Arthritic Knee.

What frustrates me is that I’ve always been so health conscious, watched my weight, kept myself fit etc. I might try another steroid injection. The last one didn’t seem to help but, in retrospect I was at my partners afterwards and I was walking much better than I am this time. I tried taking some codeine the other week but it made me feel quite lousy for a while. I wondered about getting a three wheeled bike ( I have no sense of balance and can’t ride a normal one).

A friend aged 78 has had both knees replaced in the last 4-5 years and is hardly any more mobile than beforehand.

I had my hip injected twice, a few years ago, first gave huge relief for 5 months, second did nothing. Pain continues to worsen but I can manage my stairs, and drive my manual car, so although I can’t run, cycle, ride a horse, I’m glad for what I CAN do.

I’m waiting for another MRI but my consultant said as the aim is simply to relieve pain, he’d much rather my oral painkillers are tweaked to the best benefit as surgery should always be the very last resort.

I don’t think any permutation of oral painkillers will enable running or cycling again though.

I’m sorry to be hijacking’s somebody else’s thread. Yesterday I went out for the day. Didn’t do a lot of walking but wore some new leggings that are quite tight and supportive. Also wore my Ugg type boots for the first time since last winter. My walking was much better and as the day wore on improved even more. ( I wish someone would sell leggings with extra support around the knee; maybe I need to invent them myself). But the question I want to ask is this. When I’m at home I rarely leave the house. My partner does all the shopping and walks our dog. When he comes round he will have chatted to people on the phone or in the street. And he always says ‘so and so asked how your knee is and I told them it’s not good’. Now, I don’t want friends and family to totally ignore the fact that I’ve got a problem. But he seems to make a point of almost being my carer and it makes him look very kind and supportive ( which he is up to a point). But I got quite upset and said to him that I am now ‘poor Maybee who has a bad knee’ as if my knee defines me and that is all I am. And it defines him, too ( he has always been a bit controlling). I still can’t get my head around my lack of mobility or the fact that I am no longer the person I was. Is this a natural reaction?Am I being unfair to him? It’s just that he makes such a big thing about my knee. And I worry that if I have a TKR I will be totally dependent on him for quite a while and I’ve always been so independent. When we go places now he always asks if he can park closer to the entrance because of my knee ( he even phoned up the venue yesterday to make arrangements for that). I guess that I’m being totally unreasonable about this. I think it doesn’t help that when I’m staying at his house I’m living by someone’s else’s house rules ( we obviously have different ways of existing in our homes having both been divorced for many years and are set in our ways). Sorry to rant on.

MayBee70 I think how right you are. Who the surgeon is seems to make a world of difference my bionic bits are hips not knees which I know are not so complex I know a number of people with new knees and there is one guy and number have had horrendous problems and the patients have been told by the surgeon it’s not their fault. And every trainee has to practice on someone

Thanks. Seems to me that, if I do want to go ahead with a TKR I might need to exaggerate the pain. My local hospital has been downgraded too which is a concern. I’d like to do some research and have some control over who actually does the operation. I really liked the consultant who’s retired; seemed very sensible and experienced. It’s a relief to know that someone else has little pain but can’t actually walk; I don’t think my family take me seriously about it and that makes me question if I’m just imagining it all. Apologies to those who are in pain but I sometimes wish I was as the decision would be made for me. And I worry that I might be able to walk again but have pain from the new knee that I didn’t have before. My walking has got worse slowly over the past few years and it’s the alignment of my body causing it not pain from the knee.

Just catching up with your discussion and popping in to say that I never was in bad pain.

I had my first TKR about 7 years ago and had to pay for it because I wasn't in constant pain. Luckily for me, I'd had a windfall on becoming an orphan. Both knees had collapsed inwards to such an extent that I virtually walked with my knees jammed together. But because there was only a very small bit of bone on bone rubbing, like you I wasn't in desperate pain. Just couldn't walk. As you say, outside was difficult and steps to be avoided where possible. Stairs indoors were on all fours going up and going down was a bottom shuffle after a dodgy bit of manoeuvring at the top. But no pain I couldn't live with. So I paid for the first one and a year later had the second done by the same surgeon as an NHS patient in a private hospital. It also helped with the back ache I was getting through walking very badly.

