Many people find that chronic pain and discomfort can “get you down”.
How often would you say that chronic knee pain affects your mood, your sleep, or how much energy you have?
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How often does knee pain affect your mood, s... - Stand Up 2 OA
Stand Up 2 OA
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How often does knee pain affect your mood, sleep, or overall mental health?
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CalvinHU
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Yes, in earlier years when the knee pain was severe (at one time, I recall being in pain 24 hours a day for 2 years!) I felt weepy, frustrated, unable to go out much. I rarely had a night's sleep without painkillers. I did muster up the energy to do the most essential tasks as I was actively working outside the home. I trained as a human process facilitator over 20 years ago, and I think that helped me keep in touch with what was happening to me and not to slip into depression. Reading has been my refuge.
Hi Calvin, yes the pain does get me down. I am a chronic insomniac and I have been on tranquilisers for more years than I care to mention, they help, as do the tablets I take for sciatica, at least I get a reasonable sleep. I am having a bad time with my feet at the moment and I have to force myself to move and keep moving. It helps if I think of somewhere I want to go and my husband takes me, for a short time anyway I can forget about the pain. Maximonkey
I can totally relate to your foot pain, I've had multiple surgeries on both feet to alleviate the pain, some more uccessful than others. It's awful when the vey thought of standing up and walking even a few yards makes you cringe 
I hope you get some help with your feet.
Hi NanaFifi, thanks for your sympathy, not many people understand how debilitating not being able to walk without pain is. It affects everything. Take care and I hope you are now able to walk pain free. Maximonkey
Hi Maximonkey, although I’ve had periods of pain free(ish) feet I’m having major problems once again 😞 I am in a lot of pain unless I’m wearing trainers with memory foam insoles- Skechers are best for me. Might help?
Thanks NanaFifi, yes I have tried Sketches but they do not support my arches enough, still ok to wear them occasionally. Have you tried Hotters some of their shoes suit me and they are really good attractive shoes which is lovely when you have problems and spend a lot of time in trainers. Take care Maximonkey
Every single day in one way or another. I suffer from depression and anxiety so life is tough mentally. I am so tired of my body constantly letting me down and stopping me doing so much
Thats a hard question to answer, depends on the day and weather, lol. In my younger days when I had no known physical issues, I struggled with depression and later found out anxiety too. Then add osteoarthritis in my 50's and almost 3 yr ago a fib, which made the water muddier. The heart meds slow me down mentally and physically too. So it is an over all major change in accepting some things I cannot change. I some days am sad about my body not performing like it used to but have found if I focus on positive lifestyle changes I can make, like different physical goals, avoiding chronic complainers, healthy diet, daily exercise and sunshine, Im much happier. My sleep isnt too affected since I put a thick memory foam pad on my mattress.
There were times when I felt pretty down with not being able to do much and being told by physio therapists that I was unlikely to get well or that acceptance of knee pain was what I should settle for.
However I read a lot on the internet about how in other countries exercise is used to good effect. Following the arthritis forum here made me realise that many were much worse off.
I do feel anger which is directed at my knees, when they decide to be painful. Also felt the doctors never understood the pain I am in at times, just because I look like a great handsome 6'2" slim man they think I am lying, because there is never any swelling.
How often does knee pain affect your mood, sleep, or overall mental health?
*Well as mine comes and goes, it really worries me when it comes back...I think darn Im getting old!!!! I wanna keep up with daughter when i visit her, and i hate it if my knee is hurting....I have had sharp pain from it at times, but mostly this constant nagging kind of pain...I sometimes will still walk with the pain hurting me and try to ignore it, or i take anti inflams at times...I hate how stiff that knee has become when i don't have the pain....I never know if my knee is not going to bend for getting off a bus...One day i was on a small bus/coach, and it had a stupid door way, like a van(sliding door)...I had been sitting for a while, and had to bend oddly to get out of this vehicle, and the knee was stiff ,and i did a face plant on the cement sidewalk outside....I hope this doesnt get worse as i age..
The knee pain doesn't really affect my sleep or energy but it definitely effects my mood. If I have to cut a run short or reduce speed because of the pain then I am disappointed for one and if it's during a race or competition then I am pretty ticked off thus resulting in a bad mood and a bad day.
The pain gets me down, makes life seem futile at times as I cannot enjoy the activities/ way of life I used to have.
The pain in my knees is part of the wider pain of Fibromylagia so I don't think about it in isolation.
Since all the more severe symotoms of fibro set in about 2 -3 years ago I've definitely felt more negative, have more down days than up days.
It's also exhausting. Fatigue is part of fibro but I feel the pain adds an extra dimension to the tiredness.
I've trained myself to sleep properly again with hypnotherapy and relaxation. It took a lot of effort so no pain is taking that away from me again 😉
NanaFifi• in reply to
The fatigue that comes with fibro/RA/Lupus is awful isn't it? People just don't understand that we are not just tired and that "forty winks" won't sort us out! Some days just getting washed and dressed floors me! Up at 8 back in bed by 10!
I would say the pain in my knee affects my mood and energy levels pretty much every day. It probably affects my sleep 2 to 3 times a week.
had no pain today ut did have severe pins and needles in my right foot . im sure its all sciatic .
I sometimes have dificulty with sleep positioning so knee doesn't hurt. When this happens I am quite sore in the AM and feel like my knee might give out.
What seems to help a LOT is wearing an ACE bandage elastic knee support suring sleep. Another thing that helps tremendously is knee lifts while waiting for coffee ./ tea to be ready in AM. I use microwave to heat cup of water 1:45m. While waiting - AWAY from microwave I stand near counter and lift leg back and up gently, then down extending out slightly and briefly touch floor and do this for about 25 times both legs. At first could only do about 10-15 without feeling strain. Now I almost never have issues. If I slack off, then knee issues / pain returns. It's simple and cheap.
I feel sad when I can’t do things like go for walks and exercise. It has got me down but I have other health problems so in total everything gets me down. I can sleep fine with my knee pain, maybe restricted in sleeping positions but it doesn’t affect my sleep greatly.
Chronic pain most definitely gets you down! If I think specifically about how knee pain affects my sleep/mood/mental health I would have to say only when I have an acute flare up. It's impossible to sleep as there's absolutely no position that's comfortable and lack of sleep affects mood/mental health. I have problems sleeping all the time due to chronic lower back pain - spinal fusion at L4/5 and pain over right sacro ileac joint so when knee pain joins in it is an absolute nightmare, I call it "painsomnia"
LJones942Ambassador
Pain that affects your sleep will eventually affect your mood the next day. It is important to have strategies to overcome this. If you are a slide sleeper, placing a pillow under your knee or between your knees can help. It works best if the piloow is square, light and fluffy.
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