Joints......anyone with dodgey KNEES here?

[Gypsy Nirvana]

Yes well...

For the last 10 years my knees have been getting worse.....like the shock absorbers in an old truck they have been cracking, crackling and now locking up (the right one particularly).......and I am at the point where I cannot walk without pain...

I have for most all of my adult life been engaged in hi-impact sports and my knees have taken the load well.....but now I fear that they are just about worn out and may need replacing....or at least key-hole surgery to correct them so that I can move without them locking out and causing me alot of pain....

When I get up in the mornings or during the night after having my legs in a flat/horizontal position for some time, as soon as I bend my knees I get this aweful shooting pain that usually makes me yell out....and I nearly fall over...

I'm walking with a limp....and wish that I was an old truck that could just go to the mechanic and have some new Bilsteins fitted in a coupla hours....

So today I have finally got myself to agree to seeing a doctor and have made an appointment......(I can't stand going to see doctors about anything usually)...

......I wonder what the x-rays and consultation will come up with?

.....Has anyone else had to go thru a similar situation with their knees?.....if so tell me about it...

I will get back on this thread to let you all know how it pans out at the doc's....

 

[pearlemae]

Sorry to hear about your knees Gypsy. My knees are good, its my low back. If I'm standing up and sneeze or cough, my legs buckle and down I go if I'm not hanging on to something. Growing old just blows if you know what I mean.
Thanks for a great site. It serves a great need.

 

[AGBeer]

I am a wreck when it comes to my joints. Ive dislocated both thumbs (several times), little toes, my shoulder a few times and both knees.

On top of that, being a hard hitting drummer for so many years has wreaked havoc on things like my elbows and wrists now.

For the knee, be ready for some really large needles and lots of hydrocortisone injections before they even consider surgery. I have heard good things about shark cartilidge(sp) and glucosamine but you have to get on a seriously consistent regimen with it or you go to shit again. (And its expensive)

Good luck, hurting joints suck serious ass.

 

[Brother Bear]

Not my knees, but my hips are fudged.
There is a recipe or three on here for Canna salve that you could make and rub on them knees Gypsy

 

[CANNATOPIA]

I have had in the past a hyper extended 90 deg right knee injury & had a lot of work done. It still ant right.

 

[chargers123]

im still young but i would think ice pack wraps before bed maybe... also maybe some type of exercise for the knees? Not sure if you stand/run/walk a lot or squat but those wear the knees out.

a healthy diet is also good they say, not many sweets and all..

hope you find relief gypsy... take care

 

[bobcat1963]

I feel for you bro,My right knee has gone through hell and back.I had water on the knee fourty years ago,they drained it weekly for months.later in life a motorcycle accident took its toll again.A few years later I twisted it like a pretzel my first time on skis trying to show off for my first wife.(yes I am a dumbass)Now it swells to almost twice its size if I use it too much.

 

[AGBeer]

I got you something!

 

[WasntMe]

Steve Austin style ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HofoK_QQxGc

 

[paladin420]

Hey brother bear is right about the pain recipes. I am just finishing a side by side test on both shoulders(grade 3 seperations) 'our' stuff works better than conventional medicine. Externally I cobbled together keef and glycerin slapped it on under a big bandage.
But my point is the lockin n clickin. In This Dr's are useful. Just get the best you can the first time. Any bone work will help you redefine pain.
25 years ago my right hand.2 surgerys.5 years casted right hand. No major problems today. My last Dr was the one other Drs went to. Good luck

 

[Ganja D]

I feel you Gypsy. I have a broken left knee from a cheap shot I received playing basketball a few years ago. I'm afraid of surgery and have put it off for 3 years now. They need to scrape out broken pieces of bone and put in 2 screws in the joint. I'm basically crippled and it makes working incredibly hard every day. I have good days and bad days. Bad days are getting worse and my cartilage is wearing down from the extra pressure put on the joint.

 

[In~Plain~Site]

Sounds as if there may be some meniscal damage

Whether or not you proceed to surgery depends on a few things..usually mechanical symptoms (clicking, locking, swelling, or instability/giving out) tend to lead to surgery.

Short of that, usually you start with a conservative approach(physical therapy, activity modification, NSAIDs, Canna salves etc).. surgery itself can be pretty varied.

Most people get their knee scoped(keyhole), and a debridement/partial menincectomy (excising the tear).

In a smaller number of cases, the tear is acute and in an area of the meniscus that may have healing potential, and a sports ortho may try a meniscal repair instead of the debridement...have your doc take a look at it + your MRI.

