Ever have arthroscopic knee surgery?

[Elkins45]

I had my knee scoped on Tuesday morning to trim my meniscus and smooth the end of the bone. They did a nerve block so I felt great Tuesday night and on into Wednesday, but as the day wore on yesterday it started hurting more and more. The Vicodin prescription they gave me doesn’t seem to be helping nearly as much as I had hoped, and I barely got any sleep last night. They sent me home with a neat cold pad machine that pumps ice water and it’s definitely helping, but I’m still pretty miserable.

Any idea how long this lasts before it starts to get better?

 

[Nessism1]

Sorry to hear you are in discomfort. I had both knees done. Can't remember the recovery, but I would (remember) if it was overly difficult. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[JeffKeryk]

The day after surgery is usually the worst, but discomfort should reside. Hang in there. Be thankful for arthoscopy...

I had major knee surgery in summer '69. Before arthroscopic. It was a lot. Dr Sheman was the SF 49er surgeon; he was as good as it gets. But he was tough; made me follow all his instructions, etc.
They wanted to do my other knee in the 80's, as I recall. I told them I'm not playing football anymore so keep your knives to yourself.

 

[D1dad]

Yep. No big deal to the surgeon but hurts like crazy that night. Advil worked better than anything they prescribed. Acl replacement, mcl and torn meniscus. I ret-tore my meniscus last year in the gym but my medical sucks so bad and @52 I’m just dealing with it. Plus I don’t wanna go through that pain again. Lots of calf raises and keeping the weight in check helps.

 

[hemitom]

I had both knees done ( not at same time ) the right knee had a lot more work done at it took about three weeks before I was walking and moving normally .
The left knee I had it done on a Friday and believe it or not I had absolutely no pain very little swelling and took no pain killers at all I couldn't believe it after having a lot of pain from the right knee. Honestly on Saturday less than 24 hours I could have went back to work it was like I had nothing done.

 

[hemitom]

The day after surgery is usually the worst, but discomfort should reside. Hang in there. Be thankful for arthoscopy...

I had major knee surgery in summer '69. Before arthroscopic. It was a lot. Dr Sheman was the SF 49er surgeon; he was as good as it gets. But he was tough; made me follow all his instructions, etc.
They wanted to do my other knee in the 80's, as I recall. I told them I'm not playing football anymore so keep your knives to yourself.

I remember when my dad had his done I think he stayed in the hospital for near a week maybe longer and had a nasty scar on the side of his knee

 

[hemitom]

I had my knee scoped on Tuesday morning to trim my meniscus and smooth the end of the bone. They did a nerve block so I felt great Tuesday night and on into Wednesday, but as the day wore on yesterday it started hurting more and more. The Vicodin prescription they gave me doesn’t seem to be helping nearly as much as I had hoped, and I barely got any sleep last night. They sent me home with a neat cold pad machine that pumps ice water and it’s definitely helping, but I’m still pretty miserable.

Any idea how long this lasts before it starts to get better?

And get it moving my doctor told me every hour to try and flex your knee as much as possible up to ten times I found the best way was to sit in the lazy boy keep my leg flat and slowly pull it up as much as I could.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I had similar surgery and they had me walking on it the next day. I used to live on Advil and bc powders back then for other issues. I do not remember lots of pains after that surgery. I had torn my ACL a year prior and even with mri / x-rays and tests they claimed it was just a hyper extended knee with partial dislocation. I was on crutches a couple weeks. Back and forth to Doc for 12 months until one said I needed meniscus surgery. I stayed awake and heard them saying "this guy tore his acl and it is now attached to these other ligaments that we must separate." They had a curtain in front so I could not see. After the surgery they gave me a bag full of what looked like tiny white bbs and said that was pieces of torn ligaments they removed. I had suffered with it a year before they finally did the surgery. My knee would go out and I was falling down every once in a while. The only good thing was that year I was working mechanical planning in an office and not on my tools outside. Still do not recall much pain after that surgery?

 

[mjk1967]

I had my knee scoped on Tuesday morning to trim my meniscus and smooth the end of the bone. They did a nerve block so I felt great Tuesday night and on into Wednesday, but as the day wore on yesterday it started hurting more and more. The Vicodin prescription they gave me doesn’t seem to be helping nearly as much as I had hoped, and I barely got any sleep last night. They sent me home with a neat cold pad machine that pumps ice water and it’s definitely helping, but I’m still pretty miserable.

Any idea how long this lasts before it starts to get better?

have had both knees trimmed, and had TKR this past September. With the trimmings, I was on a treadmill in 2 weeks. I never really had any major pain with either one. TKR is a different beast.

 

[greenjp]

I had arthroscopic surgery for a meniscus tear about 12 years ago, walked out of the hospital a couple hours after the surgery. Never had much pain to speak of, followed the doctor's directions and I think about 6 weeks later was good to go, playing football again. Might have been 10. Anyway, it wasn't bad.

jeff

 

[mk378]

The arthroscopic stuff is for young people. Once you're 60 or so, all the soft tissue is gone and there isn't anything left to repair.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I had my knee scoped on Tuesday morning to trim my meniscus and smooth the end of the bone. They did a nerve block so I felt great Tuesday night and on into Wednesday, but as the day wore on yesterday it started hurting more and more. The Vicodin prescription they gave me doesn’t seem to be helping nearly as much as I had hoped, and I barely got any sleep last night. They sent me home with a neat cold pad machine that pumps ice water and it’s definitely helping, but I’m still pretty miserable.

