Burst bakers cyst

[BFlying]

Hi. I'm not an arthritis sufferer but I need some advice. I was diagnosed in a&e yesterday with a bakers cyst. My calf is really swollen and the pain radiates from the back of my knee, up my thigh and down my leg. When I stand up, the pain is horrendous. It's like a nerve pain going from my mid thigh to my lower calf. Is this normal when you have a bakers cyst? I'm on crutches and can barely walk. I can't put my foot on the ground. Getting upstairs is a major challenge. I'm wondering whether to contact the doctors. As this is unbearable

[Mmrr]

I'm so sorry to hear of your plight, you sound in a lot of pain. We are not medically qualified and unable to give out medical advice, it might be advisable to contact your GP.

Best wishes to you.

[dwsurquhart]

Yes, those are normal symptoms of Baker Cysts. I would be calling your orthopedic specialist and asking for a consult. Baker cysts are generally formed because of worn out, cracked or degraded meniscus in the knees. The body keep producing synovial fluid to provide some lubrication to the joint, and when there is an issue, the body produces more. This causes the fluid to be forced behind the knee into the popliteal area behind the knee.

Doctors do not generally drain them as it is like putting a pin into a full water balloon, and also because of all the nerves and blood vessels behind the knee.

You may want to also get a consult with a rheumatologist.

The only drug that got my cysts to go away is Tocilizumab. The menisectomy surgerys helped a little, but not significantly. Cortisone injections work for some to get them to reduce in size. Cortisone in injected under the knee cap and in theory, will work its way into the cyst, again, this did not work for me.

I wish you all the best of luck with the cysts and hopefully the go away for you.

[madgerac]

Hello!

I’m sorry to hear your suffering and totally get the discomfort you’re experiencing!

I was also diagnosed in a & e around 12 months ago with a ruptured bakers cyst. Extremely swollen and painful calf.

It has sadly reoccurred during the last year. I did get a few months of relief by having my knee aspirated and a steroid injection which has given me a few months of respite!

I try to limit going up and downstairs as much as feasibly possible as I struggle with stairs I’m hoping to have another steroid injection in January but only because I’ve gone privately, my rheumatologist would definitely not repeat the injection on the nhs!

Good luck with yours, I hope you manage the pain and manage to feel better. Rest your leg when you can and elevate it when possible!

Take care

[helixhelix]

certainly you should be contacting your GP, to get it checked to rule out a blood clot. But they may well tell you need to ride it out until it calms down. Sorry, it’s a horrible pain!

Heat, ice, rest and elevation plus painkillers maybe all that will be recommended.

[trunchalobesity]

yes that’s a Bakers cyst. As it’s burst the fluid should now start to drain around the body. You can elevate it and also keep moving.

Are you taking paracetamol? Ibuprofen or codeine? All these can help.

I hope you feel better soon x

[TheBoys]

hi there - No consolation for you but I ve had several now and having pestered my GP in the past plus gone private - they always have eased though are painful , life limiting and awful when suffering with one.

[oldtimer]

Confirm the diagnosis first. But it sounds right, sorry! Elevation, rest, painkillers,just as you would for an injury. And it takes ages. You have my sympathy.

[BFlying]

Thanks for all the comments. Had it confirmed today that it is a ruptured bakers cyst. Been given naproxen. The doc said I should start feeling a bit better in 48 hours. The thing I hate most is the tight pain when getting on my feet. It's even worse if I've been elevating my leg. I tried icing it, but that made it worse. Wonder if I should get heat on it?? Also, this has only been about 5 days, so when does it start to ease? My lower leg is quite swollen...think it's about 4 or 6cms bigger than my right leg. I can manage it being sore or painful...I just can't bear this tightening when I stand

[Shonkie in reply to BFlying]

I was told by a physio that when it burst it could be helped by gently massaging the leg upwards towards the lymph gland but personally I found the whole thing a painful combuggeration.

[Jackie1947]

NHS guidelines

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[Fg45]

yes. Mine burst right at the outset and before I knew I had RA. It was agonising , swollen and I couldn’t walk properly for days. It was significantly better in about 10 days so I hope you get some relief soon.

[BFlying in reply to Fg45]

Thankyou. Were you on crutches as well? If so, how long for?

[Fg45 in reply to BFlying]

yes I was but only for a few days.

[BFlying in reply to Fg45]

Oh that's good. I've read online posts where people are still using them about 3 or 4 weeks in! They're such a pain to use...hard work! Hopefully I'll be off them very very soon then

[BFlying]

Think I've been doing something wrong today. I have been putting my foot to the ground whilst walking with the crutches indoors. Just got to bed and it is killing! Think I've overworked or pulled muscles in my thigh and calf. Also can see, I don't know if it's bruising coming out...like where the surface veins are. maybe I'm trying to run before I can walk. I don't know

[Shonkie]

Having had a Baker's cyst a few years ago I now have a hugely swollen painful stiff knee . Anyone got experience of the aftermath of a BC?