PLEASE READ ME AND HELP ME

[ScaredFerny]

7/19/08 (I would appreciate anybodys and everybodys help, opinion and input PLEASE)

Hi My name is Fernanda I'm 18 and I'm very scared and no one seems to be able to give me hope. I have severe pain in my left knee and it seems to be spreading down my chin and moving to mid thigh. And my left leg seems to be sensitive to my cloths, water, wind it feels very irratated when anything touches it (just the left leg). This started about two years ago I'm a dancer and it started when I toke up ballet and strenuous work outs, but I never had an injury I noticed when I turned my knees at angles it would be servely irratated and with years its gotten worse to the point that I can't walk, sit, stand let alone go back to my passion dancing and being active. I've been told many things such as I should prepare to be in a wheelchair (that left me a mess), that I have torn miniscus, then arthitis. I've done physical therapy twice didn't really help, I've had three MRI done two on the knee, one on the thigh everthing came back normal. I've had a bone scan as well normal, and seen two orthopedics who ruled out that this has nothing to do with my bones. I recently saw a nuerologist for the first time (who really doesn't give me much hope), he sent me to have an EMG on my leg and an MRI done on back (July 24th, 2008) but told me that they will probably will come back normal and if so he would send me to Seattle for God knows what so I'm currently on Tegretol which does NOTHING...I spend hours on this web site which I thank God for, everyone is this community gives me hope and my biggest wish is to go back to dancing and being the active person I once was. So PLEASE if anyone can give me hope I would so appreciate it. GOD BLESS

[eilig]

I'm not a doctor, but I'm a distance runner, and it sounds to me like you've got patellar tendonitis.  I've had it many times over the years, and it can be debilitating and take forever to heal.  Sometimes it can feel like it never does really heal.  If I were you, I'd read about patellar tendonitis, and follow recommendations for this to see if it helps.  Good luck.  And perhaps most importantly, above all else, try to remain positive.  It helps tremendously.

[medicmommy]

Oh yeah, hello from a fellow Washingtonian! :)         ~MM

[medicmommy]

I was wondering if your knees are swollen or red when they hurt? Does taking medication like Ibuprofen help at all? Do you have any other symptoms? (Like fever, aching in other joints, low back ache, heel or ball of your foot pain?) If you haven't, have your white blood cell count checked..It checks for signs of infection...  Hope this helps...         ~MM

[Judy1961]

One question, why would you be in a wheelchair from a torn meniscus in the knee.  They can treat that with an arthroscopy procedure (I had this done last December and it was probably the easiest surgery I have ever had).   They put three little portal holes around the front of the knee.  They do the surgery with the scope.  At most, you will be on a pair of crutches for a few days to a week.  You are under general anesthesia for about an hour.

Here is a site on fibromyalgia:  http://www.fmnetnews.com/basics-criteria.php

Why worry about arthritis already, you are only 18.  Did they say you have arthritis?  I mean at one point in our life as we become old we most likely will all have arthritis, it is a part of aging.  

Did you mean to say you pain in the chin or meant shin?

[Cindee56]

Oh, sorry, I just realized that this IS the Undiagnosed Symptoms board, LOL!  

The other thing--please don't believe it that you will be in a wheelchair.  You just haven't found out what it is yet, but you will.  Don't give up!

[Cindee56]

Hi, first of all, I'm very sorry.  The two ideas I have are maybe you have fibromyalgia (although you are young, it's not unheard of) or rheumatoid arthritis or some other type.  The other idea is that is it possible these problems are from overuse injuries or muscle imbalances?  You said you are a dancer and had strenuous workouts.  If you went for years using the same muscles in your legs, it is possible.

Have you tried seeing a sports medicine doctor?  How about a rheumatologist?  Also try a foot doctor.  As I understand it, ballet is hard on the feet.  If your feet hurt, your legs and knees hurt.  You can try getting some type of orthopedic shoes and see if that helps you (they are expensive though).

I suggest this because I was very active when I was young and up until about 45 when everything started to hurt me.  I have osteoarthritis in my knees, degenerative discs in my neck and back and now I was just diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  Check the fibro board and the degenerative diseases board and also the undiagnosed symptoms board.

Good luck, and please let me know what you find out.

Cindy