Knee Surgery Tomorrow - Taking any and all advice!

**mkt** · 06-07-2012, 09:42 AM

I'm having arthroscopy tomorrow for two nearly identical medial meniscal tears and cysts. we're just doing both of them at once, not repairs (though if the doc sees a repair option when he's in, he'll do it) they're probably just old wear and tear injuries so the doc is just going to snip around the crusty cartilage and do whatever he needs to do to the remove the cysts.

We diagnosed them in January and went heavy on the rehab. I've been working on building up muscle on my skinny gams, have even started taking HGH and some light test cream (prescribed by a longevity doc). It did help. My knees don't just hurt all the time anymore but I still can't flex them. I have another set of MRIs done last month and then the cysts were also visible and the doc felt I'd done as much as I maybe could with the rehab.

It just all seems very sudden. Until this time last year I was on the squash court nearly daily, I ride horses a few times a week, I've never had any knee problems. Last June I sprained my ankle badly, by Fall my knees started hurting and we assumed it was secondary to the ankle and now I can't even bend my legs all the way?

1. I'm freaking out and wondering if this surgery is a terrible mistake
2. Assuming it's not a terrible mistake, has anyone had this done? want to tell me how well it went??
3. and post op, any great tips on rehab, what about eating for healing?

Thanks!

**Noles12** · 06-07-2012, 11:32 AM

Not a terrible mistake at all. THe recovery should be relatively short and will benefit you in the long run

I personally have had three arthroscopic surgeries. One on each knee repairing the meniscus and one on my shoulder

**mkt** · 06-07-2012, 03:11 PM

thanks Noles! i did just call them and they talked me out of the tree stating that if NOTHING else, they do need to go in there and look around....

**ironbeck** · 06-07-2012, 03:18 PM

I find it un orthodox for your surgeon to do both knees at the same time, that's not standard protocol? Might want to ask, if he starts on one and finds more damage that would require more extensive surgery is he going to save the other for another time. But generally arthroscopic is not that big of a deal and you will be walking within a week, no crutches. Even if he does both. I have had constructive twice on the R and once one the L and ortho on both.

**mkt** · 06-07-2012, 03:46 PM

It was my idea, i want to be on my horse in July and nto take a month out for each leg. That said, we did discuss scoping vs scraping vs repair and if he goes in and sees that a repair COULD be done on one, he'd not do the other. so it's

1. scrape em both and let me just be miserable a few days
2. repair one or
3. just scope and see what's what and schedule the next thing

**ironbeck** · 06-07-2012, 03:49 PM

U have the perfect amount of post right now.

**ironbeck** · 06-07-2012, 03:49 PM

sorry i couldn't resist

**mkt** · 06-07-2012, 03:55 PM

I don't know what that means!

**ironbeck** · 06-07-2012, 03:59 PM

did u figure it out

..........

**mkt** · 06-07-2012, 04:04 PM

nope

**optionsdude** · 06-07-2012, 06:26 PM

I've had medial meniscus surgeries on both knees. The first one was my left and it was a bucket handle tear,which they repaired. I was non weight bearing for 6 weeks. Serious atrophy,and long recovery. However it's great now. The second,my right,was just a trim and smooth and was walking in a few days and doing good in a few months,but never really got close to 100% like the left one. Most important thing is to interrogate your physical therapist,even get a list of the ones your insurance will cover and go interview them. Also take it easy the first few days. Most of us never get much time to relax and veg out,but it gets boring quick. You'll be fine

**mkt** · 06-28-2012, 05:23 PM

Hi All. nearly three weeks later and i'm not as whole as I was expecting to be. I'm just stiff and sore. The swelling is down now. Turns out i only had a tear on one side, cysts in both and the one without the tear needed major cleanup. both had lots of abridement.

went to the office today but it's just too hard to get around. am home now, on bed, knees up, ice..... fingers crossed I'm moving better in a week! The atrophy is a bummer. i already feel flabby and gross. and of course my com fort go to is mac n cheese, doritos and ice cream

**HansVonSchnittchen** · 07-03-2012, 01:55 AM

Hey hope you feel better soon. Take it easy for a little while, you don't want things getting worse because you rushed recovery. You'll be back on your horses in no time!