Any idea how long this lasts before it starts to get better?

I had one of those ice machines after a surgery years ago and recall it was great. Good luck and hope that pain eases up. I can no longer take what is called NSAIDS due to easy bleeding. I am stuck taking pain meds. But I recall that Advil + regular good old Aspirin worked wonders at times and even better than prescription pain meds.

 

[BISCUT]

Good luck. I had my left knee done in 2001. Recovery is pretty quick once you get past the initial 4 or 5 days. Reality does hit hard once the nerve block wears off.

 

[gman2304]

My wife had arthroscopic on her right knee but had to have a full replacement 3 years later. Outpatient surgery, and they had her walking up and down a short stairs ( 4 steps IIRC ) 2 hours after the full replacement. We had a 06:00 appointment and at 4:00 pm we were headed home. She had trouble sleeping for a few nights and used a walker for a week or so but recovered quickly for a girl her age (65) at the time. The ice machine helped tremendously and she walks normally now with no pain.

 

[billt460]

My right knee I had scoped back in 2000 at age 48. It was a cake walk. in at 7:00 AM, (outpatient surgery), and kicked to the curb at 2:00 PM that same day. Was up walking around the next day. Never took the tags of the crutch they gave me.

My left knee was done via. wide open incision back in 1972 at age 20. That was pure hell on wheels. Went in to the hospital the evening of Christmas Day. Operated on the next day. Home on New Years Eve.

Back in the hospital a week later, and put under for closed manipulation because of adhesions.... (Skin healing and sticking to bone). Total agony for 3 months after that. Couldn't drive for over 2 months. Off work for 4 months. Limping for almost 9 months. Couldn't run faster than a 4 year old for over a year.

I was on narcotic pain meds for almost 5 months. The scar looks as if they used a saber saw blade from Harbor Freight..... The operation was a success,..... Eventually. But the patient almost wished it wasn't.

 

[fat biker]

Torn Miniscus, right knee. Barely an event. Do not even remember if pain meds were prescribed or not. No post procedure PT prescribed.

Torn ACL, left knee. Now THAT was a surgery. Months of PT followed.
I nearly became dependent on Vicodin several months post surgery. Caught myself, dodged that bullet. Very Thankful for that.

2023, both hips, total replacement. First two weeks post surgery, major pain. Much PT, also painful.
5mg hydrocodone presribed, barely effective. PA approved increased dosage. In short order, off the meds so I could drive the car again.

IMO, the government has doctors scared to properly medicate their patients for pain. Pain interferes with recovery.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Torn Miniscus, right knee. Barely an event. Do not even remember if pain meds were prescribed or not. No post procedure PT prescribed.

Torn ACL, left knee. Now THAT was a surgery. Months of PT followed.
I nearly became dependent on Vicodin several months post surgery. Caught myself, dodged that bullet. Very Thankful for that.

2023, both hips, total replacement. First two weeks post surgery, major pain. Much PT, also painful.
5mg hydrocodone presribed, barely effective. PA approved increased dosage. In short order, off the meds so I could drive the car again.

IMO, the government has doctors scared to properly medicate their patients for pain. Pain interferes with recovery.

What gets me is at the very same time Doctors are terrified to give elderly what they need.... we got illicit drugs being made legal for recreational purposes and medical use (not really effective unless you want to be wasted) or stoned. At same time the DEA has clamped down even on how much pain medicine companies can produce in a 12 mo. period so many legit and elderly patients have to scramble to fill legal prescriptions about every other month. At same time I have to see young kids smoking pot all out in public and doing who knows what other drugs right out in the open with no consequences. Sorry- #Latest Boomer Rant

 

[Elkins45]

IMO, the government has doctors scared to properly medicate their patients for pain. Pain interferes with recovery.

Agreed. I’ve never used opiates but I can tell you that the Vicodin they gave me isn’t strong enough. I can’t sleep because every time I move the pain wakes me up.

 

[ripcord]

I've been putting off a consult with the orthopedist but am facing the prospect of surgery due to a torn meniscus and a cyst that is caused from fluid from the knee capsule leaking out per an MRI in December. It mainly just causes soreness so I don't think the it's the meniscus is causing me pain but the cyst rubbing on the MCL.

Agreed. I’ve never used opiates but I can tell you that the Vicodin they gave me isn’t strong enough. I can’t sleep because every time I move the pain wakes me up.

Hate to tell you, but Vicodin is a combination of Hydrocodone and Tylenol so you can't say you've never used opiates. You can say that you're never had the "good stuff" as hydrocodone is weak sauce compared to other opiates. I really don't like how any of it affects me, though.

 

[billt460]

IMO, the government has doctors scared to properly medicate their patients for pain. Pain interferes with recovery.

I shudder to think how I would have endured my 1972 knee surgery if done in the same manner today. Especially with doctors fearing to prescribe effective pain medication because of patient abuse.

In all the months I was on them, I always took them as prescribed. 1 pill every 4 hours, with no more than 6 pills in a 24 hour period.

Today they swallow a bottle a day. Then wonder why they can't crap... And when they do it's like passing cinder blocks.