Is it a Baker Cyst

[darlp]

I'm having a problem that is driving me crazy- more than usual!

Two weeks ago I was prescribed unloader braces for both legs due to serious OA.  The reason for the braces is to buy me some time because I also have OA in my back.  I have been told by more than one surgeon that no one will do my knees until my back is done but right now they only give me a 30% chance of it doing any good.  So I wait. 

So I go for the braces, wear them home, no problem.  By the end of the day, my legs were completely swollen right down to my ankles.   Ok, it was humid, it was the first time wearing them, and I was sitting alot in work.  Next day it gets worse, so bad that I had to take them off.  Since then the swelling has gotten worse.  From my knee to my ankle I am so swollen and fluid filled it's frightening.  I call my OS, he sends me for an ultrasound to make sure there's no clot.  All is well.  I go back to his office and he tells me he thinks I had a Baker Cyst that broke on it's own, probably from the straps of the brace pressing on it.  Ok, I can accept that but I don't have the pain everyone describes and I'm on day 3 of ridiculous swelling.  He tells me not to worry, keep my legs elevated and it will go away on it's own.  Watch for redness, heat, and bruising - any of which I should go to an emergency room. 

I've always had a little swelling in my ankles, mostly on the right side - I don't know why.  He tells me it's from the back problems.

Right now I'm completely confused - does this sound even remotely familiar to anyone?  Help!

[darlp]

Ok, this happened August 6, it is now August 21 and I still have a very large ankle.  If this is a ruptured baker cyst, how long does it take to reabsorb back into my system?  It doesn't seem right that it's still like this - if I stay off my feet, it does go down a little but comes right back.
Anyone???

[digginit]

I've had problems with popliteal cysts.  Had one prior to my last surgery that blocked venous return and led to bad swelling in my calf.  It was painful and SOOOO tight.  HUGE.  I wrapped my leg from my foot to my rear-end to get the swelling down, and my ortho told me to get off my feet for at least 12 hours every night--propped up in bed, and I had to keep it wrapped through the day too.  He even threatened to take me off WORK!!!    Of course it didn't stay down until the cyst was taken care of....which was when the knee was cleaned up arthroscopically.

It's odd.  I have another big cyst now, but it's acting different this time.  I can feel it, about the size of a golf ball, on the medial side, but it's more on the superior side of the joint and causing a lot more hamstring pain.  It's not causing any distal swelling, thank God. 

[darlp]

Apparently there is something else going on here - at this point it is unlikely that its' a baker cyst.  After all these weeks it's still huge and there is a slight numbness that gets worse or better depending on what I'm doing.  My OS doesn't seem concerned with it but does want me to see a speciallist and do a nerve test. 
After a nasty fall last year, landing smack on my right knee on a cement floor, the swelling in my ankle has been going up and down and I have a small area of complete numbness just below my kneecap.  The difference now is that the swelling isn't going down anymore so now he's thinking there might be nerve damage.

Anyone ever had a nerve test?  I would like to hear about this procedure.