Does it get better!! Knee Arthroscopy (Chondroplasty/medial meniscectomy)
Posted , 42 users are following.
Hi, thank the lord I found this forumt...so relieved. I had a right knee arthroscopy 2 weeks ago plus
chondroplasty (not sure what this entailed!) and partial medial meniscectomy done. To say I feel worse is an understatement. I have lower back pain now and my knee is very swollen and in constant pain. I had the stiches out and was informed it had been bleeding inside hence the bruising on the leg.. Part of me wishes I hadn't had this done and persevered till as long as I could, in fact I dont really think I was in that much pain compared to now. I wasn't given crutches, or exercise to do, the after care was shody to say the least. but I have been doing small exercises and borrowed a cane for the first week.
Has anyone out there been through similar experience and can reassure me it will ease off as the pain is getting me down at the minute.
thanks for listening
5 likes, 100 replies
rachel85593 dana23702
Posted
Im 35 and having a arthroscopy in June but feeling very nervous.
He plans to do partial excision plica, partial excision Hoffa’s, partial lateral
meniscectomy, removal of intercondylar notch osteophyte and chondroplasty +/- lateral release.
Lots of big words and google is not my friend!!
Anyne else had anything like this. Am i silly thinking ill be back to work, driving and school run in a week?
Morest rachel85593
Posted
Hi Rachel, those are big words. Lol. My medial meniscus surgery I don't think but consisted of that much work. He did scrape off arthritis that I had on my knee and smoothed down the meniscus. I only had two holes in my knee compared to others who have had 3. I had minimal pain but not all surgeries are the same. I do not have pain but feel some tightness from the healing and it's going on 3 weeks. I really do not think you may go back to work in a week, PT the first few days are important. I did start walking the first week but keeping my knee bent a long time did bother Good luck!!
deb42962deb1960 rachel85593
Posted
Hi Rachel, I doubt you will be back at work within a week. I was 3 weeks off work and deep down think I've gone back too soon. I didn't have half as much done as you. I started to drive again short distances at 2.5 weeks. Good luck with your surgery.
deb
deb42962deb1960 dana23702
Posted
I am 9 weeks post op tomorrow, knee still swollen although not as bad and I still get pain of a night. I am walking unaided but not anywhere near as far as I would like. I am able to do about 10 mins on the cross trainer and 10 mins on the bike with some further swelling after. I have been advised by physio to limit this to x 3 weekly. I ice as much as I can and am now rubbing in a turmeric paste which I have been told is good for inflammation as well as taking it orally. It will be interesting to see if I get any improvement and if the orange tinge is easily washed out!
I hope everyone is recovering well, please post to let me know?
Deb
jennifer86104 deb42962deb1960
Posted
Hi Deb,
It's good to hear about your progress. Sorry to hear you're still getting swelling and pain. Would you say it's better than before you had it done?
I'm still waiting to have mine done and am still concerned that it'll be worse than it is now! I hope the turmeric works for you. I've been taking Flexicoll, a collagen supplement, for a few months. It's supposed to help repair cartilage; my knee has got a bit better but whether it's the collagen I can't be sure. I hope your knee improves soon.
Jen
deb42962deb1960 jennifer86104
Posted
Hello Jen
It's hard to say if it is any better. From oct 16 until say end March I was chomping at the bit to have it done I was in so much discomfort. Then is started to get better, so much so I almost didn't go for the surgery. My physio said that if I hadn't had it done I would only have had to move awkwardly again and I'd have been back to square 1 which was awful. I'm walking about 1km maybe more but not in pain more of a discomfort and still not being able to walk without a limp. I've bought glucosamine but don't think it's helped at all.
Good luck for your surgery. I hope it goes well let me know
Deb
jennifer86104 deb42962deb1960
Posted
Thanks for your reply, Deb. My fear is that I'll have the athroscopy and the knee will be worse! Like you, it was bad for about 6 months then started to get better! (By which time I'd seen the specialist who recommended surgery). I've recently been on holiday to Lanzarote where I walked about 4/5 km a day, not exactly comfortably but without real pain. I'm also suffering from stiffness & discomfort from the hip so it's so difficult to know what's causing what and how much difference the op will make. As I said, as long as it doesn't make it worse, then I suppose I'll have to go on the surgeon's advice and have it done. Will probably have to wait a few months more anyway!
Thanks again - I'll let you know when I get a date.
