Dealing with chronic synovitis

Hi there.

Following an arthroscopy on my right knee, I've been diagnosed with chronic synovitis.
The doctors suspect—though they aren't certain—that it might be rheumatoid arthritis. Honestly, I'm still reeling from that... I'm only 19.
I need to see a rheumatologist, but I can't right now since I'm currently out of the US.

This knee issue has been a nightmare for nearly five years. I had two pretty bad injuries to it, and ever since then, it’s just been swelling constantly—it always had to stay straight, it was constantly full of fluid and everything.

It’s been about six weeks since the surgery, and the swelling is already back. It isn't massive, but you can definitely see it. The pain is returning too—everything feels just like it did before, though maybe a little less intense.
I've been trying to stick to my physical therapy exercises, but I'm starting to lose steam.
I'm losing motivation because it feels like I'm just sliding backward. I feel like an old woman.
My other joints are fine, but I ended up leaning entirely on my left leg just to cope with the pain in the right one.

Is it possible that synovitis could just be a reaction to those two major falls—meaning the injury itself is the cause, rather than some underlying autoimmune issue?

I just want to move normally again, but at this rate, I'm starting to fear that won't happen.

Has anyone else dealt with anything like this?

Thanks.

I just finished reading your post, and honestly, honey, I’m dealing with almost the exact same nightmare as you. I really hope you take this to heart... Back when I was pregnant, I had a bad fall, and about two months later, things started going downhill fast. My knee began swelling up, and the pain just kept getting worse and worse... By the time I actually gave birth and finally made it to my appointment with the orthopedic surgeon, my knee was constantly swollen, hot to the touch, and just throbbing... They scheduled me for surgery to go in and fix it because my patella was out of alignment, and the doctor told me that the synovium had actually turned into tissue—they sent some off for testing, and the diagnosis came back as chronic synovitis. Even after that, the knee wouldn't stop swelling, and my kneecap was still displaced. Then, about a year and a half later, I had another fall and ended up in the ER where the doctor told me my patella was completely out of place again, and if I didn't wear a brace until surgery, I was just going to keep falling and who knows what else I might break... So, they put me back in for surgery to go in and "clean things up," basically scrubbing the synovium again, and then they sent it to pathology, and wouldn't you know it? Another diagnosis of chronic synovitis... My blood work looked fine, but my CRP levels were through the roof. I went to see a rheumatologist for more testing, and even though all the standard rheumatic tests came back normal, the doctor ordered another surgery to finally stabilize the patella—because apparently, nobody cares how much I've been suffering for four years now... He performed the surgery, but he didn't fully clean out the joint, and ever since that procedure, my knee hurts and I just have this nagging feeling that something wasn't done right... I went back to the rheumatologist, and this time they requested genetic testing, which is how I finally found out that I carry the B27 gene. It's hereditary and carried by about 90% of people, and it triggers those rheumatic joint inflammations... I don't want to weigh you down too much, but I'm probably looking at yet another knee surgery soon, and I'm praying this is the last one. I just wanted to wish you so much luck; please, whatever you do, don't give up on seeking treatment and getting tested, because if there's any comfort I can offer, it's just knowing that you're in for a bit of a long journey ahead.