At least that's how I think it's spelt. It's a specialised form of RA and I have it in my left knee (along with normal RA in shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers.It's also called Pseudogout but as the crystals in Chondocalcitis are calcium they can't be dispersed as the uric acid crystals in ordinary gout can.
It can be identified on an x-ray as a thin white line lining the cartilage.
I've been told it's incurable though steroid injections in the knee bring relief for a couple of months.
Has anybody else had experience of this disabling affliction and any knowledge of effective treatment other than knee replacement?
Thank you.
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Jeff1943
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Hi, I’ve nursed patients with chondrocalcinosis, as you say it’s the formation of calcium crystals. Pretty much all rheumatology conditions are incurable, and focus on managing symptoms. Medication is very much the same as for rheumatoid arthritis, with nsaids, dmards, steroids and some biologics. It can result in needing the joint replaced, but not everyone ends at that point. They may also offer to aspirate fluid, to ease symptoms or confirm diagnosis looking for crystals under the microscope. I’ve only ever seen it occurring in the knee, although I’m sure it’s possible for it to affect other joints. It sounds like you are in good hands, hopefully they are able to keep it under control 🤗
Thank you so much, Runrig01, for putting me fully in the picture. The Methotrexate 22.5mg I self-inject for RA is supposed to help it and I'm trying Hydroxychloroquin for the RA which may also help the Chondrocalcinosis. They have also started me on another course of Prednisolone which may help and if the Hydrox doesn't help another very expensive med the name of which I don't recall will be tried.Fortunately I tolerate most of these meds well and I suspect that as I'm 81 I won't be using the steroids too long term for side effects to become a major problem. Thanks again.
Hello Jeff1943. I suffered from pseudogout in Autumn last year, diagnosed in A&E. The physician aspirated my knee and found the crystals indicating pseudogout. (I am slightly older than you. The pain in my knee was extreme. He prescribed Colchicine to be taken for just a few days, which did make my (left knee) much better. It is still not pain free but not too bad and bearable now.
Hope this helps, the pain from pseudogout is really very bad.
Hello Jeff 1943,Don't want to make you miserable, but I have chondrocalcinosis. Already over 30 years. Am 73 now... It can affect any joint. Just try to get the inflammation down. Don't give up exercising. It is vital to stay mobile. Even if it hurts like h. Ll. Don't grow roots. Sitting down and not moving makes it worse.... Walking is good, stretching gently is good.. And listen to your body. Tiredness etc. The difficult part is the mental part... Don't get depressed too often. It comes with constant pain, obviously.. Read up on it, and try to balance your doing and resting.
I tried a lot of medication, but I never took steroids. I don't like the side effects. Nowadays I take Melox, and pain killers before I go out to walk. Nothing else really worked. And I am the proud owner of a mobility scootertje. Takes me anywhere😉 So that is basically it.... Good luck, and if you want to know something specific, write it here....
You are very welcome..I wanted to add that I do 2 more things to try to keep the misery bearable. 1 is to control the weight. This for the knees, to keep some heaviness off. And 2 is that mostly we eat Mediterranean foods.. Olive oil, no red meat, lots of fruit and veggies, fish, chicken, nuts. There is lots more. But I like it, that makes it easy. No processed foods. But I was never a McDonald's fan...
What I find the most difficult is giving up the things I liked to do. Playing the piano, gardening, big walkies.... Hope you will find your balance soon... 🥦🥒🥕🌽🍅🥑. Cannot resist the emoji temptation here..
like you all the medications i have had over the last 22 years has been MTX along with a log list of drug trials (as that was the only way to access some new meds 20 years ago)
couldn't tolerate MTX orally so was switched to injection 10 years ago. unable to tolerate Hydrox but long story short i am now on a biological and MTX i am tolerating all this well however i have had a full R Knee replacement 2021 so managed to put it off for 20 years
now my left knee is close to needing replacement keeping it going with a few treatments, steroid injections aspiration etc but eventually I will need replacement. and you are right steroids can cause other problems . the NHS is very good and there are many drugs out there so it is sometime a case of getting the right one and unfortunately there is no easy way to do that. but i have too heard good things about Colchicine i have found over the last 22 years that RA quite often morphs and what is working for you now may change in 6 months and you will find yourself on something other drug or a different combination of drugs, but it is worth asking about Colohicine Good luck
Thanks Popinjay, finding the right combination of meds can be a long drawn out process. I tolerate Mx well though less effective after 15 months and just started Hydrox which I tolerate well but early days regarding effectiveness and they're going to start me on an injectable biologic as the RA is not well controlled but whether any of these will also help the knee remains to be seen. I suppose I should count myself lucky that the knee problem only began when I was 80, and the RA at 78, rather than decades earlier.
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Late onset rheumatoid arthritis symptoms
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