be done privately but if it worked may be worth it ????

I did but tbh it was a waste of time, a private Steroid injection was much better.
But you have to have severe knee OA to get a knee replacement unfortunately, unless you pay for operation then I am not sure they would do it, if only Mild.
My sympathy with his pain.

It’s a postcode lottery and shouldn’t be. Where I used to live, I was always being told I was too young, not in enough pain, too fat, (uk size 12) too unfit. My knee was bone on bone, I was as active as I could be. Moved and got referred straight away and had a knee replacement last year. Just had a hip on same side due to damage caused to it from walking on a damaged knee for so long. It’s quality of life now that matters, not planning for a replacement 10 years in the future when none of know what is around the corner.

I have just gone onto the waiting list for a knee replacement and my experience is that all the medical professionals rely on how the pain is affecting your life, rather than having to reach a level of severity of osteoarthritis. However you do have to go through the "process" which involves seeing an NHS physio, trying exercises, having a steroid injection, and then requesting a referral to an orthopaedic consultant. Like your DH, I have had to stop most of the walking I loved, and am finding cycling harder. You don't have to reach the point of not being able to get up the stairs. I am 68 and completely agree that you should be able to enjoy the life you have left. I hope your DH gets the help he needs.

Calendar girl - I tried all the anti-inflammatory stuff, like olive oil, and tumeric. That may have helped a little, but not very much.

Do you have access to You Tube on your T.V.? There are some wonderful videos about knee arthritis on there. Dozens and dozens of them. Particularly exercises you can do at home. Some of them can even be done sitting down, or lying on a bed.

These need to be done regularly before any surgery, because they strengthen the muscles in the legs. This takes the strain off the arthritic joint, and will tide your DH over, increase his mobility and reduce the pain, until his knee degeneration is bad enough for a total knee replacement.

I speak from experience. I did the exercises for about 2 years while I was waiting for an op. I eventually had my op., and made an excellent and swift recovery from it, as a result of all the exercises I had done before-hand.

It is true the post-op pain from a knee replacement is quite severe - far worse than any pain from a hip-replacement. But it fades away after about 6 weeks, if you have regularly done your exercises before your operation, and also afterwards.

There are also wonderful post-surgery exercise videos. Exercises are boring, but they are well worth it.

Think seriously about paying for TKR to be done privately. Had mine done at a Local Spire Private Hospital just under two years ago.

Luckily the NHS paid for it. The operation was performed by my NHS Consultant who also works for Spire. I had been. In bone grinding agony pain for about 5 years.

Costs have increased a lot over the past 2 years. Think it is now about £20,000.

If you can afford it. Pay for it. It is well worth it .No. long waiting lists.

🦵👌😻

teabagwoman

Sorry to hear that your husband has joined the ranks of the arthritic. Have you looked at the Arthritis UK website? There’s a lot of helpful information there.

go back to GP and say, " gel not working, pain is limiting lifestyle, what next? "

Your husband definitely has my sympathy. Once you get arthritis in the knee and the bones start to wear away, it's just a question of time before a knee replacement will be needed. I think he needs to make more fuss and ask to go on the waiting list now. I don't know where you live but it could be a very long list.

Temporary things like steroid injections will give some relief for about 2 - 3 months, gels may reduce the pain and if he is overweight, losing some will help too. Physiotherapy will strengthen the muscles around the knee which will help him to recover from a knee replacement.

I'm speaking from experience and I now have a total knee replacement in one leg. It's not pain-free and the recovery is long, but it's much better than hobbling around with arthritis and being afraid your knee will give way!

4allweknow

Saw consultant only last month after 9 month wait. MRI followed by xray last year outcome severe arthritis in hip hence referral. Outcome, as I am not using a walking frame I am not considered for surgery! Yes, now need to be almost incapacitated before treatment. Now considering changing car to automatic as problem changing gears. Consultant said just take ibuprofen for pain. Having been told by GP a year ago not to take that drug told Consultant. He laughed said GPs try to fix things, we just want to maintain things! Contacted GP who was fuming, clear NICE guidance that ibuprofen should not be used by over 55 year olds. Back to ibuprifen andcadviced to contact hospital in January complaining that leg is worse and want to be seen.NHS, Scotland just doesn't exist.

I know two people that have been seriously ill from taking ibuprofen. One was given a high strength one by a doctor who forgot to prescribe omeprazole with it. She ended up being put in an induced coma and nearly died ( stomach ulcer). And a man from my village is only just recovering from self medicating with it.

WithNobsOnIt

Think seriously about paying for TKR to be done privately. Had mine done at a Local Spire Private Hospital just under two years ago.

