Yes, agree.
Before Christmas I squated down in my garage to clean something off the floor. I did this probably a handful of times throughout the day. I use my left leg more than my right to stand up because of a condromalasia type thing going on in my right knee. I was told I developed patalofemoral overload in my right quadracep muscle related to documented nerve damage in my right leg (my right leg is a little smaller than my left and its my dominent leg). So, my knee cap is wearing unevenly and it causes pain when I use it under load.
Well, later in the day my LEFT knee (not the right one) swelled up and I felt sharp pain inside and had limited range of motion. I went to a orthopedic group that I trusted and talked to the PA who has a slightly glorified attitude of himself. His notes read, "Patient squated down, did a twisiting manuver, felt a pop and had sudden pain." NOTHING close to what I told him. Told me I had a torn meniscus, he was willing to have the surgeon cut on me and he had me scheduled to go to surgery and I had not even seen the surgeon. I had to tell him I wanted an MRI to confirm his opinion and he agreed to that. Then he called me and said that after discussing the MRI results with the radiologist, I had "two large tears in my left medial meniscus." I ordered my report and it said I only had one small radial tear????? There were other issues with the chart as well. I am disabled but I don't like talking about the details of my disability. I have chronic pain problems that increase and decrease throughout the day and through the course of my last two surgeries, I became severely depressed and at times I get anxious (especially around doctors). But none the less, I am disabled and I don't like talking about it because I feel there is a societal stigma against people that are disabled and don't necessarily physically look disabled. I cancelled my surgery when he wrote in my notes that I had seen the surgeon and had signed a surgical permit WHEN nothing of the sort ever happened. The whole time I was wondering when I was going to see the surgeon and as I am walking to the lobby (carrying my notes) I read, "seen by the surgeon and surgical permit signed, all risks of the procedure explained." He also wrote that I was very active and muscular athletic male (they are a sports medicine clinic). I confronted him on this and he said I shouldn't be concerned because it was just "Subjective." In the last 6 years I was unable to work, been hospitalized 2 times for back surgery lumbar fusion, had three hurnias repaired (all at the same time) and been hospitalized 2 times in a psych ward for about a month for being so depressed I wanted to get out/off the planet. The ironic thing is this..... my knee healed on its own!!!!!! Sorry to get so expletive. When I start to do things just around the house, my body just starts to deteriorate and life starts to suck real bad. I have always been strong and I weigh 245 pounds and 6' 2.5". But I haven't been an athlete since high school. I get in a pool and I try to keep moving and I try real hard to watch what I eat. I have worked hard all my life and what I am is just what I am. Now I am ranting, sorry. Nobody has given me an explanation of what is going on with my back and body pain or what is causing it. I see more doctors next month but I don't trust them anymore.
Peace.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maria
My experience has also been that if one has a certain set of symptoms and findings on films then at least in the past criteria for surgery would have been satisfied. Generally a surgeon that is ethical will at least want a person with non emergent symptoms/findings to wait about 6 months at least before committing to surgery. Try the conservative route with rest, ice/heat, PT, biofeedback, injections for the spine perhaps, etc.
If things persist and findings are unchanged or worsened then pursue surgery.
Truly I think often we as the patient are all to quick to want our lives to change. To be like it was before the injury or better. My own experience is once having surgery things do change. Sometimes things are improved, sometimes something is improved and something worsened or another problem created. Sometimes there is way more pain and problems and surgery just has failed and created more problems.
IMHO people really need to take their time and check things out thoroughly before committing to spine surgery IF NOT EMERGENT IN NEED.
One spine surgery usually begets another, sadly. I would advise not to act on desperation.
Get to know your options first and make sure to get more than one opinion.
Surgeons do what they went into practice to do.. surgery. That's their livelihood. I think if someone offers a remedy without at least cautioning that it may or may not work .. then beware. Spine surgery may be precise with regard to surgical technique and all that but it's not precise with regard to how the body responds.
Good luck to anyone seeking spine surgery and any other surgery. We may not be masters of our own fate when it comes to what insurance will approve and such however we are masters of our own fate making a decision for ourselves. Ultimately if things turned out terribly it is me that signed that consent form and brought myself to the surgical front. And I did and I learned...
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The Politics and Economics of Orthopedic Medicine
03-18-2014, 04:17 PM
wanted to add
Hybrid Mode
