Baker's cysts

[Dani0009]

Karen-

I had a whole reply typed out, but stepped away from my computer and lost it. :-(  I'm so sorry to hear about your transplant.  That's really a bummer.  I'm glad your doc is being so proactive about it though; asking the other doc questions, etc.  So, what happens now?  Do they pull the old transplant out?  How does the shrinking happen?  I have so many questions, I can't imagine how you feel!

I am doing well.  My knee feels better.  It has only locked 2x since I've been in PT, and the swelling, popping, instability, etc. have all gotten better.  I don't mind PT too much... I like the guys I see, they kinda just leave me alone and let me have at it.  The odd thing is that all of the PTs think the bump in the back of my leg is not the baker's cyst but a calf muscle tear.  They can feel a knot, which they say in indicative of that and I have a pretty sore calf every once in awhile.  Lovely.  We'll just keep adding to the injury. :-)

Anyway, I really hope everything turns out okay w/your transplant.  Definitely keep me updated!

-D

[Berta]

Hi D,

For $1200 for a brace I would sure expect that it woud fit right, for sure got it checked out. Glad to hear that things are still progressing though, apart from the odd flesh wound

I've thought about going to the ER, but it would take some planning, the nearest ER department is 30 miles away, right next door to my Docs surgery, and guess who they call out if they need a doctor to attend , so would need to head to the city.

I've spoken to a couple of people here recently who have had to wait 15 months for an MRI, and they both had suspected brain tumours

I've finally got written confirmation of my appointment today, and yippee, it says the magic words 'sports injuries' at the top, I see a lot of advice here that an OS in this area is the best to see, so thats a positive. As long as the pain remains managed with the meds, I'll be patient, but if it flares up I'll make the trip.

[Dani0009]

rm-

I'm so sorry to hear that the healthcare system in Canada is so difficult.  15 months for an MRI with suspected brain tumors???  That's insane!  I definitely think if you have too much pain, you should make the trip to the other ER.  I know that's quite a ways away, but you've got to do what you've got to do!  Geez, I thought my health plan was crappy (HMO).

I do hope you don't have any additional pain and that it's managed by meds.  Are you currently in physio?

~Dani

[Berta]

The pain control bit is easy, since I didn't flinch at all when the Doc injected my knee, he figures that my pain tolerance is high, so will medicate if needed. Things were going so well the other day, apart from some dizziness, that I figured may be caused by the Celebrex I'm taking, I decided to stop taking it....bad idea, within 24 hours everything is swollen again, and I'm going ow ow ow  So I'm spending today back to icing and elevating, and taking the other tablets that he prescribed. I also do have a morphine based one to take if the break through pain gets to bad. I'm currently going to physio once a week, checking on my progress with the exersises and having ultra sound.

Last week was great, I actually managed to get equal flexion with my bad knee as my good one, Yippee, it's so disapointing when the family say 'yeah well so what' I still can't get the bad leg anywhere near straight, but I do think we have made progress. I've also ordered an exercise bike, I figure I'll put the wait time to good use, try and drop a few pounds, and make sure that everything is as strong as possible, so when I do get to see the OS he will have a good base to work from.

Hope all is well with you how is it going

[Dani0009]

I'm glad the pain control isn't difficult.  Celebrex is pretty good.  I took that for awhile a few years ago and it  helped me.  I'm sure the morphine based one helps, too.  Just that little push when the Celebrex isn't cutting it.

That's great news about the flexion!  I think I'm still missing about 15 degrees of flexion and maybe a couple of extension.  The PT tells me that the flexion I'm missing is nominal (130 bad leg, 145 good), but I can feel it if I try to squat down.  It's hard to get family to completely understand the magnitude of small milestones!  They have no clue.  That's why this board is here.  Everyones' milestones are exciting because most of us have been there before (some of us multiple times).

