Fritzy 22- Журнал, 24 янв 24

Can i say i told you so😂. Knowledge is key. Hopefully can be repaired with small surgical repair. Meniscus tears are very painful. Im so glad you went and had this done fritzy. Your puppies need you in tip top shape! Xoxo my friend. 

Thanks YoH! I remember you told me so! I just felt like a fraud because the knee felt so much better. What's funny is now that I know there are issues I am feeling the pain more! 

Yikes! It's a good thing you had that done!! 

Thanks Morticia! I have to stop researching online but it sounds like arthroscopic surgery can fix the problems. Already worrying crutches and living alone with 7 or 8 steps to get into the garage or on and off the front porch.  

So glad you had the MRI!  

Good to have the knowledge. Get yourself a knee scooter if you decide to have surgery. It will help with mobility. 

Fritzy dont worry about the steps. I have 7 total steps to get into my front door and i did with my hip replacement and walker in the beginning. You can do this. You will have one good leg and you can use the walker if needed to get in and out of the house or the crutches when you get more confident. My journey was walker to crutches to cane to nothing. Don’t be scared. Do you have someone who can check on you daily?  

Thanks Redporchlady! 

Thanks Kat! I never heard of a knee scooter so looked them up on Amazon. Not sure about it. I would probably mostly stay inside until I heal, like I've been doing since this started. Hopefully it won't be a long recovery. 

Thanks YOH! Do you think I would need both a walker and crutches? I had crutches in the 7th grade when I broke my ankle. I remember going up stairs was easier than going downstairs. My sister lives just a couple blocks over. I was talking to her (I wouldn't want to stay at her house and she wouldn't want to stay here). Her husband goes grocery shopping v every day so can pick up food for me. When I had my gallbladder out 2 years ago she took Bobby for a couple of days and brought me meals. I also have a couple of friends who might even stay with me if I need them. Scooping the litter boxes sounds like a pain. I'm worrying about things before any doctor has told me I need surgery! 

I do think probably walker to cane maybe but i did walker, crutches cane. You should be able to walk completely without aid after 6 weeks and that is if they do a total knee replacement. If it is just a smaller surgery it may be much much faster. You will need to get back and forth to physical therapy and they may require you to go to physical therapy prior to scheduling a surgery (insurance b.s.). Have someone scoop your litter boxes because you dont need to fall over doing that while recovering and ACCEPT help. I would have someone stay with you for at least the first 48 hours. Your doc will go over all those things. It’s okay to get your ducks in a row. When you live alone you have more to consider and then you have the furry family to think of also. Listen, get the work done now so you will be feeling better and recovered sooner. If i had known what was actually wrong with me and that i didnt have to live for 8 years in such severe pain what a gift that would have been. I was misdiagnosed for a long time. Im glad you know what’s up. I had end stage osteoarthritis as well as a host of other things going on but the arthritis was pretty painful. If they give you a knee replacement they will clean that all up and you wont have it anymore and the relief will be mind blowing.  

Oh wow! I'm so glad you followed thru and got an answer. I'm sorry it is not something minor. Follow Drs advice. I tore my MCL in my right leg about 6 years ago. They said it was borderline as to whether I should have surgery or do PT. I opted PT and it bothers me on and off. Then last year I fell and they suspected I tore my meniscus in my left leg. They were unable to tell for sure because I can't have a MRI. I have more problems with meniscus than torn MCL. I hope you have a good Ortho experience and you will be able to get back to walking your dog etc. 💜💜 

YOH, I don't think a total knee replacement is needed. Sure hope not! I know my brother in law had it done after having knee issues for years. This was the first time I've ever had any knee problems and right now there is very little pain. I was reading all kinds of things I'd need to deal with, putting on socks, pants,etc. I'll probably get some slip on shoes and slippers.Maybe wear night shirts or something. Wide legs if I wear sweats or joggers. So many things to worry about. I may ask my normal house sitter if she is available for the first few days or a week to come by twice a day to give my cat his insulin shots, feed the cats and Bobby and scoop the litter boxes. Hire someone to walk Bobby. Maybe I won't need even need surgery. I've read a meniscus tear can possibly heal.  

Thanks Diana! I'm starting to stress about this too much. I should wait until I actually talk to the orthopedist next week. I just talked to someone from my primary doctor's office who told me what his notes said. I'm already looking for post surgery clothes to wear! Aren't there other ways to check for a meniscus tear if you can't have an MRI? It sounds like it's something that needs to be taken care of.  

Sorry to hear about what they found on your MRI. Like you mentioned in the last few comments, better wait to talk to the doctor to see what the scope of repair will be. I’ve gotten reports from nurses or assistants before about various test results, and ended up going into a tailspin about what was happening to me (especially after consulting with Dr. Google!). Then I’d talk to my doctor and things were never as dire as I had imagined. It’s easy to do! So hopefully you will get more information soon and then you can figure out what you need to do. It sounds like you have lots of different options for help from several different sources, which is a wonderful thing.  

Be sure to get a second opinion. I was advised to have knee 'scoped' which outtake care of the issue. No one said anything about potential long term issues like arthritis, scar tissue etc. My second opinion said firmly not to have anyone operate on me. 40% of people in middle age have some degree of meniscus tear. Lose weight, exercise the surrounding musculature- physiotherapy- and WAIT until the problem is acute. I opted to wait and have run several marathons and climbed Kilimanjaro 3 times on the knee which the first orthopedic guy wanted to slice in right away. 

Fritz, No way to show a tear. An X-ray will not show it, nor will an ultrasound. Don't let yourself get freaked out. Take one step at a time💜 

I had a similar experience and saw two orthopedic surgeons. Surgery is not necessary at this time and I have no pain. I’ve seen relatives go through orthoscopic surgeries and most end with knee replacements. My brother nearly died of a staph infection and battled it for six months after knee replacement. I’m not ready to sign up for any surgery, but rather creating a better health plan has been challenging and now my new priority. Lesser weight on joints is easier said than done, but it’s time. Best of luck to you and remember…being stronger is always “on deck” and can be added with small change ups. 

i have had the scope twice on 1 knee, 1x on the other... then the ortho wanted to do full knee replacement that was more than 30 yrs ago. never did it. instead did weights for yrs. til slowed down started back up last yr w trainer. i learned an exercise using hard foam roller which enabled me to do leg exercises w/o knee pain no PT had ever showed me this.... plus little changes to foot positions etc avoid surgery as much as u can w leg muscle have been able to hike, run, tennis etc  

whatever you do never let them give you an knee replacement, its the worst and if its not right it will haunt you the rest of your life I know went through torn meniscus and they waiting about a year and talked me into a replacement something I regret everyday now ..its been 5 years now