Hi I’m looking for advice really as my Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer 5 1/2 years ago and has had a bad knee for several months now. She had an X-Ray but this did not reveal anything. The Dr said it was arthritis, but he now doesn’t think that it is that and he sent her for a blood test. Her knee is painful all the time, and she limps when she has to put her weight on it, but it is extremely swollen. She also says that she can feel the bones grinding together. I am really worried in case this could be connected to her diagnosis, but is it usual for it to spread to the knee, and would it cause these symptoms (especially the swelling which is so bad it prevents her from bending her knee properly)? I am really hoping that it is something else, but need to prepare myself in case it isn’t. I am going with her to the hospital next week in connection with this, but any thoughts/advice in the meantime would be much appreciated. Thanks all, Sunny Day x
Hi Sunny Day
I have something similar. Was dx last year and the last few weeks have pain on side of my knee. It feels a bit like a pulled muscle but has gone on too long for that. Sometimes it hurts when km not using it, any twisting type movement is very painful and driving is bad too.
Fortunately I had an appt with the onc last week. She was very good and took it seriously. She sent me for xray which came back clear. She has now said that if it continues for another three weeks then get back to the bcn and they will arrange further tests.
She did say that it is very unusual for bone mets to present in the knee area.
I hope you get good news soon…
Take care.
Mary
Thank you Mary 32 for your reply. Your BCN’s comments are quite reassuring, for both of us. I wish you well and hope your knee soon recovers and that it turns out to be something harmless, as I am hoping also for my Mum. Best wishes, Sunny Day x
Hi before I was diagnosed with BC I had a knee replacement for severe arthritis, nothing showed on the x Ray, yr mum needs to ask her GP for an MRI, mine was awful when I had it done! Hope it goes well
Hi Torquay and thanks for replying. They think it is rheumatoid arthritis now (not osteo as they had at first thought). I did ask about a scan but they don’t seem to think it necessary - perhaps we will push for an MRI. She is being referred to an RA specialist. I note that you had a knee replacement - can I just ask did you have RA and was it in just the one knee or both? I have been looking online for info about this condition and it says that it usually occurs symmetrically. I hope that I have been barking up the completely wrong tree! Sunny Day
Hello everyone, I was very interested to read your posts as i have been troubled with my right knee for at least 4 weeks or so. I can’t remember when it began, but since then it has got worse each day. I only take paracetamol or ibuprofen anyway but they dont touch it. I hear a crunching in my knee when i walk up or down stairs and its louder since the pain started.
It is very painful and achy to the point where i have started limping on it! This morning it was bad enough for me to manually lift my leg into the car when i sat in the drivers seat! I try and walk about at home, but every time i sit for any time its a struggle to walk again! I have to keep saying to my husband when we go shopping, to slow down as i cant go that fast!!!
He says it looks swollen compared to the left one, and i also can’t bend it completely. I am a bit of a procrastinator and keep putting off seeing my GP, probably as i am fed up with always being at the hospital or doctors! What should I do?
Will they actually take it further , especially with my history of B/C and everything i have had done this past 2 years? ~Several people have said it’s prob arthritis and put some cream or spray on it, but i dont bother telling them anymore that we have to be aware of anything that hurts in case its something dodgy, because they wouldnt understand how we worry. What might seem trivial and easily treated to some people, can seem totally major and serious to us!!
Cheers, Michele x