Hi,
Sorry I thought I put in here that my knee had been doing that, but maybe not  Yeah basically it has been doing this the whole time just like last time  I certainly know what I am expecting to hear on wednesday, but i've really just had it now!

It is going well with the rehab side of things, the quad, getting back the function that I had pre surgery etc etc, just not with the actual knee stability, which has had no improvement between surgeries. I am especially annoyed actually as you are right Sue that nothing anti-graft happens, I mean I was in a huge great big brace for this one too! It isn't fair, and it definitely makes no sense!

I am very interested in which are the best surgeons in the UK to be referred to for Ligament problems, maybe I should post on the cruciate section for info from those with experience? Well after wednesday when I know what is happening, but I am becoming increasingly annoyed with my care, and after 3 recons it clearly isn't working...

Anyway, thanks, I will keep you posted! Sorry I haven't written to frequently on here but been busy, less so now though 

Vicky

One of the best is Angus Stover at the London Knee Clinic - he has led the way for ages in the UK. Another is Simon Donnell at Norwich, but that is not so easy to get to for you.

You need to have the problem causing the failure to be identified before you go though all this again, so you need a revision specialist, not just a good ACL reconstruction doc.

Contact Droitwich Knee Clinic or the London Knee Clinic - both relatively easy for you to reach from your neck of the woods - either up the M5 or on the train to Paddington for you my girl!

Try sending a PM to the Knee Guru to see what she can recommend.

I'm really sorry to see you in this situation again.  I know how depressing it is to have multiple failures after all the hard work of rehab. I hope things are not so bad when you see your OS and that they can point you in the right direction. Are you currently still at Derriford or have they transferred you to the Royal Devon & Exeter?

Keeping my fingers crossed for you

Sue 

Hi,
Ok, so yeah my graft has failed, good appointment though. Last might I got a recorded message from the hospital that they usually do a week before appointment, and it claimed that my appointment was next tuesday! I was really mad as if they had changed it, they hadn't sent a note, and this was not good enough at all! Especially as they booked it for a day that my surgeon wasn't in clinic! Anyway, we went this morning as normal, and they had messed something up, and got me in this morning thankfully! Was there for about 3 hours in the end.

Anyway, saw the surgeon, who had actually received the GP letter which surprised me lol. So he had an idea of what to expect! I explained more, then we talked for a bit, then he actually did the tests although it wasnt really a surprise that I had a positive pivot shift etc etc... He checked through PLC tests that he did normally, but in more detail, but all equal on both sides, like normal. He came up with some ideas on how to proceed (will say later) but wanted me to get Xrays first to check it wasn't something obvious like my screws coming out of place or something, and to come back after I got those done.

So anyway, I got the Xrays done, (eventually...) went back to the surgeon and was seen immediately again. He got the Xrays up, but they seemed normal and again the tunnel positioning and everything was good. He talked me through them and showed them to me, and they looked so cool lol! I haven't seen any Xrays since after my first surgery, so haven't seen the progression from the fairly small two screws to what I now have- 4 monster screws and a staple at the tibial end that looks like it covers the entire width of the tibia! Lol that was a shock

Annnywayyy... Before he sent me for Xrays he said that he was going to ask his colleague, the other guy who does ACL's, to have a look at it, and when I came back they were both there, and my surgeon talked this other guy through what had previously been done. He also did the normal examination stuff, including hypermobility stuff, and also checked my alignment, and watched how I walked (which was weird walking down a coridor and back up with two people watching how I walk and muttering about it lol) but apparently my alignment and walking is all pretty good -yay  So yeah this guy couldn't think of a lot else.

What my surgeon wants to do is send me for another MRI (he had better actually LOOK at this one  ) and also has referred me to see someone called Andy Lee  (I think that is his name...?) or something like that, in Truro, who my surgeon highly recommended, especially with the use of LARS ligaments such as I have had for the last two. He said he is going to some kind of conference with him and they are sharing a car so he will talk to him about it first and hopefully the referral will go through quick  he also said that he would send a letter to Andy Williams who was his mentor to also ask for advice on anything he should try. He used a dictaphone thing to record what he wanted whoever is typing it to put while I was around, and it sounded good. Sounds like he will listen to their advice whether we choose to do anything surgically again or not.

I have an appointment in 7 weeks (2nd December) to kind of bring all of this together and make some decisions. By then I should have had the MRI, and seen this other man in Truro. The best bit is I am now on his patient list! Yay! No more of the physio lady to deal with and the lack of seeing my surgeon and therefore no clear care or instructions!! 

I am of course completely p****d off with all of this and it is a bit confusing right now with what is happening or will happen but I was pretty hopeful after todays appointment with everything that is planned, something good has to happen right? I dont know about the whole surgery side of things, I can't deal with the knee pain and instabiliy that I have all the time, but what am I going to do? I can barely cope with doing what I do at the moment, I don't think I could deal with 5/6 years of Uni with that, but equally I don't want to start, find I can't do it and need to have something done. It would have been great to get it fixed before uni, but to do that now I would have to defer. I am a bit confused, very annoyed with it all and don't really know what will happen. Pleased by things that are going to happen though! Look forward to hearing what comes of them.

Vicky

Hi,
it has been a while since i wrote, nothing has changed really, but i go an appointment for my MRI a while back, but it isn't until the 18th November, 2 weeks before my next appointment. At least I won't have to wait for ages this time to see what it says. 

Thankyou Nikki! I really appresicate your support and messages. You always have some good advice and say things to cheer me up. And of course I love reading about recoveries such as yours. 

I have been really busy actually since my last appointment, I passed my driving test (yay!) and have been sorting out university things. It is so annoying for medicine they want soooo much! I just this week sat my last medicine admissions exam and it was soooo hard! And the week before last was half term, so I went to France with my parents. I was quite surprised that it was actually warm still out there! It is freezing and wet here as usual!

I have been pretty sore recently, I dont really know what to do about that. I am pretty bad with pain relief, the best I can do is get off my feet and put my leg up. Painkillers I have either aren't that great or make me feel really weird, but I hate having that sore achey swollen knee feeling!

Hope everyone is well!

Vicky

Hi,

Thanks Molly! Yeah I guess the weather doent help, I dont really get that idea either though!

Quick update, had MRI on Wednesday, was fine, they had them up on the screens afterwards, but the man told me they had been quite ruined from all the screws, so I don't know what will happen with them!

Appointment is in less than 2 weeks now, but I also got the appointment through with Mr Lee today for the 14th december, which I is good except it is after the one with my surgeon, so I am guessing the next appointment is going to be pretty pointless then. Oh well! Still want to know what he makes of the MRI!

Vicky