yikes! I need arthiscopic knee surgery!

[TheDisneyGirl02]

Thanks! This is all very encouraging. I'm trying to get in with the surgeon next week and hoping his surgery schedule is not too far out. The doctor I saw yesterday said by looking at my MRI films my tear was pretty bad...they called in medial meniscus tear...but as long as I 'm good by Sept. I'll be a happy camper! I'm actually walking pretty well now and some may not notice I was even injured...it's just that I'm pretty much always aware of the dull, achey pain...praying for a good report! Thanks Dis friends!

I looked it up on WebMD and there is a great illustration of what the medial meniscus looks like.

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/meniscus-tear-symptoms

Hope that helps a little!

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Thanks! That was helpful!

 

[nikandboys]

Like the previous poster said, been there done that got the t-shirt but for me, I got 6 T-shirts. I go in for #7 on 3/27 and we are off to WDW in Sept. also. I will be back in Prison 2 weeks after surgery (to work). Just all depends on how much work they do. Don't wait though...only makes things worse.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Wow! #7...mind me asking why? Any of those large medial meniscus tears? Will you be on crutches for 2 weeks? So you think you'll be fine for Sept. as well...even with all the walking at WDW. I sure pray I am as a wheelchair is not an option for me with three little ones I need to be pushing a stroller. thanks!

 

[Melissa_E]

Even if they find that you tore your ACL, you should be absolutely fine! I had meniscus repair, replaced my ACL, and patella repair. I had the surgery May 23rd last year, by July 10th I was hiking in Colorado with my ACL brace on. The knee felt great! By week 12 post op, I was cleared for all roller coasters (we go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg).

Absolutely get the knee repaired now, I waited a year before I had mine looked at and did a lot more damage because of it.

 

[nikandboys]

Not every one was for a tear, I have had 5 arthos, 1 full blown 8 inch incision to clean out "junk" - arthritis, tears, scar tissue, bone chips etc... I have LOTS of problems and even with tons of problems I'll be fine after two weeks. Fter all but the big surgery I was on my feet the next day with crutches. I will most likely be down to one crutch or cane in a week. I will take a crutch with me to work but may not use it much. I have a lot of deteriation in my knee besides a tear. Scar tissue is worse cause it connects to healthy tissue. You need to repair a tear as soon as you can and to prevent much more damage from happening. I even have Pics from the surgery scope.

 

[Conan the Librarian]

Well it turns out after a sledding accident in Dec. I need to have surgery to repair a torn meniscus. I am so worried about recovery and our upcoming trip! We are leaving in 6 months and I just want to be 100% and really enjoy this trip as it will be our last for a few years at least. Has anyone had this done and can you tell me how long your recovery was?

I'm debating whether to wait until after our trip in Sept...doc said it's really up to me and my pain level..I just don't want to get to WDW and be miserable...I don't know if increased walking would make it worse. Thanks for any advice!

I tore my Meniscus coming out of the store at Old Key West the first day of our Oct, 2006 trip. I had to ride an cart the trip for that week. I was fine for our Dec 2006 trip. I had my surgery in January 2007 and we went to MK one month later in Feb 2007. I missed 1 and a half weeks of work, one to recover, a half at Disney Hilton Head to get the anestetic (sp?) out of my system.

I had no problems and was walking without any sticks or crutches in a week. Our May 2007 trip was two weeks with no pain at all.

I would do EVERYTHING that the doctors and therapist (and your spouse)tells you, work hard, and not worry about the 6 months.

 

[heartbeeps]

Well it turns out after a sledding accident in Dec. I need to have surgery to repair a torn meniscus. I am so worried about recovery and our upcoming trip! We are leaving in 6 months and I just want to be 100% and really enjoy this trip as it will be our last for a few years at least. Has anyone had this done and can you tell me how long your recovery was?

I'm debating whether to wait until after our trip in Sept...doc said it's really up to me and my pain level..I just don't want to get to WDW and be miserable...I don't know if increased walking would make it worse. Thanks for any advice!

GO FOR IT! My DH had a torn meniscus when he was in his 70s. It was more work for me than him! (I had to keep the cooler full of ice water full that was on his knee those 1st 24 hours.) He was up and about in 2 days like nothing ever happened. Before that, we had to turn around on a hike down the grand canyon b'c he was in too much pain in that knee. And, I have to tell you, at his age, there was a "camp" out there that said, "oh don't get it done, just wait until you need a total knee replacement." Well, 9 years later and total knee replacement isn't on the agenda thank goodness! BEST DECISION HE EVER MADE. Line up the ice bucket brigade and you'll be pounding the pavement in no time!

(Of course, having said that, there's always risk anytime there's surgery. If you're not sure, get a 2nd opinion to make sure it agrees with the 1st opinion! AND GET THE BEST ORTHOPAEDIC dr. your money can buy!)

it's quality of life that matters - not quantity! GO FOR QUALITY EVERY TIME!