Luckily the NHS paid for it. The operation was performed by my NHS Consultant who also works for Spire. I had been. In bone grinding agony pain for about 5 years.

Costs have increased a lot over the past 2 years. Think it is now about £20,000.

If you can afford it. Pay for it. It is well worth it .No. long waiting lists.

🦵👌😻

Someone told me that you can pay to have it done privately via the NHS and it costs less. I can’t remember what the scheme was called though.

Theres a few helpful & informative groups worth checking out on facebook. I'm due an operation but am trying to avoid it as single & care for my mother..dont want to foist caring responsibilities on my kids just yet! Followong an anti inflammatory diet, minimizing nightshade vegetables and taking tumeric & other supplements have seriously reduced my pain levels.

There are "packages" offered at some private hospitals which includes limited aftercare which is more for a knee than a hip. You have to think of the Occupational Therapist also and factor it in.

Although I had both knees done on the NHS, I slowly acquired items I would need, such as an extendable stool for my shower and a commode so I could easily get from bed to commode because the bathroom was too far for me at the beginning.

You will be charged for crutches and walking frames also, at least you would be around here.

Years ago when I was updating the loos, I bought higher ones, and they have been a blessing in disguise.

Perhaps I was lucky, from my ex-professional life I had a very good idea what I needed.

Does anyone else worry about infection in knee replacements…not post op but in the following years? It worries me reading that any sort of infection eg tooth, uti can result in needing antibiotics for the knee joint. Or maybe it’s because the TKR Facebook pages I read are mainly American. I also can’t bear some things touching my skin and having to wash in special soap pre op makes me itch just thinking about it (I am an over thinker…).

A positive story from me.

It’s no exaggeration to say a TKR five years ago gave me my life back. My leg was bent and I walked on the side of my foot. Life was hard to enjoy. The x-ray outcome was still ‘moderate’.

Referred to MSK locally I was immediately on a surgeons waiting list. When he saw me his first question was why had I left it so long. My response? The system! My surgeon is a knee expert, (thank you Charley for your advice), all went well.

Pain-wise I never found recovery unmanageable. I’d say more uncomfortable, paracetamol and my usual prescribed ibuprofen kept it under control. With no NHS physio available I sought advice from a private physio who has worked with my spinal issues for over ten years. At six weeks I walked painlessly without the need for a stick.

It had been explained a replacement knee is never the same as a natural knee but a whole lot better than bone on bone. Indeed. It remains largely pain free, aches sometimes. I can do anything I want to do including kneeling as long as it’s on a pad of some kind.

To get there I went through a process of a physio pain management/exercise course, injections and exercises before referral as far as MSK. My other knee is beginning its journey. I’ve completed the pain management course again at the suggestion of the surgery physio, had one injection, will shortly request a second. When the time comes I’ll have no hesitation in another TKR although waiting lists here are so much longer. I was lucky I think, Covid restrictions were still in place and deterred many patients. Without the first TKR I’d not be walking now.

No, maybee I don’t worry about infection. I was aware of a low risk while healing occurred, now I don’t give it a thought. I’m not a worrier over my own health issues, tend to assume outcomes will be good until they prove not to be.

Thanks cornergran. That is very reassuring.

You will be charged for crutches and walking frames also, at least you would be around here

Certainly not here no one is charged for any of the appliances and you get plenty When my friend had it done recently she had about 6 different appliances including walking frames, seat lifters, stool for shower all completely free of charge and 6 weeks of nurses coming to the home daily
She’s not poor and not on benefits but it was her rights as an NHS patient

If he's only been having problems for last 3 months, and only in one knee, I wonder if there is a cause other than arthritis? My OH had knee problems for years, before finally getting both knees replaced, at same time! Worked well for him after initial recovery time.
About 6 months ago I started getting pain in 1 knee, which came on quite suddenly, though I wasn't aware of injuring it. I didn't think it was arthritis, but made appointment with GP. I began to think it might be a torn meniscus, which usually heals on it's own. Before GP appointment, I realised it was gradually improving, so cancelled appt. It continued to improve - now almost completely better. So not all knee pain is caused by arthritis, though X-ray likely to show it to some extent in anyone older.

Go private, sell jewellery or savings etc. It's worth it

Ask to be referred to MSK clinic. They will do the injection.
I have had a total of ten in each knee- now bone on bone.
My surgeon said I should not have had that many injections & not to have anymore before surgery.
Just on the list for TKR

MayBee I was taught 100 years ago that if one has an eg infected toe, one should go to one's GP to remind him/her. I am obviously aware of it, but I don't give it much thought.

My first knee was replaced in 2012, my second in 2018, and I hope both will "see me out".

Some people can kneel afterwards, but the vast majority can't so I do have a problem the odd time I have fallen, to get up.