I definitely am unique!

[Doraflora]

Well: PMRpro and DL both said I was unique and the rheumatologist today told me I was a mystery!

I went for the follow-up today about my badly swollen knee (bursitis and baker’s cyst, plus a lot of fluid!) Apparently there’s very little sign of arthritis in my knee (good!) and no RA or OA. Just wear and tear in the cartilage and a horizontal tear.

In January the rheumatologist gave me a steroid injection and drained some fluid. My knee returned to normal after three days, but the next day was back to being swollen again. Blood tests were all normal, including ESR etc. He was just surprised there’s no sign of inflammation and he seemed disappointed that the steroid injection didn’t work.

He’s now referring me back to the ortho surgeon who I saw initially to see what he says. I got the impression the rheumatologist anticipates me coming off the steroids (currently 2 mg). I don’t know. I tactfully reminded him it’s not that easy!

So: nearly nine months after seeing my GP about my knee we haven’t really got that far.

There is wear and tear in my cartilage and I said I’d be happy if they just got stuck in & did an exploratory. We’ll see….

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Oh - maybe our crystal balls ARE working!!!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Whoopee 😊

[Pixix]

yesterday I completed 11 weeks on crutches for an unknown injury to my knee, so I get your frustration! I did have a fall, but nobody is able to tell me what I’ve injured& nobody suggests ultrasound or MRI. I was/am more concerned about getting the pain under control, which is necessitating large quantities of morphine! My knee is too swollen to bend & I can’t fully straighten it. It can’t bear my weight, & I’ve had enough of it!! I have had two physio appointments but he says I’m too ‘damaged’ for him to help me at all, but just hesitates when I ask him exactly what I’ve injured!! I have a GP phone appointment on Monday, & will be pushing for answers…& a plan…seems to be no plan, except keep using crutches, put leg up higher than hip to reduce swelling & keep taking the pain relief…!! Good luck!

[Doraflora in reply to Pixix]

Oh that’s not good, Pixix. You’re entitled to know what you’ve done. And I’d really stress that you’d appreciate a scan/x-ray or whatever.

🤞for a good outcome on Monday. Do give us an update afterwards. x

[Pixix in reply to Doraflora]

Thanks, kind of you. It’s a long time to not know what you damaged!! And there’s no improvement! S x

[pegpowell]

During early years just before PMR, I overused my knees running on pavement, climbing up and down Humbug Mt. too quickly, and falling down on one knee in a pothole carrying groceries. Thus, just before PMR diagnosis, I had swelling of both knees. Osteo surgeon drained them and gave steroid (ketamine(sp?) shots. Several months later he again drained and repeated the shots. About a year later I had my right knee replaced where it was discovered that my patella was crooked from the pothole fall. No more trouble with the right knee but a couple of years ago, I had meniscus trim on left knee which I have fallen on since. Ice, rest and warmth solve swelling and pain.

[Doraflora in reply to pegpowell]

I had to google Humbug Mt to see where you are🤣

You were lucky with the steroid injection. I’ve had the one and it was three days later before the swelling went back to normal. The next day it swelled back up again and stayed like it. The rheumatologist was disappointed I didn’t get longer relief from it and said yesterday it’s not worth me having any more.

Rest and heat don’t make any difference at all.

I’ve got a degenerative tear in the horn of the lateral meniscus and full thickness chondral loss in the patella femoral compartment involving the lateral patella facet with grade 4 chondral changes.

so I’ll wait and see what the ortho consultant says. 🤔

[pegpowell in reply to Doraflora]

Ice is more important than heat. My swelling went down after drainage. And then I iced every day. Sounds as though you need knee replacement. I've never regretted mine, done in 2017.

[Singr]

interesting I have the very same thing. Damage to the cartilage in my knee and a lump with fluid in it. Before Covid they were going to operate to fix the cartilage but it was going to be a long wait. Post Covid they decided not to do it. Still don’t know what the lump is. Refused to take any fluid from it. . I got fed up asking and just left it. But my knee can get very sore like toothache. If you ever get to the bottom of finding out what it is please let me know 😂

[Doraflora in reply to Singr]

Well I did get a diagnosis of bursitis and a baker’s cyst, but the rheumatologist suspected RA or OA, but the scans etc showed hardly any sign of arthritis. He really thought the steroid injection would do the trick for the swelling of the knee, but alas no, hence why he’s bounced me back to the orthopaedic consultant again.

If I were you Singr, think I’d be going back to the GP and complaining about it again. It might just coerce them into pursuing it. You can but try!

[Singr in reply to Doraflora]

True