Not as dramatic as SixCats hip replacement dilemma, I need (and have for some while) arthroscopic procedures on both knees to repair meniscal tears and anything else they find in my sad, sore knees that PsA has whacked with its bat.
My fellow Mod, TNTLamb, described to me the damage that PsA does to the soft tissues as having an over-inflated balloon blow up in your face and yes, I'd agree that is what it feels like and getting worse by the day. Both knees feel weak and unstable. Steps and stairs carry a health warning as my right knee keeps 'pinging' and the searing pain causes the knee to buckle. My problems are all soft tissue as the X-rays and MRI are showing the joints themselves are, thankfully, still erosion free.
I see good and bad outcomes posted on the internet but unless the surgeon refuses to operate on me this is happening asap otherwise I am guaranteed a bad outcome simply doing nothing! Rheumy says one knee at a time, hopefully starting with my right knee.
This will be only my second ever surgical procedure. My first was removal of three wisdom teeth some 20 odd years ago. So I'm a bit nervous even this early in the game!
So can anyone who has had this procedure tell me what to expect? What pre-op physio is beneficial? How were you straight afterwards? What was the rehab physio? And when did you feel the benefit of the procedure or didn't it help you? Any top tips?
I guess not too many people have gone the arthroscope route, Jules. My friend had very bad knee pain, and he went to the surgeon to see about a knee replacement. The surgeon said he thought a cleanup would buy him a few more years. He had it done, not a huge deal, and he was uncomfortable for a few days.
Don’t know about physio, but I wouldn’t think it’s necessary because the arthroscopic procedures don’t cut major structures like muscles and tendons. Still, being mobile and keeping movile afterwards can’t do any harm.
Oh, my friend. The cleanup didn’t help, his pain did not improve, and a year later he had a TKR. He was sorry that he allowed himself to be “sold” the cleanup job.
OK, that’s not a very encouraging account, is it? But it’s all I know about this. Thank goodness, though, that your knee joints are as yet undamaged.
Thanks Seenie. I'm seeing my physio on Friday so I can report what she says. I'm pleased as punch that I don't have any erosions or even age related OA but I guess because a TKR isn't in my visible future then I have to go the arthroscopy route if I want more comfort and mobility than I've got now.
Lamb will be pleased to know that I've finally got the knee supports he recommended way back when and they are heavenly ... and will hopefully get me through until the more permanent solution. With them on both legs I walk a bit like John Wayne but that's better than barely walking at all .... if I'm brave enough to strap up and still wear my cropped trousers on holiday I'll get my hubby to take a picture to post so that everyone can have a laugh :-)
Use it and keep using it. You can buy cheaper than rent usually and you use it later. Fly fishing in a very cold stream is not a subsitute (trust me on that) Fly fishing in a national park while on pain medication and sharing your fishing hole with a large Bison is no pic nic either. They are hard to out run at the best of time...... I have been satisfied everytime with the procedure. I have learned some great planning strategies - especially for the restroom. Compared to wisdom teeth extraction (been through that too) the procedure and recovery is like trimming a hang nail.
Thanks lamb, that cooler looks great. I've found a UK company that sells them so will get one ordered in good time. Wouldn't say 'no' to a quick blast on both knees now so I'm heading to the freezer for ice packs instead. One advantage of home bio deliveries is the abundance of ice packs!
And thanks for the reassurance too ... the teeth were, well, awful so anything more manageable than that will be great. And I don't have to stop my bio either ... been told, if I have a choice, to book for mid point between two monthly doses but not to sweat it.
Haven't been fly fishing in some 35 years I guess but maybe a new hobby once both knees are fixed ... have to speak to my brother about that, he's now the fisherman in our family.
Friend of mine found one second hand online for a fraction of the price of a new one. Once her ACL healed, she kept it and has used it several more times for friends, neighbours and family.
Be very careful with the cooler/polar care devices. Some folks didn’t file the instructions well and ended up with tissue damage because they left them on too long.
Scopes are pretty breezy surgeries and are pretty effective when done on the right patients. The ones that tend to have poor results probably should have opted for a TKR anyway. Most of my scope patients were back at work within 2 days. Usually no follow up PT is required. It’s a really good surgery. As always, make sure you find a top notch surgeon and surgery center.
Jules G said:
Thanks lamb, that cooler looks great. I’ve found a UK company that sells them so will get one ordered in good time. Wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a quick blast on both knees now so I’m heading to the freezer for ice packs instead. One advantage of home bio deliveries is the abundance of ice packs!
And thanks for the reassurance too … the teeth were, well, awful so anything more manageable than that will be great. And I don’t have to stop my bio either … been told, if I have a choice, to book for mid point between two monthly doses but not to sweat it.
Haven’t been fly fishing in some 35 years I guess but maybe a new hobby once both knees are fixed … have to speak to my brother about that, he’s now the fisherman in our family.
Thanks GrumpyCat that is very reassuring and the chiller warning duly noted. My GP has recommended two specialist surgeons so I'm now waiting to see which one he has been able to get me the referral to. Both my GP and rheumy have said they suspect there might be more going on in my knees than the x-rays/mri's show and that would certainly be my take on how they feel to me LOL.
About 15 years ago, I had arthroscopic surgery on both knees - a week apart. One was for tears on both sides of the knee (meniscus and ACL); the other was for meniscus tear and retracking the knee cap as it was not properly aligned. The first knee was a breeze; the second one was not.
My ortho recommended physical therapy which I did, and was glad that I did. It helped me trust that I could use my knees. After many years of "making it work", it was important to relearn proper movement. My therapist worked on strengthening my quads which helps keep the knee(s) in alignment. I was in physical therapy two days after the first surgery and resumed very quickly after the second surgery.
I would consider both surgeries successful and thought it a good decision to have them done. I would also strongly recommend physical therapy. If I remember right, I was in therapy 3x a week for 3 or 4 weeks.
tntlamb's comment about using the restroom brought back the memory of trying to stand up when finished. That did take some effort!
Thanks Trisha33 for sharing your arthroscopy success. With the exception of the ACL tear it sounds like our knees have alot in common.
I met with my physiotherapist yesterday as I'd been struggling with the quad exercises she'd given me previously causing hip pain and she's got me back on track and says I keep going with these ... that is once this weeks 'problem' with my SI joint has eased a bit more. If it's not one thing it's the other! Interestingly she told me that my hospital is an orthopaedic centre of excellence so that helps with my confidence level as well.
Thanks everyone who has replied, provided the surgeon is willing to do the procedure I think it's all systems go as I have everything to gain.
Thanks Grumpy, have been doing knee/quad/glute exercises for a while now and the physio tweaked them a bit on Friday on account of my SI and hip pain. Seeing the surgeon on Tuesday evening so will have a clearer idea of the plan (fingers crossed) after that.