Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Posts >> Knee Problem Question (update 9/14)
        
(Message started by: Lizzie2 on Sep 11^th, 2004, 7:05pm)

Title: Knee Problem Question (update 9/14)
Post by Lizzie2 on Sep 11^th, 2004, 7:05pm

Yeah yeah, I know it's not about CH pain, but we're a family and I trust this bunch better than most other people I know! ;)

If any of you have a lot of knowledge about knee problems, can you let me know? I got some test results that have me a little worried. More tests needed, but I don't really understand it all. Guess I could just wait till Monday and call my doc, but... I'm inpatient and I don't want to wait till then! ;)

Thanks in advance,
Lizzie :)

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by IndianaJohn on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:05pm

My son dislocated both his knee caps. One of which had to be surgically repaired. The other was treated with physical therapy.

So whats wrong with yours?

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by Lizzie2 on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:07pm

Well...to put it scientifically...X-rays showed Foci of increased density in the femoral condyles bilaterally, concerning for avascular necrosis. MRI is recommended for further evaluation.

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by IndianaJohn on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:13pm

Wow. It sounds like there is damage to the pads the femur rests on within the knee and could be that there is dead (necrotic) tissue. They may have to scrape the surface of the pads to renew the surfaces. If it helps any, my sons surgery was completely endoscopic. No huge scars.

Hope this helps, but this is about the limit of my knowledge on the knee. :-/

John

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by Lizzie2 on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:17pm

Yeah kinda sounded like that to me, too. At minimum I guess treatment is an NSAID like vioxx or celebrex, or maybe then going to corticosteroids like prednisone. At maximum...some very crappy surgeries. :( I guess it will depend. I have to wait until I get the MRIs and then go to my rheumatologist at the end of the month. Just hard waiting sometimes!!!

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by IndianaJohn on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:22pm

from what you've described, I'm not too sure about the NSAID'd. Is it swollen at all? Cortizone shots sometimes help.

Waiting is the worst part sometimes. At least if you're doing something, anything, you're at least doing something.

Hope things go well for you..PLs let us know.

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by Lizzie2 on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:32pm

Yes...very swollen..both knees actually.

Here's a little more history:

Started having knee pain at age 6 when having to sit cross-legged in elementary school (sounds dumb, I know!)

By 10th grade, felt knees were not stable and a lot of pain. Went to an orthopedic who thought it was a condition called aplakia (sp?) and wanted to do arthoscopic surgery to remove congenital tissues that had remained in my knees through adulthood. Parents said no..other things came up.

Numerous negative x-rays over the years.

Numerous other orthopedic injuries including tendonitis in right arm and also damaged tissue in left ankle as shown by MRI as well as loss of strength in both right and left ankles. Nothing done to check knees.

Hospital stay in January of '02, had a positive ANA, and doctors suspected lupus or scleroderma, so I had x-rays of my hands which were negative. All rheumatology labs were negative, as well as future ANA's.

Hospital stay in December to January (most recently) for headache, rheumatology was consulted due to joint pain. Rheumatology noted a lot of swelling (fluid) in knees and wanted to drain the fluid. However, due to having 2 blood clots in my arm from a PICC line, I was on coumadin. They couldn't drain the fluid without significant risk of bleeding. Was told to follow up after 2 weeks, but I never did.

Appointment with rheumatology in early August, and rheumatologist ordered x-rays, wants to do MRIs, bone dexa-scan (due to prednisone use) and more rheumatology labs. Labs were negative. Xray results reported above. Haven't had MRI or dexa-scan.

So that takes me to today. My kneecaps can practically float on the fluid in my knees. But I also have a lot of swelling in my hands and feet much of the time. The knee pain has always been the most significant. In the other joints, sometimes there is just uncomfortable-ness due to the swelling making my skin feel tight. LOL The knee pain reaches severities where I rip the ice pack off my head and put it on my knee (yeah..hard to imagine, I know). When it "flares up" I can't go up and down stairs without severe pain. Really can't do much at all when it gets that bad.

So yeah...trying to figure out something that has been going on for many years is tough. Tired of falling apart at age 23.

Lizzie

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by Lizzie2 on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:33pm

Oh and forgot to say that during last summer's hospital stay for headaches, my neuro injected both knees with "trigger point injections" because he thought it was bursitis. Actually made my knees hurt worse. I now fear needles going into my knees. LOL

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by IndianaJohn on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:45pm

My God Carrie...My heart goes out to you.

Maybe the NSAID's will help then. I have several friends that had bursitis, but it was isolated to one joint only. Perhaps draining them now could be an option, but that sounds like it would be treating the symptoms not the problem. It sounds like you have something much more systemic going on.

Got lots of prayers and vibes coming you're way.

