Chronic Pain Support Group
Physicians and professionalsdefine pain as chronic if it lasts longer than three to six months and is persistent. It's distinct from acute pain that is a direct result of injury or trauma. This support group is dedicated to those suffering from chronic pain. Discuss treatments that have worked for you, find advice for your specific experience, and find support. You're not...
Hi-
I'm not sure if I am venting here or looking for input.
For the past few months I've been having pain in my right knee. I noticed it mostly when I walk down stairs, especially carrying my son. It's an odd sort of pain- NOT RSD-like. That's my problem. I feel like I only know RSD pain, having had it 14 years now. THIS knee pain is as if I injured it, like if I rammed it into a table or something and it just happened. But it's not going away. And even if it lets up for a day or so, it always comes back- worse every time.
My RSD is in my LEFT foot and leg. It didn't spread. Now I have this new pain in my right knee and it is off and on. Today it is bad. I haven't wanted to bring it up or give much energy to it, but it is starting to interfere with my life. I have no idea what it is. I can make it worse by pushing around my knee- pinching above it and feeling my actual knee cap. In THAT way it reminds me of when I fractured my ankle or broke my foot. But today was the 1st day I thought I should actually get it looked at. Okay, truth is, today is 1st day the medication for the RSD didn't HELP the pain for my knee. I HATE going to doctors and am scared about what I will find.
I notice that my other knee (left side) does hurt, too, but not as bad, not as severe, as often, and not the same way. THAT I can handle. But today around noon I actually had to go up and take some motrin b/c I was shocked that the knee pain on the right leg could bother me so much. I mean, RSD pain is literally beyond reality, so WHY does this small swelling and off and on pain in the knee bug me so much?
I just got back from Cancun Tuesday, where I spent a long weekend. Saturday I flew in, had a meeting and got some sun. Sunday was gorgeous. Monday it stormed and rained and I felt AWFUL. Maybe too much sun, maybe the rushing of the trip...but I ended up sleeping from Sunday night to 3:30pm Monday! Of course it was dark, I had my own room and had no more meetings or appointments, and being on my own, I was able to indulge in the amount of sleep I obviously needed. But that day, the day I slept so long, my knee was KILLING me. It's the term I used as a kid when something really, really hurt, and little did I know I would actually learn the meaning of that term!
It was hurting me last month while visiting a friend who suggested (in what I described) that it sounded more like arthritis than my RSD spreading. And now it hurts even when I lay down. I sit cross-legged on my chair while I type and on the floor with my son I sit this way. I sleep with my legs to my chest, fetal position, most of the time. Could I just be wearing out my knee? I am 42, so maybe I am pushing it too far?
I leave for NYC a week from today and Scotland 4 days after that. I have a lot on my plate. If I've left it this long, another 2-3 weeks or so can't kill me. I want to put ice on it (it's swollen) but recall that if one has RSD one should be careful with ice. So for now I'm sitting in bed with my leg on a pillow with my knee up, but wonder if I'm overreacting.
Just when is a pain that is NOT an injury, a pain that usually is taken care of by the RSD meds I take, ready to be looked at? This has been off and on for months now. Am I overreacting b/c I'm looking at a long trip ahead, or b/c it hurts so much today? Also, it seems worse on humid days, although really, humidity is rampant here this time of year.
Secondary pain is truly a confusing thing when RSD is involved! I keep asking myself, would I seek a doctor's advice if I did NOT have RSD in addition to this new problem. The answer is, I don't KNOW if I would see a doctor b/c I don't KNOW if the RSD pain meds are masking the deeper pain of whatever this is. Could I handle it w/o the pain meds I'm taking? Probably not. But that is a question I'll probably never know the answer to, unless RSD is soon to be cured?
I've been considering writing this, and have almost posted it several times. I don't want to seem like I'm a complainer, because, hey, I have RSD and it is treated correctly! At the same time, I have this new pain that is getting worse and I just don't know what to do about it. But when it affects my daily routine as it did today, I get worried. I can't afford to have TWO bad legs. It's hard enough when I do deign to use my cane to know which leg to favor! I do NOT want to head to the UK with that problem.
Do any of these symptoms sounds familiar? Knee pain when going up and down stairs, especially when carrying a child? Odd pains shooting from the knee when seated? Swelling (not a LOT) and aching? Pain when pushing the actual kneecap?
