Anyone out there with knee OA?

[deanie]

I have rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Around Christmastime, my left knee was extremely painful (read=someone shoot me and put me out of my misery) and a couple of weeks later I got a cortisone shot into the joint and it really helped. About a week before our trip to WDW, I got cortisone injections in both knees. At WDW, I planned to walk some each day and then get a wheelchair for the latter half of the day. It ended up that I never got a wheelchair. Now, we walked A LOT and stayed for mostly full days. I did take Tylenol 3's and Tylenol Arthritis for pain but it almost seemed that my knees improved some from all this walking. Has anyone else had that experience?

BTW, I was just told today by the orthopedic surgeon that I will need knee replacements on both knees. I am only 54 so I hope to wait a bit until I "bite the bullet". Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[Piper]

I was diagnosed with RA in 7th grade and have OA in several joints. I am now 64 and teach full time Pre-K in a public school. My rheumy comments every time I see her that she is amazed that I do not have more "residual damage" than I do. I think it is because I am up and down on the floor a jillion times a day. Granted, I do have to crawl over to a chair or table for leverage to get up, but I just do it. I wear AFO's for foot drop and neuropathy from mild spinal stenosis and use one forearm crutch for balance. I have a scooter for malls or museums or Disney! But I just keep on going and push through the daily pain. People have begun asking when I will retire, but I honestly think that working is keeping me moving!

I may actually retire at the end of the next school year, but I will still go into the schools to volunteer.

 

[Mskanga]

I am 45 and I have had OA since my mid 20's. Mine started out on my shoulders but it has made it all over now. I have had cortisone shots three times on my shoulder , my knees for the time being are still ok but in time I have been told I will need replacements. Celebrex is my best friend when I have flare ups, other than that is just the occasional ibuprofen if I need something. Then again I am stubborn , I don't take anything until I am dying....

 

[deanie]

I was really surprised how my knees held up at WDW and how I actually felt better after all the walking. Has anyone else experienced this? I think I may delay my knee replacement surgery as right now the pain is not too severe.

 

[PatsMom]

I don't have RA but I do have OA in most of my joints. Worst is my right ankle which was shattered - it was already arthritic and the hardware left behind has made it much worse. I do find that the more I use my joints with OA the better they tend to feel. If I sit all day at work, it is almost impossible to move by evening. When I am walking around all day it actually seems to be better.

I also take Celebrex daily, along with other prescription pain killers when needed. I have discovered that Disney and Vicodin do not mix well and tend to stick with the Celebrex and Tylenol when I am there!

 

[disneymarie]

I was really surprised how my knees held up at WDW and how I actually felt better after all the walking. Has anyone else experienced this? I think I may delay my knee replacement surgery as right now the pain is not too severe.

I had the same thing happen. The more mobile I stay the more I can keep going. It has taken a toll on the hip though. I had two surgeries on the right knee with OA clean up done twice. That was 12 years ago and held off the knee replacement so far. I am 54 now.

The hip I do not think is going to make it though. I am having that will someone shoot me pain in it for three weeks now. I will try a steroid shot when I see OSteo this week,

Having the knee, limp situation it stresses the hip. I had previous sacro pain years ago. But this is a huge cycle.

I know the replacements hava limited life span and that would deter me from replacement, especially if they have improved.
I bought an inexpensive recumbdant bike and use that a lot since the hip is not tolerating the treadmil and walking. I want to keep the mobility I have.
Good luck
di

 

[deanie]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I am also 54, Disneymarie, and I am hoping to put off the surgery until I can't stand it anymore. But you are right, compensating for the knees puts more of a strain on the hips. Probably in ten years or so I will be the bionic woman with fake knees and a fake hip. I wonder if you beep going through airport security?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I had a hip replacement a little over two years ago. It took almost a year for my knee pain to go away. That may sound strange, but over the years I was putting more and more weight on my left leg and so my knees adapted to that and it caused them to hurt. Once I had the replacemnt hip and could put my weight on both legs equally (or even stand on my right leg alone) my knees adjusted back to normal. I have not had to take any painkiller medicine, even Tylenol, for over a year now since my knees went back to normal.

I do not beep going through a metal detector, but I cannot take my right shoe off, or put it back on, unless I am sitting down so I need a manual scan at the airport anyway.

 

[toocherie]

I had double knee replacements from OA in 2003. I was pretty young (47) but had a LOT of pain. I put it off for several years too. I have been pretty happy, but if I walk a lot my knees feel like cantaloupes (if that makes sense).

I also have RA in my ankles, issues with my feet and fibromyalgia--so if I am going to WDW or going to DL more than one day I rent an ECV. I take Mobic.

 

[DisneyWheeler]

I had a total right hip replacement in October 2000 from osteoarthritis, and from the time that I began having the severe pain, to the time that I got my AFO leg brace, I was not able to weight bear at all on my right leg. I could only toe-walk because it was so painful to fully bear weight on my right leg.

