Hi, a couple of weeks ago I kept waking up in the night with knee pain every time I stretched or turned over, last week I got up in the morning and felt terrible pain in my knee, I struggled to walk and it was very painful,I went to work limping and I don't know how I got through the day being in so much pain, since then until now it is still very painful I have to go to work as my company does not pay sick leave, I have been taking co codamol and naproxen which I have prescribed for long standing back pain, they take the edge off slightly but I'm still struggling to walk with the pain, the pain is now starting to appear in the other knee but only slightly, a few years ago I had a frozen shoulder for which I had steroid injections and manipulation under anesthetic, when I had a scan the man told me I had arthritis in my shoulder, I still get pain in that shoulder and that also has started to come in my other shoulder, I was never officially diagnosed with arthritis but now I'm starting to wonder if that is the problem with my shoulders and knees, my wrists and knuckles have ached for as long as I can remember and also get stiff especially when cold, I also get a burning pain in my big toe joint from time to time, at the moment I just seem to ache all over and I'm struggling with the pain especially at work, if I rest the pain is still bad but not as bad, can anybody give me advice I haven't been to my gp yet as I always try to heel and self medicate myself x
Pain: Hi, a couple of weeks ago I kept waking... - Pain Concern
Pain
Can I just add that I haven't injured my knee in any way that I am aware of x
Hi Stsuro, I'm no doctor but I feel certain that it's arthritis. I have it in my knees for many years now. It gets worse depending on what you do about it. Or don't do. You should see a doctor to make sure it's not rheumatoid arthritis. What is cocodamol? Are you in UK? I'd be glad to give you more advice if you like. Let me know.
Hi vielpunkt, co codamol is 500 paracetamol mixed with 30 mg codeine, I take two 4 times a day but have been on them for so long because of my back they don't really have much effect anymore, yes I live in the uk and would be very grateful for any advise you could offer me
See a doctor to be sure of diagnosis.
It's important to keep moving even with knee pain. The joints get stiff other wise. If you need to lose weight you should because the less you weigh the less stress on your knee joints. I take 3000 mg. of MSM and also a joint supplement with hyaluronic acid and glucosamine sulfate. Make sure it's not glucosamine HCI, that's been proven ineffective. Try to eat as healthy as you can. If you can see a physical therapist they might be able to give you exercises to do to strengthen the muscles around the knee. I find if I sit too long, like in the movies, I get very stiff. So get up and move around. The supplements take a month or so to see results. Let me know how you make out. I'm in NYC, so good luck from this side of the pond.
Hello
My first step would be to see my GP. You are at present takeing cocodamol for you back which is what it was prescribed for. You say you are taking 8 a day which is max and they aren't working. Why haven't you been back to your GP and asled for something stronger?
Your knee could be something totally ddifferent and taking an unprescribed drug may aggrevate that condition. There are many cocktails of pain meds and therapies which will help but dignosis must come first.
Heat and ice can help too. Ice freezes the nerve endings.
You say if you take sick leave you don't get paid. You won't be able to work at all if you don't get treatment soonest.
Sorry to sound so nrutal but often GPs have to try and undo what patients have done by self medicaring.
GP tomorrow OK?
Pat x
Hi Stsuro1 - it does sound very much like arthritis. I have osteoarthritis in knees, ankles and shoulders and my pain is much the same as you describe. I try to take as few painkillers as possible - though I do use naproxen and/or cocodamol occasionally, but not every day. As you say, if you use them at high dose regularly you get tolerant of them and they have little effect anyway.
What I do mostly for my arthritis is gentle stretching and movement exercises. I see a physiotherapist who runs pilates classes and she has shown me the best exercises to do for this. It's important that you don't stop moving completely or your joints will seize up and it will get worse.
My advice would be to go and see your GP. They can refer you to a physiotherapist who can help and advise you. Also, as you suggest, steroid injections are useful if the problem is really bad - but you will probably be aware that you can't have too many steroid injections in one year. I had one in my ankle a few years ago - when my ankle had completely seized up and I could hardly walk. It helped a lot at the time - but I'm hanging on as long as possible before I have another.
Do see your doctor. It may not be osteoarthritis (I'm not a doctor myself!) so it's as well to get it checked out properly.
Hi
Yes I agree it does sound like arthritis but it could also be fibromyalgia as you have pain in all four quadrants of the body. I have both and at times get intense pain in the knee such as you describe, at times it feels as if the knee collapses momentarily, other times it eases altogether. Do try to ease off constant medication if you can as all meds have long term side effects. I have found taking vitamin supplements has helped with all my joint problems to the point where I now go out with the Ramblers and walk 7 miles every week - only a few months ago I was feeling that I would soon be needing a disabled parking permit it hurt so much to walk! I take a high dose of Vitamin D, Glucosamine and Chondroitin with Vitamin C, magnesium, Potassium Citrate, and a Multivitamin. I also take a very low dose antidepressant which is known to help with symptoms of fibromyalgia. I used to get muscle spasms and also took a homeopathic remedy Rhus Tox which shifted those completely! It's worth trying other ways to shift the pain and then keeping mobile by walking regularly as that will prevent the pain from returning. Your GP could also refer you for an assessment by the physiotherapists who are really good at diagnosing precisely what is going on in joints and muscles and they can give you specific exercises to ease the knee pain. Sue x
Oh. I forgot to mention you should also take fish oil capsules. They help the joints and are good for your heart too. 
good luck & keep in touch.
Time to see your doctor now.
Have you ever considered seeing a rheumatologist? It sounds like some kind of auto immune arthritis
Maybe you need to go to a pain clinic. Your meds may not be working any longer. I pray you get some relief from your suffering sweetheart.!!!! xxx Mitzi
Hi , I am in a similar position to you.I have had back pain gor many years -even had back surgery, then around 5 years ago I started getting knee pain in both knees but much worse in my left one.I went to physio and he tokd me that 75 percent of people with back pain end uo with knee pain. This is because we use and rely on our knees more to try and protect the back.Suppose it makes sense really as inused to go on my knees when most people would just bend their back!.Apparently it happens the othet way round too knee pain sufferers use their back more to save their knees.I have ended up actually with my knees worse than my back.Some days my knees are wirse than others, I tried steroid injections but they didnt help but may work for you. Xray showed osteo arthritis but I am convinced if I had never had back trouble my knees wouldnt be so bad as they are.See your GP as there arecsome good painkillers available and hopefully with pysio and/or steroid injections you will get some relief. Good luck x
Hi, it turns out I've torn the cartilage in my knee, got to have physio and have been prescribed tramadol and naproxen , doctors says it takes a long time to heal so still finding it extremely painful to walk and the painkillers only help slightly, still struggling at work, any advice welcome? And does anyone know how long this injury takes to repair itself, doctor said just see how it goes? Xx
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