Having a bad wheel sux ass

 

[moresntoil]

Hey Gypsy!
yeah I also have bad knees and a messed up back. have had my knee "cleaned out" waiting for back fussion now.
the x-rays only show damage to the bones, to see whats really going on you will most likely need an MRI, that will show the soft tissue damage.
Really sucks getting old, and im not really that old, im middle aged but have worked my body harder than I should have.
Good luck my friend! keep us posted
have you tried GLUCOSAMINE CHONDROITIN ?

 

[moresntoil]

I feel you Gypsy. I have a broken left knee from a cheap shot I received playing basketball a few years ago. I'm afraid of surgery and have put it off for 3 years now. They need to scrape out broken pieces of bone and put in 2 screws in the joint. I'm basically crippled and it makes working incredibly hard every day. I have good days and bad days. Bad days are getting worse and my cartilage is wearing down from the extra pressure put on the joint.

hi ganja, i know how you feel Im going to have a lower back fussion this early summer. I too have been putting it off for 3 years now.
I have also had a crushed knee that needed surgery. the surgery was a piece of cake, in and out in about 5hrs! they have gotten really good with knee surgeries.
go for it bro! after you do you will wish you had sooner.
good luck too ya

 

[EastFortRock]

Check into prolotherapy. Its a little kinder than cortisone injections.

 

[longearedfriend]

I really sympathize...

One of my knee (left) causes me a lot of pain

but I have went to the docs, and now I am in physio

it's not use though (from what they gather)
one of my upper legs has more mass, and one has much less (left)

so I am doing exercises everyday

i'm sort of a panicky person... so I expected the worst, thought, shit I'm so young and my knee is already fucked, well I just want to share that I know how it feels...

the difference with you and me is I go to the doc straight when there is a problem, putting things for later doesn't usually solve problems, usually things get worse

I have another problem with my right hand

5-6 years ago I hit some guy (I didn't start it) in the head
my pinky knuckle has moved a lot, and it seems as if my hand is bent, it just recently started to hurt me

after that time I hit the guy, I punched a punching bag for a bit of time (1.5 years-2 max)

maybe it worsened it
I have a hard time writing for over 3 minutes

I can imagine living with the pain you guys are mentioning

shame we are not invincible

oh well, we live and we learn,

you know that old dog that suffered so much before dying

anyways this is starting to be a negative post...

if I knew then what I knew today

now I know how important it is to take care of yourself

of course there are accidents that happen too..

good luck with those knees

 

[PoopyTeaBags]

Yes well...

For the last 10 years my knees have been getting worse.....like the shock absorbers in an old truck they have been cracking, crackling and now locking up (the right one particularly).......and I am at the point where I cannot walk without pain...

I have for most all of my adult life been engaged in hi-impact sports and my knees have taken the load well.....but now I fear that they are just about worn out and may need replacing....or at least key-hole surgery to correct them so that I can move without them locking out and causing me alot of pain....

When I get up in the mornings or during the night after having my legs in a flat/horizontal position for some time, as soon as I bend my knees I get this aweful shooting pain that usually makes me yell out....and I nearly fall over...

I'm walking with a limp....and wish that I was an old truck that could just go to the mechanic and have some new Bilsteins fitted in a coupla hours....

So today I have finally got myself to agree to seeing a doctor and have made an appointment......(I can't stand going to see doctors about anything usually)...

......I wonder what the x-rays and consultation will come up with?

.....Has anyone else had to go thru a similar situation with their knees?.....if so tell me about it...

I will get back on this thread to let you all know how it pans out at the doc's....

You sound like me but mine started at the ripe old age of 17. Ive just learned to live through it... my knee felt better before the surgery then it did after lol. Then again my knee is fucked and have some killer arthritis. the only cure is surgery with medical doctors and knees

 

[GuerrillaG]

I have a bad shoulder from an old bodybuilding injury. As said before Glucosamine is the best thing you can take. The bad part is you need to take it for a week or 2 before you notice benefits. Omega 3's are also a good anti inflammatory so that might help too.

I feel your pain haha

 

[eyes]

hang in there,gypsy. does sound like it could be the miniscus.Usually a tear will cause your knee to lock up and not be fluid like it once was...Msm,glucosamine for some and just as the other guy said,prolotherapy(sp) for tendons.Look into hylaronic acid injections and cell therapy as well.

good places to start- let us know whats up.alot of us our in the same boat.Unfortunately, its all down hill from 37 on.

 

[Andyo]

not so bad

not so bad

well left knee is occasionally a prob sacreal sac leaks at times if i over do it.
Right big toe joint off and on.
right hip is better than it was years ago,definatley better in asia than uk.
bad disc @ 5th lower lumbar .
I still walk the beach and am better for it.A