Hi everyone!!

[Sue]

Just wanted to say hi to everyone and hope everyone is doing the best they can.

A few weeks ago I fell while being off balance and whacked my knee on the cement steps up the porch.. OUCH!! anyway I have been seeing an ortho every other week to have this drained, he said it is called bursitus. he is thinking if we keep getting this fluid build up I may have to have surgery, he would remove the pouch on top of my knee cap and that it would grow back.. Has anyone had surgery while having NCS or POTS?? and any suggestions?

Also want to welcome all you new people (seen lots of them) This site has been a life saver!! Not only to myself but to my family. I don't always post but I read alot all this information can only do us good in trying to figure out our own individual circumstances.

Take care

Sue

"SOLES DOWN, SOULS UP!!"

[geneva]

Hi Sue, good to hear from you again. Sorry to hear about the fall. I have never had surgery before but I think there have been posts before about anesthesia and the like for those who have. I sure hope that it won't come to that for you, especially before the holidays!

take care.

[nantynannie]

Hi Sue,

My neuro has cautioned me against general anesthesia. In fact, she is so adamant, that she only wants me to use it in a life threatening situation. This might be overly cautious because I mentioned it to the group and many answered that they had had surgery with no problems.

Either way, the anethesiologist MUST know that you have autonomic dysfunction so he can take extra steps to monitor you properly. My ortho surgeon said that many anesthesiologists will not want to undertake the extra risk. Maybe this view is too conservative, but I found it interesting that two of my doctors advised against general anesthesia.

I have had IV sedation with no problem, except that I need 3 times the normal amount of medication.

Hope you receive some good advice, take care.

Ann

[goldicedance]

Sue,

Welcome back! So sorry to hear about your accident. My daughter a number of years ago slipped on the ice at school (ironic since she is a competitive ice skater) and got the bump and fluid on her knee. Her ortho suggested wearing a brace and seeing what happens. In about a month, all the fluid had retreated and she hasn't had a problem since.

Re: Your question about surgery

Unfortunately I have had several instances where I had general anesthesia--lung surgery, cardiac ablation, gall bladder surger. Each time, the anesthesiologist knew and took extra precauctions. For example, when I had the lung surgery, I had an internal blood pressure monitor. Most recently, during gall bladder surgery, the anesthesiologist closely monitored me.

My big suggestion is that you be sure an anthesiologist is with you the whole time as opposed to a nurse anthesist.

Hopefully, your knee problem will resolve itself and surgery will be unnecessary.

Feel better,

Lois

[MightyMouse]

Hey there Sue, good to have you back! Bummer, though, about crunching your knee like that.

As for surgery--I've had seven under general anesthesia. (So, that excludes my very long list of minor procedures under twilight or local). I did fine after every one of them. All my doctors knew of my condition and treated me like they would any cardiac patient. They just need to keep careful watch of your bp, hr and temp. You also may require some extra time in recovery.

I know that some of our members take an extra long time coming out of anesthesia and therefore didn't do well with "same-day" surgery because they weren't able to get up and use the bathroom--which is the typical thing required prior to being allowed to go home. If you're particularly sensitive to meds, you might need to stay over instead of doing a same-day (outpatient).

Feel better soon! Nina

[Guest tearose]

Welcome home sue! I too was off and returned during "the fall". Sorry, I'm going through a punny phaze.

I am sorry you had that accident, that knee pain sounds distracting and wearing on you. Does it hurt to have it drained weekly? Does it relieve any of the pain? I cringe at needles and would hate to have to endure this! I ache for you.

I had minor and major surgery and would have the same recommendations as above. Be sure to have the anesthesiologist there and don't allow yourself to become dehydrated. The surgeon did not check with the anesthesiologist before my pelvic operation and the "clean out" process was too strong and I need an hour of IV fluid before they could start the surgery.

Not that you are doing this, but I believe we potsheads should NEVER do surgery with anesthesia in an "office", we must be in a hospital just in case they need to get some emergency equipment to the table.

When do you have to make your surgery decision? keep us up to date, take care, tearose

[briarrose]

Hi Sue

Sorry about your injury, I was wondering why you haven't posted for a while.

I had a problem with bursitis in my hip when I was 16 years old. It was extremely painful. However, I refused to have cortisone injections (I've seen my mom get them and it looks horrible.) I had mine treated with ultrasound treatments every week for 2 months.

I haven't heard of surgery being done for bursitis but wonder if the fluid that they have been aspirating from your knee is infected? Is that why they're talking about surgery?

steph

[Sue]

Morning!!

Last night I read alot of posts that mentioned staying hydrated for surgery, I will definately keep that one in mind.

This is such a painful injury I still can't believe I did it. My knee swells with so much fluid it reaches the size of a grapefruit. Getting it drained does hurt like **** but the relief afterwards is so worth it. The problem is he thinks I have damaged that area so bad that it is going to keep swelling and being full of fluid which puts pressure on my knee cap. We are going to wait another month at least and see what happens. Surgery does scare the crap out of me I was so bad the beginning of this year I know I don't want to go back to that place ever again!! I am so careful now with everything, food, being hydrated, stress you name it. Til then I am icing it a few times a day and trying to stay off of it.

Thanks for all your advice like always. I get more info here then from my own doctors, at least they listen when I tell them things.

Love you guys

Sue

[Merrill]

Just wanted to say Hi, Sue--nice to hear your voice again. Sorry 'bout your knee ... I had surgery a year and a half ago--pre-diagnosis but I certainly had POTS then (the anaesthesiologist looked at the monitor and said pre-surgery, "Does your heart always beat that fast?" I said "yup" and she wrote something down and asked another question.)

It was as Nina described--took me a long time to wake up after and a long time to pee afterwards, but I think that may have been because someone forgot to re-attach my IV afterwards ... and boy did I feel lost without it! Much better after I got it back in my arm.

Anyway, surgery is definitely no fun, but you'll be fine if you have to go that route. Probably even better than fine, since you'll have good advice going in and your docs will be attentive to POTS things...

take 'er easy,

m