Jen
traceyleeh deb42962deb1960
Posted
You sound about the same as I was at that stage. I did not bother to ice but used a heat bag which helped ease stiffness after exercise. Started physio around then and also joined gym and pool doing and hour and a half 5 days a week. I still get a few lock ups or pains if I overdo it (ie: walking between 7,000 - 9,000 steps) but it doesn't trouble.. I'm finally going back to work after about 18 weeks off. They wouldn't let me return until it stopped giving way. Mine's been a pain right up until about the 16th week. Suddenly one day I realised it hadn't been troubling me as much. I think it takes a long time to heal but every day is healing. I also take Turmeric tablets plus 1500mg of Glucosamine and Chondroitin.
deb42962deb1960 traceyleeh
Posted
Thanks for replying Traceyleah, I think I've overdone it today, gym, dog walk, cut the grass. It's swollen and sore. I hope it will feel better tomorrow after resting tonight. What did you do at the gym? The physio has said just 3 times a week for now. I do 10 mins cross trainer, 10 bike then walking in the water. Is there anything you found that really helped?
Deb
traceyleeh dana23702
Posted
Hi everyone. I wasn't allowed back to work until last Thursday! They kept stopping me. I want to know if anyone else had issues being allowed to go back to work. My Orthopaedic Consultant discharged me advising that becasue my knee was badly damaged, I now need to be careful to manage my knee to avoid a knee replacement and to restrict any activity which is painful but that I was fine to return to work. My GP also gave me a Fitnote which said I was fit to return. My work supervisor, however, refused to allow me back to work and sent me to Occupational Health for an assessment (??) Now, this is what I want to ask others. At the OH assessment, they got me to do a few things (steps etc) and standing on one (bad) leg whilst trying to 'rotate' my knee, (?!) and also tried to make me squat to the floor, stating that I 'should be able to'. She did some other painful tests to the joint which has left me in pain and set me back. My knee is swollen again. The report said my knee was fully functional and no provision was to be made at work. Are they really meant to do these things at an assessment? I can't imagine my surgeon being happy about this. I don't know what to think. I'm used to pain and have a high tolerance but I feel very let down by these people :-(
deb42962deb1960 traceyleeh
Posted
Oh how rotten! I think the only way they'd get away with it is if the person you saw was a physio. After all you've been through too.
Deb
Morest traceyleeh
Posted
Wow. I have had other surgeries and have never had a company nurse come touch me to in anyway way. I work for a big pharmaceutical company. Why would they make you do an excercise that would hurt you. I was told I could not do any squats or lunges from now on. I don't know what type of work you do but this doesn't sound right. They can injure you
traceyleeh Morest
Posted
Neither my GP or surgeon did anything remotely like what the OH physio did. I understand they need to be sure you're ready for work but I was ready to go back weeks prior. Even if a person was limping a bit, which I wasn't, it's usually your choice to return. They were about to put me into half pay. Anyway I've had advice to return to GP. It's swollen, sore, clunky and seizung. I'm very annoyed because I'm back to where I was a few weeks after the surgery! 😠😥
sandra2017 dana23702
Posted
20 years ago I had both knees arthroscopic surgery no problem back at work in a week. 20 years later and 7 days ago had left knee again arthroscopic surgery for double mensius tear and "clean out". Now I am 74, female and have no pain, began driving two days ago and walking without cane. Had no pain actually except on day 3, took Aleve, pain went away. Did exercises as shown on internet, had some itching, took off bandage after 2 days washed with alcohol, put band aid on. I think if you do exercises and be careful, you will not have problems. I have Orthoarthritis but still do not have any pain or swelling. Dr says very unusual and lucky. I was a professional dancer and I guess thats how the mensius got torn. However I feel great. Thanks to God.
traceyleeh sandra2017
Posted
Sandra, you are very lucky although it is not always a case of doing the excercises and being careful - all of which I did. Mine was expected to take much longer as I had a lot of bone cut away, apart from the cartilage trimming, scraping of the patella etc, plus getting over a fully torn ligament prior to the surgery and cannot take anti-inflammatory meds. I too led a very active, sporty life up to my early 30's - squash, snow-skiing, water-skiing, indoor cricket, pool/beach swimming, Aerobics, etc.and also had 5 children.
There are a lot of extranneous factors which come into play and why the consultants and experts say never to compare the healing time with others because each individual case is different and every surgery is not the same.
sandra2017 traceyleeh
Posted