Nothing I tried (cortisone shots, prescription Tylenol with Codine among other arthritis pain relief medications, physical therapy, acupuncture) had worked, until my hip specialist had recommended the hip replacement surgery after he reviewed my x-rays and saw that I was beginning to get worse in my hip.

As of now, the osteoarthritis is in my shoulders, spine, left hip, and both knees. I'm bracing myself for another major hip replacement surgery sometime down the road, and two knee replacement surgeries as well. I'm in constant pain all of the time because I also have severe scoliosis and some kyphosis curvatures in my back because I tend to lean forward more as well as to the side when sitting in my manual, or power wheelchairs.

Samantha

 

[deanie]

I am so sorry to hear of all your pain, Disneywheeler. How did the surgery go with your right hip? I hope you will get some relief soon for all of your painful joints.
Do you get to WDW often? It is such a happy place and I find that it will sometimes take my mind off of the pain for a while but you seem to have many more painful joints than I do. I am sure that once you recover from the upcoming surgeries, you will be feeling a bit better.

 

[powellrj]

I had both my knees replaced when I was 47. I can't believe the difference it has made in my life. I was at the place I was almost crawling up the stairs at night because the pain was so bad. My doctor has talked about replacing my shoulder, but I am putting this off as long as I can.

I was at the place that cortisone shots didn't work anymore. I had done PT, uploader brace, synvisc shots and nothing worked.

I used an ECV on the trip before my surgery and it was a wonderful trip. I had lots of energy and little pain. I wore my family out! I have been twice since my surgery, both times without an ECV. To be honest, I would have enjoyed the trip much more with the ECV, but I went without because thats what my family wanted. I think I wore them out so much the time I had it, they wanted to slow me down!!

 

[chell]

You have made me feel better about my upcoming trip reading that you felt better. Right now my knees are hurting so bad. Just over a week ago I got steroid shots in both knees. I've been worried I may need assistance getting around the parks in December. But I really, really don't want to take that route because our nephews will be with us and I just don't want to do that with them. I'm waiting for the pain to ease up a little more before I get on the treadmill. Right now the pain is still too bad and I'm scared.

 

[deanie]

Michelle, I was amazed at how my knees held up at WDW and we did tons of walking - our usual commando style. I thought I would be in major, major pain by mid afternoon but I was not too bad. Yes, I had some pain but nothing excruciating. The hardest part, for me, was getting in and out of the log at Splash Mountain and also sitting on that ride as I think my knees were bent at just the wrong angle.
I would suggest getting more cortisone shots in your knees a couple of weeks before you leave on your trip. I also took Tylenol Arthritis every morning - 2 at a time - and I also had extras with me as well as some Tylenol 3. There were a few times where I needed to sit down or slow down but it all worked out. Like you, I was also hoping not to get a wheelchair.
Good luck on your upcoming trip. And if you do need a wheelchair for some or part of each day - at least you will be at WDW having lots of fun!!

 

[Paticake]

I also have DJD and OA. I had a cortisone shot about six weeks ago in my right knee. The last shot I had was 14 months ago. For some reason I am having a major flare up right now. I just finished icing 2 very swollen knees. We leave for Disney in 2 weeks and I am really nervous with the amount of sharp pain I am experiencing. I am also 54. My OS says I will need replacements at some point as well. When I had xrays six weeks ago it showed some progression. I also have an issue with my left hip and flexer tendon issues in both hips. My OS says "everything is connected" so I tend to set off cycles as well. Tonight I am feeling like I can barely walk. I am very frustrated right now.

 

[chell]

Michelle, I was amazed at how my knees held up at WDW and we did tons of walking - our usual commando style. I thought I would be in major, major pain by mid afternoon but I was not too bad. Yes, I had some pain but nothing excruciating. The hardest part, for me, was getting in and out of the log at Splash Mountain and also sitting on that ride as I think my knees were bent at just the wrong angle.
I would suggest getting more cortisone shots in your knees a couple of weeks before you leave on your trip. I also took Tylenol Arthritis every morning - 2 at a time - and I also had extras with me as well as some Tylenol 3. There were a few times where I needed to sit down or slow down but it all worked out. Like you, I was also hoping not to get a wheelchair.
Good luck on your upcoming trip. And if you do need a wheelchair for some or part of each day - at least you will be at WDW having lots of fun!!

Thank you! Last year I was having lots of trouble with my right shoulder that started in August. About 4 weeks before we left for our Honeymoon I scheduled my second injection, especially since I was sore for at least two weeks after the injection just from the needle. Luckily with the knees I'm not as sore as I was with the shoulder but I am still having pain.

When we left to go get supper tonight I had to slam on the brakes so I wouldn't run over a squirrel and hurt both of my knees. But the squirrel didn't get hit. Lately I have been driving with both feet, one on the gas and one on the brakes, since moving from one to the other really hurts the right knee. I hope it is all better before we go.

No matter what I hope some of your luck rubs off on me for our trip.