**MuscleInk** · 07-03-2012, 02:00 AM

Originally Posted by mkt

Hi All. nearly three weeks later and i'm not as whole as I was expecting to be. I'm just stiff and sore. The swelling is down now. Turns out i only had a tear on one side, cysts in both and the one without the tear needed major cleanup. both had lots of abridement.

went to the office today but it's just too hard to get around. am home now, on bed, knees up, ice..... fingers crossed I'm moving better in a week! The atrophy is a bummer. i already feel flabby and gross. and of course my com fort go to is mac n cheese, doritos and ice cream

Blew my ACL last year. Didn't bother replacing it.

Tore my gastrocnemius three weeks ago. That hurts way more than my blown ACL. Been hobbling on crutches for three weeks. Just got the MRI tonight and waiting to hear if it's a grade 2 or 3 tear. Started doing some leg extensions last night to avoid atrophy but I know that's going to turn out to be a bad move!

Hang in there. Muscle memory will have you back up to speed faster than you expect!

**lovbyts** · 07-03-2012, 02:08 AM

If you want to help a little with the atrophy get a muscle stimulator. They are good fun also.

It will help with recovery and not put any stress/strain on the knee such as even light lifting.

**MuscleInk** · 07-03-2012, 02:14 AM

Originally Posted by lovbyts

If you want to help a little with the atrophy get a muscle stimulator. They are good fun also.

It will help with recovery and not put any stress/strain on the knee such as even light lifting.

Damn! I totally forgot about that! I bought a Doctor Ho muscle stim years ago!!!! I gotta go find that again.

Thanks lovbyts!!!!!

**lovbyts** · 07-03-2012, 03:14 AM

NP, here to help. I'm full of good worthless advice due to years of experience with multiple injuries. lol

You should see my muscle stimulator I got years ago. It is not the little portable type but it is portable. It comes in a brief case. Looks like below...
It is extremely STRONG though. Stronger than the big units at my PT office. Once I had it hooked up to my biceps and I slowly kept turning it up until I got to 7 (goes to 10) and it locked my arm in a up position. Luckily it has a 15 sec interval/cycle and when it stopped (felt like 5 min) I just barley got my arm down in time to turn it off before it started again. lol My biceps hurt for a week after that....

**MuscleInk** · 07-03-2012, 03:41 AM

Originally Posted by lovbyts

NP, here to help. I'm full of good worthless advice due to years of experience with multiple injuries. lol

You should see my muscle stimulator I got years ago. It is not the little portable type but it is portable. It comes in a brief case. Looks like below...
It is extremely STRONG though. Stronger than the big units at my PT office. Once I had it hooked up to my biceps and I slowly kept turning it up until I got to 7 (goes to 10) and it locked my arm in a up position. Luckily it has a 15 sec interval/cycle and when it stopped (felt like 5 min) I just barley got my arm down in time to turn it off before it started again. lol My biceps hurt for a week after that....

Damn bro! That looks tortuous! I don't think I could last 5 seconds at 7. I dialed up my portable unit years ago to 8 and thought I was going to tear something the contraction was so intense!!!

**lovbyts** · 07-03-2012, 04:36 AM

Yeah this unit uses 6 or 8 D cell batteries or plugs into the wall. I can get any muscle contracting easily but it was funny and painful when my biceps LOCKED. I literally could not mover them until it shut off.

**MuscleInk** · 07-03-2012, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by lovbyts

Yeah this unit uses 6 or 8 D cell batteries or plugs into the wall. I can get any muscle contracting easily but it was funny and painful when my biceps LOCKED. I literally could not mover them until it shut off.

Direct current!?! Damn! You could seriously hurt a fool with that!!! Lol