Second Opinion??....Knee Injury / Surgery

"Until proven otherwise"? Seriously? That would've been my last appointment with him. It just makes it seem like he's not sure what it is, but needed to give it a name, so he picked what he picked. I would definitely be getting a second opinion. For him to just send you home in pain with no course of action is just odd.

I had the EXACT same symptoms with a knee injury a few years ago. Dr. diagnosed a meniscus tear and sent me for an MRI. My knee got better all by itself before I could schedule the test, though. I was sleeping with a Therma-Care wrap on the back of my knee every night for a couple months before seeing the doctor to keep it from locking up while I slept and maybe that helped. Either way, I'd seek a second opinion and do the work at PT before surgery. Good luck!

Get a second opinion from another orthopedist. ASAP. The longer you wait to do so, the worse the injury will get.

ETA: If you have NEVER had a joint drained - you will NOT understand the pain - it's easier to give birth than to have a knee drained. I've done it. It hurts like nothing else in this world and wouldn't wish it on anyone (well, maybe!! LOL!!)

Get a second opinion.

You should be on crutches if you have pain and swelling when walking.

Have your doctor do a arthroscopic surgery - it's minimally invasive and he will be able to see what's going on inside your knee. I have had nine (9) knee surgeries...my first at 15 with a meniscus tear - they ended up removing the meniscus through the scope.

You also might want to change the title of your post to get more people - especially those who have had knee surgeries - to something like WWYD - knee issues/problems possible surgery so that people won't just pass it over.

You will need PT to get your ROM (Range of Motion) back as well after surgery. I would do it. If you don't trust your doctor, get a second opinion.
GOOD LUCK!!

I'd seek a second opinion, for one thing. You need to get a really good ortho surgeon who focuses on knees.

Did he give you some prescription ibruprophen? If he didn't, I would be looking elsewhere for another doctor. It also bothers me that he hasn't tried FIRST to remove the fluid from your knee. That's painful because they do it with a needle, but I have several friends that this worked for. The body makes the fluid to prevent injury, but the fluid causes problems and if it doesn't go away, there is more injury done. That's why we try to get the swelling down.

I would NOT be going to therapy with that swelling, MN.

Go looking for another surgeon. Ask around. Do you know any nurses? Ask them for names. Nurses know who the good docs are, AND who to avoid.

Good luck!
Dawn

50 bucks says that you have some bakers cysts forming.

Bakers cysts are essentially 'leaky caritilage issue'. When the cartilage gets torn, these cysts start forming in your knee. First your knee feels thick and pasty. Then it hurts to torque. Then you can't bend or can't straighten (or have to choose). EVENTUALLY they CAN get big enough to actually see. Sometimes they rupture which feels like someone poured acid down your calf.

Fix the cartilage, and it stops 'leaking' (oversimplification), and no more cysts.

The 'until proven otherwise' is actually a good sign. MRIs are great, but they don't see everything. 9x out of 10, if the MRI comes back clean, but the symptoms of torn CT are still there, and they go in? Yep, torn CT that just happened to be laying flat when you were getting scanned. What you doc did was to BELIEVE you. OTW, his other option was to say "It's clear. Go home." Instead, he's believing that your symptoms are real and that you're not drug seeking, and there's a real injury that the scanner didn't find.

The month out is actually fairly fast. I've had torn CT for months and years (different injuries), then gone in and gotten it fixed no problem. In fact, I'm strategizing with my orthopedic surgeon right now on the timing of some fairly minor surgery (essentially taking a dremel bit to my kneecaps to polish the cartilage that's gotten rough, and yep! You guessed it, I'm doing the baker's cysts things right now). 2 day recovery time, and then 2 weeks before able to run on it. It's a FAST healing surgery.

Sports med guys are used to doing this kind of strategizing / waiting for various surgeries, because athletes have seasons to get through... military folk waiting for leave... etc. It HURTS, but we're used to pain, so its more worth waiting for the timing to be right than to not be in pain.

On a fresh injury, with your MRI clear, it sounds like he wants to wait to see if it will self resolve. AKA if you don't really have a torn meniscus, but swelling pressing on a nerve. If the tear isn't showing up it is HIGHLY UNKLIKELY to be a 'severe' aka risky tear (where the whole thing can snap), which would be dealt with same week or on an emergency basis.

All that said? If you don't trust your surgeon, get a new one.

((To Cheryl's ETA... I've had my knees drained a few times over the years. Some are worse than childbirth... others are better than sex!!! OMG, the untold relief! It really depends on both the issue/area being drained and the skill of the person doing it. My worst ever was an ER doc who shoved the needle into my cartilage. Shudder. Just recently, it felt so good I could have married the doc on the spot. Did kiss him! I've only had 1 'blind' drain -where they just feel around- go well. The guided ones with xrays and contrast? Brilliant))

I tore meniscus in both knees a little over year ago. Symptoms were pretty similar to what you are describing. I ended up getting double knee surgery with an almost 2 yr old. It sucked. Recovery was horrible. I'm now 15 months post and finally feeling pretty normal. I also had a baby within that time too. My new neighbor is an orthopedic surgeon and said there are some new alternatives to surgery now. You should explore your options. Surgery is never easy.