Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Knee swelling cycle--anyone?

Ok, that makes sense then. I had a hard time believing you didn't notice that the screen kept right on scrolling, but then again, you just never know!

Brad

yes yes yes. there is someone here like you :] i relate to this 'swelling cycle'. youve only posted once, are you lurking? lol

I actually CRIED when I found this thread. OMG I'm not alone. And I'm not a freak. And I'm not a cry-baby. My (mostly left) knee swells in cycles. About 7 day cycle, maxing out on days 4&5. Then I'm good for about 5 days. But now my right knee is getting in on the action, starting to swell, though much more slightly as soon as the left starts to decrease. Painful kneeling. Have tried every NSAID through my doctor. Was sent to a rheumatologist who gave me two options: Plaquenel or Hydroxychloroquine. Didn't want to take something with terrible possible side effects every day for the rest of my life (I'm 49). Going to see a new rheumatologist for a 2nd opinion. Waiting for an appointment.

omg. Sorry to be so long winded on my first post... but I honestly can't believe that I'm not alone in this. A whole website dedicated to AS??? No doctor ever said that my knee swelling had anything to do with my AS.

Hugs and welcome Vik!

You are not alone! My Rheumy was the opposite, nearly everything wrong with my body he said was from AS. It is a disease of systemic inflammation, so it can be everywhere.

On a brighter note, have you looked into the no starch diet (NSD)? I had growing relief from my symptoms in a day or so. Good luck to you!

-Donette

Welcome Vic - Welcome Armstrong.

Another 'yes' from over this side of the watery divide. Started with my R. knee 1991. Horrible. Knee would give way quite suddenly - and disconcerting when it did it whilst crossing the road! Then it swelled up. Went to orthopod, found debris. Had an arthroscopic debridement and lavage. Brilliant. Results lasted me for 10 years before playing up again. And when it did - oh boy. Did it do a number on me. Swelled, massive fluid. Fluid was not drained. GP offered a steroid injection - no way. Steroids, horribly detrimental, burn out ligaments and tendons and don't do much anyways and assuredly don't last!

Took several months to go down, like 5 months. Meantime could not bend the knee nor flex; was 'stuck' with very little movement (made mounting a horse *very difficult...but at least wasn't my mounting leg! But now, couldn't mount a horse if you paid me, as both knees are crap - can barely make the stairs let alone a horse! Sigh).


Then has stated playing up again, but now both knees. Blasted painful. Have pastello femoral/jumper's knee probs. Seen rheumy - who wanted to put in a steroid...oh-ohh, NO. Then saw new orthopod who says prob looking at knee replacements in the future meantime, wear knee brace(s), rub in some cream stuff (does nowt for me!) and rest. Oh yes, got debris and both knee caps have slipped, but, he will not do a debridement and lavage. Sighhhhh. So, one struggles onwards.

I'd get another opinion, but he is recommended as a good orthopod and the hospital is recognised as the best orthopaedic hospital in the whole region, so am pretty much stymied. He does NOT recommend steroids, says Synvisc (Hyaluronic Acid) ONLY. He was quite surprised I knew what he was talking about so we had an agreeable wee chat on our mutual agreement <VBG>

Yes. Inflammation with any ole joint involvement seems to be much the order of the AS day - have the exact SAME problem with my R. elbow, which also has an osteophyte. Had an open OK procedure, but does not seem to have worked all that well, and, the UK 'Prof' (no less!!) orthopod left debris behind...can't invent em! But don't want to do owt about it any more - or face more ortho ops, thanks. Had enough of em. And after a very recent disagreeable time with an inept anaesthetist I am doubly dead wary

You guys aint alone -

Molly C (France)
Keeping on Keeping on (as one does, innit?)

Thanks Donette.

I have never looked into any diets. I will look into NSD. Is that a short-term diet, instead of NSAIDs when the inflammation starts? Or something that should be adhered to permanently? I'm pretty much open to anything these days.

I started taking a natural enzyme (Zymactive) a couple of years back that magically took all the swelling away... and for a couple years. I was thrilled. Then, just as quickly as it disappeared, it started to re-occur a few months ago. I've since stopped taking Zymactive. Seems it was probably a complete coincidence.

I've had periodic swelling of the knee (either right or left) for 40 years. It's on roughly a 12-day cycle and is always preceded - by 3 days - by diarrhea and mild flu-like symptoms (fatigue, stomach discomfort, low fever). The episodes tend to lessen in severity and then disappear for months or even years. I've never been able to discover what precipitates the episodes, though I've thought allergy or diet might play a part.

Recent research I've conducted leads me to believe I may have Intermittent Hydrarthrosis (IH). A description of this condition is given below:

http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/content/42/2/391.full

Trying to find the connection between the swelling and the gastrointestinal issue, I've found the following link to Familial Mediterranean Fever which is cyclical and can lead to swelling in the large joints, particularly in the knee:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Familial_Mediterranean_fever

I haven't recently seen a rheumatologist but am planning to do so and will report back. Any comments on my discoveries would be welcomed.

I have cyclic knee swelling and fever associated with it for last 20 years. During these years I made some observations concerning my knee disease:
It usually starts in Spring or in Summer time with inflamatory symproms and knee swelling with 11-12 days cycle (6 days inflammation is acute, 5 days relaxing).It may last few months (with strong or weak symptoms) to completely disappear in Fall time. During attacks I have fever (37.2 degreeC -in the morning, 38 – in the evening) .
I got impression that these inflammatory attacks are triggered by emotional fatigue, stress. During some years it didn't start even in summer/spring or attacks were very weak.
Only left knee is involved and no other joint. I tried low doses of colchicine for a long time (one year), not sure if it helps or not. Indocin or Advil helps against inflammation symptoms. X-rays show slowly progressing artrosis in that knee.
Will be glad to hear comments or advices. Thank you.

Hi, garen11:

In a case of AS that was initially triggered by a reactive arthritis, knee edema is common and probably related to the location of the intestinal lesions. The condition can be quite severe and indicative of a rather urgent problem, like what used to be called megacolon or "septic hip."

The answer might be through a colonoscopy--some inflammatory disease like diverticulitis or cryptitis. Emotional stress does not cause this directly, but can have an influence as digestion is slowed, so bacterial proliferation is increased. It is the bacteria within the lower bowel (the sewer we each carry around with us) that cause AS and also cause issues like knee edema.

In my own case, I knew it began in my hip, and the lymph fell down to my knee and eventually to my ankle. I did not bother to have it drained, as I was unable to schedule a time with that physician and the fluid was eliminating on its own.

But the main thing is to treat the infection (fever is certainly a sign of this) and avoid the digestive issues leading to putrefaction in the first place. Avoid starches and especially avoid all deep-fried foods; it is all related to how we treat our tract and what we feed ourselves.

It is not gout; colchine will not help at all and indocin and Advil will only make the intestinal lesions worse; I would not take any NSAIDs (and have not for over 14 years--even aspirin).

I hope that You will avoid further episodes,

HEALTH,
John