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]

I seem to be the last person standing in this forum. Humor was intended.

I am still doing well and hope the rest of you are also. I've started to get out and about again which involves me driving myself around town (very easy to get around here), but it took courage to start driving again.

[VirginiaW]

I am doing better for the time being, but this was my week last week:
Monday went to E.R. for the worst attack I'd ever had. The pain was not only in its normal place, but also going half way up my leg in back and also half way down. The E.R. trip was useless except that I got 15 tabs of Hydrocodone. I've been taking half a tab before I go places, as a precaution and hopefully prevention.
Tuesday: was very vomiting sick all day
Wednesday: went to my husband's new ortho who assured me there is nothing wrong with my knee and otherwise was no help at all . . . another wasted trip in general. Gave me a prescription for Celebrex which I won't likely fill. After all, . . . he said there's nothing wrong with my knee except a little beginning arthritis.
Thursday: younger son and wife came a day early to beat the storm
Friday (Christmas Eve): had to cancel our plans because of storm
Saturday: good day with both sons, wives and family
Sunday: good day today
Conclusion: very little pain since trip to E.R. Oh, I just remembered: under guidance of neurologist, I have increased Gabapentin to the maximum dose over the course of this past week. Maybe that's why I've been better.

[VirginiaW]

I hope Mick's wife's comment above has helped others in addition to me.
I had my  neuro appointment today and I had a major attack right there in his office in mid-sentence. I'm glad it happened. Now he knows what we are all talking about. I had a very hard day in general (numerous milder jolts) but it ended well with a two-hour nap on the couch. Now I wish it were morning so I could get going for real again.
After seeing the intensity of my pain (crying level), the neuro worked out a schedule that will increase my Gabapentin over the course of about a week. I will end up taking 3600MG per day.
I hope it doesn't make me loopy again or too clumsy or tremory. Is that a word? I doubt it. :) I am a former proofreader.
Still thinking of all of you too . . .

[VirginiaW]

Please see the private message I sent you.

Thanks for your encouragement for all of us.

[Mick4770]

Hi Virgina, I'm Mick's wife.  I'm so sorry to hear you are still feeling this unbearable pain!  I have seen my husband jolt when he gets one of these shocks and the way he describes the pain sounds worse than childbirth!  I see that a few people have written about falling on their hips or tailbone previous to the pain just like my husband and so we are leaning towards believing that the fall on his opposite hip is what started this "nerve" pain in the back of the knee.  (I guess)  Since we posted our only comment back in July, he has only had 3 or 4 attacks since then, and none in the last...probably 3 months.  You mentioned you have lower back pain that you kind of associate with the shocks.  Is it possible you injured your hip, tailbone or back?    

I fear you may have had so many medical procedures done to your knee that you may have to recover from those before you are going to feel any relief. I sincerely sympathize with you, my husband says one of the hardest parts is trying to portray just how extremely painful these shocks are to those who don't know.  

But the scariest thing you wrote...not the pain...not your inability to clean house...but that you are loosing your faith!!  Now is not the time to give up on your faith or your life.  Don't be afraid to drive those 100 miles, do it - get up and do anything you want to do - don't live in fear and let the pain win!  You CAN get past this - say a prayer, tell this pain you are done with it, get over the swelling and other damage that may have been caused and get back to living.  God doesn't want you to have this life, he wants you to stop crying and start laughing.  This pain will only be here for a season, but you need your Faith for a lifetime.

Your pain is real and it is here for a reason.  I don't know what that reason is, but I know your story has helped us and I'm sure it has helped many others.  Keep the Faith and lose the pain, let God run your life, not the pain.

[sheels]

i have the same Exact pain and symptoms you have...ended up in ER few times, excruciating pain like electric shocks again and again zapping...sometimes comes in the middle of the night. i started having it after I started taking tamoxifen for Breast cancer..tamoxifen causes arthritis, had all kinds of tests, all normal though. The only treatment HELPED is steroids, (medrol dose pack). It completely took away the pain for some time, but if, start using my knees,, exercise, it starts again..then i start steroids again. so it's some kind inflammation which irritates the sciatic or peroneal nerve there. i hope it helps.