Knee pain - Urgent Care, ER, Tough it out till Mon?

[doberbrat]

5 or 6 weeks ago, I did something to my knee. At first, I figured it was b/c my boots were to tight or it was a strained muscle etc. I didnt fall or do anything 'obvious'. Its been getting worse and worse but not 'bad' if you kwim.

Th something sort of 'popped' while I was getting up and it was much more painful. Took advil and went about my business.

Yesterday, I slipped just a tiny bit on some ice and I thought I was going to collapse. I can barely walk/stand. I'm having a hard time bending my leg to sit down and standing up again is even worse. I've been taking 600mg ibuprofen every 5h which makes things a little better so long as I'm sitting down w/my leg elevated. I have 'real' painkillers but I hate self medicating

So, go to urgent care? ER? (I'm not dying...) wait till Mon and call primary care who will either refer me to an orthopod or send me to urgent care?

[BDKmom]

Maybe urgent care? I would really hate to go to the ER for anything short of dying, but I don't know if this is the sort of thing that could get worse if you wait. Urgent care could always send you to the ER if needed. With all day tomorrow to go, I don't think I would wait until Monday. May get you a step ahead in getting a referral to go ahead and be seen at urgent care. But, I don't have any btdt.

Hope you get some relief soon. Sounds painful.

[trcy]

I second the urgent care. The cost of going to the ER is too much for my budget for anything short of dying. Plus, the germs...yuck. Good luck!

[o_mom]

I would say stay off and wait until Mon. Take something stronger if you need to. Urgent care and ER are unlikely to do anything beyond giving you stronger meds and telling you to see your PCP or an ortho on Monday. Can you call your PCP after hours and ask for medication options for increasing the ibuprofen or switching to naproxen or whatever else you have?

Oh.. And ice is probably a good idea.

[BunnyBee]

Ice it (no more than 20 min an hour), stay off of it, and call your orthopedic on Monday unless you need stronger pain meds than Aleve or ibuprofen (800 mg or 4 Advil is "prescription dose" but don't take on an empty stomach).

[Mikey0709]

I agree stay off and wait until Monday. I have a very weak knee and if I bend or turn the wrong way My kneecap actually pops out of place. The pain will make me pass out, And I've actually pushed it back in the socket at times. It's not fun And extremely painful. I take anti-inflammatories But he can take days to walk normal again.

An ortho will probably send you for an MRI of your knee. Mine then sent me to physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the kneecap To help keep everything in place.

Hang in there I know how painful it is, But honestly urgent care or ER will do nothing but give you painkillers possibly. They most likely won't MRI it, And it won't show up on an x-ray.

[PZMommy]

I'd wait it out until Monday. Urgent Care and the ER are so full of germs right now, I'd avoid them at all cost. At most Urgent Care would give you crutches and pain killers and tell you to see your dr on Monday.

[StantonHyde]

Wait tip Monday--the studies or images you will need to diagnose it will only be available in the ER or via a referral. You will get better, coordinated care if you wait till Monday. Obviously, if it swells up, is red and hot to the touch, etc etc, then you want to go in. But just for pain-I would wait.

[hillview]

I'd wait too -- do you have anything stronger than tylenol?

[mackmama]

As someone who has had many knee surgeries, I would wait until Monday to see an orthopedist.

[OKKiddo]

Knee injuries here myself. I'd also wait until Monday. You can put water in a styrofoam or paper cup and then peel it to ice your knee (going in circles all over your knee). Those sadistic physical therapists showed me that trick. They also loved to make me do exercises inside a big tub full of ice water. I know they enjoyed my pain. ;)

[mackmama]

Knee injuries here myself. I'd also wait until Monday. You can put water in a styrofoam or paper cup and then peel it to ice your knee (going in circles all over your knee). Those sadistic physical therapists showed me that trick.

Oh man my PTs did this to me too after our sessions! It was brutal (but effective). It's also messy, so put a towel under your knee.