Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Stella Johnson

Active Member
I'm having it done in the morning at 6 in Centennial. It is day surgery to repair the cracked knee cap from the car accident a few weeks ago.

I'm ready to get it fixed.... just getting a little nervous now.

If you have had it, How long did it take to recover back to normal? Was it painful?



Steph
 

Marguerite

Active Member
I had mine done about 12 years ago. Mine was more exploratory. I was sore for months, thinking I'd made a huge mistake. The doctor wasn't happy wither, he'd hoped to fix the knee pain.

Then suddenly, the pain was gone. Knee all better.

I have a good friend who had her knee joint entirely re-worked. They somehow managed to use her existing patella (what was left of it - it was barely a sliver of bone) and they channelled a muscle tendon right through the kneecap to stop if from constantly dislocating. She wore a big brace on her knee for a few weeks and use crutches to get around. I think she was off work for two months but continued working on physiotherapy during that time. She is now completely free of pain and the operation was a fabulous success.

It did take time, it did need therapy but it was so worth it!

Marg
 

SkunkMomma

New Member
I also had this done about 18 years ago. So I'm sure they have improved on this process. I recovered quickly, the pain the first week was pretty bad. I had discomfort in my knee for about one year after the surgery and since then I have not had any pain. A friend of mine had it recently and they were up and about quickly. I hope everything goes well.
 

Nancy

Well-Known Member
My husband had this surgery about 8 years ago. He was back at work in two days and although he had pain for a while he recovered nicely. If I remember correctly it took several months until her had full mobility. Remember ice ice ice.

Nancy
 

Stella Johnson

Active Member
Margeurite,
Hopefully it has improved since you had it. I'm hoping I won't be hurting for that long. :slap:

Skunkmomma,
Mine is pretty uncomfortable right now too.

Nancy,
I can't wait to get full mobility back. This whole thing has been a nightmare.

****Update****


I'm home now. I thought I would have something like an ace bandage around it when I woke up. Instead I have this huge blue thing that goes all the way up and down my leg.
Getting to my room upstairs was interesting. :smile: I am wishing I had a bedroom downstairs right now.

What an experience. I woke up in recovery to a screaming child in the bed next to me. I know he was scared and hurting but geez I wish they would have put him somewhere else.All I wanted to do was get out of there and go home so I didn't have to hear it anymore. Can you tell that surgery makes me a witch? :devil:

I'm not allowed to get it wet until my doctor appointment on Thursday. Not too happy about that but if it fixes my knee I will live with it I guess.

It does feel like the pressuer inside has been relieved. Just hurts now.

Thanks for the support guys. :angel:

Steph
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
Hi Steph! A little late, but just wanted to send you some more good thoughts and reassurance. I had it 11 years ago on my left knee. I was walking on it within an hour (DR's orders) and my use was back to normal within a week - I had to have physical therapy and couldn't wear heels for a while.

Occasionally, I feel some discomfort if I overuse it, but otherwise I've had no problems.

Best of luck~
 

dreamer

New Member
LOL, I am a lil late.I had my knee done non arthoscopically almost 30 years ago, now. (I do not think they did anything arthroscopically then, LOL) I have a 6 inch incision, and was off work 3 weeks...(I waitede tables)
My brother had his done maybe 5-6 years ago, arthroscopically, and was off work less than a week- (he lays blacktop and was 45 yrs old)
While mine was uncomfortable for several months, I used no pain medications at all the entire time. Like marg, one day I just realized it was finally "all better"
Good luck!
 

rejectedmom

New Member
I had a torn lateral meniscus and had surgery for it 8 years ago. Initally they put me in an imobilizer but the joint frose and I had to have surgery about six month out. I lost about 60% of the cartiledge. I was on crutches for about three weeks, PT 3X a week for three months and then on a home plan for another three months. It took a few years before I could squat and get back up without boosing myself with my hands but other than that I did fine. I resumed all my sports using a knee brace three months after surgery. I have only one tiny visable scar. I now have arthritus in the knee but that would probably have happened to me anyway although some studies indicate a higher incidence for people who have had this type of surgery.

