wednesday210
junior member
So I'm a a little unsure if I'm just being overly sensitive or what I thought the best people to ask was you.
I had a successful LTKR four years ago at age 45 due to severe arthritic degeneration and of course our familiar friend pain. It wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination but by 12 months out I was very happy to have done it.
To appease my surgeon and for my own desire to be healthy, I had a gastric bypass in order to take pressure off the other craptastic knee.
I lost 70lbs and while I'm still no supermodel, I've felt great for the last couple of years.
Four weeks ago, I was injured while doing some full contact gardening and tore my MCL & posterior horn meniscus. It hurts very much.
The new surgeon (do none of these guys have a shred of kindness???) immediately again says I'm still too fat, Thanks Doc, and that there is nothing to do but replace the joint. But...
Here is where it starts to get crazy.
He then proceeds to say he doesn't want to do surgery even while admitting it's the only fix. He wants me to diet and exercise, take anti inflammatories and purchase an $800 brace that my insurance won't cover then reassess in two months.
What? Insert quizzical puppy look here.
I tried my best to explain that 1- with the bypass and a history of ulcers there is NO anti inflammatory that I can take and that 2- I already am on an 1000 calorie a day meal plan for life so I'm like, yeah, no.
And 3- I can't flipping walk my dog much less run on the treadmill.
He then says he can tell I'm upset, says he will send his PA in and leaves.
The PA comes in offers a steroid injection as an alternative and I leave since I had explained on the 40 page medical history that of the ten or more injections I've had, the last three did jackdiddly except cause more pain.
A couple of days later I get a survey "how was your experience " call. So I told them. Yesterday I get another call asking me to come back in to discuss scheduling surgery.
So I go for my 3:30 appointment and sit in the waiting room until 4:10, then the exam room until 4:25. He then comes in apologizes for our "miscommunication" last time.
But then proceeds to tell me that he wants me to have a psych evaluation from a psychologist in his group to make sure I'll be a successful candidate for surgery before moving forward with scheduling.
I asked what made him concerned that I wouldn't be. He said I seemed to have a lot going on. What???
I did list an antidepressant on my medications because I thought being honest was you know, important. I also explained that my sister died last year after an extended illness. It was very hard for me. But am I like two steps from the psych ward? Not until now!
But I try to be mature and ask, if I consent to this evaluation how long would it take me to get the knee fixed and he replies 4-6 weeks.
I walk to the check out desk, they schedule me me for my psych evaluation and say his FIRST AVAILABLE is the end of January.
No flipping way.
Nope.
Nein
Nyet
Not gonna happen.
9-10 weeks then another six for his surgical schedule???
I don't like feeling all paranoid but I swear my spider-sense are tingling.
I cannot be the only person on antidepressants needing surgery in this country. In fact, for my last surgery my primary care doctor suggested them because she said the help your pain receptors or some such.
Have any of you ever had this type of experience?
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
I had a successful LTKR four years ago at age 45 due to severe arthritic degeneration and of course our familiar friend pain. It wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination but by 12 months out I was very happy to have done it.
To appease my surgeon and for my own desire to be healthy, I had a gastric bypass in order to take pressure off the other craptastic knee.
I lost 70lbs and while I'm still no supermodel, I've felt great for the last couple of years.
Four weeks ago, I was injured while doing some full contact gardening and tore my MCL & posterior horn meniscus. It hurts very much.
The new surgeon (do none of these guys have a shred of kindness???) immediately again says I'm still too fat, Thanks Doc, and that there is nothing to do but replace the joint. But...
Here is where it starts to get crazy.
He then proceeds to say he doesn't want to do surgery even while admitting it's the only fix. He wants me to diet and exercise, take anti inflammatories and purchase an $800 brace that my insurance won't cover then reassess in two months.
What? Insert quizzical puppy look here.
I tried my best to explain that 1- with the bypass and a history of ulcers there is NO anti inflammatory that I can take and that 2- I already am on an 1000 calorie a day meal plan for life so I'm like, yeah, no.
And 3- I can't flipping walk my dog much less run on the treadmill.
He then says he can tell I'm upset, says he will send his PA in and leaves.
The PA comes in offers a steroid injection as an alternative and I leave since I had explained on the 40 page medical history that of the ten or more injections I've had, the last three did jackdiddly except cause more pain.
A couple of days later I get a survey "how was your experience " call. So I told them. Yesterday I get another call asking me to come back in to discuss scheduling surgery.
So I go for my 3:30 appointment and sit in the waiting room until 4:10, then the exam room until 4:25. He then comes in apologizes for our "miscommunication" last time.
But then proceeds to tell me that he wants me to have a psych evaluation from a psychologist in his group to make sure I'll be a successful candidate for surgery before moving forward with scheduling.
I asked what made him concerned that I wouldn't be. He said I seemed to have a lot going on. What???
I did list an antidepressant on my medications because I thought being honest was you know, important. I also explained that my sister died last year after an extended illness. It was very hard for me. But am I like two steps from the psych ward? Not until now!
But I try to be mature and ask, if I consent to this evaluation how long would it take me to get the knee fixed and he replies 4-6 weeks.
I walk to the check out desk, they schedule me me for my psych evaluation and say his FIRST AVAILABLE is the end of January.
No flipping way.
Nope.
Nein
Nyet
Not gonna happen.
9-10 weeks then another six for his surgical schedule???
I don't like feeling all paranoid but I swear my spider-sense are tingling.
I cannot be the only person on antidepressants needing surgery in this country. In fact, for my last surgery my primary care doctor suggested them because she said the help your pain receptors or some such.
Have any of you ever had this type of experience?
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum