I have arthritis

[Celsius]

My knees have been feeling weak after resting for a year now. I was sent to do x ray and the doc concluded I have arthritis.

 

Weird because I have no pain, just weakness in legs after sitting or sleeping. Often the knee just has to "click" and it will be back to normal.

 

I asked ChatGPT and it said arthritis unlikely....more like crepitus. 

 

Should I trust AI or Canadian doctors? AI also mentioned arthritis misdiagnosis can mage things worse by doing incorrect exercises.

 

 

[billd766]

I have osteo-arthritis in both knee caps (confirmed), the cartilage in my left knee is almost worn away and I have already had one operation. I wouldn't take the word of ANY unsupported AI information from the internet though the internet is a useful place to look for external sources of information.

 

I would rather trust a doctor especially if they are specialists.

 

IMO you would be better off going to a specialist and getting an X-Ray, then asking the doctor to explain it to you.

 

Try doing a search and typing in "early knee arthritis symptoms" where there is a lot of information available. Some from AI but most of it is not.

 

I am using Ibuprofen tablets from the State hospital and also an infusion of cannabis flower heads with honey and hot water, left to steep until I remember it, then poured through a strainer or a sieve into a plastic bottle and popped in the fridge to get cold. I take about 450 ml before I go to sleep.

 

Does it work for me? I am sure that it does.

 

Will it work for you? I truly have no idea, but it may.

[3NUMBAS]

Same here so massage with eucalyptus oil and frankincense oil which eased the pressure on my pelvis

[scubascuba3]

Second opinion is sensible, don't mention the first diagnosis 

[Sheryl]

Moved to Health Forum as involves a medical diagnisis.

 

OP please completely ignore AI. It is not a "source" period, let alone an authoritative one. All it does is automatically  compile things from elsewhere on the web (sometimes not really relevant, and/or inaccurate) and then weave it all  into text. 

 

Crepitus is  a symptom not a diagnosis. And one that  can be due to arthritis.

 

If x ray showed arthritis then you have arthtitis; most people past a certain age do to at least some extent. 

 

The only question is whether or not arthritis alone fully accounts for the weakness in your legs. Arthritis can cause this but so can some other things.

 

Targeted physical therapy/exercises are a good place to start and thee are many on youtube. .  Stair climbing is especially helpful.

 

Do not persist with any exercise past point of pain. 

 

And if using Google click on "web" to avoid  the (often misleading) AI summaries. 

[Furioso]

My right knee was giving me trouble for over a year PLUS I often had gout flareups in my big toe and my uric acid levels very high. Finally I completely cut chicken(high purine food)out of my diet and my knee problem went away. 

 

My point is diet can make a huge difference in your joints. Besides cutting out high purine foods maybe try intermittent fasting to see if the inflammation goes down. It's also not a bad idea to get a blood test to see if your uric acid levels are too high. Good luck!

[Celsius]

6 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

Same here so massage with eucalyptus oil and frankincense oil which eased the pressure on my pelvis

 

So, just to confirm, you don't have pain, just weakness in knees after sitting down or sleeping? The weakness gets better after walking for a few minutes. 

[Harrisfan]

On 5/9/2025 at 1:33 PM, Celsius said:

My knees have been feeling weak after resting for a year now. I was sent to do x ray and the doc concluded I have arthritis.

 

Weird because I have no pain, just weakness in legs after sitting or sleeping. Often the knee just has to "click" and it will be back to normal.

 

I asked ChatGPT and it said arthritis unlikely....more like crepitus. 

 

Should I trust AI or Canadian doctors? AI also mentioned arthritis misdiagnosis can mage things worse by doing incorrect exercises.

 

 

AI is a guess.

[save the frogs]

On 5/8/2025 at 11:33 PM, Celsius said:

I asked ChatGPT and it said arthritis unlikely....more like crepitus. 

You used ChatGPT?

I tried it and got a much more thorough response. 

