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Should I start having steroids injections?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Dadka
Dadka

Hi all,

One year ago I was happy fit 38 years old woman enjoying Yoga , Broga, weight lifting, occasional short sprint and any high impact classes. I have exercised 8-12 hrs a week and rest working three days 12 hrs long shift a week on my feet with no pain and any other problems.

Than I had a 2 weeks holiday staying home so without any thinking I kept going to my fitness as I normally did but continuously every day for two weeks .

At the end of this two weeks I developed tennis elbow so I was referred to physiotherapist. I also felt some aching around my knees and shoulders , but I was not thinking much about it and thought it was overworked muscles.

Physiotherapist gave me some exercises and told me to keep my fitness levels and maybe go running instead my usual activities. So I ran three continuous days and my knee started hurting so so much ( deep aching kind of pain- like my knees were rotten inside)

Another 2 busy long days at work and soon I was in tears and in so much pain I was not able to work anymore. Crepitus began along side with lots of pain.

Two weeks rest and pain settled. Back to work, physiotherapist advised low impact exercise . I have tried a yoga session and that was the last time in my life I did the class. due to pain afterwards.

Another off sick from work. I felt I had to beg my GP to send me to orthopaedics surgeon. GP has asked what was physio saying which was your knees are absolutely fine. Nothing wrong with them. So GP has send me for an X-ray -so with all frustration I have decided to have private MRI.

Written result was not very clear to me and pain was so intense, so decided to see private Orthopeadic in Slovakia (9 weeks since the pain began)

I was diagnosed with Chondropatio Patellae 1.utrq gr1-2 (SK)

I had intra-articular injections SYNOLIS twice with one month apart. I was advised slow pedaling 10-15 min on bicycle daily and swimming alowed + water exercises.

Finally 4 month time my orthopeadic appointment was coming up . I have seen orthopeadic medical doctor who explayned to me - something has happened in that two weeks.It will get better but it will not be like before. Diagnosis: Patelofemoral disfuncion. I was sent to physiotherapist.

By the time I saw the physio, 10 min of daily peddaling on bicycle and swimming

seems my symptoms aggravated so much I was sore to touch and very reluctant to bend my knee. Physiotherapist told me that she can not help me if I wont take my pain under the control with medication such us Gabapentin

or Amytriptiline and referred me to community pain team. Pain team advised Duloxetine , but I was worried masking the pain and caused further damage and I requested second opinion surgical instead of medical one. I also felt I was too young to start regular medication for life.

2 months time I have seen the orthopaedic surgeon who diagnosed me with. Unexplained bilateral anterior knee pain

Pain on lateral hip and buttock( that often click with pain from sitting up or down)

MRI only on my knees ordered and here I am 9 months time and the surgeon told me I have early articular cartridge changes -and all he can offer is steroid injection or local anaesthetic injections.

Told me that NHS does not approve arthroscopy and washout to early cartridge changes as it does not help and he can give me injections 3times a year.

I said I need to think about it and left with open appointment for 3 months.

Doctor said I can try local anaesthetic into my knee if I don’t want steroids. But I don’t see what that would do-really.

Doesn’t steroid deteriorate my condition further and break down cartledge? Or is this a myth? Can they leave me with no other help than regular steroids and to have me on medication for life?

I can not regain any previous exercise function and I am working 8 hrs shift instead of 12 and I am in constant pain and aching. All I do is resting my knees as they hurt all the time, I can not sleep and find good position as knees are sore to touch. I always waking up feeling soreness of my knees. Wearing jeans or anything touching my knees is uncomfortable and unbearable after little while. There is occasional day , I try to half squat or squat but with increased pain for the rest of the day so I do this very really as when pain increases it is hard to bare it.

I feel like my life is over and not sure what to do?

Why are they treating me like I have osteoarthritis?

Can my condition lead to osteoarthritis untreated?

Should I have steroids?

