Supermommieo Down...

I had it years ago - about 25 and it was a whole other deal. Imobilizer, physical therapy - UGH. It's SOOOO different now.

My SIL had a knee REPLACED and was walking on it within 2 days. You want to be mobile but not stupid. Follow the doctor's orders. Ask for help. Do not be supermom. Take off your cape for a few weeks and be Good Enough Mom.

Supermom:

HOW are they doing the surgery? If it is being done arthroscopically it will be fairly easy. You will be a same day and up and walking out of the outpatient facility.

If they are doing it open knee - then it will be different. With the advances in medicine, i cannot fathom why they would do it any other way BUT arthroscopically!

My last knee surgery was 2006. It was an ACL tear (I've been without my lateral meniscus since 1982) and I was walking that day out of the facility. Physical therapy was 4 weeks and I can walk, run (yeah right!!), ride a bike, swim, ski, etc.

Attitude is everything. I know that. So if you think it will be hard, then it will be. If you KNOW it will be a piece of cake...it will be!! If your job is requiring you to do things that the doctor said NO to - then you need to have a serious sit-down with them and your doctor's note on what you can and cannot do.

Good luck!

Arthroscopy is pretty easy procedure. You will walk out. Recovery is quick. Think you will be pleasantly surprised. Good luck.

Are you just having an arthroscopy or are they doing an ACL replacement? I've had both.

Easier recovery from the arthroscopy, With either surgery you'll be able to get around on crutches fairly easily. You might be in for some physical therapy - if so - do not blow off these exercises! Very important to regain range of motion. Don't overdo it. Let your knee heal.

Good luck!

Awww, so sorry. Yeah, I had arthroscopic surgery on one knee. It DID help. And it was around 12 years or so ago, so I'm sure the surgery is even better now. Make sure it's a good surgeon and tell him that you don't want his students to practice on you.

You'll do fine. Get a friend to let you borrow a wheelchair. I used one for a week and it really helped me. Do all the PT they tell you to do.

Good luck!
Dawn

Years ago (like 30), my Mom got into a car accident (she was backed into by a truck load of Christmas trees on a Dec 7th).
She was driving down the road when the truck backed out suddenly and broad sided her on the passengers side.
Her left leg banged into the car door and injured her knee.
She had the open knee surgery.
She recovered but she had this huge scar (10 inches long).
People would tell her she had a run in her stocking but it was just the scar showing through.
There have been a lot of surgical improvements in the last 30 yrs.
You'll be fine!

Don't you just love it when everyone expects you to work and function through pain?

There are new breakthroughs on the food science front to help with inflammation - actually reducing it and not just medicating it to stop the pain. A have a friend who has avoided double knee replacement for 9 years now (doctor says "no point since you aren't in pain") and numerous colleagues who have avoided surgery. It can also speed your recovery if you DO have surgery. Happy to give you info.

I have an Aunt who had knee surgery for a different reason. She was moving around within the first week, and smoothly by the month end. I think as long as you follow your doctors directions, and avoid jumping up to be a super mom, outside of your limitations, you will heal quickly and without incident.

Hecky naw? lol, my mom ALWAYS says that :)

As far as pain meds, it is a little crappy that they won't take care of the one thing your need after the first of coarse...I would ask my doctor for a prescription, 800 ibpropfen is relatively inexpensive, and should curb the sharp pains. I would ask him for that until you do not need it. You will still be able to use it after healing for any pain, and it will not impair your ability to continue being supermom.

Good luck, and happy surgery!

If your dr says no they can't make you. Go to your human resources department. And as for the insurance company you might want to contact them yourself and see what pain meds they will cover. They may need to prescribe you different ones. I have had some surgerys but it was in 95 I think when I had my knee surgery. Don't do any more than the drs say. If you have small children find someone to help with them. Good Luck.

Well.... I have over 40 tears in my cartilage & connective tissue (CT) in my knees.

Over the last 20 years. Most are small tears, some are substantial.

Eventually, my body just got used to the pain. Don't get me wrong, they still hurt like a sprain every time I move them... I just ignore it most of the time. Although for the past 10 years, I can't run long distance without the cartilage leaking so badly that I can't walk for a few weeks (unless I hit my knees with a bat to burst the bakers cysts that are causing the extra pain & inflammation. That's good for a nap (always makes me pass out), but I can walk again after.

But I can still
- sprint
- snowboard
- hike
- swim
- etc.

Until the new MRIs came out, we had no idea. We just thought the tendons & ligaments were stretched. Hopefully in the next 6 mo... I'll do step 1... Which is only a 3 week recovery!!! Yay! (Prior to, they were looking at total knee replacement. That's months of recovery)

Nope!

Totally repairable tears!!! Yay!!!

I found out last year.

But because of the divorce, I can't afford the surgeries to repair them.

So......
From my standpoint
Not living for 20 years in ice cold pain?
Not crawling up stairs for 2 years while your body develops a tolerance?
You're Rockin !!!

_____

Percoset / Vic are only $30 out of pocket for generic.
Some of the weaker & stronger are waaaay more expensive. If you're looking at 100+ fees.... Ask about low dose P/V. Like 2.5 mg. which is sold over the counter in Canada (Tylenol 2/3).

Optin B, of course, is just to take a boat ride & grab a box of Tylenol. Liked, you're close enough to the border. Just run it by your doc, first.