Knee Surgery... Again!

[PhilK]

So in 2004 at the tender age of 16 I got a knee reconstruction done. That totally sucked and was horrible... recently when camping with friends and goofing around in the shallows I buggered my knee again - popping noise, LOTS of pain, and couldn't walk at all... 5 hours of sitting in a camp chair being given beer and food saw the knee come right again and I didn't thnk much of it.

One week later I am down the Gold Coast for the first night of my week long stay for prac, and I swing my legs down off the couch.. BANG! Excruciating pain. I thought "it'll be right after a few hours, like last time"... boy was I wrong. 2 days later went into the emergency department, got an MRI and then left for Brisbane to see my surgeon (money well spent on the hotel). He tells me I have torn my lateral meniscus and will need surgery.

Got the procedure done today and am in a bit of pain, but it's nothing compared to the annoyance of this giant leg brace and crutches - especially now it is hot. Everyone will be having fun over Chrissy, swimming and mucking arounf and I will be sitting on a couch with my leg up :evil:.. spending New Years on cruthces and in a brace, and for a month from today will be like this..

I also have 3 weeks of prac I can't do because of the injury so will need to make uo next year, and I was going for an awesome job (interview was meant to be today) but they didn't want me any more because I wouldn't be able to work for a month, and they've already held the job 2 months for me :evil::evil::evil:

Sorry for the long post but I am really upset about this and needed a rant and rave.

Has anybody else here had a meniscus repair procedure done? What was your recovery period like?

Cheers and Merry Christmas to you all, hope you're staying dry.

 

[Snakeluvver2]

My guitarist and good friend had to get knee reconstruction when he was about 16 too. It still bothers him.
I'll ask him about it next time I see him.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day mate,

I feel your pain. I broke my knee cap into several pieces a week before final exams in year 12, and two weeks before Schoolies. Due to my itchy feet, I moved around Australia a bit afterwards and therefore kept getting pushed to the back of the line for the elective surgery to have the metal taken out of my leg. All these years later it has finally caught up with me and I am currently living on a diet of anti-inflammatories and Panadeine Forte until I get surgery around April next year...and then comes 8 weeks in a brace, and six months of extensive physio afterwards.

 

[sarah_m]

Sorry to hear that, it sucks big time! My brother in law fell off a ladder a month ago and snapped both the bones in his lower arm, and he is in the same boat now.
No heavy lifting for 3 months (he is a builder), then physio, and no contact sport til further notice and he will have his cast on all summer, so no surfing, swimming, golf etc.
I think that is the worst part for him, the no sport.

 

[ShaunMorelia]

Yeah when you said that sound I knew exactly what it was haha.
I tore my medial miniscus (the inside of the knee where lateral is the outside) 2 years ago. not fun and the pain was pretty bad.

But the surgery is only day surgery and you should be able to walk around on it in a week without crutches. Thats if it all goes according to plan.
Did they tell you how big the tear was?

 

[Smithers]

I feel for ya mate,..December 06 I tore my meniscus and needed surgery to repair to find out in MRI I also need a bone graft,...6 weeks with no weight bare and sitting around sweating on the couch in mid summer,..I was told to put small amounts of weight gradually building and did so to tear more off. Another surgery. Lost my job and the knee is now stuffed and have perm pain and issues walking with it. Was told I'll need to have a total knee replacement but they don't do that for people at my age and have to suffer for another 20 yrs or so. Don't worry mate thats only one ailment I have,...10 scripts later

All the best on your recovery hope it works out for ya.

Best wishes for 2mora

 

[waruikazi]

I feel your pain brother, i broke my nose in a footy game and missed a hot date cause i was in hospital with a mad concussion a couple years back. She was smokin' hot too!

 

[ShaunMorelia]

I feel your pain brother, i broke my nose in a footy game and missed a hot date cause i was in hospital with a mad concussion a couple years back. She was smokin' hot too!

The one that got away hey.....

 

[Tristan]

my mom has had both her knees done, now shes a human barometer if its going to rain she knows.

i have popped my left patella once in a squash game it was stiff and sore for a few weeks and i could not play any sports for a month or 2.

i wish you a speedy recovery mate

 

[cement]

Best of luck with your surgery and recovery. Sorry to hear about your job and work experience loss too.
It can be frustrating when your young to have to go through something like this, especially with the energy of youth pushing you. Keep positive in your head, you'll be back doing what you love in no time.

Ps stay off the junk food:lol:

Got some good books to read!