Ordering an exercise bike was an excellent idea!  I've been going to the gym on my off days, but I've only worked back up to 20 mins on the elliptical and 10 mins on the bike.  On a very good day, I can get 30 mins elliptical and 10 bike, but that's not very often.  It's so frustrating, isn't it?  I've been in a woe is me kind of mood - frustrated about the tear and thinking I should have just insisted on the recon - I'd probably be better by now.  I just have this sneaking suspicion that my ACL is going to rupture the moment I leave PT, and that there is a torn meniscus in there... which if that's the case, I can forget about the knee getting better.  But, I keep telling myself not to be so negative!  So far I'm not doing so well in that dept, but that's okay!

Anyway, I hope you continue to do well with flexion and your extension gets better soon!  Keep me updated.

[Berta]

It's really easy for me to say, come on cheer up get out of the negative mood, but we all know that this whole thing is a roller coaster. Looking at your history, I can understand you having negative thoughts about how things are going, and whats going to happen in the future.

You must have had good reasons why you didn't insist on a recon, if things can get beter without surgery, then that's good, if you have to have another surgery then at least you've tried other options. You're due for another evaluation soon aren't you, I hope things are looking promising then.

I can understand your frustration, you're young to be putting up with all this sh*t, I'm twice your age, and count myself fortunate that this is the first time that I have had knee trouble, and to tell the truth I'm not always sad that I can't get out and help on the farm to much, I've reached an age where resting isn't such a bad thing. When I was your age though I did have a bad back, I was treated by the good old NHS in England for many years, as in here are your pain killers now go and rest. I managed the back with a chiropractor for around 20 years, having good tomes and some really bad times. I would have at least one really bad episode every couple of years that would put me in bed for days, then on minimal movement for weeks.

In the end I was working at a job where I had private medical insurance, and they decided after a really bad spell, where I was off for a month, was back in the office for less than an hour, put the dam thing out, and was off for another 6 weeks , they decided to cover my treatment. Went to an OS, who had MRI's done, found out I had 2 potruding discs, he injected my spine in 2 sessions 6 months apart, and touch wood, I've had no major flare ups since. The moral here is that even though you may think that you are doomed for life with rotten knees, all it takes is one good call, and someone with the skill to back it up and your life can be transformed.

[Dani0009]

So, I went to PT yesterday and talked to the guy, who was a different guy than I normally had.  I told him I was feeling negative because I feel like I'm not making any progress because I keep doing the same exercises over and over again.  So he gave me a bunch of new ones, which was great.  I could definitely see a difference in my stability (not great, but better) and now I feel like 'okay, maybe I am getting somewhere'.  I guess that's all I needed, a visual improvement.

Thanks for letting me whine!  I feel better getting it out.  Family doesn't understand why I'm complaining and they have a hard time understanding how I'm in pain 5 months after the injury and why the ACL doesn't just heal. :-) 

How's everything going for you?

[Berta]

Good to hear from you, glad to hear that you have some different exersises, hope that the improvements that you see in your stability stay and that you can build on that. It realy does help if you see something working, it gives you the incentive that you need. I so totally feel for you with the whole family thing, don't get me wrong mine have been great trally, but they just don't understand how much you want to celebrate the little victories, or what it's like to have pain for so long. Thats why it's great to visit here, people actually understand both the triumphs and the down sides.

At the momnet I think I'm at the bottom of the roller coaster, so the only way is up right! A few days ago, back n the pain killers and feeling pretty good, I decided, and it seemed a good idea at the time to walk up the stairs from the basement but not to use the 'mummy walk', no leading with the good leg, then bringing the bad up, and leading with the good agian. No I thought it would be good to walk up like a normal person, as I'm not being seen until Sept, best live a normal life right   WRONG, 3 stairs went well and on the 4th, got that horrible shooting pain, and was back again to icing and elevating

Well have kind of got over that one now, and the bike turned up today, and it's sitting in the corner of the room leering at me, it's saying, come on you middle aged, overweight women with the dodgy knees, come and get it.

I did do all of 5 minutes earlier, and I was feeling it in the knee, now it is painful, but it feels more like a 'good pain' than a bad pain, if you know what I mean. I figure if I start with 5 = 10 mins 3 times a day to start with, then I can work my way into it, it's not a lot, but better than the nothing I was doing before. Hopefully I'll be able to start building up strength and increase this soon. Will also check my progress at my next couple of PT sessions.