I also have pain in my scapula area like a pinched nerve, and I overdid it with the Homedics back massager today. I seem to wake up with a new pain every day, but the knee thing is more than the aches and pain of growing old.
I'm not looking for someone to diagnose me, I just wonder if anyone else has experienced a problem like this secondary to their main pain diagnosis? If so, how do you cope? Thanks!
I'm not sure if I am venting here or looking for input.
For the past few months I've been having pain in my right knee. I noticed it mostly when I walk down stairs, especially carrying my son. It's an odd sort of pain- NOT RSD-like. That's my problem. I feel like I only know RSD pain, having had it 14 years now. THIS knee pain is as if I injured it, like if I rammed it into a table or something and it just happened. But it's not going away. And even if it lets up for a day or so, it always comes back- worse every time.
My RSD is in my LEFT foot and leg. It didn't spread. Now I have this new pain in my right knee and it is off and on. Today it is bad. I haven't wanted to bring it up or give much energy to it, but it is starting to interfere with my life. I have no idea what it is. I can make it worse by pushing around my knee- pinching above it and feeling my actual knee cap. In THAT way it reminds me of when I fractured my ankle or broke my foot. But today was the 1st day I thought I should actually get it looked at. Okay, truth is, today is 1st day the medication for the RSD didn't HELP the pain for my knee. I HATE going to doctors and am scared about what I will find.
I notice that my other knee (left side) does hurt, too, but not as bad, not as severe, as often, and not the same way. THAT I can handle. But today around noon I actually had to go up and take some motrin b/c I was shocked that the knee pain on the right leg could bother me so much. I mean, RSD pain is literally beyond reality, so WHY does this small swelling and off and on pain in the knee bug me so much?
I just got back from Cancun Tuesday, where I spent a long weekend. Saturday I flew in, had a meeting and got some sun. Sunday was gorgeous. Monday it stormed and rained and I felt AWFUL. Maybe too much sun, maybe the rushing of the trip...but I ended up sleeping from Sunday night to 3:30pm Monday! Of course it was dark, I had my own room and had no more meetings or appointments, and being on my own, I was able to indulge in the amount of sleep I obviously needed. But that day, the day I slept so long, my knee was KILLING me. It's the term I used as a kid when something really, really hurt, and little did I know I would actually learn the meaning of that term!
It was hurting me last month while visiting a friend who suggested (in what I described) that it sounded more like arthritis than my RSD spreading. And now it hurts even when I lay down. I sit cross-legged on my chair while I type and on the floor with my son I sit this way. I sleep with my legs to my chest, fetal position, most of the time. Could I just be wearing out my knee? I am 42, so maybe I am pushing it too far?
I leave for NYC a week from today and Scotland 4 days after that. I have a lot on my plate. If I've left it this long, another 2-3 weeks or so can't kill me. I want to put ice on it (it's swollen) but recall that if one has RSD one should be careful with ice. So for now I'm sitting in bed with my leg on a pillow with my knee up, but wonder if I'm overreacting.
Just when is a pain that is NOT an injury, a pain that usually is taken care of by the RSD meds I take, ready to be looked at? This has been off and on for months now. Am I overreacting b/c I'm looking at a long trip ahead, or b/c it hurts so much today? Also, it seems worse on humid days, although really, humidity is rampant here this time of year.
Secondary pain is truly a confusing thing when RSD is involved! I keep asking myself, would I seek a doctor's advice if I did NOT have RSD in addition to this new problem. The answer is, I don't KNOW if I would see a doctor b/c I don't KNOW if the RSD pain meds are masking the deeper pain of whatever this is. Could I handle it w/o the pain meds I'm taking? Probably not. But that is a question I'll probably never know the answer to, unless RSD is soon to be cured?
I've been considering writing this, and have almost posted it several times. I don't want to seem like I'm a complainer, because, hey, I have RSD and it is treated correctly! At the same time, I have this new pain that is getting worse and I just don't know what to do about it. But when it affects my daily routine as it did today, I get worried. I can't afford to have TWO bad legs. It's hard enough when I do deign to use my cane to know which leg to favor! I do NOT want to head to the UK with that problem.
Do any of these symptoms sounds familiar? Knee pain when going up and down stairs, especially when carrying a child? Odd pains shooting from the knee when seated? Swelling (not a LOT) and aching? Pain when pushing the actual kneecap?
