I've had basically neurolyme since 1989. Now, all of a sudden my left knee is swollen on and off and it's very hard to go upstairs, squat down and get back up again and even uncomforatble to walk. I did get bitten by another tick this year but I was on Biaxin when bitten. Everything seemed to flare after that.
My question is.....do those of you with knee problems have it worse on and off? Is it a harder symptom to get rid of when on antibiotics?
And lastly, what do people do about it if it keeps up. How can you tell if there is fluid in the knee and would that mean it needs aspirating? Can knee be swollen without extra fluid?
It's odd, I've had baker's cysts in the backs of the knees but they never bothered. I wonder if the fluid traveled around from the back to the front? Gosh if it isn't one thing it's another.
Posted by blazinglyme (Member # 13320) on :
hey daystar,
I had and still have that problem since the beginning of my LD
I have put ice on it and sat with it up. my llmd has given me ibuprofen for it. It does help the inflamation.
I still struggle with it at times. When I am on treatment they r just achy.
I struggle with my feet swelling too.
Try to stay away from alot of salt.
Best wishes and good luck, hope u start feeling better!
blazinglyme
Posted by Dawn in VA (Member # 9693) on :
My knee and ankle problems come and go, including both achy/pain and swelling.
Lyme likes those areas and convenes in them- joints have sonovial (sp?) fluid- b/c blood, and hence oxygen, can't get there very easily, if at all. Or so I was told anywho.
Maybe epsom salt (Mg) soaks would help with your pain and/or fluid retention?
Sometimes I stick a heating pad on my joints. I know it sounds crazy since it's the opposite one would do for swelling, but my thinking goes along the line of "we know high temps kill the buggers". Folks use infared saunas, hot baths, etc., so maybe a heating pad directly applied might zap them.
If you're concerned that it may be fluid accumulation, the best bet would be to have a specialist check it out to see if that's the case and if aspiration would help things. (If you do get it aspirated, ask about sending the fluid to a lab to test for chetes.)
Hope you feel better soon.
Posted by winelyme (Member # 11897) on :
My knees hurt really bad at the beginning of my treatment
My LLMD suspected Bartonella!! After getting treated for
Bart my knees are almost 100%. I highly recommend Epsom
Salt Baths and Infrared Sauna.
Hope you feel better soon........
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
quote:My question is.....do those of you with knee problems have it worse on and off? Is it a harder symptom to get rid of when on antibiotics?
Yes, mine comes and goes. I initially only had a problem in my right knee but once I started abx my left knee got so bad I could hardly walk. My understanding is that this was caused by inflammation from bug die off. Anti-inflammatory supplements seem to help. I take digestive enzymes between meals, serraflazyme and bromelain and sometimes I add quercitin.
After being on treatment for a year, my knees were much better but they still get inflamed sometimes and bother me.
I hope yours get better soon.
Terry
Posted by gambler (Member # 8441) on :
When your knee is swollen enough to have the fluid sucked out, you should be able to see the swelling. Mine was like a melon on top of the knee.
I have had three operations on my knee, and since being on abx (besides herx) I have never been in so little pain in my adult life. My knees still creak, but they don't ache or hurt anymore.
I was in so much pain I really don't know if my joints got worse after starting abx. For me, treating Lyme has surpassed my wildest dreams of pain free living. I had no idea people lived like this.
gambler
Posted by Dave6002 (Member # 9064) on :
I am using an infrared heating pad and seems it's working. See the website:
I have had knee pain for years. They hurt and swell but my right knee is worse than my left. After being on meds about six months I started using an elliptical machine. It was very painful to use at first but not so bad now. The exercise seems to help. I hope you feel better soon.
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Dave, that's good news!! I've been looking at Infrared devices but just getting started into searching......
How did you decide to go with this particular brand? Did someone recommend these to you?
How long have you been using it?
Thanks. Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
I have definitely had knee pain come and go. Sometimes I don't even know it has come until I walk up or down the stairs and WOW; my knee hurts!!!! It can be either knee, usually comes in 1 or 2 week spurts.
I use Sombra for my aches and pains. It's a gel; you can find it online if you google it.
Posted by Dave6002 (Member # 9064) on :
Tracy,
I just can answer you the third question because of brain fog.
I bought it two years ago but just have been using it extensively for about 3 weeks and it helps not just the knees, I feel improved significantly.
Take care.
Dave
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
hhad this problem since 16 when i pulled ligaments in my left leg during basketbal game.
had needle draws many times
WORST was when they did it after my hip surgery 3-07 before i was discharged as my knee down to my feet was SWOLLEN UP TO TWICE THE SIZE.
IT WAS N UNDIAGNOSED BLOOD CLOT! PA went in there without numbing it and drew grab out of it for 5 minutes; i cried and cried due to extreme pain he put me in.
so a warning; sometimes it COULD be a blood clot if area is HIGH TEMPS, swollen nd there is a test to do with your foot which indicates it's blood clot but my neuro mind has forgotten already... Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I can diminish the knee pain a bit by waving an LED around the knee. The Light Energy company produces a single light, a three-light and a seventeen-light LED. I've used the three-light one for a long time.
Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :
Hi Amy the elbow and the knee joint pain was the hardest for me it took like 8 months for knee and around the same for the elbow? I will tell you glucosamine helped and magnesium & complex b vitamins.
Posted by daystar1952 (Member # 3255) on :
Thank you sooo much for all helpful responses. It's good to know that this sort of this can fluctuate and not necessarily be permanent.
As far as magnesium goes I have been rubbing on this magnesium oil and magnesium oil gel (magnesium chloride) and it seems to help. I am fascinated with this Thermotex unit. I think I may ask for one for Christmas.:=)
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Thanks, Dave. Good to know that it helps more than just the knees. Sorry about the brain fog thing .....because I know there is some 'junk' out there when it comes to some of these devices. I would prefer not to buy junk, if possible.
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
Watch out for new coinfections after recent tick bite. Bart can cause arthritis too.
I was arthritis-free for about a year then got arthritis back in about 24 hours after recent tick bite. It was llight pain but clearly arthritic.
I needed agressive treatment to get the new borrelia down. They are much more agressive after new bite, I feel, plus there are new coinfections contributing to put our immune system down. I had a terrible relapse this last May that I attributed to this new bite.
Posted by daystar1952 (Member # 3255) on :
Dave...which pad are you using...the knee pad specifically or the platinum pad that supposedly can be used anywhere?
Thanks so much for this tip. So you would say that using it consistently has made a difference rather than using it sporadically?
Posted by Dave6002 (Member # 9064) on :
quote:How did you decide to go with this particular brand?Did someone recommend these to you?
Hi, Tracy and Daystar,
Now my brain fog is better or I didn't have a brain fog.
I bought the platinum pad shortly before I fell very ill with Lyme.
I didn't know much about this brand and nobody recommended it to me.
I still don't know much about this company except the product seems reliable: it's been more than two years but never had a problem.
It has two outputs: high and low, which is convenient.
I use it whenever I have a chance and I feel it's helping.
By the way I don't have any association with this company except I was their once customer.
Good luck.
Dave
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Thanks for the info, Dave. Glad the brain fog is better.
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