@Drew Van Zee I’m not sure to be truthful when much younger my then GP said had I been over the age of 40 I would have been in line for knee replacement however the pain in the knees were overcome by the back pain and in a period of about 15 years had 11 spinal surgeries and all deemed as failed. The MRI showed narrowing of the canal which holds the spinal cord and I was told this was only found in white females??? I also had boney overgrowths on the inside of my vertebrae which were both causing compression of the chord. I had several Laminectomies - it seemed to keep chasing the compression further down, later I had facetectomies and other bits and pieces removed to try ease the compression and then they ended up fusing the main area where surgeries had been carried out - 11 in all. I also have a Spinal Cord Stimulator implanted which was hoped to ease some of the numbness in my legs and feet. With meds I was ok-ish - although now goes against NICE Guidelines, I had been on Oxycodone for many years. I was original prescribed stupid doses, 360mg per day by the hospital but I was living an out of body experience so with my then GP’s approval I reduced this myself to the lowest amount I was reasonable comfy on - still had SOME pain but it was tolerable. It took me a year as I did it slowly and then maintained the dose of 110/120mg per day thereafter. Then I moved house and GP and all hell let loose, with no meds the pains are coming out of the woodwork from every direction lol. Following the MRI - regarding the back - I was asked had I been in a bad car accident or had a sports injury - neither of which I had but, was sporty at school and it continued throughout my life and also hours each day of dog walking which I REALLY miss! The knees when first identified by my “nice” GP said I’d basically worn them out too earlier with being so active. The GP who withdrew my meds (bear in mind had never set eyes on me) had the audacity to say I have NO REAL pain, that it was only pain perceived because of the opioids, but if that were so why have I been rendered virtually immobile due to the pain since these meds ceased? The 2nd GP Practice I’ve moved to since moving house will only address one topic per visit and will not treat me as a WHOLE PERSON, I can only discuss my back pain (as that is my main pain) and will not even discuss my knee pain UNLESS I make a separate appointment for that! It’s ridiculous really, the knee pain didn’t come back to the foreground until pain meds withdrawn and being prescribed paracetamol ONLY is just a waste of time.

Good, thank you xxx