HMS suffered - Bursitis in knee, advice needed :'-(

[ipmacs]

Hey dudes,

I don't have EDS however do have HMS (my left shoulder is the worst!) plus Endometriosis. Drain.

Anyway, I stupidly spent an entire day gardening about 2-3 months ago and because the majority was weeding, I was crouched down an awful lot. At the end of the day I knew my knee had done something but I hadn't fallen over, or over stretched it the opposite way (When I stand straight I have to control my knees not to bend out the wrong way) but it felt odd and there was very minor swelling around the knee. Fast forward to now and its gone from being a niggle to today where it has accelerated to horrendous. Walking never bothered it but today it's like I can feel every step in my knee. When I'm sitting it's the 'back' of the knee that hurts and as well when I stand up from sitting down, the back of my knee kills. But today it's started hurting when I walk at the front of the knee. I've stopped trying to kneel or crouch down as that's just agony.

I'm' at my GP's in a couple of weeks to talk to him about it and I don't normally Google symptoms but looking on NHS page, it seems to be Bursitis as t hurts the most if I try to kneel or crouch down - anything that involves bending the knee. I don't want to change my GP appointment because it's manageable until then, it is really painful but not enough for tears (yet!) - I have Tramadol for my shoulder and Endo, plus Indometacin for my shoulder. Whilst I haaaate Indometacin because it's so strong on my stomach, it does really help.

Has anyone with hypermobile joints had this before and/or does anyone have any recommendations or tips of things to do (or not to do) to help it? I'm keeping it slightly elevated at work and will sleep with a pillow underneath it to raise it above heart level when I'm in bed. I also have a couple of re0usable cool ice pack things to use on order.

[cyberbarn]

Had bursitis in my knee once from kick starting my little Honda H-100. Hardly a difficult thing to do!

I went straight to A&E for x-rays because I couldn't get into work, so needed documentation for that. They diagnosed bursitis, gave me tubigrip to put on it, told me to not bend it for several weeks until it got better, to rest it as much as possible. This was over 25 years ago and I can't actually remember if I was taking painkillers much or not, but I do know that if I rested it and kept it elevated it was fine.

My firm couldn't do without me (I was working in investment banking in The City) so they paid for a taxi back and forth to work, so that I didn't have to bend the knee going up and down stairs on the underground, and I was allowed to use the lift to get to some of the offices if needed, and I had an extra chair to put my feet up on when necessary.

Oh, and when putting it up, to have a pillow under the knee to keep it slightly bent so that you aren't over extending it.

it was probably a month or a bit more before it was better, and I never had any problems with that again.

And I also got my boyfriend to kickstart my bike after that!

I think you should go and see your GP sooner rather than later. Protocols might have changed for tackling bursitis in the last 25 years, and GPs hate it when people show up and say 'it was hurting but it got better'. If it has been getting worse, then I would ask for a much sooner appointment, or even go to a minor injuries unit. But it isn't an emergency so I would stay away from A&E.

[ipmacs in reply to cyberbarn]

Hi, wow thanks so much for a really comprehensive reply! Yesterday it got so bad I was limping everywhere and stairs was a killer. I'd read online about elevation with a pillow so last night I did that and it's much better today already, but is starting to hurt again. I can't not work though and i walk everywhere. I did contemplate going to urgent medical centre yesterday as it was horrendous and thought if it was the same in the morning I would go, but after a better night it's not as bad. My GP appt is next week so I'll try hang on I think. Though if it gets worse I might go on Saturday. Thanks so much for the tips. Really very much appreciated!

[claralove]

I get it too..but I've never knew how to deal with it either .. X good luck