 

 

CHATGPT:

Thanks for sharing that—I'll give you a careful, grounded response based on what you're describing.

You mentioned:

• Knee weakness after rest (like sitting or sleeping)

• No pain

• "Clicking" brings the knee back to normal

• Duration: around a year

• X-ray showed signs of arthritis

Here's a breakdown of what might be going on:

1. Osteoarthritis (OA)

• OA can show on X-rays even if you don’t have much or any pain, especially in early or mild cases.

• Weakness and stiffness after periods of inactivity (called gelling) is actually very typical in OA.

• A "click" sensation that improves the feeling might just be normal joint mechanics—ligaments, tendons, or menisci moving back into place.

2. Patellofemoral Syndrome or Maltracking

• Your kneecap might not be gliding smoothly over the femur.

• This can cause a sense of instability or weakness, especially after sitting with knees bent (“theater sign”).

• Clicking is common here too.

3. Quadriceps Weakness or Deconditioning

• If you were inactive for a year, your quad muscles may have weakened, which directly affects knee stability.

• Weakness can make it feel like your knee “gives” or needs to "snap" into place.

4. Meniscus or Ligament Issues (less likely without pain)

• Tears in these structures typically cause pain, swelling, or locking, but mild or chronic tears might just cause clicking or instability.

---

What you might consider doing next:

• Ask for a physical therapy referral – Strengthening your quads and glutes can often dramatically improve symptoms.

• An MRI – If the clicking feels more like a catch or if the instability worsens, an MRI could check soft tissues more closely than an X-ray.

• Track symptoms – Note if the "click" always helps, if swelling appears, or if it starts to hurt—this could guide diagnosis further.

Would you like a simple exercise guide to start rebuilding knee support safely?

[madone]

On 5/9/2025 at 10:33 AM, Celsius said:

My knees have been feeling weak after resting for a year now. I was sent to do x ray and the doc concluded I have arthritis.

 

Weird because I have no pain, just weakness in legs after sitting or sleeping. Often the knee just has to "click" and it will be back to normal.

 

I asked ChatGPT and it said arthritis unlikely....more like crepitus. 

 

Should I trust AI or Canadian doctors? AI also mentioned arthritis misdiagnosis can mage things worse by doing incorrect exercises.

 

 

zero fox given

[atpeace]

On 5/9/2025 at 10:33 AM, Celsius said:

My knees have been feeling weak after resting for a year now. I was sent to do x ray and the doc concluded I have arthritis.

 

Weird because I have no pain, just weakness in legs after sitting or sleeping. Often the knee just has to "click" and it will be back to normal.

 

I asked ChatGPT and it said arthritis unlikely....more like crepitus. 

 

Should I trust AI or Canadian doctors? AI also mentioned arthritis misdiagnosis can mage things worse by doing incorrect exercises.

 

 

I would go to 10 specialist for giggles if I had the extra funds to blow.  You will  get 10 different opinions and then you can randomly pick one.  I have tons of experience doing the above until I realised they are just guessing most the time and are too busy to really dive into your specific issue.  I have had them tell me the craziest things.

 

You have been resting for a year? That is a joke right?  Start moving and improve your range of motion. Elliptical, rowing machine, walking...  People are always looking for doctors/pharmacists to fix what we are perfectly capable of resolving our self most the time.  Do you really think a doctor knows more about your body than you do?  Definitely exceptions but I rely on myself first but realise there is a time and a place for a specialist.  

[Celsius]

3 hours ago, madone said:

zero fox given

 

Did she tell you that after gifting her a house and fake titz?

[gargamon]

Go get a shot of arthrosamid. Available in Canada now. About $4000 per injection. Lasts years supposedly.

[Celsius]

2 hours ago, gargamon said:

Go get a shot of arthrosamid. Available in Canada now. About $4000 per injection. Lasts years supposedly.

 

Interesting the way it works but the problem is it doesn't work for a lot of people.

