Osteoarthritis of the knee

I've now got my date through

Hope all goes well for you both .

I have osteoarthritis in my knees among other places, I have had 2 operations on my knee which gas left me with next to zero carteledge in it I'm in constant pain I'm on 37.5 micrograms of Fentinol patches plus liquid morphine 300 mls to last a month as well as movelat gel to rub on as well as paracetamol,  iv asked several different Dr's consultants registrars etc for a knee replacement they say I am too young as at the time of my accident I was 45 I'm now 49 , I get pain all the time I have severe restricted movement's it affects my shoulders elbows hands I click alot it also due to me compensateing for my left side relying on my right side get pain in my right knee too , I also fall alt as my knee still gives way I had a bad fall which gave me a massive groin area hernia which they operated on suposed to be keyhole but it was that big they opened me up which in turn damaged my nerves so I get constant pain in my groin as well as numbness pins & needles,  with all this too I gave IBS irritable bowel syndrome which because of my meds is not managed so I struggle which gets me very much down,  so I have very bad nerves panic attacks too, I just don't see a way forward I just try and do the best I can each day but many times my best us not good enough, glad you have dates glad your getting sorted,  I wish you both well,

hi i have it in my knee i got to wait till i am 60 years for a opp it now 7 year wait

Went to the golden jubilee hstp on Thursday thinking I would get a steroid injection. Never even got that choice ?? Keep on taking tablets and grind more bone down or operation

I had mine at 56 years of age , after having various treatments before hand , told them i wanted my mobility now so i could enjoy my grandkids , 

Hi Clifford 90, I really feel for you. I can appreciate some of your pain. I have osteoarthritis from my neck down, including both knee's my left knee has the most damage and is double the size of my right knee. I was told on Saturday that I have also torn my cartilage in my left knee. They will perform key hole surgery and repair my cartilage at the same time, but I am "too young" to have a knee replacement. (I suppose it's nice to be too young for something) I am also on a cocktail of various drugs which do not ease my pain, it makes life pretty much unbearable. I hope you can get help with your pain. I know how my pain feels, so you have my sympathy with what you are going through. Keep talking through this site, and keep us updated.

I have Osteoarthritis in most of my joints, and at this moment in time on chemo tabs.  Really sick and tired of all these problems just want to be free of pain.  I am 74.

I'm new to this site which I stumbled upon recently. Also have osteoarthritis in nearly all my joints except, thankfully, for the spine and neck. I had many symptoms for the past 2 years but never thought it was this till diagnosed about 5 months ago.  It seems to be worsening quickly now, with more joints, unpredictably, suddenly getting very sore and swollen.  I also have another chronic pain condition called costochondritis, being inflammation and horrible stabbing burning pain in the cartilage and bones of my ribs and sternum. Also unpredictable as to cause and flare up times, now in its 12th year.  Movement makes it worse so the more exercise I try to strengthen the muscles - for the arthritis - the more pain in the ribs. A no-win situation.  And I'm only 64, so my heart goes out to all you younger folks.

So very sorry to hear all of your painful stories. I dread the thought of someday possibly needing a knee (or other) surgery, replacement, whatever. Is there really no alternative to that surgery, or a knee replacement? Vivien and others who are to have it done, I've heard that you have to wait sooooo long, causing of course even worse pain than before, the longer you wait.  I hope that the surgery will really change your lives as the pain disappears. 

Our common issue too is the pain. Horrible, then needing painkillers that have numerous side-effects which are awful too. Ifeel trapped in this dilemma. Went through every anti-inflammatory available and nothing even said hallo, so eventually have been on oxycontin for many years, hating it, on the lowest dose possible (after self-reducing it from a high dosage!), which doesn't work anymore as the pain of both conditions is worsenings time goes by. 

GOOD NEWS is that my local GP, a week ago, decided not to increase the dosage of the ocycontin but added a different drug, gabapentin, to it. The first week was filled with woozyness and today the dosage was increased to twice daily, and NO PAIN, NO WOOZYNESS!  For the first day in absolute ages. Apparently it works on the nervous system, usually for nerve conditions but found to help with pain too. 

Very very grateful.  Perhaps this is too long, apologies, and perhaps it should be on a different thread, not sure, haven't used one of these sites before. I hope to learn lots from everyone else, giving and receiving hope and encouragement, as most of my friends haven't a clue how sore and debilitating both costochondritis and osteoarthritis can be; all telling me what to do and to take more exercise etc. Easy to give advice when all you know is from the web, isn't it!?  Experience brings a different perspective.   Bless you all.

Hi all, I too suffer from Osteoarthritis in all my joints but also have Rheumatoid arthritis as well as Fibromyalgia. I cannot get relief from pain at any time and it is constant like yourselves, but the strongest tablets my GP is willing to give me is Tramadol which only partially work so I only take the co codamol as its about the same level of relief. I have been told by the consultant that I need both knees replaced but more urgently is the left one. However my age of 66 Is not the problem, the Rheumatoid arthritis and Fibromyalgia are. As I am on a high dosage of Methotrexate and have other tablets for my RA, these can cause rejection or infection and also my recovery would be much slower and they cannot promise that I would have more mobility or less pain due to the other diseases Which have affected my feet for nearly 20 years and affect my mobility drastically. For these reasons I have been asked to put it off for as long as possible which I am desperately trying to do but some days it is hard. What I really need is a new body from the head down and I will be fine. I like many others are a young mind and thoughts trapped in a very old body, which unfortunately nobody can see so they think you are just lazy. Take care all of you, my thoughts go out to you all.