Results: Medical Mayhem (Part 4 of 4)

After injuring my right foot in a 3-car collision years ago, I put a lot of stress on my left leg to do extra work. Although I had dealt with the dull, aching pain of stage 4 arthritis for years, one day I felt a sudden, searing pain in my left knee. Do you have an arthritic knee or knees?

I suspected I had torn my meniscus (a c-shaped pad of cartilage in the knee that absorbs shock). My PCP immediately ordered an MRI, and then sent me to an orthopedist when she got the results. The orthopedist discounted my description of the sudden onset of sharp pain and belief that the pain was quite different from what I feel with my osteoarthritis. He said it was difficult to tell if I was suffering from osteoarthritis or a meniscus tear. He felt it was arthritis, and suggested getting rooster comb (hyaluronic acid) injections into my knee to lessen inflammation and lessen pain. Had you known there is a medication derived from an actual rooster comb?

I was disappointed that the doctor failed to value my input, but was annoyed when I requested a "doctor's note" to give to my boss and he said, "I don't write doctor's notes for pain". I told him I would think about the treatment he suggested, and headed to the check-out desk. Have you ever had a physician who didn't seem to listen to what you were saying?

For the first time in my life, I decided to get a second opinion. I asked the check-out person to schedule an appointment with someone else in the department. That physician turned out to be compassionate and caring. Showing me the MRI images of my knee, he remarked that my meniscus looked like "dangling crab meat" and that if it were his knee, he would try a partial meniscectomy, making 3 small incisions in the knee, inserting a tiny camera to view the damage, and removing the torn area. Have you ever had an operation for a meniscus injury?

I had the operation, and after PT and time to recover, my knee felt much better. If what a doctor says doesn't coincide with what your body is telling you, you might want to get a second opinion. Have you ever benefited from getting a second opinion from a physician?