 

[J-A-X]

my advice....... plenty of ICE.. and not for your drink either ! get someone to grab some large bags of frozen peas. (1 on your knee and 2 in the freezer worked well) use these as icepacks around your knee, just remember to keep moving the bag around your knee and not leave it in one spot for more than 10 minutes. This was the best advice i was given in post op.
I had day surgery 3 weeks ago to fix a Anterior Cruciat Ligament (part of the hamstring was used to replace the ligament) & a meniscus tear.
Day 3 post Op I rang the surgery asking if i should still be in agonising pain 2 hours after taking the prescribed tablets (morphine)
Only to be told that it seems they weren't working, they then suggested the ICE. I could use it 24/7 if i needed to, just don't leave it in one spot for more than 10 minutes.
Day 4 post Op the body/brain had adjusted to the pain and the ice was used less. I had no bracing, just crutches.
Day 7 i was off the crutches and just used a walking stick
Day 13 I developed 2 blood clots in my calf - :shock: thankfully i still had the peas in the freezer.
I was immediately put on blood thinners and was self injecting thinners daily until the blood stabilised.
I am now day 20 and thankfully no longer need the injections BUT i have been told to avoid all situations where i can fall over, bruise myself, or cut myself. (i cannot clot at the moment) which means my shed is out of bounds and my current enclosure conversion has come to a dead stop....:cry:, NO Drinking incase i get drunk and fall over.....
Hopefully i'll be driving by the new year - if it had been my left leg i could have still got around.
I still use the stick when not at home especially if there is likely to be uneven ground. But hopefully that should be tossed in another week.

Thank goodness for APS otherwise i would have gone totally bonkers by now. .

So its a quiet xmas new year for me so i'm hoping some of you guys and girls will raise a glass or two for me.

PS i'd like to add that i am not 20yrs old anymore but actually 50 ! and i am still 'ahead of schedule' for recuperation and have had no pain meds since day 3 post op.
If i cope with it the you young 'uns should have no issue. Keep up the Ice and do your pyshio, yes the physio hurts but if you don't do it you will be 'off' your feet longer.

Have a happy xmas

 

[snakes123]

When i was 3 I got testicular torsion. We went into hospital had surgery and was told that it would never happen again....however 6 weeks ago i had excruciating pain while out playing cricket for my club. We went to hospital.... and they said it had happened again. They put my in for emergency surgery. All fixed yay the only good part of it was i got a week off school.

Hope your knee gets better soon PhilK

 

[mungus]

just had a operation 10 days ago.
Bicep tendon torn off bone...........
them the breaks.
4 months of rehab to come, cancelled guided fishing trips etc.
Still able to work somehow.

 

[PhilK]

Thanks for the sympathy guys, and it's comforting to see others have been through the same!

Jax that is so weird.. I had an ACL repair in 04 and was on crutches for like 6 weeks, then walking with a brace for months!

 

[J-A-X]

LOL Maybe they breed us tougher down south and i'm a tough ol' bird & not known for my patience.
but the standard recovery where i had mine done by day surgery is
-compression tube 'bandage' around the knee
-physio started within 2 hours of surgery,
-off the crutches asap but no later than 2 weeks,
-minimal walking stick there after.
so considering i had a ACL replacement, a cut hamstring for the new ACL, a meniscus repair, and then 2 clots on top of it all i reckon i'm doing ok at the 3 week mark.

It always feels worse at the time. I'm hoping in 3 weeks i'll be as good as gold, and back in the shed to finish the latest project....

Leg injurys are never fun, and it gives you a whole new appreciation for those that suffer permanant disability or are wheelchair bound.... but the next person who kicks my walking stick as they hurry by are gonna wind up with it wrapped around their neck...

 

[dossy]

i feel for you, iv stretched the ligament on the inside of the left knee, that was extremly painful but it hurt less then not talkn to my gf at the time for 36 hrs ( she thought i was ignoring her) cause i had concusion,blured vision,broken nose,sore neck and back and two black eyes. all this came from one muck around game of footy with mates. when i was discharged from the hospitle the doc said no sport at all for 5 weeks....4 hrs later i was out playing beach soccr and swimming

 

[norwich]

sorry to here of the news bro ive had 17 reconstructions on both knees got sick of them repairing there work every 12 months soi had both knees replaced 4 yrs ago by good the worst pain i have ever put up with so i feel for you mate the worst thing is the pain has never left i suffer more pain now than befour the knees were replaced i live on high level pain killers and dozen other tablets every day slowley destroying my liver and one kidney i have left so after this sorgery mate try to look after your legs or you could end up like me and i wouldnt wish this on my worst enemy regards mick