(kinda OT) waking up at night with knee pain - sound familiar? anyone know what might be...

Hi, everyone -

For the past two weeks I've been waking up at night with intense knee pain in my right knee.  Only the one knee and only at night.  I'm fat (I regained 40 lbs unfortunately - but still down 100 from top weight), I'm forty, is this normal aging (especially after having spent most of my life morbidly obese)?  I haven't been exercising lately either - so I can't blame high activity.  

I'm not sure if I should go to the doctor or if this is normal fat 40-year-old stuff.  Any ideas or suggestions? I tried taking advil before bed but it doesn't make any difference. 

Thanks!!

I'm most familiar with 50-year-old-stuff, but it wasn't that long ago I was dealing with the 40's 

If it's not hurting during the day, my guess would be it's in the way you are sleeping... maybe you have your leg bent in a way, that over a period of time it's getting sore and tight?

I know that's happened with my leg, driving a long period of time with my knee in the same position... once I get it moving again, the pain goes away...

The joys of growing old! 

Pain that wakes you up in the night is serious enough that, yes, you should talk to your doctor and, preferably, an orthopedist.  

My sacroiliac joint gets out of alignment. When it does, I also get knee pain. It is exacerbated by a minor knee injury several years ago. Sometimes it is enough to wake me if I lie on my side. 

I had my first total knee replacement in my 40's and my second in my early 50's. Nighttime knee pain could be caused from your daily activity. Actually, you can have a lot of pain and even burning when you're not active, just when sitting.

I would go to a Orthopedic doctor and have X-Rays. You maybe approaching bone on bone.

Better safe than sorry, because once your interstatesgoing, the less actively will become and you certainly do not want that!

Good luck!!           

I've recently regained 20 lbs , no exercise here either,and noticed more knee pain in both knees and happens at night wakes me up. I believe it is from dehydration. I feel better after I drink water, not coffee. At age 40 is where all your health problems start to get more noticeable. Fat or not , I have regained 10 lbs and managed to take it back off then regained 20 again. Its been a fight for me like crazy now, I can consume a lot and take more to get that FULL feeling again. gaining that little extra weight I could tell a difference in the pain in my whole body, knees included and lower back also. I am working on trying to take off this 20 lbs I have regained. You are right at 40 so I would try drinking more water see if that makes a difference. Could be something as simple as that. PeaceV...Wendy

Thanks for all the responses and good advice. We've had a bit of a weather warm up in the past two days and my knee felt better.  Then today the cold weather came back, and so did my knee pain.  I suppose that might be a clue... and I could be in for a long winter!  

This is all just motivating me all the more to get serious about getting in a Back on Track program to get the weight off!! 

Thanks again!