It's been well worth doing although I still use a stick on really rough steep terrain, but that's more a balance and confidence problem. The tendons under the knee caps twinge when I stand up but that's a small inconvenience for being able to walk two or three miles with ease and be on my feet longer than most of my friends.

MayBee70

Over the past couple of years I’ve seen an osteopath and physio GP and consultant. I’ve asked all of them ‘my knee doesn’t hurt apart from a stabbing pain in one side sometimes, I can drive, walk up the stairs. Walk round the house. But can’t walk outside of the house. Why?’. None of them could give me an answer. But in a light bulb moment the other day I realised it was because my knee is bowed and it has changed the alignment of my whole body. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to realise. The problem with committing myself to a TKR is that I’m not entering into from a position of actually being in pain ( apologies for me thinking out loud here).

My brothers knee was bending quite badly, they have managed to straighten it.
What I keep meaning to ask him, does it make him look slightly taller now that it’s straight.
Mine is slightly going on one side tbh I have never had the straightest legs.

X Ray but no MRI. Just said mild arthritic changes in both legs ( even my good one). I think I’ve always had one leg shorter than the other; everyone tells me I’ve always walked funny. Legs are both straight and flat when lying down but bad leg is markedly bowed when I stand up. And I’ve got an awful bunion on my bad leg which puts my leg at an even worse angle. I did take a wrong step many years ago and that’s when the problem first started. I wonder if I should pay for a private consultation but it would mean diving into my house fund and there is so much work that needs doing on the house.

MayBee have you been xrayed and had an MRI scan? If you lie on your bed do your legs look the same length or does the affected one look a tad shorter? Can you fully straighten the affected leg while lying on the bed or is it slightly bent?

MT62 I can hardly believe that person was back to work after 3 weeks. I was in agony and could barely move. Everybody is so different.

I find walking uphill easier than flat or downhill. And can walk on the beach with walking poles but not pavements. If I was in constant pain it would be easier to commit to a TKR. As it is I can lead a very pleasant life pottering about the house and garden, watching tv, listening to podcasts, reading etc. But can’t go into town on the bus or go for a walk in the country. I do question my own sanity sometimes; wonder if I’m just a terrible hypochondriac and other people would just ignore it and get on with life. Which is why I’ve asked so many professional people why I can’t walk outside of the house. It’s also a problem that I’ve had for many years. It has got better so many times that I keep expecting it to do so again so I’m in a sort of denial. It’s hard to commit myself to what I know is going to be very painful for a while when I’m not in pain. There’s obviously something wrong as my bad leg is an inch wider than my good knee and there’s no shape to the leg, my thigh on that leg has always been bigger than my other leg too ( I’ve kept a record for years because my weight fluctuates so much (theneverendingdiet).

That’s interesting, Maybee, I find the same with walking outside. I have to use a stick. I am fine indoors. ( However, not so good at stairs as you!)

Over the past couple of years I’ve seen an osteopath and physio GP and consultant. I’ve asked all of them ‘my knee doesn’t hurt apart from a stabbing pain in one side sometimes, I can drive, walk up the stairs. Walk round the house. But can’t walk outside of the house. Why?’. None of them could give me an answer. But in a light bulb moment the other day I realised it was because my knee is bowed and it has changed the alignment of my whole body. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to realise. The problem with committing myself to a TKR is that I’m not entering into from a position of actually being in pain ( apologies for me thinking out loud here).

My brother had Gel injection private, said it felt uncomfortable.
He’s just had full knee done, back to work after three weeks.

I read that they won’t operate if you have as much as a mosquito bite on the day of the op. I’m treating my nail myself but I really need a prescription from the doctor.

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.

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

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

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.

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

Thanks cornergran. That is very reassuring.

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.

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…).

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.

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.

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.