Well this is turning into a long post, so fingers crossed for you for continuing progress, keep in touch
Denny

[Dani0009]

Denny,

I know the feeling of being at the bottom of the roller coaster!  And these knees can certainly be a roller coaster. That's great about the bike.  I think that will really help you!  So what if you even only start with 5 minutes a day?  At least that's better than nothing!  Just don't give up.  It should really help with any extension/flexion problems that you have.

I know the mummy walk all too well. :-)  I know the 'normal life' thing even more!  It's rough - you want to do everything normally, but you can't, but sometimes you think you can, etc.  I think you should do what you can as normally as possible.

My physio evaluated me the other day and said he can definitely feel a partial tear in my ACL.  He said my quads have built up well, but I still need some work on my hamstrings and my calves (and having a torn calf muscle doesn't help build the calves).  He also thinks I have a meniscal tear.  But, I went to the doc on Monday and she didn't have the report!  And, the nurse asked me how I was feeling and I said, "my strength is better, but I still need some work on stability."  Well, the doc heard "better" and she ran with that!  So, she only gave me 1 more month of physio and told me to come back when the ACL ruptures.  I asked her about my calf muscle tear (giant bump on the back of my leg) and she was like, "unfortunately, I don't have a magic pill for that".  So, I'm kinda stuck now.  The fun never ends.

Anyway, I hope you're getting a little better.  Stay out of the basement.

-Dani

[Berta]

Yup, now staying out of the basement, our new lawn tractor turned up yesterday, so was out cutting the acres of grass that we have, trouble is the leg hurts after doing even that I'm can't think that it's to do with that though, the gas pedal is on the right, so the left leg doesn't have to do anything much, I'll have another go this afternoon and see what happens. Someone has lent me one of those low frequency therapy devices, a little battery operated thing, were you can stick pads on and give yourself an electric shock, sounds like fun, but I used it this morning and it doeas seem to have helped

Glad to hear that your quads are building well, but it sucks about the ACL. It's great when the doc hears just one word, they do tend to get focused if you say the wrong thing. Hopefully when they get the report they will re evaluate. Why do you have to wait until the ACL ruptures? can't they do anything before yo get to that stage, and if you have a tear wont that need repairing to?
I'm not sure that "I don't have a magic pill for that" is a good answer, I think we all wish for a magic, put your knee right pill, but we also realise that it ain't going to happen, does your physio think that it will repair itself?

[Dani0009]

How was your leg when you were on the lawn mower the second time?  Is your leg bent or straight when you sit on it?  The e-stim (low frequency thing) is great!  I love it.  You can do that and ice at the same time.  It's like a little piece of heaven for a person with knee problems. :-)

The doc I'm seeing doesn't think the ACL needs to be repaired right now (and I'm inclined to agree with her on that).  But, it will eventually rupture (most likely) and then it will need to be repaired.  It's not going to repair itself, but I can build up the muscles around the knee enough to compensate for the deficit.  However, I don't agree when she tells me nothing else is wrong in my knee.  I think there's something else going on in there, and she's just not listening to my symptoms.  For example, today I was on my feet all day at work (unusual) and my knee is actually bruised, in a u shape, under my knee.  That can't be normal 6 mos after injury.  But, I'm just going to take it one day at a time right now and re evaluate after physical therapy.  I'll decide then if I want to pursue seeing another doctor.

Hope you're doing all right.  How's the knee doing today?

[Berta]

Today not to bad, as you say with everything it's one day at a time. As the days go  by you you adapt more and more to your new reality, it looks like I can go mowing, but doing the bike on the same day doesn't work so good, so just have to plan around things. Also I've found that things that you took for granted, i.e. just get on the mower and off you go, now require running a 'body check' every now and then, where is my leg, have I tensed up, would it be better to put it over there? Once you sort it all out, then things become possible. I still find the funniest one is riding the bike, it has hand grips that you can work back and forward to give the upper body a work out. I am really aware that I tend to tense the muscles in my shoulders when I do it, so I make a real effort to drop and relax the shoulders, trouble is when I look down my toes are now trying to grip the pedals, so you have to keep being aware of what everything is doing. At my age I really feel I should be able to let my body get on with it, whjile I read a book.

