Doctor not treating knee pain

Hello all!

So, in my quest for knowledge about a particular knee problem I have, I have decided to come to ask y'all! So, the basic history:

When I was in my early teens I was active in Tae Kwon Do... about a year and a half into it I was forced to quit due to excessive knee pain when bending/kicking/Etc. I went to an orthopedic surgeon who at first diagnosed me with tendonitis (without looking at xrays. I went back for a second opinion and recieved the news that due to my knees being abnormally flexible, my kneecaps were being pulled closer to my femur. So instead of a nice alignment, I have malaligned kneecaps! This hasn't been too much trouble in the past; I have refrained from excessive exercise but I enjoy walking, I take the stairs whenever possible, etc.

Fast forward! I am nearly 21 and this past tuesday, all of a sudden I got a sharp shooting pain in both knees and had trouble walking. I was in absolute tears. It had never been so bad as it was then. It felt like my knees were weak and wobbling and as if my kneecap was grinding against my other bones. I laid down with a heating pad; woke up the next morning with extreme stiffness and pain when going from a standing to sitting position and vice-versa. I had to go to class anyway (I walk to class and all over campus). I got home, sat down, and my knees again were in pain. The heating pad relieves the pain ever so slightly, but as soon as it comes off the pain comes storming back :(

I went to the doctor on thursday (Actually it was a nurse who specialized in sports injuries) who examined my knees, I told her my history and how this was the worse pain I had experienced with regards to my knees. She consulted with the attending orthopedic surgeon (who was too busy, I suppose to come have a look himself) and decided the best course of action was limited walking for a week and a diet of anti-inflammatories. I am allergic to motrin, so as you can imagine, anti-inflams are off limits in general. She said tylonel. That's great but I've tried it and it doesn't help the pain at all. She diagnosed it as a flare-up of my previous condition and said "This is just one of many you're going to have". Okay... so I wonder if it is untreatable?

So it has been a weekend in bed, no heating pad, and limited movement. Now it is monday, class is back in session, and I am still in pain whenever I am in sitting, standing, or lying down position. It is not as bad as tuesday or wednesday, but it has never been so constant in the past (nearly 7 years!) as it has been this week.

My question(s) is(are): Should I seek a second opinion? Should I demand treatment? Is there any treatment for this? I don't want to mistrust the nurse or attending orthopedic, but I thought they might help me a little more than "tylonel and bedrest" and telling me it will inevitably happen again. It makes me a little mad, but also confused because I don't know if there is a better, or at least more helpful solution. If anyone else has the same problem, please share and give advice if you can.

I don't mean to whine; I just don't know what to do. My boyfriend is telling me if the doctors don't treat me I could end up in a wheelchair... something I would be less than excited about. His mom got knee replacement surgery at the age of 18 and I really don't want that either! Am I blowing the entire problem out of proportion?

Thanks for all your help and time. I'm sorry the post was so long!

[Phill614]

good morning bear, with out a doubt get a second opinion, but do your internet research first. don't just got to the doctor thats closest to the house, i did that for my first wrist doctor and he screwed me up but good.  i know this is your knee not your wrist but please get someones elses opinion for your piece of mind.  take care  Phill

[cutecarebear]

Hey Phill,

Thanks for the response :) I am definitely going to get them checked out by someone else; I've actually developed a lot of little popped blood vessels along the muscle on the inside of my leg in the knee area. I don't know what caused that, they've never appeared before and it is a little scary! The pain isn't as bad as before but the stiffness has gotten worse and to the point where I can't even fully straighten my leg until I walk around for about 15 minutes. I feel so old!
I've still got about two weeks before I can actually see someone (my insurance is being a little annoying and then I actually have to get an appointment with someone) so wish me luck in the meantime :)