Leg injury - A&E?

[Hilts]

FlyingMeeces said:

JESUS TAPDANCING CHRIST DON'T TRY TO LANCE IT.

If it needs 'lancing' (and I'd bet good money it's swelling not fluid, seems like it always is) then that needs to happen with a sterile blade under medical supervision only. If it is fluid, it'll probably be fluid in tissue rather than an abscess or other straightforward collection of drainable liquid. If you had an abscess that size you'd be really poorly normally.

However, if that's new, and wasn't there when you were discharged, then it definitely does need seeing by a medic again, whatever it is.

(Not a doctor, just a layman with really terrible genetic luck and a consequent higher-than-usual level of experience with dodgy joints.)

lol FM

Maybe I've been watching too many youtube videos, it's just a patch of water/swelling under the knee. I'll check with the physio on Monday.

[WinstonWolf]

Hilts said:

WinstonWolf said:

In the absence of The_Doc, "ankle above the knee above the hip". The swelling will restrict your range of movement...

I'll give it a go, I have one of these hot/cold packs I can throw in the microwave or freezer. Do you think heat is best?

I prefer heat but I'm no expert. Keep it elevated as much as possible, that'll help to dissipate the swelling.

[IanA2]

WinstonWolf said:

Hilts said:

WinstonWolf said:

In the absence of The_Doc, "ankle above the knee above the hip". The swelling will restrict your range of movement...

I'll give it a go, I have one of these hot/cold packs I can throw in the microwave or freezer. Do you think heat is best?

I prefer heat but I'm no expert. Keep it elevated as much as possible, that'll help to dissipate the swelling.

Heat to sooth cold to cure.....

[joshcowin]

'Shall I lance it' - had me laughing!!

Glad your recovering well and keeping positive by the sounds of it!

Also you seem too harsh on yourself 100kg doesn't sound to bad!!

[FlyingMeeces]

Hilts said:

lol FM

Maybe I've been watching too many youtube videos, it's just a patch of water/swelling under the knee. I'll check with the physio on Monday.

That explains it. Any YouTube videos is too many!

I've had something very similar on my elbow - genetic joint fkery and a long afternoon leaning on a table studying are a terrible combo - it went away slowly, was pretty much gone within a fortnight.

[Flibble]

Hilts said:

I'll give it a go, I have one of these hot/cold packs I can throw in the microwave or freezer. Do you think heat is best?

Neither is probably best at this stage. Don't apply heat to swelling; you'll make it worse. You could try icing it, but I think you're well past the effective time interval for that...

[Hilts]

joshcowin said:

'Shall I lance it' - had me laughing!!

Glad your recovering well and keeping positive by the sounds of it!

Also you seem too harsh on yourself 100kg doesn't sound to bad!!

Thanks, yes bit of a daft idea in hindsight!

One thing I've noticed though is my flexibility has improved a lot especially on my right leg, I could always touch my toes but now I can put my hands flat on the floor keeping my injured leg straight with just a slight bend on my left.

[Hilts]

Bored a bit so I thought I'd update this thread.

I haven't had any issues with the repaired leg since the op and although not painful I can usually feel a little pressure on that knee most days like someone is gripping it lightly, not a big deal.

I can run OK, ride, not done too much lower body weights yet. It looks OK too so I think Mr.surgeon (sorry forgot your last name has done a good job, he was happy with the final consultation anyway.

The thing I wasn't expecting from all this was a full on opiate addiction, went from Morphine in the hospital to Di-HydroCodeine for my recovery, I spent way too long on the DHC, maybe a year or so and decided to quit cold turkey as tapers don't work with me if I have no-one to control it.

What an absolute nightmare, in bed for weeks, chronic sickness, diarrhea, stomach cramps, extreme sweats and feeling like death. I think I took about 3 weeks to recover. I didn't really click it was the DHC, I just thought I had a fever. The first 3 Sweeney seasons helped a good bit!

Still don't really know why I was sent home from A&E that night by the duty doc, the place was practically empty apart from staff, with no other advice than to rest, raise the leg and ice it, One week later after my foot turned purple I went to my GP, young guy 25ish, he diagnosed what was wrong in 1 minute(the leg looked just as swollen) and I had the op 12 hours later. I'm not trying to make this a NHS bashing post so I hope it doesn't come across like that. I might have a chat with one of our medical directors the next time I do some work for her, I think she was an orthopaedic surgeon.

Anyone on here take opiate meds?

Does FlyingMeeces still post here?

[K77 CTR]

Very difficult to assess the ligaments etc when the knee is that painful and swollen, although quads and patella tendon easier to assess as shouldn't be able to straight leg raise. Quite common to discharge at the time but review in clinic after some homecare.

[mph999]

I never understand some advice from doctors.

I have relatives in the business, and so am in no way doctor bashing but having got to the out of hours doc due to what is now known to be a moderately severe herniated disc, I was told to use over the counter co codimal and alternate with ibuprofen. You're having a laugh, I could barely walk.

Anyway, not one to argue, tried that and was back the next day.

I've now got 30mg co codimal and oramorph. Why the hell he thought over the counter stuff was a good idea I really don't know.

Having an operation soon to fix it.

[Jeffbrfly]

mph999 said:

I never understand some advice from doctors.

I have relatives in the business, and so am in no way doctor bashing but having got to the out of hours doc due to what is now known to be a moderately severe herniated disc, I was told to use over the counter co codimal and alternate with ibuprofen. You're having a laugh, I could barely walk.

Anyway, not one to argue, tried that and was back the next day.

I've now got 30mg co codimal and oramorph. Why the hell he thought over the counter stuff was a good idea I really don't know.

Having an operation soon to fix it.

Bloody doctors!

There is an irony in the OPs last post detailing the horrors of opiate addiction from what appear to be relatively benign medications at first glance and the post above.

Edited by Jeffbrfly on Thursday 19th December 01:54

[drmike37]

If you went to a MIU I can almost guarantee it wasn't a doctor you saw. These places are almost always staffed by nurses.
I agree, no follow up for a knee that swollen was incorrect. Thankfully you had the sense to see someone else!

[KAgantua]

mph999 said:

I never understand some advice from doctors.

I have relatives in the business, and so am in no way doctor bashing but having got to the out of hours doc due to what is now known to be a moderately severe herniated disc, I was told to use over the counter co codimal and alternate with ibuprofen. You're having a laugh, I could barely walk.

Anyway, not one to argue, tried that and was back the next day.

I've now got 30mg co codimal and oramorph. Why the hell he thought over the counter stuff was a good idea I really don't know.

Having an operation soon to fix it.

First time I went to my GP with my hernia, he diagnosed it and suggested I do sit ups and come back if it gets worse,
went back a couple weeks later as I was not happy, got a referral, the first ting the specialist said was 'what the hell sort of advice was that'

GPs are really deflective

[Hilts]

drmike37 said:

If you went to a MIU I can almost guarantee it wasn't a doctor you saw. These places are almost always staffed by nurses.
I agree, no follow up for a knee that swollen was incorrect. Thankfully you had the sense to see someone else!

It was definitely a Dr I saw, I knew her from before as I spent several weeks working in A&E/MIU, they're right next to each other. The docs wear maroon scrubs there or most of them. I'm not sure how long I would've waited at home just icing it, it was my friend that took me to the doc when she saw my purple leg/foot and said it didn't look too good.

I take it you're a Dr. Mike?