Osteoarthritis of the knee

I have widespread OE, including knees, I cope with exercises and either Voltarol or, especially on the heat, the cold freeze gel.

Is he using a stick? It does help.

I do sometimes take ibuprofen as paracetamol was useless. (Though told not too)

Have you thought about physio? Especially if they use laser or other treatments rather than just exercise alone.

He could ask for a pain clinic referral, but I found them to be little help, despite two referrals.

Massage can help, as can hydrotherapy.

Good luck, at 80 he’s done well to avoid OR for so long. Both DH and I “acquired” this condition in mid 60’s. Both good walkers prior to this.

I'm sure there was a thread a luttle while ago where people discussed what helps them.
It did seem to be different for everyone, though.

It must be horrible to have issues with painful knees.

I prefer Ibuprofen as it seems to work so quickly but can no longer take it.

Some years ago whilst having surgery on my knee I mentioned to the nurse that I found paracetamol ineffective. She suggested it’s better to take it consistently as it needs to be maintained at a certain level in the system for efficacy.

I have found this works better for me (but still not as good as ibuprofen).

I've been advised not to take ibuprofen too. For unknown reasons I have an inflamed ilea cecal valve and moderate kidney disease. I try to manage with paracetamol and exercise when my knee is playing up. It is permanently swollen.
Strange thing is that when my GP prescribed me atorvastatin my knee pain reduced markedly.

I have knee osteoarthritis and have not found Paracetomol or Voltarol much help either. I have not specifically been told not to take Ibruprofen but for me it's the only thing that has any effect. I used to take just one dose a day ( with breakfast) and it helped a lot but after reading so.much about it I.just take one dose perhaps twice a week ( when likely to be doing more) and one dose of paracetomol on the other days. I have discussed this with doctors who are mostly non-committal about Ibruprofen. One suggested co-codamol which I tried but no different to paracetomol and the possible addictive elements were worrying too. So I have settled on this compromise.
Other things which help - sleeping with a small pillow between my .knees, Deep heat or less often Deep freeze, a walking stick, getting up to move frequently even when it hurts. Some days and for no apparent reason the pain is worse than others. Hope this helps a bit.

I had it too. Nothing really stops the pain, it's horrible, I did get steroid injection that kept it at bay for a few months but had to pay for it.
It's a shame he is he not suitable for a TKR? Double check this with your Medics, you never know?

I feel for him! Both my knees swell and are so painful with OA. Left one was offered TKR three years ago but I prefered exercises which have really helped (much to my surprise) until now, I think it has all deteriorated. Right knee is in a dodgy leg! I’ve had three hip replacements (yep) and they are a doddle in comparison to TKR, a very painful operation for most people and lots of rehab and a 20% regret rate and better done late as possible but not too late to do the healing. Awful decision.

I have osteoarithritis in my knee, have put off surgery at present I have a knee brace, suggested by my consultant and supplied and by nhs, I wear it when I am going out mostly and yes it really does help.
it's very light and reasonably quick and easy to put on.

My GP prescribed piroxicam gel and it has helped me. It doesn't contain any ibuprofen.

DH and I both take Turmeric

I recently went to my doctors & he advised ibuprofen gel at 10%….you can buy this otc & it certainly helped me

for many years before my total knee replacements I had an injection into my knee joint every four months.
i cannot take ibuprofen as i have chronic kidney disease (and only one kidney) so i relied on a regular intake of paracetamol.
since my knee ops i have an injection into my thumb joint as i have osteoarthritis in my hands - the thumb is worse.
ask your gp if your dh could have an injection - slightly painful when being done but the benefit outweighs the pain.

What a pity the DH can't have a knee replacement, assume there is a medical reason for this.

What about ice? You can buy ice packs on Amazon and have one in the freezer and one in use. Great for inflammation which might be causing the pain.

There is some evidence for glucosamine in OA of the knee at 1500mg per day. Don't take this without checking with GP first. The best evidence is for losing weight - by diet rather than exercise.

