1 surgery down 1 to go

Dody · July 8, 2006

Today I had surgery on my right knee. To stay it isn't hurting would be a lie, but I'm up and around on it anyway. The dr. said the sooner I'm on it the better off I'll be. I hate pain meds so I'm only taking Tylenol, so probably a good part of the reason I'm hurting. I'm not sure he cured me though, as he said he found a lot of arthritis that may be giving me some of the problems. I'm keeping good thoughts though. I woke up immediately (as they were taking the tube out of my throat), hungry and thirsty and having to go to the bathroom. All 3 things were allowed. My daughter can't get over how well I wake up from a general anesthesia, so I hope everything goes as smoothly with the band. July 18 is the big day. This was just something I needed to get out of the way first.

God Bless,

Dody

(I'm finally making headway)

Elisabethsew · July 8, 2006

I'm glad to hear the knee surgery went well and I'm surprised that the surgeon did not see the extent of the arthritis damage on the MRI. You might want to get a second opinion if you get no relief from this surgery. Take it easy and allow yourself time to heal.

Dody · July 8, 2006

I'm glad to hear the knee surgery went well and I'm surprised that the surgeon did not see the extent of the arthritis damage on the MRI. You might want to get a second opinion if you get no relief from this surgery. Take it easy and allow yourself time to heal.

That part about him not seeing the extent of the arhritis on the MRI bothered me too, but I want to be back home before I have oomplete knee replacement (which is obviously coming in the future). I really wanted to not postpone my band surgery again so we both opted for arthroscopy. He said he didn't realize the extent of the arthritis, but I like you question this. For now I will setle for relief for awhile, and am hoping I can get it. I will get the knee surgery done down the road. I'm sure the other knee has just as much arthritis, but I've never had trouble with my knees, and twisting this is what hurt it. If the dr. had his way he reocmmended total knee replacement, but I would never have been able to keep my banding date in about a week. Let's hope this works for now.

I'm being spoiled by my kids and have to admit I'm enjoying it just a little :scared:

God Bless,

Dody

TexasTerry · July 8, 2006

Your band surgery will be a piece of cake compared to the knee. I've had 3 knee surgeries in the past and am just recently banded. I'll take banding anyday over knee surgery.

Best wishes

Terry :scared:

Elisabethsew · July 8, 2006

I went to the orthopedic surgeon begging for arthoscopic surgery for my knee to "buy me some time." He looked at the x-rays and the MRI and told me it would be unethical for him to do anything BUT a total knee replacement and that arthoscopic surgery would not produce any relief. So, my reward when I get close to goal from the band surgery is to have a total knee replacement. LOL.

I hope you recover quickly AND get results from the knee surgery. While others say recovery from band surgery is no big deal, it took me a good 10 days to feel human again. Of course, at 46 with a heart condition, I did not expect the recovery that a 20 year old has.

Be well.

Kat817 · July 8, 2006

I too have had both knee surgeries, and lap band surgery. Several years ago I had open surgery on my left knee to repair an ACL tear, they could not get done arthroscopically. A kid down the road ran into me on his bicycle!! Following that, I had a lateral release of the patella, on the other knee, my kneecap (patella) was being pulled off of the correct position, and I had no movement in it. Then last November they repaired several meniscal tears in the right knee again. The last 2 were done with arthroscopic surgery. I agree that my lap band was even easier than the last 2 knee surgeries. And not even comparable to the open surgery! I am 45 with bad knees, a bad back, an occasional bad attitude....and other assorted health issues, and survived the banding without issue, so while we may not bounce back like we would have 20 years ago, we CAN do it!! Give yourself a little time, and take care not to push too hard too fast with either surgery!!! It is not a race! Doing too much too fast can cause many more problems than it helps! Enjoy being taken care of by your kids!! Aren't you glad you raised them to be so caring!

Good Luck as you heal and prepare for the next surgery, I will be thinking of you!

Kat

Dody · July 8, 2006

I went to the orthopedic surgeon begging for arthoscopic surgery for my knee to "buy me some time." He looked at the x-rays and the MRI and told me it would be unethical for him to do anything BUT a total knee replacement and that arthoscopic surgery would not produce any relief. So, my reward when I get close to goal from the band surgery is to have a total knee replacement. LOL.
I hope you recover quickly AND get results from the knee surgery. While others say recovery from band surgery is no big deal, it took me a good 10 days to feel human again. Of course, at 46 with a heart condition, I did not expect the recovery that a 20 year old has.

Be well.

That's basically what I needed to to Elizabeth was buy time. Considering the fact my knees had never, ever hurt before I hurt the right knee here in Tennessee, he thought that possibly the surgery might help me enough to get through. It was an injury that caused mine. If I haden't seen the MRI I would not have believed I had arthritis in my knee. It never, ever bothered me, so I think he was taking my word for the fact that arthritis or not, I'd never had any trouble before. Therefore, I think he was merely hoping to help me. I guess I'll know within a few days if that is true I'm definitely older than you Elizabeth (64) and have had 5-way-bypass surgery. My feeling is if you can survive that you can get through anything....Keep me in your thoughts please as the 18th is just around the corner. I didn't bounce back from the by-pass as all. Somewhere all my red blood cells got lost and it was 6-months before I was feeling anywhere close to normal. I was very anemic and required several blood transfusions. I've heard of others that did much better with their bypass than me, but I was a smoker at the time and had to quit that at the very same time....wow was I a grump :scared: but it's the best thing I have done for myself so far...and now the banding is the second.

God Bless,

Dody

Dody · July 8, 2006

I too have had both knee surgeries, and lap band surgery. Several years ago I had open surgery on my left knee to repair an ACL tear, they could not get done arthroscopically. A kid down the road ran into me on his bicycle!! Following that, I had a lateral release of the patella, on the other knee, my kneecap (patella) was being pulled off of the correct position, and I had no movement in it. Then last November they repaired several meniscal tears in the right knee again. The last 2 were done with arthroscopic surgery. I agree that my lap band was even easier than the last 2 knee surgeries. And not even comparable to the open surgery! I am 45 with bad knees, a bad back, an occasional bad attitude....and other assorted health issues, and survived the banding without issue, so while we may not bounce back like we would have 20 years ago, we CAN do it!! Give yourself a little time, and take care not to push too hard too fast with either surgery!!! It is not a race! Doing too much too fast can cause many more problems than it helps! Enjoy being taken care of by your kids!! Aren't you glad you raised them to be so caring!
Good Luck as you heal and prepare for the next surgery, I will be thinking of you!

Kat

This was my frist ever knee problem, and I know that down the road somewhere I will need knee replacement, but I want it with my own surgeon at home.

If lap-banding is easier than the knee surgery (which was a pice of cake for me)....I awoke with I'm hungry, thirsty and have to go the bathroom (although not in that order) I'm going to be OK. This surgery did not bother me at all as I have no problems with a general anesthesia, and because I've had 5-way-bypass surgery (which I think is the worse surgery you could possibly have) I'm pretty pain tolerant, so I'm hoping all goes well. Strangely, I'm not nervous about the banding at all...the 18th can't get here quick enough. I do feel better knowing I have the forum to turn to if anything goes wrong though. This is one great source of info and friends.

God Bless,

Dody