Sorry to bore you, here is a offload

[Quillick]

I am 24

Since I was a 7, I couldn't bend my knees for more than 5 mins otherwise its excruciating painful.
I didn't go to the doctors about this.

Since the last 5 years I can't stand still for more than 5 mins, otherwise its excruciating painful. (Different knee pain)
I've had blood tests, x-rays, bone scans, physiotherapy, counseling (Still doing), test for patella syndrome etc. But nothing obvious.
I gave up and learned to avoid standing for more than 5 mins. I went into the computer industry because I didn't need to stand and could spread my legs out.

For the last 7 months, I can't sit down with my knees spread out without causing another knee pain after 5mins.
I had been going to a Osteopath for the last 2 months and just yesterday he wrote a letter to my doctor to explore other avenues.

The only way for me to continue with my computer studying is to have my legs raised.

Seems like what ever I do to avoid my knee pain, another pain crops up.

Thanks for listening. I would ask for help, except I don't know whats wrong with me.

[Cosmicsnuffle]

Hi Quillick

sorry to hear you have had such a tough time with your knees. I am a relative newbie to knee stuff, but even in that short time I know how frustrating it can be. This is the perfect place to offload!

It's your body and you know things aren't right. Just because your doctors haven't found and answer yet just means they haven't found the right question. Keep pushing to find out what can be done to help.

I'm sorry I can't be any more constructive or specific....


Good luck with your investigations!

[Quillick]

Just a bit of a rant, more just me getting stuff of my chest, below I just explain about my MRI Scan I'm about to get soon, that's about it.


Well good news, I managed to finish my year and pass all my exams. I wasn't sure if I could do it, as I was in pain when I was studying. But I did it!
When I raise my knees it starts to hurt now, but what I do is alternate between raising my legs and having them on the floor. That seems to keep the the worse pain away for now. Still is painful though, because say when my knees are raised, I wait for them to hurt so much that I can't bear it, that's when I change position. But it's not so bad for me to stop studying.

I went to a private specialist who basically bases his whole life around the knee. Obviously he didn't have a diagnostic, I mean that would be asking too much, I mean come on, we are talking about my knees! But some good news was that he seriously thought I should get a MRI Scan, giving how much my sitting pain effects my life. My previous doctors didn't think I should, because they said something like "There is no point getting an MRI Scan when it won't find anything" At least that's what I remember, I could be wrong. Or "Don't get a MRI because there is a waiting list who needs it more than you and it only effects you while your standing" (That was before my knees hurt while sitting down) Which is fair enough I guess?

I feel guilty getting an MRI Scan because I really don't know how much pain or inability to do something that they get 'awarded' an MRI Scan. I mean that is what it's all about isn't it? How much does your knees effect you from a happy life? Like my pain doesn't stop me doing anything. It just means what ever I do, I will be in pain. (Except from lying on my side in bed in a specific position)

A part of me is pleased that I am in more pain. Because it means I can tell my conscience that my life is being effected enough to pay more attention on fixing my knees. Whether it's asking my parents for money to help on doctors fees or getting an MRI Scan. Because I am curious how much my 'standing still' pain is effecting my life. I don't go out much, go to the supermarket go to pubs, go to friends places. I think it's because I'm worried that I will get into a position that will make my knees hurt and because I don't want to seem 'weak' to other people, I will take on the pain. But it could be for other psychological reasons that I'm not aware. Who knows... But I spend a lot of time thinking about it.

However, they told me my MRI Scan will be at the start of February, so I can't wait for then! My studying starts up again at the end of February, so I hope they will find out what's wrong with them before my then. What a world would that be?

[CrazyHorseLady]

I am sorry that you are having so many issue but I can tell you that I know what you are going thru. I originally had most of the pain in my knees when i was standing or walking, it is hard for me to stand still for more than 10 minutes I have to start shifting my weight from one leg to the other or give up altogether and sit on the floor (although lately i cant even do that cause i cant get up off the damn floor anymore) Well I was in school to be a teacher but decided that since I was not able to stand or walk very well that this was out of the question so I switched to computers since i figured that a desk job would not be as hard on my knees. Well 5 years now my knees have just gotten worse and worse and worse, now even sitting is starting to bother me. About the only time that they feel better is at night after taking a hefty dose of pain meds  I have had 10 surgeries on my knees to try and help and nothing is really working well. There was a period that my right knee was almost pain free (while i was on crutches recovering from surgery number 6, but that was short lived as soon as i started to use the knee the pain came back)

I hope that you get some answers on what is bugging your knees so bad. And if you are like me and the MRI shows that there is very little wrong PUSH to have the doc take a closer look. My MRI on my right knee was showing that there was nothing that could be causing the pain and stiffness that I have, doc went in with a scope and found that the entire underside of my kneecap was worn down.

