Dear Linda

   My name is Angela and I'm 48 years old. I have OA in my left knee that has progressed very fast. Over the past 4 years I have gone down hill at a rapid speed. I also have RA in the rest of my body. Hands,Neck and ankles. My right ankle is also severe. I was in a wheel chair last year for 2 months . I was taking 40 mgs of prendisone a day. I was taking a Humira shot every week. At first this helped but soon did nothing. I have had several steriod shots in my knee. More than I can really count. My right ankle has just been a problem now for about 6 months. Just a little swelling to start now so severe I can barely walk. I gained 60 pounds due to taking prednisone for so long. I joined weight watchers in the last week of January and have lost 27 pounds so far. I can not exercise at all. I can barely stand long enough to fix my self a pancake for breakfast. I do no house work . My husband does it all. With weight watchers the weight comes off slow but is worth it in the long run. At one time last summer I was going to the pool and doing some water exercises but due to my dads bad health and me taking him to the Dr. so much I had to give that up. I read somewhere on the internet for each pound lost was 4 pounds of pressure off of a persons knees. Not sure if this is true but I am willing to try to lose the weight to try to some day be able to do the things I used to do. I have a 2 year old grandson and It breaks my heart I can't even get in the floor to play with him. I can't take him outside by myself , because I'm scared he may get away from me and I won't be able to catch him. He loves for you to run him ,to try to catch him . After my husband lost him job of 34 years and we now pay for a insurance policy that won't pay for any arthritis treatment  my arthritis just continues to get worse by the day. I do work at a retail store but only because they let me sit on a stool to run the register. My Dr. told them last year no more than 20 hours per week , and to sit on a stool or not work at all. So I'm really lucky that they work with me. My heart goes out to you because I know how I would love to be able to do the things I once did. I think You are lucky to even be able to ride your bike for at least 15 minutes. My knee won't bend enough for me to peddel at all.And I know how you feel about shots not helping . When my do help they only help for about 3 weeks then I'm right back where I started from.I am now trying to get in on a study so I can get free meds for my condition. I don't like being a lab rat but I'm tired of taking an ungodly amount of pain pills a day just to function. I just pray the meds they test on me will help me. If not me maybe someone else can get some satisfaction with it. My prayers are with you and I wish you well.If I can lose the amount of weight I have lost and still be taking prednisone I feel you can do it also.I wish you all the luck in the world.

Angela

I am 52 years old and suffered with severe oa in my right knee. Finally, the knee pain progressed and I finally decided to do something that would change my life for the better.

I had a total knee replacement and it has made exercise and life so much better. First, I tried just having some repair work done about 4 years ago. I waited until my 7th and final child got their driver's license. Since I couldn't drive right after the surgery. I went to a hospital that had a great program called Joint Camp. Everyone who had a knee or hip replacement did a group physical therapy in the hospital. I was the youngest in the group but the whole group going thru the after surgery thing was super. After 2 weeks, I was driving again. I can ride a bike and play doubles tennis. I attended physical therapy for 3 months and still do a lot of stretching exercises for range of motion. Please if you have a great deal of pain.. see a good orthopedic surgeon. Get your knee fixed and improve your quality of life. Exercise is better without pain.