Excruciating Electric-Shock Pain in Back of Knee

[smont48]

For the past two years my wife (Age 47, 5'3", 140lbs) has had painfull attacks in the back of her knee that she describes as feeling like electric shocks.  Many times these are so painfull that they bring her right down to the floor where she screams and/or cries out in agony.  There is no pattern of when this happens. They are very random and can occur when she's sitting, walking, running or laying in bed.  They also can occur once in a day or week, or several times in  the same day.  She has had ultrasounds, xrays, mri's, vein tests, nerve tests, etc., and no doctor yet has diagnosed her problem.  It scares the heck out of me sometimes because it comes on so quick that there is a violent jerk reaction followed by cries of pain and agony.  The location of these painfull electric shocks is in the back of the knee about an inch or two below where the knee bends.  We've already checked on it being a Bakers Cyst causing the problem so I don't think it's that.  Because of the electrical-shock like nature of the pain, I'm guessing it has something to do with a nerve or vein being squeezed or pinched.  But how does that exlplain painfull attackes when she's laying completely flat or in a recliner and not moving a muscle?  I should add the she is a nail technician and sits for periods of time with her legs crossed.  But she has had a vein test and everything came out normal.  She does take B12 shots because at time she is deficient in Vitamin B12.  But that doesnt' seem to help.  She did have injections of botox which helped somewhat but not a whole heck of a lot.  We are at a loss for what is wrong. The Dr's. are at a loss. We've been to 5 or 6 specialists and my wife is at wits end.  Any suggestions?

[VirginiaW]

Your pain sounds exactly like mine was. Sometimes for a split-second, but I had a few that lasted 10 minutes apiece. Sometimes off and on all day long for days at a time.

[VirginiaW]

I hope it is, as my neurologist and a previous primary doctor suspected . . . I hope it is neuralgia. I hope mine is being prevented by taking Gabapentin, which is actually primarily an anti-seizure medication. Please, all of you, go to a neurologist and talk to him about trying this medicine. You'll get your life back if it works for you. I take the maximum dose. You have to work up to that much, if you indeed need it.

[shana162]

Thanks for all your posts on this.  I don't know if I have exactly what you have, but it's close.  I have been pretty normal without any real health problems so far in life.  I'm 41 and out of the blue about 3 weeks ago the worst pain imaginable hit the inside of my left knee for less than a second.  It was so bad I threw down what I had in my hands.  Everyone kind of laughed and asked what in the world happened.  Now there are more of them happening.  They only last for a second but they seem to be increasing in the number.  Instead of one, it will be 8 or 10 in a minute and then they are gone. They are bad though.  It's like it hits so hard my brain doesn't have time to process what is happening.  Tonight I fell to the ground because one hit and it was so painful, I was laying on the ground before my brain realized it was one of the electric shock pains that put me there.  What the heck is this?

[VirginiaW]

Does your wife take Omeprazole (Prilosec)? I started taking it about the same time my shocks started. My neurologist suggested I switch to something else (for heartburn), so now I take Famotidine. Unfortunately, I'm almost 62 and have too many invisible age-related ailments to be able to use the scientific theory to rule out this or that.

[VirginiaW]

Good grief, I didn't know my previous post was so long!
I want to tell you that I live in Rantoul, IL and my neurologist is Dr. Shyu at Christie Clinic in Champaign, IL.

[VirginiaW]

I attribute my lack of pain, as far as medicine goes, to Gabapentin 600MG two tablets three times a day EVERY day! It's a prevention, not something you take after the shock begins.  By the way, it is the same medicine that epileptics take to prevent seizures. It works in the brain. I think it supplies a needed hormone that might be lacking. I'd have to study again to make sure that is right.
It's either the medicine, or God himself that is working. I can't say which for sure. It doesn't really matter, as long as the shocks are not occurring.
I used to have shocks all day long and would just sit and cry. When I had my last attack, I told my husband in all seriousness, "I wish I could just die a natural death and get it over with" even though I have a pretty good life otherwise and have grandchildren to live for.
I spent a year and a half going from doctor to doctor (all kinds) and none have heard of this type of pain. I TELL THEM TO GO TO SOME ONLINE FORUMS! I copied pages of stories from other people like you and took them to doctors.
The bottom line is that when this first started, my primary doctor SAID it was neuralgia although there were no studies of anyone who had ever had it so low in the body. He thought a Botox shot behind my knee might help temporarily, but my insurance would not pay for it. Neither would my husband. That's hateful, I know. We could have afforded it.
So, I went to about 12 different doctors in that time period until I finally landed with this particular neurologist. One time I had a very severe attack in his office and he said, "I never realized how bad the pain was." I was sobbing.
He says there is one more medicine he could add if I ever do need it. I forgot what it is, but it starts with a T.
My very first attack was when I was driving . . . two years ago this month. They continued just whenever though, no matter what I was doing. Sometimes they woke me from a deep sleep, one time I was in a swimming pool, just anytime. I'm sorry to be discouraging, but that's how it is.
My best to you. You have to keep pounding the doors of those doctors and RAISE THEIR AWARENESS OF THIS MONSTER!!!