Hi Everyone,
Hope you all don't mind me being new and jumping in with a question . . .
I have to decide if I want to have an aspiration done on my knee. I am still hoping the fluid will reabsorb since I hate needles. Have any of you had this procedure done? Was it really painful (my doc says he doesn't do local anasthesia!)? Did the fluid return? Anyone not do it and have fluid reabsorb?
I am sick with worry about having this done for some reason. Hate needles and hate pain. That's probably why!
Thanks in advance,
Rocky
I have had this done a few times on the same knee the fluid never went away on its own... anyone else
I have not had it before, but my baker's cyst reabsorbs also. Buck up, it won't hurt too bad and all that horrid ache and pain the cyst has caused will be gone 
Hangloose
oh Rocky,
i hear ya...a needle in the joint is not pleasant...i won't lie. i never had fluid aspirated but i did have stuff injected intra-articularly (into the knee joint). it's weird...i would compare it to an IM in the arm...it's not the worst thing in the world...a spinal tap is MUCH WORSE...so is dental work! mmmmm?? just trying to think of what i can compare it to??
for afterwards i would recommend staying off your feet and elevation and maybe ice compressions if its ok...for the discomfort.
when i had both knees done...i felt a little faint. (but i was a wuss too!)
thinking back on it....it helped so i would do it again!
i feel more and more people will respond to this post with some more testimonies to quell your anxiety...i know it's scary.
best wishes
erin
i hear ya...a needle in the joint is not pleasant...i won't lie. i never had fluid aspirated but i did have stuff injected intra-articularly (into the knee joint). it's weird...i would compare it to an IM in the arm...it's not the worst thing in the world...a spinal tap is MUCH WORSE...so is dental work! mmmmm?? just trying to think of what i can compare it to??
for afterwards i would recommend staying off your feet and elevation and maybe ice compressions if its ok...for the discomfort.
when i had both knees done...i felt a little faint. (but i was a wuss too!)
thinking back on it....it helped so i would do it again!
i feel more and more people will respond to this post with some more testimonies to quell your anxiety...i know it's scary.
best wishes
erin
Thanks for all your input so far. The mor the merrier for sure!! You got it right Erin! I am looking to quell anxiety! 
It is not supposed to hurt, everyone I know didn't feel a thing. I don't take to novicane - or whatever they gave for numbing, but I swear that is what he called it thought - very easily and after 2 shots I was still not numb, it hurt so bad eveyone in the office heard me scream and I made the doctor stop. However, I was only 19 then AND I don't think that was a good move on the doc. He was doing it to test the fluid, but honestly, I don't think my knee was that swollen at the time and maybe that is why the procedure hurt so bad. Additionally, the doc was a jerk and I should kicked him where it hurts like I wanted to.
hey Rocky!
Is your doc on the gentle side? that helps a lot. mine is. and good warm hands too! the way i think of it...if i can suck it up, then anyone can!
I'de say...get a towel or a shirt and hide your face from looking at it...and maybe to scream into! nah, just kidding! no i'm not! tee hee.
The worst that can happen is ...you say STOP! it's not a mandatory procedure is it??
hmm..waht else. oh, and a rheummy is the best at giving needles in the joints! that's their specialty, so have faith in that you doc has done this a million times.
i remember my knees were actually swollen a few days after it...and then they were good!
if you're in pain now...and the chances that this procedure may make you better...GO FOR IT!
get psyched up like a football player...and sock it to me!!!!
also, i'm sure the doc is used to being cursed at during an aspiration too...so that could be fun!!
or hell...have a few drinks before ya go in!!!!
oh NO!! Flopsie's gonna kill me when she reads this! tee hee.
Camama, i'm sure you're cracking up!
Rocky...our thoughts are with you! Do you have any tattoos??
yeah....where is this question going?
only asking that because tattooing sometimes desensitizes people of needles. do you have time to go out and get one?? LOL!! OK I'LL shut up now.
I hope someone's got some entertainment out of this besides me.
When are you having this done Rock??
take care & best wishes...hope you had a good laugh.
{{{{{{ hugs }}}}}}}}
erin
Is your doc on the gentle side? that helps a lot. mine is. and good warm hands too! the way i think of it...if i can suck it up, then anyone can!