I also have pain in my scapula area like a pinched nerve, and I overdid it with the Homedics back massager today. I seem to wake up with a new pain every day, but the knee thing is more than the aches and pain of growing old.
I'm not looking for someone to diagnose me, I just wonder if anyone else has experienced a problem like this secondary to their main pain diagnosis? If so, how do you cope? Thanks!
I'd see your doc soon.
Or you could have just over worked it.
Take care. Hope it is nothing!
I'm so confused about what is BAD any more. I mean, when the RSD began, I thought I was dying. Truly, I was SURE I was dying. But now, THAT same pain is like an 8 or 9 to me. So to say it is BAD, it means it is less than RSD but worse than when I fractured my ankle. But then again, the ankle was constant, while the knee is off and on. I can get it to calm down by sitting a certain way, but NOT go away. Pain is so subjective!
It is hard when you have pain to know what is serious and what is just ordinary pain.
I have pneumonia for two weeks and did not realize because I run fevers all the time when the pain is really bad.
Hope you get more replies.
She finally suggested I see an ortho...probably to shut me up. Well...turns out I have a torn rotator cuff...duh!!! I knew I wasn't crazy.
Get the knee checked!!!
Hugs,
Cherry
It's definitely something that I've put off, mostly b/c doctors scare me. I DID go in for a sinus infection a week or so ago and thought about bringing it up, but I had my 2 year old with me and he had already had enough with the waiting. So I optimistically thought it'd get better. And some days it IS!
This is the oddest problem b/c I can't really call it in injury. I didn't DO anything to it. I do recall that when I drove home to visit family it was bothering me pretty bad, but I was DRIVING 4-5 hours a day for 3 days each way. With traffic, it was about 30 hours plus by the time I got home. And that aggravated the already painful knee.
But other than that, I can't think of much that bothered it for a specifically long amount of time. I have good and bad days. Lately, more bad than good, but then again, lately I've noticed more pain than usual. It WAS less the 1st day in Cancun, but worse the other 2. Just no rhyme nor reason to it- and that is why I worry.
I really don't think it is DVT- as I'm always upgraded to 1st due to my status with the airline, so I can always lie flat on long trips -anything over 4 hours IMO is a long enough trip to require the BF seats that allow you to put your feet up. AND I do my DVT "workouts" though I must look silly doing them. I knew another frequent traveler who DID get a blood clot in her leg and it wasn't a pretty picture after that. So actually THAT was my 1st thought. But in the knee?
Considering that my 1st symptom was deep pain when carrying my son up and down stairs, I really thought it was a touch of arthritis. And given as I sit cross legged most of the day, it would also make sense that I am hard on my knees. Heck, I can ONLY sleep with my knees bent.
I can also report that while my RSD meds DO bring the pain level down on the new ailment, they are not 100% effective. I add ibuprofen when the knee is really bad, and I time my muscle relaxant for that same time. Today, that seemed to give me some good relief for about 6 hours.
Now, as I prepare for sleep and just sit and type, I wonder why my right knee is screaming while my left knee, the knee in the RSD leg, is not bothered. I'm learning to type while sitting half cross legged and stretch out my right leg. The only other symptom is that my right leg near the knee starts to fall asleep as the pain gets worse. Makes NO sense, but there ya go.
I REALLY don't think it is RSD. 1st, I think that the RSD would've spread in the afflicted leg before the other. 2nd, it is a totally different pain. It's not constant, it's not icy-hot like my left foot is and it does NOT sweat or turn bluish like my left foot does. It isn't the "OMG, I think I'm gonna die" pain. It's more of an aggravation. Also, I noted today that I was limping, and it was b/c of the knee and NOT the RSD foot/leg. I even used my new cane! I tend to be really vain about the cane and have left them all over the world in an attempt to not have to use them, OR b/c I just didn't NEED it and forgot.
In any case, it isn't something I can't handle. I just am curious about dealing with it if it IS going to hang around. Not even sure which type of doctor to see. I guess I'd see my Primary Care and let him do an xray?
Maybe it'll go away again. It's not a chronic problem like RSD. And thankfully it is nothing LIKE RSD. Maybe I just need to be a bit tougher. It's just a...curious thing.