[scubascuba3]

Maybe try strengthening legs and knees and see if it helps, exercise, cycling, even brisk walking, good for you anyway

[gargamon]

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

 

Interesting the way it works but the problem is it doesn't work for a lot of people.

Apparently the worse the OA is, the lower the effectiveness. If you're ready for joint replacement, none of the gels/lubricants they inject will help much.

[billd766]

6 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Maybe try strengthening legs and knees and see if it helps, exercise, cycling, even brisk walking, good for you anyway

Most people with arthritis or osteo-arthritis in the knees have difficulty walking in the first place and many have balance problems.

 

At 80 I can get down on the floor, but if I fall down I can't get up without help from at least 2 Thais. I can shuffle around on my ass but to get up I need to turn over onto my knees (which is painful and climb up using the furniture, IF I am lucky.

[scubascuba3]

22 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Most people with arthritis or osteo-arthritis in the knees have difficulty walking in the first place and many have balance problems.

 

At 80 I can get down on the floor, but if I fall down I can't get up without help from at least 2 Thais. I can shuffle around on my ass but to get up I need to turn over onto my knees (which is painful and climb up using the furniture, IF I am lucky.

But he may not have arthritis or osteoarthritis 

[Cameroni]

On 5/9/2025 at 5:33 AM, Celsius said:

asked ChatGPT and it said arthritis unlikely....more like crepitus. 

 

Your mistake was to consult AI when you should have consulted real quality medical advice such as Youtube. Knees over Toes guy will have you sorted in 3 months.

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

But he may not have arthritis or osteoarthritis 

Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis.  The most common form. 

 

No way a doctor would be wrong about arthritis after reviewing a Xray. It is very obvious. 

 

Thr only issue is whether the arthritis seen on Xray fully  accounts for the specific symptoms.  In the opinion of his doctor, who has examined him,  it does, and certainly his symptoms are consistent  with this. But there is also an unexplained reference to having "rested" for a year,  which would have weakened muscle tone.

 

 

[GanDoonToonPet]

On 5/9/2025 at 10:33 AM, Celsius said:

My knees have been feeling weak after resting for a year now

 

What do you mean by resting? Did you have an accident or condition that meant you couldn't walk for a year? If so, there would have been a lot of muscle atrophy and would take time to slowly regain strength / stamina in the leg muscles again.

[Celsius]

21 minutes ago, GanDoonToonPet said:

 

What do you mean by resting? Did you have an accident or condition that meant you couldn't walk for a year? If so, there would have been a lot of muscle atrophy and would take time to slowly regain strength / stamina in the leg muscles again.

 

Yeah...that came out stupid.

 

Meant to say, my knees feel weak after resting.... such as sitting, sleeping and generally not using them. It has been 1 year since the symptoms started.

[hotsun]

Why didnt you see someone about it in thailand? Then you would have two opinions

[Rimmer]

On 5/11/2025 at 4:14 AM, scubascuba3 said:

Maybe try strengthening legs and knees and see if it helps, exercise, cycling, even brisk walking, good for you anyway

 

I have / had similar problems as described by the OP, due to cross country hash running over many years,  I dusted off my leg extension bench with free weights, three sets a day gradually increasing the weight and lowering the reps for each set, knee has now strengthened to ensure muscles support the damaged area, problem has now gone away and been away for many many months.

 

Just my experience.

[unblocktheplanet]

On 5/9/2025 at 1:34 PM, billd766 said:

steep until I remember it, then poured through a strainer or a sieve into a plastic bottle and popped in the fridge to get cold. I take about 450 ml before I go to sleep.

How long until you remember it???

[billd766]

59 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

How long until you remember it???

2 to 6 hours if I remember. The following day if I forget.

[3NUMBAS]

On 5/10/2025 at 2:29 PM, Celsius said:

 

So, just to confirm, you don't have pain, just weakness in knees after sitting down or sleeping? The weakness gets better after walking for a few minutes. 

Yes, sometimes pain at hip joints tho