I'de say...get a towel or a shirt and hide your face from looking at it...and maybe to scream into! nah, just kidding! no i'm not! tee hee.
The worst that can happen is ...you say STOP! it's not a mandatory procedure is it??
hmm..waht else. oh, and a rheummy is the best at giving needles in the joints! that's their specialty, so have faith in that you doc has done this a million times.
i remember my knees were actually swollen a few days after it...and then they were good!
if you're in pain now...and the chances that this procedure may make you better...GO FOR IT!
get psyched up like a football player...and sock it to me!!!!
also, i'm sure the doc is used to being cursed at during an aspiration too...so that could be fun!!
or hell...have a few drinks before ya go in!!!!
oh NO!! Flopsie's gonna kill me when she reads this! tee hee.
Camama, i'm sure you're cracking up!
Rocky...our thoughts are with you! Do you have any tattoos??
yeah....where is this question going?
only asking that because tattooing sometimes desensitizes people of needles. do you have time to go out and get one?? LOL!! OK I'LL shut up now.
I hope someone's got some entertainment out of this besides me.
When are you having this done Rock??
take care & best wishes...hope you had a good laugh.
{{{{{{ hugs }}}}}}}}
erin
Erin - shame on you, you are gonna turn Rocky into a sailor... first getting liquored up , then a tattoo? I'm telling Flopsie! :) hee hee hee...
Good luck Rocky, I have had fluid removed from my knees before, I was in highschool when I had it done, and I remember feeling the pressure of it, but not feeling any pain... However, my knees were pretty banged up, so I was already hurting... I guess I should say I didn't feel any ADDITIONAL pain.... keep us posted and let us know what happens... - Duck
Diagnosed January 2005 - Psoriatic Arthritis/Dactylitis/Spondylitis
Good luck Rocky, I have had fluid removed from my knees before, I was in highschool when I had it done, and I remember feeling the pressure of it, but not feeling any pain... However, my knees were pretty banged up, so I was already hurting... I guess I should say I didn't feel any ADDITIONAL pain.... keep us posted and let us know what happens... - Duck
Diagnosed January 2005 - Psoriatic Arthritis/Dactylitis/Spondylitis
-Currently taking 50mg shot weekly of Enbrel
Diagnosed May 1998 - Graves Disease
-Complete Thyroidectomy September 1998 - While 11 weeks pregnant
Other Complications - GERD/Scoliosis/Hiatal Hernia
You guys are too funny! 
Seriously, don't let me scare you - I typically need 3 shots in my mouth to get dental work done. Like I said, basic numbing shots don't do it for me all the time unless they use the heavy duty stuff and they did NOT use it for the knee thing on me. Also, I know at least 2 people who had it done and said they didn't feel a thing....so, don't stress.
Erin, you sound in good spirits, does that mean you're feeling a tad better? I hope so!
**
thankx Camama...nah, i'm not really feeling better...but it makes me feel better to conentrate on other people's needs, ya know...thinking of other problems besides my own.
and i guess because i know my honey's coming to get me...i'm happy; but i'm in a lot of pain and have the sneezes now....so i'm being vigilant on my body.
i'm treating my honey to dinner tonite...been saving my pennies for weeks. it's his birthday next weekend, but he's had a LONG HARD week and deserves a surprise. we're just going to the pub...but he likes his GUINNESS and wings, so it'll be an early B-Day surprise.
that's too funny...I AM NOT TURNING ROCKY INTO A SAILOR!! LOL.
ok...maybe i am, what the heck. guess Flopsie hasn't read any of this yet. i can hear her now..."what kind of nurse teaches patients that!?!?" LOL
hey...i could have given much worse advise! LOL.
erin
and i guess because i know my honey's coming to get me...i'm happy; but i'm in a lot of pain and have the sneezes now....so i'm being vigilant on my body.
i'm treating my honey to dinner tonite...been saving my pennies for weeks. it's his birthday next weekend, but he's had a LONG HARD week and deserves a surprise. we're just going to the pub...but he likes his GUINNESS and wings, so it'll be an early B-Day surprise.
that's too funny...I AM NOT TURNING ROCKY INTO A SAILOR!! LOL.
ok...maybe i am, what the heck. guess Flopsie hasn't read any of this yet. i can hear her now..."what kind of nurse teaches patients that!?!?" LOL
hey...i could have given much worse advise! LOL.
erin
You guys are all so nice. Thank you so much!
