Getting nowhere, short story long!

[Middlewife]

Had knee pain 3 weeks. Seen GP twice, physio once. Took a week off, went back to work last Tuesday. GP said ligament damage, I wasn't convinced. Physio did thorough knee assessment and said arthritis. Knee stiff all the time, swells if I walk on it & hurts. Fingers hurt when I type, got big lump on one finger. Work got progressively harder until Friday (I work ironically in rheumatology & gastro day unit for biologic infusions) I staggered to physio to beg for some crutches and was sent to A&E. Doc did knee xrays which showed, thankfully, no cartilage or bone damage, just a slight narrowing consistent with my age (errr thanks!) She said there was a lot of soft tissue inflammation & swelling, probably RA or PA (had mild psoriasis for 20 years) and to get blood test done by GP as they're going to follow up. 3 days bed rest, which I've followed, getting up for 5 minutes once an hour or so to mobilise.

GP phoned back today (no appointments of course) and left message whilst I was in loo. She refused to issue blood form as said I needed to go back to original GP. No appts with him, so reluctantly accepted a phone call to discuss on weds, can't get an appointment with Occy health until 20th Feb.

Worried I may lose job as only been there 2 months and on 6 months probation with a weeks notice. Spoke to matron today and agreed I could try working a few hours each day & they'll give me a car park pass as I can't walk from the bus stop 300 yards too far.

Needed to rant, any comments/suggestions? Going back to see physio in 2 days, she advised rest as well and no knee support (sob). Not sure if it is RA, had a couple of night sweats too.

Thanks

[Gigi71]

Welcome to this forum, it very hard to begin with to get a diagnosis, but hope you will get there and some pain relief. Maybe ask your GP for a steroid injection to help with the pain. It would be advisable to get your blood test done beforehand. It sounds like your hospital are at least trying to help you, it doesn't help to have the added stress of worrying about your job. Make sure you write a list of symptoms, when you speak to your doctor. Wishing you all the best. Hugs X

[Hidden]

I'm sorry you are going through all this. Sometimes it takes awhile to get a proper diagnosis. What I don't understand is, if you have psoriasis, even very mild, why aren't they investigating PSA? People shouldn't have to suffer so. Not only are you in pain, but having to worry about your job is just so wrong.

I hope you get sorted soon.

Sue

[stbernhard]

I'm so sorry you're in so much pain and have a lot of work related stress. This may sound silly to you, but to help me with knee pain, I sit on the edge of a table - legs below the knee dangling free - and swing the lower legs for about five minutes. There's no load on the joints and I feel it encourages synovial fluid into the knee. I believe it keeps my knees in better shape. Worth a try? All the very best.

[Middlewife]

Thank you all for your sympathy and advice. Had a lousy night with back pain, which I tend to get after a lot of sitting around. Miraculously the knee seems to have burned itself out and I can fully straighten and weight bear and get downstairs so far with no pain. The trick about dangling the knee is a good one and I'll try that if I get another flare up. Off to physio tomorrow, and have said to work I'll come in for a few hours just to sit and book appointments.

[Middlewife in reply to Middlewife]

PS, how long after an attack does ESR, CRP etc remain raised? I had CRP done about 10 years ago after ? sacroilitis, it was raised but not enough to make a definite diagnosis, but was done 2 or 3 days after the attack. Am I right in thinking that rheumatoid factor remains raised, bit isn't always present in people with RA, and probably not at all if this is PA?

[minka]

if they offer u mri do not trust an mri i did once and i was right medial crondial gone like dark side of moon. craters like was but pulled it back.

get some olive oil warm it up a bit massarge the knee in an upwards direction only this will push any inflamation up the knee. (you dont want it going to your foot where that stuff can pool and give you toe pains.

next a hand with down from the bottom of the knee cap their is a nerve here massage that with one finger before getting in bet for 3 mins every night as hard as you can press (you may not think its their but it is)

see how you go with that then when you can static exersise the quad and the VMO most inportant the vmo look it up on utube for exercise (this makes the pattell under the knee track properly (its not all done by the quad as phisio will tell you oh just strengthen the quads (as judje rinder would say (rubbish) Try this for a week any olive oil will do but massage up the knee. hope this helps ive pulled back 3 times from this now im in the lap of the gods they say nothing wrong. i say where is the information from last time you whent in.

just in case its your immune system attacking you when the knee is at rest it would feel like someone sticking little pin pricks in your knee all the time (thats when i think i know its my immune system doing it) regards john