SURPRISE! NEEDLE IN YOUR ANKLE!

[rmd]

Had an appt with the ankle surgeon yesterday to talk about persistent leftover problems with my ankle. Current theory is that it is, in fact, plain old late-stage bone-on-bone osteoarthritis, thanks to all the bone chips and other cruft they pulled out of my ankle joint having ground things away on one side of the joint. (there's definitely bare bone in the joint - i've seen the pictures.)

So, we talked about treatments, which led to SURPRISE, LET'S DO A CORTISONE SHOT RIGHT NOW! (I knew it was a treatment option, but I sort of thought it was something that required more planning rather than "yeah, sure, get up on the table, let's get the bottle out and do this", but it was a sufficiently shallow shot that they didn't have to do it with x-ray guidance or anything.)

So, let's see how things feel in a day or three and see if that calms things down enough to get more ankle strength and stabilization.

In general, the ankle is doing great. I can walk for much longer than before and when I do have sharp ankle pain, it's sore for a few minutes, not a few days. It's still weaker than its partner, but I was able to walk all around in Las Vegas with no problems aside from one day very late things started to get a bit sore. Things that require more range of motion than plain old walking are still sometimes sore-making - I often limp for a few minutes after I work out at the gym. (yay ice!) I'm hoping this will help that.

Comments

[adb-jaeger.livejournal.com]

but I was able to walk all around in Las Vegas with no problems

This may not be a sign that you're getting better: When we were having my bachelor party, we headed off the New Orleans, where we combined my party with another fraternity brother's stag.

It was as ugly as you might imagine.

Anyway, around 3am or so, we're leaving Pat O'Brians after drinking about 10,000 hurricanes. My father (who has since had the knee completely replaced) is strolling merrily along Bourbon Street, saying "Hey, my knee feels GREAT!!!!"

Um, OK dad.....

[rmd.livejournal.com]

Heh. Point. But it was fine while sober, too. :)

Interesting surprise

[drwex]

Hope it continues to work. Shots that require X-rays are inherently scary to me.

Re: Interesting surprise

[rmd.livejournal.com]

seriously. I'm good with having simple outpatient kind of "get that foot on the table and we'll do it now" kind of stuff. :)

[dianec42.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Ain't getting old grand?

On the other hand, I'm glad there are options. Good luck!

[gingicat]

Hope you feel much better as time goes along, and don't need another one for a VERY long time.

[flit.livejournal.com]

Haha, I always feel kind of blindsided when I get a surprise procedure I usually mentally gear up for RIGHT THEN. Last time it was 'Surprise! Mammogram!' (I went to schedule it, and they had a slot free right then!)

But then I feel relieved because I don't *have* to mentally gear up for it, and it's all over with. The 'Surprise! Wisdom tooth extraction!' was pretty surprising, though.

[kjc.livejournal.com]

Here's to improvement and bonus knowledge!

[muffyjo]

Sounds like you now have a plan. And it's a good plan. Reducing swelling on a place that's irritated by being swollen, yeah, cuts to the chase.

Anyway, I'm hoping for the best. That, or we cut loose and drink until all the pain is gone.

Man, I wonder if there is enough tea in the world for that.

[lioritgioret.livejournal.com]

I kind of love the way cortisone shots make the owie go away for whole months at a time. If I ran the world of semi-legal medicine, there would be cortisone parties the way there are Botox parties.

Have they been pushing the hyaluronic acid at you yet? There were thoughts of putting some in my knee, but turns out not driving in clogs was sufficiently effective, at least for now. Given what you report about your ankle, melted rooster combs might be the right thing for it. Besides, who can resist a name like "highly ironic acid"?

[rmd.livejournal.com]

Botox parties
*shudder* HEY, LET'S INJECT BOTULISM! SOUNDS LIKE FUN!

I have not heard of hyaluronic acid before this. Interesting.

Cortisone has so far maybe helped some? Not fixed everything, but I think reduced the problem.

[lioritgioret.livejournal.com]

Cortisone will reduce the inflammation, so if inflammation is the worst thing, it is great. The hyaluronic acid thing (http://www.orthovisc.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Knee+-+Procedures&utm_term=hyaluronic%20acid%20injections&utm_content=Knee+Hyaluronic+Acid+-+Exact|mkwid|sPAUeVHTK|pcrid|17629080952) is relatively new. It's supposed to be like shooting up your joints with lube.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

Both of my parents have had good luck with cortisone treatments, so far.