Mostly rant - my knee problems

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Elise Converse - 12 Mar 2004 12:43 GMT

I've been suffering more than usual from knee pain, so I finally went to the
doctor who ordered a MRI of my right knee. In the meantime, I went to my
trainer Ahmed for two massages and, genius that he is, he eliminated about
90% of my pain after working on my IT band. I was on cloud nine...had a
great workout Tuesday and Thursday.

Right as I got in the door last night, the doctor called with the results of
the MRI. He said to me "Elise, your knee is very messed up" I have one
torn meniscus, another is displaced, a ruptured lateral collateral (may be
wrong spelling) ligament, a partial rupture in the posterior cruciate
ligament, a bone spur caused my patella problems, tons of fluid on the knee
and something else but by then I wasn't paying much attention. Felt like I
had been hit in the stomach...had visions of my weightlifting days being
over. In fact, the doctor said if he didn't know me, he'd tell me to stop
ASAP, but since he does, and he knows that I won't, we have to figure out
what happens next.

Sigh....I love weightlifting. Pain and all. I can't see myself going back
to resistance machines. Oh yes, I have some kind of bone changes that may
signal a kidney disorder and a bone scan is definitely the next thing on my
list. After talking to Kathy, another woman on our team, who has had more
problems that I currently have, I feel a little better. I may be out of
commission for a while after the Master's Nationals, but it appears that
most is fixable. Now I just need to find an orthopedic doctor who won't
fall on the floor laughing when a 52 year old woman arrives in his office
with a screwed up knee explaining how she wants it fixed so she can go back
to olympic weightlifting. I've heard that the difference between a sports
medicine doctor and a regular doctor is that a regular doctor will tell you
all the reasons to stop doing something, but a sports doctor will tell you
what you need to do to continue. Hope this is true.

Oh well, if this isn't motivation to keep losing weight, I don't know what
is. Somehow, I can't see me on crutches (except face down on the floor
clutching them dearly). Elise.

Elise.

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B&T - 12 Mar 2004 13:53 GMT

Elise

I don't lift weights but my MRI results of 4 weeks ago shows almost the same
results. I also have osteoarthritis in my knee along with the torn
ligaments, torn meniscus, bone spurs...I am on a waiting list for
arthroscopic surgery and have started physio for the OA. I don't know about
you but sleeping is almost impossible. All this to say that when the pain
started gettting really bad in January, I decided it was time to drop a few
lbs. I've lost 19 and figure that must be some help to the knee.
Anyway, jsut wanted you to know that there is someone who understands the
pain. I can barely walk now and cannot wait for the surgery. I won't be
weightlifting after but will get back into some exercise...it won't be
playing squash 7 days a week..as in the old days..probably the beginning of
my problems!!

bk

> I've been suffering more than usual from knee pain, so I finally went to the
> doctor who ordered a MRI of my right knee. In the meantime, I went to my
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
>
> Elise.

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Jayjay - 12 Mar 2004 14:39 GMT

>I've been suffering more than usual from knee pain, so I finally went to the
>doctor who ordered a MRI of my right knee. In the meantime, I went to my
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
>
>Elise.

Elise,

Sorry to hear this, but it a sense, you've actually made me feel
better. :-) Makes my little knee problem seem like nothing.

How long did you go with knee pain before going to the doc? Would an
earlier visit have prevented alot of this from happening? Or maybe
its best not to think of the "what ifs" at this point and focus on the
"how to get better".

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Elise Converse - 13 Mar 2004 13:45 GMT

> >I've been suffering more than usual from knee pain, so I finally went to the
> >doctor who ordered a MRI of my right knee. In the meantime, I went to my
[quoted text clipped - 44 lines]
>
> I've had increased pain for about 2-3 months. In all honesty, some of

these problems I could have had for a while. The torn ligament thing I
think perhaps is the newest since the back of the knee, shooting down the
shin type pain was the change that drove me into the doctor. I think the
best thing I could have done for my knees was to have never gotten so heavy,
but I can't change the past.