I am so so sorry for such a long story, but I feel that no one really cares, and does not mind how quickly my condition will get worse.

I am worried if I start having steroid I will need knee replacements in 5 years and no one will do it cos I would be too young for it.

I find it hard to work every day and I am worried for my future.

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • karen14697
    karen14697 Dadka

    Posted

    Cortisone injections are a godsend. I received them every 3 months for 3 years. I am older than you, received a new right knee 2 years ago, with no problems now. Left knee is getting replaced in MAY. Regardless of your age, if you need knee replacement get it!! Best of luck

  • jean02698
    jean02698 Dadka

    Posted

    So sorry to hear of your problems at a young age. i would try the steroids to see if it will buy you time before a TKR. I was 60 and a surgeon refused surgery as he felt i was too young. i tried all his suggestions and then found a surgeon who believed that it was my decision and i had the right to chose. He was a top surgeon at an orthapedic hospital that did my knee replacement...good luvk.

    • jenny61596
      jenny61596 jean02698

      Posted

      Jean same happened to me , tore my meniscus running at 59 told was too young to get knee done so tried other stuff , nothing worked , another surgeon said just ring me when you want it done , which I did , but because I put it off for nearly two years I ended up damaging my good knee because it took most if my weight!

  • jenny61596
    jenny61596 Dadka

    Posted

    I can only answer your question about steroid injections and yes I was told by admitting doctor at hospital before my knee replacement that she was of the opinion that steroid injections did do damage , I agree with that because I had one and stopped pain for 2 months only , had second and pain worse and more damage to knee in that time frame between mri's , first mri surgeon going to do partial, second one after injection and justbefore surgery showed more damage to cartilage so he range me day before and said I woukd have to get total knee replacement. I know many people have them , they serm to work in shoulders but to me at your age its not really a solution. Good luck I hope you get an answer , I think you were doing far too much high impact exercise , my surgeon said to me laughing , that when he sees people jogging he sees clients!

  • seamus_98118
    seamus_98118 Dadka

    Posted

    Hi Dadka if you want to keep your cardio fitness up and avoid putting on excess body weight try rowing on a decent erg machine at your gymn.Rowing uses virtually all the bodies muscles without it having the load bearing that even cycling has. I rowed right through my knee probs. and still continue to do so 14 months after t k r ..

    • Dadka
      Dadka seamus_98118

      Posted

      I tried all and giving up. I struggling to put a weight on completely on my right knee. Last time I tried bike- slow pedaling on bike 10 minutes -it absolutely brought my nerve pain so up , I was not able to even bend my knee and I have spend the month in tears in bed. have even stopped swimming 3 month ago cos pain was increasing with every move and after 10 min I could not ignore the pain anymore. I need to work -and I am on my legs 8 hours a shift and 12 at the weekend. And when I was trying to swim 2-3 times a week - working was harder and more painful. Doctor only offered steroid- that I believe will destroy my cartlidge more.

      I cant even plank cos pushing my knee straight cause me pain.

  • Dadka
    Dadka

    Posted

    THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR VIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS. I ACTUALLY FEEL SOMEONE AT LEAST LISTEN TO ME.

    I DO NOT THINK MY SURGEON DID . HE WAS ONLY INTERESTED IN SCANS AND WHAT HE WANT TO TELL ME.

    • jean02698
      jean02698 Dadka

      Posted

      Dadka....just s thought. before I had my first TKR i had injections to replace the synovial fluid. it did help for a time.

    • Dadka
      Dadka jean02698

      Posted

      I wish to try something that would help , but really feel stereoids are not THE answer for long . I had hyalorunic acid injection twice- and it only helped for a month or so,and my knees did not feel like scraping its surface so much. But I feel anxious to use steroids and half measures like this. I am also having right hip pain since than, but n o one want to even scan it cos it moves beautifully ?

    • jean02698
      jean02698 Dadka

      Posted

      your hip is affected because of your knee. If I am limping i can feel my hip but normally my hip is fine

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