I can see sense the sense in waiting for your ACL, but it still sounds scary, a bit like living on the slopes of a volcano waiting for it to erupt one day Bruising under the knee after a day on your feet doesn't sound good, but as you say probably good to give it some time and look at it again. How is the lump on the calf comong along?

[Dani0009]

The lump on the calf was almost gone yesterday and then I decided to go to the gym and bam, it's back.  Not as bad as usual, but it's there.  The physio thinks I tear the calf muscle and then it starts to get better, I get overly confident and tear it again because I'm doing too much.  He's probably right.

I know what you mean about accomodating for your leg.  It does get really frustrating.  You don't want to do anything with your knee in the wrong position or you're going to feel it for however long afterward.  The whole situation does really stink.

How has your knee been?  Have you been able to do the bike?  I think if you find that your knee bothers you when you mow the lawn and do the bike on the same day, you should definitely stay off the bike.  And, ice your knee after you mow.  I can't hurt.

[karend14]

Dani,

I'm going Friday to have my cyst drained. Anyone have any luck with this? I know that it will only be a temporary fix but any relief at all will be better than the pain I've been having. The cyst seems to be bigger than ever, and it seems to be harder and harder to straighten my leg without being in extreme pain. I spoke with my OS yesterday and as far as my transplant goes there are 3 possible scenarios. Shrinkage of the transplant occurs in 2-3% of people (how lucky am I?!). However, shrinkage does not always mean that the transplant is no longer functional, but it is one of the three scenarios. The second scenario is that only parts of the transplant have healed, and in that case the parts that didn't can be repaired. It would basically be a meniscal repair. The final, and worst scenario, would be that the end of my femur has flattened from walking around on a torn meniscus for 9 years. If that's the case, no transplant will ever take and I will basically just have to live in pain until I'm old enough for a knee replacement. That would be devastating, so say a little prayer.  He thinks I need to have a scope ASAP to figure all of this out. We had originally talked about January, so I'm having to deal with the anxiety of another surgery alot sooner than I had thought. It seems like it never ends, you know?

I've been keeping myself updated on your situation by reading some of your recent posts. I know that you don't want to jump into another surgery, and forgive me if I sound like an idiot (I don't know much about ACL's), but wouldn't repairing the tear now be easier than repairing it after it's ruptured? It just sounds painful. And what do you do for a calf tear? I have so many questions.....
Let me know how you are.

Karen

[Dani0009]

Hey there Karen,

I've been wondering how you're doing!  I hope the draining helps you a little bit.  I've never had that done.  I've had my knee drained, but not a cyst.  As far as my knee goes, it did fill back up, but it does provide a little relief in the meantime.  I would think that's the same for a meniscal cyst.  I had to smile a little at the 2-3% of people, because I seem to be in that category all the time!  It's not a fun place to be.  Did your OS mention which of the scenarios he's leaning toward or does he seem afraid to pick one?  I'm hoping it's the second scenario, that wouldn't probably be the best choice, no?
It's not fun to be in the position you're in, but a quick scope would at least answer some of the questions you and your doc have and then you can move forward with whatever info he finds out.

As far as the ACL drama goes, I'm sort of content leaving it be right now.  I am not content with having a knee that locks on me.  Even more so, I'm not content with having a knee that locks on me and I don't know why.  The first doc I saw thought it was cartilage, the second thought it was scar tissue.  After reading your story, I don't think I want to walk around on torn cartilage for too long.

The calf muscle tear is actually the bump that everyone thought was the baker's cyst.  My PT pointed out a hard knot in the center of it, which is indicative of a tear.  And, they had me do calf raises when I first started going and the bump got HUGE and hurt really, really badly.  Everyone changed their diagnosis and it's just been slow healing since then.  It's just a matter of RICE.  As my last OS said, "there's no magic pill."  Heh.

The fun never ends, Karen. :-)  I'll keep you in my thoughts/prayers and I'm hoping the least amount of damage has been done in your knee.  Keep in touch.  I know the constant knee talk/thoughts can been a bit of a bummer, but it's nice to get some frustration out, you know?  Talk to you soon.