A sailor indeed! I had considered a little drink before the procedure, but then I thought, "What if my appointment is at 9am?" I also have some leftover Percocet from m C-Section last year. But I don't think I'm that hardcore. Which is probably why I have no tatoos.
I love the idea of not feeling anything! Let's go with that! But I imagine it's somewhere in between passing out and feeling nothing. Someone asked if this was mandatory and it's not, I don't think. Do you guys know if leaving fluid buildup sit causes additional damage?
Well, thanks again everyone! I'm probably going in two weeks from now if it doesn't subside on its own. It's been swollen for about 10 weeks now, so I am not overly hopeful for sudden reabsorption. If anyone knows of any magic fluid absorption potions, please share.
Thanks again!
Rocky
A sailor indeed! I had considered a little drink before the procedure, but then I thought, "What if my appointment is at 9am?" I also have some leftover Percocet from m C-Section last year. But I don't think I'm that hardcore. Which is probably why I have no tatoos.
I love the idea of not feeling anything! Let's go with that! But I imagine it's somewhere in between passing out and feeling nothing. Someone asked if this was mandatory and it's not, I don't think. Do you guys know if leaving fluid buildup sit causes additional damage?
Well, thanks again everyone! I'm probably going in two weeks from now if it doesn't subside on its own. It's been swollen for about 10 weeks now, so I am not overly hopeful for sudden reabsorption. If anyone knows of any magic fluid absorption potions, please share.
Thanks again!
Rocky
Whoa! Hold the lines, I just noticed on your original post you said your doc does NOT do local anesthesia! So, you get NO pain med for it???? Maybe that Percocet would be good to take (long as you have someone to drive you there and back again.) If you really would like that 9 a.m. cordial, you can always say, "it's cocktail hour SOMEWHERE right now!" 
I have always been a wimp (espec. back then when they tried it on me), I'm sure most people can tolerate more than I could back then, even now. I could NOT hold still for my epidural as much as I tried, they had to drug me first.
Do they know what caused the swelling? My husband fell and his knee swelled like an elephant's for months. I can't remember if it went down on its own or not until he had surgery. But, I guess that is something totally different than what we are talking about here.....
Rocky, your sense of humor fits right in here!
**
I've had both knees done, didn't really hurt, but I am a guy 
OTOH, I had a Dr. who was not my GP or Rheumy, who tried to do it on my shoulder. That hurt like a son-of-a-gun, but other docs have told me that was a pretty bad idea considering the nature of a shoulder joint.
The fluid in your joints is what causes so much of the pain and discomfort from RA, when it is not there, your joints will feel better.
I would not let your concern for short term pain stop you from getting help. When the fluid was drained from my knees, they both felt so much better almost immeadiatly that perhaps I forgot that it did hurt.
... Craig
OTOH, I had a Dr. who was not my GP or Rheumy, who tried to do it on my shoulder. That hurt like a son-of-a-gun, but other docs have told me that was a pretty bad idea considering the nature of a shoulder joint.
The fluid in your joints is what causes so much of the pain and discomfort from RA, when it is not there, your joints will feel better.
I would not let your concern for short term pain stop you from getting help. When the fluid was drained from my knees, they both felt so much better almost immeadiatly that perhaps I forgot that it did hurt.
... Craig
In the past when I have had mine done they did not use anesthesia, they cleaned the area around the kneecap (at the side) sprayed it with a can of freeze spray (yeah I have no idea what that was) then inserted the needle behind the kneecap then attached the plunger to release the fluid. I wouldnt describe as pain so much as poke and uncomfortable pressure, it just feels weird. It gives you a sensation up your back. Then the knee is wobbly for a while then its better in a few hours you can feel the pain and pressure start to release
Ok, my 2 cents worth, had it done several times on l-knee and it hurt hell each time. My dr did not give any meds either. It did not hurt him so why should it hurt the patient, right. My knee always aached later, be sure to elevate & ice it afterwards and stay off the 1st 24 hrs as much as possible. Susie