I had my knee scoped a week ago today. It's been swollen since before Christmas. The week before Christmas I was in the hospital and they drained several tubes of fluid from it, but the fluid just came back.
My orthopedic doctor injected it the day after Christmas, and that helped the pain, but a month after that, it was still very swollen. So he decided to do the scope.
He didn't find much of anything. A few rough edges and a slight tear that he fixed. But I'm almost embarrassed to go for my check up tomorrow. My knee is swollen even more than it was before, and every place someone even thought about putting their finger on my thigh positioning me for the surgery is deep, deep black and blue. It looks like I've been taking a baseball bat to it every day since the surgery. I don't know which hurts more right now, the two points where they put the scopes in or my thigh.
The one good thing is that I don't feel like my flare has flared any more since the surgery. I was worried about that. I've been taking Ativan at bedtime and actually getting some sleep, so I think that's helped a lot.
I guess I'll see what the doctor says tomorrow.
Tracy
PS Got a call from my son in Iraq last night and again this morning, he's doing pretty well. Finally settling in. He wants us to ship a guitar to him, so that's my husband's mission right now!
Hi :)
That all sounds pretty painful! I think swelling really can take quite a while to settle after surgery and the anti blood clotting stuff they use (whose name totally escapes me right now) + painkillers doesn't help the bruising at all. Hopefully if a tear has been repaired it WILL feel better than it did - unless he says the rough edges need sorted! I'm speaking as someone who had such rough edges in their knee that it was bone on bone and both ends worn down as well - so I understand it hurting.
I expect they'll advise some physical therapy at some point. It hurts but it works!
I'm glad your son is feeling more settled.
Good luck with the appointment. Do tell us what the doc says about the swelling and bruising.
Take care - Scottie :)
Tracy, Glad that you got through the surgery and everything. I had an injured knee that would stay swollen and had a ?torn meniscus. The ortho docs just pulled me too and fro because it was a workman's comp injury. Anyway, I had it scoped and nothing was done surgically. It was swollen and bothered me for years. It finally healed on its own. I think it took about 10 years to heal.
I would use the ice in the styofoam cup on it whenever it would bother and I think that really helped to keep the inflammation fown. Also had ultrasound therapy, etc. My sister is a nurse and worked in surgery for years. She always told me to wait a long time before I had a knee fixed as so often people still had problems. I think knees get so much wear and tear that they just don't stay healthy.
Glad to hear the son is doing better. Sounds like they are going to make music. Maybe he will be in a band over there. Take care. Irish ;D
Tracy I have had both knees replaced and with through all the hoops before the actual surgery(scope and injections). My knees continued to stay swollen. After surgery they stayed swollen for months until physical therapy and exercise finally won out. As for as the bruising, the whole front of my left leg stayed that way for close to six months from assistance trying to hold my leg in place while the new knee was positioned. My ortho doctor told me this was normal.
Good luck I hope your knee improves quickly. As Scottie says exercise is painfully but very necessary to get your kneww back in shape.
tracy
just wanted to send you my best wishes .
Must be a terrible time, glad for you that youve not flared up, but you must be in a lot of pain :(
hope you get some amswers tomorrow
T x
Glad to hear you made it through and are doing fairly well. I've found that rest is probably the best medicine of all. So.......rest up!!!!
Anna
Thanks everyone.
I honestly don't remember what the doctor said after the surgery, which is why my husband was there. The doctor said there was one small teat and some arthritis, but nothing that says to him that I'll be coming in some day for an artificial knee. So it doesn't sound like he found anything bad at all. Can arthritis cause a joint like my knee just swell up one day and stay that way for months? I'll be asking the doctor that question today, but sometimes hearing the actual experience of friends you trust tells you more than the doctor (not that I won't follow his treatment plan, It will give me more questions to ask him though
Thanks again,
Tracy (who runs spell check constantly anymore or there's no way you could have read this letter and understood anything I had to say!)
Hi Tracy :)
I had a swollen knee for six years - and I don't swell easily. I had osteoarthritis. there are lots of different kind of arthritis though so try to pin the doc down as to what type.
With osteo, in the UK at any rate, the arthritis is graded one through to four. One is minor - four is major. A knee replacement was offered to me when they figured my knee was a grade 3. When they actually scoped it - it was grade 4.
Dunno if that helps any but there's a good arthritis site and forum at About.com you could maybe have a look at.
Take care - Scottie :)
Sorry that you're still having knee problems, but very happy that you heard from your son. Keep your knee elevated (like you haven't heard tht before ;D) and let others take care of you so you can heal!