Recurrent Knee/hip pain.

amy_louise · September 2011

Hello, I'm 22 with left hemiplegia. I am just writing because i'm finding it difficult to cope with pain in my joints. Just some background info, my leg is quite badly affected with my hemi. I can walk, but I find walking is very tiring and painful. Also, I have quite aggressive spasticity in my leg & my foot has a strong tendency to turn in. Also when my spasticity is not under control I have quite bad back pain.

Anyway, In June, I had botox in my leg to ease tightness and to try and reduce impact of my foot turning in. Consequently, I could put my foot on the floor & after a second dose of botox in August, my foot turned in less. Walking was so much easier, pain levels in my joints and back were dramatically reduced, so I was happy.

However, now I've noticed the botox is wearing off, after only 3 months. I can tell just by how tight it feels and by the way my heel is off the floor in the morning. I am now suffering from quite severe pain in my affected knee. It flares up after i've been walking a bit (not an exceptionally long distance or anything) the pain hurts in the centre of my knee and also to the side. It gets so bad that it locks, which makes walking near enough impossible. It calms down after a rest. However, strangely, after a flare up, my unaffected knee starts aching, probably because of the strain of hobbling. My hips also hurt, they just feel uncomfortable when sitting, sort of like a sharp nagging pain. I'm just worried that the pain could be something like osteoarthritis (I have osteophytes in my spine already) It's just worrying because i'm concerned that it might get worse and affect my mobility. Also, am I damaging anything by carrying on when i'm in pain? I don't see my consultant until November, so I don't know whether to bother my GP or try and get an earlier appointment.

Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Amy X

amy_louise · September 2011

Thank you for your reply

I will follow your advice and go to my GP first, he might be able to offer some advice. I get on really well with them, so i'm sure they'll take me seriously. I just feel like i'm in limbo, i'm waiting for an appointment for gait analysis (my afo makes my knee problems worse strangely) Just got to hope they get to the bottom of the problem.

Thanks,

Amy x

panther · September 2011

Hi Amy

If I was you I'd make contact with your consultants secretary and let her know what is happening they would be abe to speak to the consultant for you and give you advice about if you need to bring your appointment forward or not.

You could also speak to your GP so they are aware of what is happening they may even contact the consultant for you or advise you to contact them yourself. Or they may be able to give you something for the pain until November if your appointment can't be brought forward.

Good luck in the mean time don't push yourself too hard and try and rest your leg at times. I get hip and back pain when my muscles in my legs go really tight so know waht it can be like.

Helen

Goldie Johnson · November 2015

Hi Ammy,

Have you tried other alternatives like medical tourism? I understand that it is quite hard to book an appointment w/ a consultant, so the best insight that I could give you is to seek help from a medical tourism company. Here's a quick link you can begin with: http://www.placidway.com/package/153/Dr-Venkat-Hip-Replacement-Surgeries-in-Chennai-India

I hope I was able to help and Good luck to you Ammy, please keep us posted!

Recurrent Knee/hip pain.

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