You know, the best thing I realized after my emotional nose dive Thursday
evening was that I did not turn to food for my succor. That was a first for
me. I am a very emotional eater. I made a few phone calls, spoke to Chris
and Kathy and felt much better. Who knows, maybe I've turned a corner in my
love/hate relationship with food.

Good luck with your knee problems....and finding the right PT.

Elise.

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Chris Braun - 13 Mar 2004 14:26 GMT

>You know, the best thing I realized after my emotional nose dive Thursday
>evening was that I did not turn to food for my succor. That was a first for
>me. I am a very emotional eater. I made a few phone calls, spoke to Chris
>and Kathy and felt much better. Who knows, maybe I've turned a corner in my
>love/hate relationship with food.

This is huge, by the way :-).

Chris (glad if I can be of any help)

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JMA - 13 Mar 2004 01:26 GMT

> Sigh....I love weightlifting. Pain and all. I can't see myself going back
> to resistance machines. Oh yes, I have some kind of bone changes that may
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> is. Somehow, I can't see me on crutches (except face down on the floor
> clutching them dearly). Elise.

Very sorry to hear about the knee problems. I found it true about the
difference in doctors. My friend hurt her back and went on some kind of PT
routine that was very gentle and treated her like an invalid though she was
quite athletic and active prior to the injury. She switched to a sports med
facility, they had her using weights and within months she had her full
range of motion and strength back.

If at all possible, find someone who understands athletes. My sports med
doc is a runner and triathelete so she really understands how important it
is for her patients to try and get back to or continue to participate in
their sports. I'll be thinking about you!

Jenn

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Elise Converse - 13 Mar 2004 02:02 GMT

> > Sigh....I love weightlifting. Pain and all. I can't see myself going
> back
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
>
> Jenn

Thanks...I am going start working on this next week. I really do need
someone that is going to help me get back as much as I can. My internist is
like my mother...always telling me to stop doing this...I don't need that
attiude right now!

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jayjay - 13 Mar 2004 03:09 GMT

> > Sigh....I love weightlifting. Pain and all. I can't see myself going
> back
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
>
> Jenn

I wish I had more options for my issue and finding a PT. The list I have
available, non of them are in the sports med category, so I'd have to go out
of network and pay out the nose.

The problem I'm finding is the inconvenience of the whole thing. 3 times a
week for a couple monts is alot to ask for. Especially when the places
I've called so far are only open 9am - 5pm. The ones closest to work are
actually a good 20min drive from work - so a long lunch hour for a session
would take about 2 hrs out of my day. If I take it as a "long lunch" -
that's actually 1 hr of vacation time, 3 times a week, or 3hrs a week X
4weeks...

Going to a place by my house would mean having to either go at 9am, and not
get to work until 10:30am, or going at 4pm, leaving at 3:30pm, either way,
that's 1.5 hrs out of the day.

Its screwy, and I'm at a loss at what to do.

Not to mention, none are in the sportsmed catagory, and generally cator to
the retired community (the little old ladies that fell and broke their
hips).

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Beverly - 13 Mar 2004 13:50 GMT

> I've been suffering more than usual from knee pain, so I finally went to the
> doctor who ordered a MRI of my right knee. In the meantime, I went to my
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> ASAP, but since he does, and he knows that I won't, we have to figure out
> what happens next.

It sounds like your doctor understands your desire to continue lifting.
Hopefully he'll be able to come up with a solution for you. I think it's
important that our doctor know our lifestyles. Mine knows I love bike
riding and he's never suggested I give it up becuase I have osteoporosis.
His only comment has been "be careful". We often talk about my latest
biking trip when I'm in his office. He was the one who suggested I add
resistance weight training to my exercise routines.

Beverly

> Sigh....I love weightlifting. Pain and all. I can't see myself going back
> to resistance machines. Oh yes, I have some kind of bone changes that may
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> Elise.

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