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Arthroscopy nightmare

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dave83416
dave83416

In a few words don't do it, I had arthroscopy in October 2014 at Clatterbridge for a miniscus repair and can hardly walk even now with no sign of any recovery, went back twice for post op assessment and saw the Nurse Practicioner who kept saying there is a bit of arthritis in there that's causing the problem ? Never he'd the pain and discomfort before the op so not telling me that the Arthritis came on after my op, probably had it for years so I asked to see the surgeon, which was arranged who said have you had physio?? No! It's never been suggested that I do!! Started physio, had two sessions with a lovely lady who has advised swimming and building out the quad muscles, prior to my op I had a bit of discomfort that was a bind at times but manageable and now I'm thinking I'm going to be disabled as some days I can hardly walk or put any weight on my leg.

the result of having the op has made me much much worse than before and has impacted on my social life, I can't stand for long periods, can't run, can hardly walk some days my knee just gives way.

if you are thinking of having this done to relieve minor discomfort seriously think again and try to put up with it, the worse thing I have done in my life was have this treatment - don't do it!

0 likes, 39 replies

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  • larry43899
    larry43899 dave83416

    Posted

    I had my op last October too and for the first 4-6 weeks after I thought I'd make a comeback to running.

    Since then it's all downhill.I've been back to my doctors who say the same thing as yours....."you've got arthritis and will have to manage it"

    Before the op my knee was stiff but wasn't painful, now it's stiff painful and week.

    I regret the op too, Dave.

    • dave83416
      dave83416 larry43899

      Posted

      Hi Larry

      sorry to hear your also having trouble, there seems to be a lot of us out there regretting the decision to improve our lives that has back fired?

      i might try and see if anything can be done medically or legally regarding this how can such a daily routine op cause so much grief and angst! what is the point in having it done to end up in more pain? 

      Take care mate hope it improves soon!

    • larry43899
      larry43899 dave83416

      Posted

      How strong is your knee??

      Mine is a lot weaker than the other.I can put up with it aching but the catching feeling Is awful and pulls me up sharpish.

    • dave83416
      dave83416 larry43899

      Posted

      Totally weak mate so much so that my gait is now to the right as I try to offload my left leg! They gave me insoles to help but waste of time, I have the aching which I can put up with and occasionally it just gives way with extreme pain, it's a nightmare,
  • finley
    finley dave83416

    Posted

    Morning, oh dear this sounds horrible for you.I am having knee key hole surgery next Tuesday as my cartilage is torn and my knee is in a permanent locked position so need to have it done. Your sounds like a horror story.
    • larry43899
      larry43899 finley

      Posted

      My advise would be to do your exercises as per instructions and not to overdo things.

      I probably pushed a bit quickly and went back to coaching boxing after a couple of days among other things.

      I listened to too many younger people whose ops went well.....sadly.

    • finley
      finley larry43899

      Posted

      Thanks hope you get better soon too, surely there is someone that could give you some good advice about your problem. 😔
    • larry43899
      larry43899 finley

      Posted

      Cheers!!!

      If tour knee is locking up then I'm sure you'll see a huge improvement.

  • kittylamb
    kittylamb dave83416

    Posted

    hi there

    i dont know if you have seen my posts on no quad control.....but i agree with you ...dont do it !!!! before my arthroscopy i just had pain in the calf, which they reckoned was due to a meniscal tear and a bakers cyst ......but i was able to do my job as cabin crew, play squash etc etc... My op was in nov 2012 and since then i have been unable to activate my quads, cant do a straight leg raise...lost my job, cant drive etc...knee keeps giving way and as a result of that i fractured my kneecap. i have been in a full leg brace now since june last year. noone seems to know why this has happened... the irony is i cant even get a blue badge for when my parents etc take me to all my appointments because im not considered permanently disabled !!! they keep telling me it will just take time !!!!!1. how long???? i go to physio but that doesnt seem to do much...its all a nightmare..wish id never even had the op in the first place... i even got a solicitor involved but the theatre notes say it was a routine op and it cant be proven this was all down to the op..... All i know, is before the op i was able to do my job and play squash and as soon as the dressing was removed i was unable to lift my leg !!! coincidence??? no one will accept responsibilty and im left with no job etc and had to move back in with my folks at the ripe age of 46....and nothing seems to be happening !!!!