You should do fine Steph. -RM
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
I laughed a little when you mentioned waking up to a screaming child. Missy woke up from tonsillectomy screaming at the top of her lungs. They brought me in to hopefully settle her down, when that didn't work, they high-tailed us out of there and into a private room! We were supposed to be in a room with another child, but they came in and took her stuff out and left us at the very end of the hallway, away from everyone else! (smart move)

Well if your knee cap is fractured, the doctor probably wants to keep it immobile for a while, but he won't for too long, cause it'll stiffen up. I hope you have some help around the house for several days. You can't go climbing up and down those stairs!!!

I work for an ortho. Years ago, I was his medical assistant. My first day on the job, he stuck a needle in a woman's knee who had a shattered (not fractured) knee cap. He sucked out about 40 cc of fluid from her knee. He thought I was going to pass out. Surprisingly, It didn't bother me.

Well, I hope you have a quick recovery!
 

dreamer

New Member
Yes, they took all my cartilage out back then.and yeah I wore this huge white thing went from nearly my hip to my ankle, and UG......I wound up hurting the muscles wearing that ugly wretched thing.-----LOL- but my knee did heal.I later progressed to wearing a smaller elastic type brace with metal joints on each side, I had to manually (by hand) switch from bent to straight for support- and after I wore that several months, I graduated to a softer kind of knee support.
BUT truth is I was so glad to have the knee repaired.
Oddly I do have osteo- LOL but it is far worse in my non surgical knee, LOL- go figure!
I hafta say arthroscopic surgery has sure changed surgery recovery times! (for the better)
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
<span style='font-size: 11pt'>Steph, glad you are done with the surgery. I thought I told you that you would have a brace. If you put a garbage bag over the leg it will make it easier to shower.
If the steps are too hard with the crutches, sleep on the couch for goodness sakes. You don't want to fall.
Give yourself time to heal and relax.</span>
 

Stella Johnson

Active Member
JoG,
I never wear heels so that part won't be a problme.
I was up walking yesterday but painfully. I hope I am back to normal in a week.
Not feeling like it right now. :hammer:

dreamer,
Glad your brother was back to work so quickly. gives me hope. I know I am tired of being stuck in the house already.

rejectedmom,
He told me I have some arthritis in both knees already. I really hope this works. I don't need anything else thrown at me right now.

Lothlorien,
I wish they had put that child in his own room. Normally screaming children don't bother me but in pain I can't stand it.
My mom has been helping me and SO as well. I have a small fridge in difficult child's game room that I put snacks and drinks into so I don't have to go downstairs. Takes me 30 minutes to get up or down :slap:
I don't feel the pressure in it like before so I can tell a difference since he drained all the fluid out.

Fran,
Yes, you mentioned the brace I just had a different kind pictured in my head I think. The doctor said it would be an ace bandage so I thought it would be a small one around me knee not this monstrocity I have.
I'm trying to have patience... but you know me.

steph
 

dreamer

New Member
If you absolutely insist on doing the stairs- you could consider trying doing them on your but? scooting down might be lots easier, holding your surgical leg out. (I usually had more difficulty going down than up)
As for the osteo? Seems to me that takes time, as in years- to become and issue- and seems most people do end up with osteo as they get older anyway.
I can totally relate to hating being stuck in the house-------take away my car and I get horrid, nevermind if I had planned to go anywhere. Lay me up with something and suddenly I HAVE be somewhere, anywhere right NOW! Remember, lots of stores have those scooters.......you drive up and have someone bring it out to you in your car.it helps the cabin fever and the 4 walls that can close in on you at home- or maybe you could rent one? (I own one) Then you can cruise around nearly anywhere to your hearts delight for change of scenery.

Good luck!
 

rejectedmom

New Member
Yep i too did the stairs on my :censored2:. Far less dangerous than attempting it in an imobilizer and/or with crutches. but if at all possible avoid the stairs entirely like Fran suggested.
I'm glad your surgery is over and you are on the mend! -RM
 
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