I have had steroid injections too and they made a difference. I take turmeric every morning and use ibuprofen gel when necessary.
Try to find a good physio to help him as exercises are good for any joint pain.
I sometimes use an oil from Pure Xtracts , Turmeric massage oil , lemongrass . A few drops help .

For about 4 years, until he had a TKR aged 83, my DH devised a solution which worked pretty well for him. It was horse bandages, the type which has,a double layer of fleecy stuff with a foam inner. Somehow the extra warmth reduced the pain and helped mobility. The

I was advised to take glucosamine. I bought Joint Ave which also has turmeric and Omega 3 and it has helped.

Anti-inflammatories are the only thing that can help my right knee.

I have just been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my knee it’s been painful for about 4 months I ve tried turmeric and black pepper (strong and quite expensive supposed to be a miracle but no help at all) I bought an expensive turmeric massage oil from PureXtracts which everyone raved about, and I think you are saying you used Susieq but no help AT all either
Paracetamol, volterol, ibrufen , Cocodamol don’t touch the sides.
Miserable isn’t it ? I m determined to keep doing everything I normally do, pain or not . I ve been given exercisers to do and
I m doing them although they re not very enjoyable to do.

There’s lots of ‘miracle cures’ on the market but not holding my breath

Marjgran

I feel for him! Both my knees swell and are so painful with OA. Left one was offered TKR three years ago but I prefered exercises which have really helped (much to my surprise) until now, I think it has all deteriorated. Right knee is in a dodgy leg! I’ve had three hip replacements (yep) and they are a doddle in comparison to TKR, a very painful operation for most people and lots of rehab and a 20% regret rate and better done late as possible but not too late to do the healing. Awful decision.

My surgeon held the opposite view -if it is REALLY necessary it’s best done as early as possible, because younger people heal so much quicker and they will get so much benefit from the operation. I was only 59 and could barely walk, the pain in both sides was very bad, my work & social life was virtually over. X-rays showed both knees to be bone on bone and wearing thinner all the time. He said these days the replacement knees should last 30 years, so with eleven months apart I had bilateral replacements. I have never looked backed, I go hiking in the Lakes, I’ve been to the top of Snowdon, I climb all the church & cathedral towers when on holiday, I do keep fit classes etc - so my health is so much better as I’m not sitting around.
If the operation is just not possible then I recommend a good knee brace, a physio should be able to advise.

Visgir1

I had it too. Nothing really stops the pain, it's horrible, I did get steroid injection that kept it at bay for a few months but had to pay for it.
It's a shame he is he not suitable for a TKR? Double check this with your Medics, you never know?

Why did you pay for it? Did you go private?
I’ve had ten in each knee, all free. which I don’t recommend.
I would try one if I was the husband to get some relief.

Once its bone on bone, exercises are useless as far as l am concerned.
I have lost muscle tone in the upper legs as I can’t do squats, or anything like that. Even swimming & light walking is agonising.

I'm not far off 80, and had a total knee replacement a year ago. I found a brilliant bed excercise video on You Tube, for post operative TKR healing. For the first 6 weeks I religiously followed the list of exercises on this video, while either sitting or lying on my bed, twice a day. The post op pain was severe - worse than I ever imagined it could be, but I used flexible ice packs and took the prescribed pain killing tablets, so I got through it. After 5 weeks I attended physio sessions once a week for another 5 weeks at my local hospital. By the 5th week, I was on normal Paracetamol when needed, and driving again, and also walking with just one crutch for another few weeks - then no crutches and no walking stick at all. Today my "new" knee is wonderful, I feel 5 years younger. My surgeon says it was my strict adherence to the exercise regime that helped me heal so well. Anyone can do what I did. Apparently I had a robotic procedure for the joint replacement, so I don't know if this is also helped me heal so well.

My mother swore by green lipped mussel pills and now I take them and glucosamine and chondroitine, with turmeric when I remember, and this seems to be keeping the bad left knee arthritis at bay. Only hurts really badly if I overdo things. Have you tried the green lipped mussels?