    so, theres my story...sorry to waffle but i get so cross and wish i hadnt had the op in the first place !!!!!

    kind regards

    helen

    • finley
      finley kittylamb

      Posted

      What a terrible outcome on a routine op. Hope mine does help me as I can't walk at the moment. Very sad for you
    • kittylamb
      kittylamb finley

      Posted

      thankyou...i hope yours does help...to be honest i think i am in the minority...on the whole i think they go well..im just one of the unlucky ones unfortunately. but good luck with yours...let us all know how it goes

      kind regards

      helen

    • dave83416
      dave83416 kittylamb

      Posted

      Hi Helen

      sorry to hear about your experience that cost you a job you no doubt loved? I was fortunate enough to be just retiring from the fire service after 30 years and am lucky in that I have a pension each month. I too have had to give up playing squash, I used to go walking in the mountains and bought a brand new pair of boots that are still in the box, I was also thinking about a solicitor as how can a routine op leave you in so much discomfort and at the expense of losing a job , we are not old and life is still for living I'm just 51 and gone from being a very fit active bloke to struggling to walk some days it's ridiculous, fortunately I have my own house and live alone as my kids are grown up and flown the nest, there must be something that can be done by some medical expert or legal profession for some redress over this routine op being so catastrophic to people's lives, the op should carry a govt health warning,,,,I really hope that anyone going for this op thinks again whether they really need it, I totally empathise with all of us out there suffering when we should be chuffed to bits with the result of the op, I'd live to hear from anyone who has had this done and it be a success or a disaster, keep smiling mate I'm sure your parents are looking after you x

    • kittylamb
      kittylamb dave83416

      Posted

      hi again

      wow..someone else that used to play squash...thought i was in the minority !!!!!hahaha. mind you, dont think ill be playing anytime soon !!

      yeah, am gutted i lost my job, did it for 20 years...and im sure., like the fire service, it becomes more a way of life than just a job.

      i too have gone from being very fit and active...used to run, play squash, an office at 38,000 feet for the worlds favourite airline.....hahaha.. etc etc, and as a result of this bloody op (are you allowed to swear on this site?...oops sorry) im back in wales with the parents in a huge leg brace, no exercise and bored out of my tiny mind. i too was lucky that i was pensioned off on medical grounds but who wants to sit around on a pension at this age??? getting fatter and fatter !!!hahaha.

      here i go again...moan moan moan... i just cant believe this is how its all turned out...i still do have a solicitor looking into things but there isnt really much hope there. personally, i dont know whether its something to do with the tourniquet or a nerve being damaged but if it was all done according to medical guidelines and nothing unusual was recorded in the theatre notes it seems i dont have a leg to stand on .....literally !!!and even now when i see the consultants they dont seem to be able to tell me why my quads arent working, they just scratch their heads and look bemused.....what a mess....

    • dave83416
      dave83416 kittylamb

      Posted

      Ha ha at least it hasn't destroyed your sense of humour - fatter and fatter - lay off the doughnuts and turn Jeremy Kyle off ha ha I didn't leave on medical grounds wish I'd done so ? I was actually on my annual leave prior to retiring when decided to have the op , like a clown I didn't want to take time off work, if I had it do e whils it work I could of seen specialists at the job expense doh !! And yes we can swear on this site I bloody hope so anyway - not that I swear mind ! Ha I used to play a lot of squash running climbing motorcycling water sports - all on hold now it's so frustrating, between us all we should start our own website arthroscopy result so endearing it could be shortened to the first letter of each  word - il let you work that out - ha ha actually my mate is a website guru might get him to set up a website for me, I've just had an ice pack on my knee well a bag of onion rings !! Helps for about 10 mins either that or I've frozen my knee!, moaning is good mate we should be moaning to the powers that be to get it sorted shouldn't we? I was told to go swimming to help as the water supports you. Don't know if it'll work but il give it a go have you tried it
    • dave83416
      dave83416 kittylamb

      Posted

      Just thinking maybe if we all contacted the same solicitor would it add weight to the case. . . . The medical guidelines could be wrong, I had to go back to hosp two days after my op because my leg was stone cold and very painful I thought I had a DVT due to the tourniquet, but they said it was ok as there was a pulse in my foot? There must be something we can do?
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