Stiffness
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I knew the cortisone shot wasn't going to be a cure, but I was expecting it to last more than 10 days. Did the MRI.
Strained and contused MCL, water on the knee, torn medial and lateral meniscus, and (the topper on the cake) signs of degenerative disease... good old arthritis.
Will consult with an orthopedic surgeon soon.
In the meantime, still putting in 8 to 12 miles a day walking client yards.0 -
Hope that the consultation goes well. Sorry to hear all that.1
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So, talked with the ortho... and he is recommending a total knee replacement.
Yeah.3 -
d_thomas02 wrote: »So, talked with the ortho... and he is recommending a total knee replacement.
Yeah.
Some of my friends have had really good results with this, athletically speaking. (I'm still dodging it until current issues get bad enough to give me no alternative, but it's in my future according to ortho.)
Hoping you have an excellent outcome, if you decide to go forward with the surgery!1 -
d_thomas02 wrote: »So, talked with the ortho... and he is recommending a total knee replacement.
Yeah.
Some of my friends have had really good results with this, athletically speaking. (I'm still dodging it until current issues get bad enough to give me no alternative, but it's in my future according to ortho.)
Hoping you have an excellent outcome, if you decide to go forward with the surgery!
Scheduled for week of Thanksgiving.2 -
That sucks. Good luck with the surgery.1
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d_thomas02 wrote: »So, talked with the ortho... and he is recommending a total knee replacement.
Yeah.
I'm sorry to hear that. I was told that I needed one 12 years ago. At that time (with the technology then), I was considered too young because 2nd knee replacements don't typically do well and then they only were expected to last 15 years. Now, they have a 30 year life expectancy, so the technology has really improved over the last decade.
With the arthritis, that was probably their best solution. I was lucky. Though I had a devistating knee injury, up until that time, I had no arthritis the doc said. Now, years later, I'm sure I have terrible knee deterioration as he told me I likely would.
I'm like Ann, I'll just put off as long as possible on it. Currently, it doesn't bother me much but structurally, you can tell it's garbage.
You'll likely feel like a new man!!
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d_thomas02 wrote: »So, talked with the ortho... and he is recommending a total knee replacement.
Yeah.
I think Mike is right that medical tech has improved dramatically in the last few years related to joint replacement. Folks that I know that have had hip and knees done really do feel like new once they get through the recovery process. Good luck!3 -
Two weeks to the day before my total knee replacement operation and just received a copy of a letter my insurance company sent my doctor.
Apparently my insurance isn't going to cover the operation as "there are no radiographic findings of significant degerative joint disease, the joint destruction is mild,... The patient has not tried physical therapy and it is not clear that there is truly disabling pain or functional disability as the patient walks 8 to 12 miles per day at work."
Really? Physical therapy for an arthritic knee? And show some fortitude and perseverance to keep my friend's small business going during his busy season and I'm not showing a truly disabling pain and functional disability?
I'll have to find time to call my doc and see whats going on.
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d_thomas02 wrote: ».... Apparently my insurance isn't going to cover the operation as "there are no radiographic findings of significant degerative joint disease, the joint destruction is mild,...
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Really? Physical therapy for an arthritic
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I'll have to find time to call my doc and see whats going on.
Single payer -- medicare for all! Wouldn't it be great if the USA joined the modern world and provided health care for its citizens?
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d_thomas02 wrote: »Two weeks to the day before my total knee replacement operation and just received a copy of a letter my insurance company sent my doctor.
Apparently my insurance isn't going to cover the operation as "there are no radiographic findings of significant degerative joint disease, the joint destruction is mild,... The patient has not tried physical therapy and it is not clear that there is truly disabling pain or functional disability as the patient walks 8 to 12 miles per day at work."
Really? Physical therapy for an arthritic knee? And show some fortitude and perseverance to keep my friend's small business going during his busy season and I'm not showing a truly disabling pain and functional disability?
I'll have to find time to call my doc and see whats going on.
Yes, this is a thing insurance companies are doing now, sadly. I hope you make progress with an appeals process.
That said, I hope you may sign up for the physical therapy as soon as practical, too. I've actually found it quite helpful for things it has zero ability to repair. Whaa?
Well, I pretty much take a PT referral anytime I can get one. As just one example, I asked for and got one for my torn meniscus, even after my orthopedist said it would do nothing to cure or improve it. I explained that I wanted PT to help me assess and improve my daily movement (especially walking and stairs) so as to put less stress on the knee. In practice, I found it very helpful - better function, reduced pain. The PT folks worked with me on walking and stairs, but also identified some tight areas in my that were limiting the best ways of moving that would protect my knees.
PT is no substitute for a needed surgery, for sure, but may be a helpful thing to improve movement and reduce pain while you go through the often lengthy bureaucratic appeals nonsense involved with getting that surgery scheduled.
BTW: Single payer may not be a panacea. One of my friends had replacement of a profoundly painful hip joint delayed by Medicare until he did PT, which was excruciating for him. Even the PT people agreed with him, and finally "graduated" him early to get things going on a better track. (He's a very knowlegeable, fit, and athletic former coach, had already researched and exhausted PT-type interventions as part of his self-directed training.)
Unfortunately, single payers have rules and restrictions, not to mention bureaucracies, too.0 -
I had to have weeks of PT with a torn tendon in my shoulder before they would order an MRI to find out what the actual damage was. Crazy.0
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Talk to a lady at the doc's office about the insurance letter. She's the one doing the rebuttal letter. We spoke for quite a while about the things that I should be able to do but can't at the moment because of the knee.
She said that this sort of thing from insurance companies this late in the year is not uncommon.
We'll give it a week and see how it goes.1 -
Scumbags. Move to Canada. We have free health care and ganja.2
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Got the news late yesterday. Knee surgery is approved.
yay (I guess).7 -
If everything goes well, you won't regret this. My mother did a total knee replacement 10 years ago and she was delighted with the results. Things have only got better since then.d_thomas02 wrote: »Got the news late yesterday. Knee surgery is approved.
yay (I guess).1 -
Since this thread started, my older brother had a knee replacement. He literally walked the entire hall the day of surgery after recovery (with a walker). He's got a very high pain tolerance, though. Said it's already, two weeks later, feeling much better than it did before.2
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Big day has arrived. Will be checking into the hospital for a new right knee in about 90 minutes.
[crosses fingers]4 -
Best of luck, brother! I hope everything goes perfectly!!1
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Best wishes for everything going great!1