John

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by Sean_C on Sep 11^th, 2004, 10:00pm

if they're burns its probably from the rug

Love ya

Sean................ ;;D

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by Lizzie2 on Sep 11^th, 2004, 10:02pm

on 09/11/04 at 22:00:15, Sean_C wrote:

if they're burns its probably from the rug

Love ya

Sean................ ;;D

ROFL Thanks Sean..needed a smile! Worked a 12 hour nursing shift today with some pretty sad stories. :)

Luv ya too!

John...thanks a bunch too :) Appreciate the thoughts

Now back to watching Penn State play Boston College...hope I don't see some REAL knee injuries!!!

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by cootie on Sep 11^th, 2004, 10:26pm

Brad had the orthascopic knee surgery and was up and around in a matter of a few days !!!!! I have several friends that have just had it also recently and also doin quite well FAST as heck. They were goin out to eat and shopping within two days. So......if it is needed it will be a good deal to have done for you. Only have a couple round scars where the scope ect went in too.....very inavassive !! Some had to have some arthritis scraped off and that went well also. Guess this is sumthin that's been building ? As ya age we jus don't keep things in check like we used to either....seems once it starts to go BAD it goes worse fast !!!! Good luck to ya with all this. On padded knees Pam

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by Opus on Sep 12^th, 2004, 1:12pm

Lizzie,
Do you still have your fever? Does the fever come with the knee problems or other joint and swelling problems?

From hearing your story, I hate to say but it sounds like negative testing Lupus. If all else fails see if you can get a DR to treat you for Lupus with a couple of the standard drugs to see if it helps. Lupus (wolf) mimics other diseases, hits without warning, attacks certain tissues, can cause a constant fever, it can go into remission. There is hope for those that test positive but getting Dr's to treat with out test results is very hard.

Opus/Paul

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by Lizzie2 on Sep 12^th, 2004, 1:15pm

Thanks Paul,

I did have the fever still last night, but then I wound up having to go to the ER for headache. Not sure if I had it by the time I got there. I told them about it, but they were more concerned with treating the headache, which they did very well. More on that later. I finally got to sleep after 6am or so and got home here after 8am. Tired now!

I will call the rheumatologist on Monday to ask about the MRI and tell him about the fever. Will see what he says! I go back to him on the 27th. I see my neuro this Thursday.

Hugz,
Lizzie :)

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by Karla on Sep 12^th, 2004, 2:08pm

I injured my knees in a skiing accident a few years back. I had to have surgery on my left knee. I stretched a tendon and had to have a lateral release done. Plus I tore up all the cartledge in my knee on the maniscus and patella. The surgery was really easy on me and easy to recover from. However, my knee has been in pain since then. I have no cartlege in my knee and everytime it rains or snows it gets even worse and i can feel it in there.

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by Turts on Sep 12^th, 2004, 9:11pm

Lizzie,

About 10yrs ago I had arthoscopic Lateral-bilateral releases on both knees. This was because the outside muscles tendons etc were either too tight or too short. It menat then when I stopped running the muscle would pull the knee cap out of place (around to the side of the knee). and I would have to put it back in by hand.
After short or any walking I would have extremely swollen and aching knees.
Its starting to reoccur now and will need to be redone.

A little advise. I had both knees done at once to save the pain. However recovery took twice as long as I didnt have one good leg to help. Get one done at a time to recover faster.

Turts

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question
Post by Lizzie2 on Sep 14^th, 2004, 10:49am

Well I just talked to my rheumatologist on the phone, and he wants to get the MRIs so he is trying to get the script to me so I can get it done here before I see him. He said that the x-rays showed two areas of swelling of the bone. So we'll see what happens next! Thanks for all the support. I got my DEXA scan done this morning...that was the easiest x-ray type test I've ever had! I think that scan will be fine because that shows bone loss (ie from Prednisone use) but the x-rays showed bone density. hehe Can't think that both would have problems!

Now I just have to wait until I get my prescription and go get the tests and then figure out what to do from there!

Lizzie :)

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question (update 9/14)
Post by floridian on Sep 14^th, 2004, 11:00am

Be careful about steroids if it might be avascular necrosis - that disease is a common side effect of steroids. Big outbreak of AN in China after the SARS epidemic, as they gave out too many little white prednisone pills to fight the SARS related inflammation.

http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/avascular_necrosis/

Title: Re: Knee Problem Question (update 9/14)
Post by Lizzie2 on Sep 14^th, 2004, 11:18am

:o

I don't like the things I've read over the past few days about the avascular necrosis. If the x-rays came back positive, then it may not be in the "early stages" anymore..which could also explain why I had so many negative x-rays all those times before. Nobody ever did an MRI of my knees. Awww sheeeit. Gonna try not to worry about it until I get the MRI results! Appt with the MD on the 27th.

Lizzie