Has anyone ever had one?
I ve had one in my left knee for over a year now and at various times its been murder with discomfort and swelling.
Now its worse than ever and the pain is more stabbing in nature - in the inside /front of the joint. I can barely move at the moment and havent been outside for a week.
I m told theres nothing as can be done with these cysts.
Has anyone had similar?
They can be drained by your GP, but will return. They don't like draining them because, the cyst arrives for a reason, and that reason needs to be diagnosed. While it is swollen, there is a lot you can't or won't do, if it is drained, you will start doing things that could make your knee or leg worse. It really should be investigated.
Hi ..thanks for that. I ve got RA ..when I saw my consultant for the first time, he gave me a steroid shot and drained it. I felt great for a month or so afterwards. Now 4 months since that date its more painful with swelling. Ironically, the pain is centred on where the aspirations took place.
I had the same problem in the beginning and was given the same treatment. Mine didn't come back. The doctor told me at the time it had to do with the inflammation going on in the knee. Inflammation did go on but the cyst hasn't come back since.
I have a recurring Baker cyst behind my right knee on the soft tissue (popliteal fossa area .. The depression behind the knee) and it disappears when I have a hydrocortisone IV just prior to my Rituximab infusions, or a hydrocortisone shot into the knee joint. It always comes back after about 7 months when the hydrocortisone has worn off. As others have said, many rheumys don't like to drain them as they often come right back where there is a lot of inflammation and often when RA is playing up. They will drain synovial fluid over/surrounding the kneecap if it is stopping you bending it and impairing movement. I had that done when over my knee was puffy and swollen at the onset of RA many years ago. Sorry the Baker cyst problem is back for you after the steroid shot has work off sadly. Is your RA med working for your other joints and your blood tests showing it is working? Sorry for your soreness where the injection took place. This shouldn't last so long. Please phone your rheumy/helpline and tell them you are housebound and in a lot of pain. Hope you can get some relief soon.
Hi again, just to add this .. Baker cysts are called popliteal cysts and as I said above the popliteal area is behind the knee, so maybe your build up of fluid is like mine was with excess synovial fluid all around the front? I had that and the Baker cyst behind also. I saw this explanation on line re location of Baker cyst:
"A popliteal cyst, also known as a Baker’s cyst, is a fluid-filled swelling that causes a lump at the back of the knee, leading to tightness and restricted movement. The cyst can be painful when you bend or extend your knee".
Hope they can alleviate the discomfort very soon for you. My rheumy Physio was always excellent at interpreting my swellings due to excess inflammation in the soft tissues. He also gave me excellent gentle exercises and got me started with hydrotherapy to enable me to do some good movement without hurting the knee any further till it calmed down. I've also had fluid in a knee bursae (sac) before which made it hard to bend.
They do not drain bakers cysts, sticking a needle in to drain would be like sticking a needle in a water balloon. I had one in each knee at the same time. They suck. Mine did not start going away until I started on tocilizumab.
I had a bakers cyst many years ago. I had surgery where they drained it and also cleaned up my knee. I haven't had it back and that was over 20 years ago
I had one which burst. - very painful. I didn’t know I had one and my husband was massaging a very tight and painful calf....next day the leg was red and swollen so went to a&e. Diagnosed the following day after an ultrasound.
Both knees have always swollen but now when I have a flare up, the left swells as normal at the front but the right where I had the cyst seems to swell into the ‘bag’ from the cyst.
Just another development to deal with in this journey - I have noticed the rheumatologist has little interest in it as they can’t treat it. I have been told they don’t treat them.
Elevate your leg x
Hi, mine appeared just before I was diagnosed with RA last year. It burst, and all the fluid ended up draining to my foot. Was so painful just before it burst. So far never had it since.
I so get a bakers cyst behind my left knee when it's swollen I have trouble bending it and walking . Been told they won't do anything as it could keep coming back. Something else we have to endure with RA 🙄 hope yours goes down soon take care xx
I had one couple months ago. GP tried prednisone dose pack. Didn’t work. Rheumatologist gave me a steroid shot in the knee and that cleared it right up!
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