 

[Macca1111]

I'm debating whether to wait until after our trip in Sept...doc said it's really up to me and my pain level..I just don't want to get to WDW and be miserable...I don't know if increased walking would make it worse. Thanks for any advice!

I know everyone's already let you know, but yes, the pain will be worse if you wait than if you get it done. From the sounds of yours, they'll be able to clean it up pretty easily. I essentially bruised the meniscus, so when they went in they couldn't just cut out the damaged parts. That means they had to leave it to heal on it's own, so instead I got lots of big needle pokes and scraping the back of the patella, and even so I was back in commission for a trip to Hawaii four months later. It heals so much faster and feels so much better after you get it done, although be aware that temperature changes will now forever affect the knee (if they weren't already sensitive). GL and let us know how you do. Oh, and fight for rehab because I got squat and it made life a lot worse.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Moving this over to the ThemeParks Community Board.

Thanks!

Knox

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Thanks again everyone! Ugg! I'm so frustrated right now. My parents called and are all upset, saying I'm "jumping the gun...give it more time to heal...it's MAJOR surgery!" I told them they didn't know what they were talking about ...that everything I've read says it's really not major surgery. I know they're just worried about me since they grew up with me and all my doctors visits for my congenital issues...if I forgot to say I was born without an
ACL or PCL in the knee I hurt...i know...crazy. So the knee is already very instable but I've learned to "work with it" my whole life and have had no issues.

They also don't think I need the surgery since I'm "not doing that bad." Well...yes...I'm walking fine now...but if I walk a little more than usual, clean the house/vaccum/etc. I start to notice a mild limp coming on and an achey pain..not bad..just noticable. I'm meeting with the ortho. surgeon Thurs and hope he's good and helps me make a good decision. Thanks again!

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Also wanted to add..they said..."i think your rushing this because of Disney World!" Well....yes! But they aren't Disers...they just don't understand my love for the world ..this trip means so much to me and my family and will be our last for a while. They think I should wait till after Disney...I just fear that it will "flare up" while there with all the walking and I'll have to resort to an EVC...which I really can't since I need to be pushing a stroller...thanks for listening!

 

[SueM in MN]

don't know anything about knee surgery, but remember that even if your not at 100%, Disney is great in a wheel chair. Least thats what my grandfather told us when he went with us. He normally walks with a full leg brace (has since he was in his early 20s), so wheelchair is the only way he can do disney. As long as you can move from the wheelchair onto the ride your all set, a lot of times with priority riding. And if your feeling better in the mornings or something, start out walking and then go get one later if the need arises. Hope this might help.

AK and the Studio were built with Mainstream Lines, which means that the lines are wheelchair accessible and wheelchair/ECV users wait in the regular lines with everyone else.
Epcot and MK were built long enough ago that they were not built with accessible lines, but as attractions were added or renovated, Mainstream Lines were added to many attractions. There are some attractions with stairs or other things that make the attraction not accessible; those are the few that have wheelchair entrances. There may be a wait (sometimes even longer than waiting in the regular line), depending on how many other people with special needs are also waiting.

I just fear that it will "flare up" while there with all the walking and I'll have to resort to an EVC...which I really can't since I need to be pushing a stroller...thanks for listening!

My FIL had 2 bad knees and found that pushing a stroller (when my DDs were very little) or pushing my youngest DD's wheelchair helped to take some pressure off of his knee. So, pushing a stroller might actually help you.

 

[socomtwiggy]

It all depends on your age and how you follow through at home. I have had both my knees scoped for meniscus tears. The first was worker's comp. he removed the whole miniscus on a Wed. using the 3 hole method. I had PT on thursday and Friday and was back to work on Monday using a single crutch. Fully healed by the 2nd week. My other surgeries were not total removal. Two holes and recovery was faster. I have never been out of work for 2 weeks. On my trip last year I did use icy hot or a ben gay type cream in the morning before I left the hotel room. And Ice it down in the evenings. This will help.

 

[rtobe]

I too am a member of the multiple arthroscopy club. Just had the 5th surgery on left knee in January for medial menicus tear (knee was locking periodically). Have the knee fixed sooner, I wound up waiting about a year before the last surgery until got bad enough to fix, don't do that. The rehab isn't that bad, lots of stationary bike, straight leg raises, quadricep tightening. Swimming is great for rehab. Make sure you get a physical therapy appointment set up for after surgery. You may want a brace for walking all day at WDW.

Generally, torn meniscus takes me about 2 months to really feel normal and a little longer till I play tennis again. I have gone to WDW as soon as 4 weeks after surgery with crutches (just because the place is kind of big) and it was ok.