[amoler]

Oh honey, don't feel like you need to be "awarded" the MRI. If this has been going on for years, somebody needs to help you figure out what's wrong. Oh, and not all people who read MRI's have equal interpreatation skills either.

[Quillick]

I am sorry that you are having so many issue but I can tell you that I know what you are going thru. I originally had most of the pain in my knees when i was standing or walking, it is hard for me to stand still for more than 10 minutes I have to start shifting my weight from one leg to the other or give up altogether and sit on the floor (although lately i cant even do that cause i cant get up off the damn floor anymore) Well I was in school to be a teacher but decided that since I was not able to stand or walk very well that this was out of the question so I switched to computers since i figured that a desk job would not be as hard on my knees. Well 5 years now my knees have just gotten worse and worse and worse, now even sitting is starting to bother me. About the only time that they feel better is at night after taking a hefty dose of pain meds  I have had 10 surgeries on my knees to try and help and nothing is really working well. There was a period that my right knee was almost pain free (while i was on crutches recovering from surgery number 6, but that was short lived as soon as i started to use the knee the pain came back)

I hope that you get some answers on what is bugging your knees so bad. And if you are like me and the MRI shows that there is very little wrong PUSH to have the doc take a closer look. My MRI on my right knee was showing that there was nothing that could be causing the pain and stiffness that I have, doc went in with a scope and found that the entire underside of my kneecap was worn down.

Thanks for the message. It makes me fell less alone. But It's sad to see someone else going through this as well.

Update:
Well It's almost the start of April and I still haven't got contacted about an MRI Scan. They did say I would get it around the start of February. But as my self pity suspected, they were wrong.

I came home from Uni today, I had to, my knees were bothering me to much. I have different classes and it's harder to find an extra chair to rest my knees on. At one of my classes I had about 4 different chairs I rested them on, but people kept taking them away because they needed them. I want to seem nice and 'normal' to people, so I didn't tell them off.

I'm starting to feel another kind of pain in my left knee now. It comes and goes, but isn't enough for me to stop walking. I just hope it doesn't get worse than it is now, I like my relatively pain free walking. What's unusual about this pain is I'm sure it's the same pain I use to get when I was a child. I seem to recall doing the long jump and couldn't do it as my knee was hurting. That pain would come and go and it feels like it could be the same one...

Anyway, after I got home from a bad day of pain at Uni. I rang around asking about my MRI scan. Apparently they have got my referral on their computers, but lost my referral letter. Not a biggie as they can call up my clinic to send another one. Glad I rang them up! I asked when the MRI Scan will happen. They said other people have been referred from November (Mine was December) so I still have a while to wait. They said it could happen by the end of April. So I'll make a wager now, I say it will happen by June...

[Quillick]

Well finally by today, 24 of August, I finally had my doctor look at the MRI Scan (Which I had on 20th June).

And well, nothing, they found nothing, my knee structually has nothing wrong with it. My doctor (who is the best knee specialist in New Zeand) said to continue your life with pain, work around the pain because they can't do anything for it, because they found nothing.

I'm pretty annoyed at the whole thing. For the rest of my life, I won't be able to watch a movie at the cinema, watch a cricket game, go dancing, go to a music concert and at the moment, I even get pain while driving.


I'm thinking now I will start going for runs, I suppose I am fortunate compared to others here that I can do this, so I will try not to take this for granted anymore.

I think running and sleeping is the only way I'm not in pain.


Thanks for listening.

Bye

[Quillick]

So since my last post, (sorry to be negative) but it's gone worse. I currently cannot spend more than 1 hour on my computer. I finished my computing degree 2 years ago, but due to my knees, I haven't worked since. The only way I can avoid my pain now is to run (cycling), which isn't much of a rest from pain. Or if I move from one position to another before the pain gets too bad. It's a juggling act. If I look into the future at the current rate, I'm likely I'll be bed prone.

But good news, one of my doctors suggested to do another bone scan and that FINALLY showed up something. I had inflammation in the tibial tubercle! Which (with a bit of canceling out), I have been diagnosed with Osgood–Schlatter disease. Of course the symptoms I get is unusual and can't really be explained by the diagnosis. But based on where I'm feeling the pain (my sitting pain) and the bone scan, It's by far the best explanation.

Right now, I'm trying to come up with a device that can put my body in a position, to avoid my knee pains. I have to make it so my knees aren't in anyway loaded or in less than 90 degree angle. I did come up with a raised saddle chair which fits all the criteria. But it puts too much pressure on my bottom and becomes unbearable after 20 or so mins, so I've given that a shelving for now. I need to to offload more weight somehow, maybe around my waist? Not sure. I've also thought of some kind of vibrater to jerk my knees to simulate the stresses of running. But I can't find the right parts for now, but still looking out.

Well, if you're reading this, I'm VERY thankful and a bit surprised lol. But thanks