Oh, I'm more than Grumpy - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Billybob · 09-23-2003, 03:56 PM

You would think that doctors in general would be caring, respectable, stand-up types.
Wouldn't you?
Well I'm more than grumpy, but there's no pissed-off old pharts forum.
Long story short, I've had 2 surguries on my knee for cartilage, and it's been bugging me for years.My present surgeon says that there ain't much left and I'll need a joint replacement some day - o.k. fine.
But, in the summer the other one started getting stiff too- so I figure let me get another guy to look at this.
So in June, I call a recommended doc who did a friend of mine.They give me an appt. in Aug, wow he must be good I'm thinking.

Knees are getting worse

Couple days before the appt., they call and push me off to Sept 24, ugh - well o.k.

Knees are getting worse

Today, they call to push me off to Oct

Thats it - I went ballistic I'm hobbling around so you can jerk me off - what are you gonna do in Oct - man, am I pissed - and that makes me grumpy.
Now I gotta start all over.
It's just not right.

O.K. - I'm done - thank you - time to hobble out to my truck
Bill

Nebe · 09-23-2003, 07:27 PM

Man that sucks. Due to the nature of waht I do for a job My back always kills me. Being in pain is no fun.. I'd go and find another before you go get a shotgun. or if you alrady have a shot gun, before you go buy some shells.

MakoMike · 09-24-2003, 06:29 AM

BillyBob,
where are you located? I can give you the name of a great knee doctor, that's all he does, knees. But he works out of the hospital for special surgery in Manhattan.

JohnR · 09-24-2003, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MakoMike
But he works out of the hospital for special surgery in Manhattan.

I thought that hospital was in Sweden...

Billybob - I know too well what cranky & painful knees are like - hope you find a solution... Maybe you can contact the public relations staff at the hospital he works for 'cause you might not get anywhere thru his office... On the other hand, if he's a got personal issues of his own, you might be off with a better doc...

Billybob · 09-24-2003, 08:58 AM

Thanks guys,
I scheduled with another doc that some of the guys here at work recommend.
Mike - I may take you up on that later on, if this guy doesn't pan out.
Knees are tough and mine have never been really great, I've always played a lot of basketball which is hard on them.
Hey guys, get this - know what happens when ya can't run around like a kid anymore - You get to be a FAT OLD FART - yeah really, ya do, honest.

So I went from grumpy to surly and actually called the county medical ethics board lady - she's gonna send me a complaint form that he will have to answer.
We'll see
Bill

Jimbo · 09-24-2003, 09:33 AM

Another thought if the next doc doesn't work out, is check on who the "knee and joint" doctor is for some of the local colleges and or universities in your area. My wife's had knee problems and we lucked into a practice (primarily sports medicine) which also services a college and university in NJ. People like that wouldn't be retained long if they weren't putting scholarshipped athletes back on the field or court. Just my .02. Our guy talks like Thurston Howell the third, too, which is a humorous extra perk.

MakoMike · 09-24-2003, 11:32 AM

The Doc's name is Wickowitz, you can contact him through the hospital for special surgery at the Cornell medical center, its on 69th street in Mnahattan. He's done all kind of pro athletes. As I said earlier, all he works on is knees.

hooked · 09-24-2003, 11:38 AM

I can join in on being grumpy about this topic.

Bad knees suck.

Rather than a slow degeneration, I chose to go the instant-gimp route by shattering a kneecap 5 months ago.

Good luck with the replacements and find the best doc that you can to do the surgery. I met a couple people in PT that went through that procedure and the recovery time wasn't bad if you're willing to torture yourself.

You may want to check whether glucosamine would help loosen you up while you wait for the appointment.

STEVE IN MASS · 09-24-2003, 12:21 PM

Know all about bad knees......8 years working in the supermarket during high school and college did mine in....nothing like stocking shelves on a cold hard cement/tile floor to totally ruin them.

Went to a orthopeadic surgeon about a year and a half ago.....he told me the cartiledge is all but gone, and I would need replacement surgery on BOTH of them anywhere from 1 -5 years from now....in the meantime, he gave me 6 weeks of PT that did just about nothing.

The Glucosamine/Chondrotin/MSM has helped a bit in the year or so I've been taking it.

Anyway, in this area, I'm told Baptist Hospital in Boston is THE place to go. When and if I decide to do something about them, that's where I am headed.

One problem with knee replacement.....I am told that they don't last too long, and need to be done again after awhile. But Baptist eveidently has some new micro/robotic surgery that can make the nerve/tendon connections such that the replacements last a whole lot longer. Evidently, the connections are the biggest thing that makes "traditional" replacemnts fail after 15 years or so. This new technique is supposed to be a whole lot better, with less rehab time, and lasts a lot longer.....

Just food for thought.......

Karl F · 09-24-2003, 12:23 PM

I'll second N. E. Baptist. Dr. William Mitchell, recommend him highly.

HighTide · 09-24-2003, 12:52 PM

I'd go with the NE Baptist, They fixed my back. Three epidural steroid injections for 2 herniated disks and avoided surgery. That was 4 years ago and haven't had a day of pain since.

BigBo · 09-24-2003, 07:26 PM

BB, NE Baptist Hospital in Boston is tops in this field for this area. Unfortunately I know that doesn't help you much as you're a lot further south so not very practical. I just had a temporary fix on one knee done there recently and will be doing the full replacements on both probably in the next year or two at the most from what they told me.
Yes, bad knees do make us fat, old, and grumpy. I suffer from all of those and more.

GaryK2 · 09-26-2003, 12:14 PM

Billybob, I had two ACLs (in the same knee) done by a Dr Gordon Zimmerman who is director of the Hartford Othopedic Associates out of Hartford Hosp here in Connecticut. He's very good and I would definitely recommend him. I still play soccer and ski, but something tells me I won't be able to walk in another couple of years.

MakoMike · 09-26-2003, 12:39 PM

Gary,
Doesn't sound too good to me if he had to do it twice.
My son had it done by anoher famous CT kneww guys and it also failed, at least he had the good grace to refer him to Wicowitz at the hospital for special surgery in Manhattan who did the job right. He only had to have the othr knee done once.

Newboater · 10-03-2003, 01:35 PM

HI,

Just read an article on MSNBC online that discusses the new proceedure on growing your own cartiledge (sp?).

A young girl did it and came out fine. The doctors removed some tissue from her knee, grew a bunch of cartiledge (sp) and coated her non-existent cartiledge with it. Growing back fine on its own.

Lee