torn ligaments or cartiledge defect Posted: 05-10-08 22:51pm
Hi, ok....ive been to the doctor on
several occasions. They are not sure if i
have torn ligaments in my right ankle, or
a cartilage defect. I have been told to
get an MRI done, but have not been able to
afford it.
Sometimes the ankle doesnt hurt for quite
some time...bear in mind i have been
wearing a brace for the past 4 years or
so...lately though, it has been hurting
like every minute of every day. I have a
doc appt on tuesday, and i know that they
will tell me again to do the MRI, which i
hope to finally get done this month.
My reason for posting is that i am scared
of the results. My doc says if its a
cartilage defect i will have to do
surgery, and also the ligaments, depending
on the severity. I am terrified of that. I
mean, i always hear and read that ankle
surgery is not recommended because of the
post surgery side effects, and that some
people actually end up in pain for the
rest of their lives.
can anyone give me some further
information on this? i could really use
some reassurance.
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rollar64
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Posts: 129 Location: melbourne
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Posted: 05-18-08 03:17am
You probably should have dealt with this a
bit earlier sometimes, when ligs are torn
the dysfunction that this causes can
eventually wear away some of the
cartildge, if the ligs are repaired before
this there is a good chance that the
Cartlidge will stay in good shape if it
has really deteriorated then there is only
the option of either fusing or replacing
the ankle as bone will be rubbing on bone
due to the fact there is no cartilage, and
you will be in pain. There is some truth
that ankle fusion (if that is what the
doctor is thinking) does have some side
effects but it is also sometimes
necessary.
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Kryssja
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 51
Posted: 06-06-08 20:14pm
ok, so i know i should have dealt with
this sooner "rollar64", so really, the
lecture doesnt help. As a matter of fact i
have seen a few doctors before this one,
and was given crappy diagnoses, and not
much help. Not to mention the fact that
its kind of difficult to get it fixed when
i could not afford to get the MRI done. So
its not like ive been sitting and letting
the situation get worse without concern.
On that note, my condition is worsening. I
am now in constant pain. i cannot put wait
on my ankle for more than a couple minutes
at a time, and while it doesnt hurt to
walk necessarily....once i am still, thats
when the pain hits. Nights are rough
because no matter how i position the ankle
it still hurts.
I got a prescription for painkillers and
those arent even really helping. a couple
times now since last night i have
experienced a burning sensation in the
ankle....
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rollar64
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Posts: 129 Location: melbourne
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Posted: 06-07-08 00:09am
Hi i am so sorry about the lecture i am
kind of in a similar situation to you and
i cop all sorts of crap from people i
should have known better its tough when
you are permanently affected because a
doctor was not up to the job of dealing
with a problem when they should have now
there is not a lot that can be done.
I don't know what you can do i think you
need to see an orthopedic surgeon i don't
know whats wrong with your ankle but i
doesn't sound like its going to get much
better your condition sounds like its to
bad to be helped by physio or braces or
orthotics sorry i cant help your age is an
issue ankle fusions are worse for the very
young as they limit activity and the
changes they impose on your gait have an
impact over a long period of time.
wishing you all the best Rollar
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Kryssja
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 51
Posted: 07-08-08 21:45pm
hey rollar64, sorry i took so long to
reply.....been kinda busy with work and
stuff.
i actually got my mri done, and i will be
seeing the doctor again on friday to see
what the verdict is.....my true fear is
that i will need surgery....not
necessarily about the actual
surgery....but the pain and recovery
period as well as the cost....and the
physio that will have to follow it. sigh.
but hey....keep in touch k? ill need
someone to talk to when i get the results
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rollar64
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Posts: 129 Location: melbourne
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Posted: 07-09-08 08:55am
ok Kryssja good luck
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Kryssja
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 51
saw the doc :( Posted: 07-12-08 23:13pm
Ok, so i saw my doc and showed him the mri
film....the good news is that i dont
actually have any torn ligaments, so i
will not need major surgery.
the not so good news....we still dont
really know what is wrong with my
ankle...the doctor now stipulates that the
lining of tissue surrounding my joints may
be chronically inflamed. so now i have to
do a blood test to rule out certain
things, and then i will be taking some
anti-inflammatory medication for two
weeks....high dose one week, lower dose
the second....then nothing for the third
week, and i have to record what happens
during those three weeks.
if the medication does not work, he says
he may have to insert a scope into my
ankle and scrape away as much of the
inflamed tissue as possible.
basically, im feeling pretty low....even
though i dont need major surgery, im not
much closer to finding out what is really
wrong with it...and my left ankle is
actually weak now because of having to
compensate for the weakness of the right.
SIGH
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rollar64
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Posts: 129 Location: melbourne
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Posted: 07-14-08 08:12am
Hellow Kryssja well it is good news i
suppose do you have a copy of the MRI
report. If so can you post it.
Have you ever heard of a condition called
sinus tarsi syndrome its a poorly defined
term for pain in the sinus tarsi whitch is
a small channel underneath the ankle that
is full of nerves and connective tissue i
just thought it sounded vaugely familiar
to your symptoms.
What did you do to hurt your ankle in the
first place.
let us know how things go.
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Kryssja
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 51
Posted: 07-14-08 13:09pm
I forgot to get a copy of the MRI letter,
so i called the doc and asked them to fax
me a copy.
i have actually never heard of that
condition....but here's the thing....im
feeling the same symptoms in my left
ankle....when the doc tested out my left
ankle, basically the same areas were
tender. these days, im feeling stiffness
in the back of both ankles....basically at
the heel level.
how i injured my ankle....it was back in
the day when i was about 17 or 18, and a
group of friends inc me were playing
around and sparring. i pretended to kick a
guy....and he grabbed my ankle, and im not
sure if he was trying to re-enact a
certain move or something, but he twisted
my ankle, and i heard a pop, and then it
was swollen three times the size. but by
the next day it went down. so at the time
i thought it was just a bad sprain. i did
notice a difference in the performance of
my ankle after that, and actually
consulted quite a few doctors that didnt
really take it seriously, or order any
tests to be done. it was when i moved to
another city for school and work, that i
consulted an orthopedic surgeon. and now,
here we are.
so....its just to do the blood test and
then see what happens with the medication.
ill keep in touch.
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Kryssja
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 51
MRI REPORT Posted: 07-14-08 16:05pm
REPORT:
SEQUENCES:
Sagittal T1, T2, gradient echo T1 and
gradient echo STIR datasets.
Coronal T1, T2, and gradient echo STIR
series.
A T2 axial sequence.
REPORT:
The anterior and posterior tibiofibular
liagments look intact. Appearances of the
talofibular and collateral ligaments also
appear normal.
A small effusion is present in the ankle
joint (coronal T2)
There are no osteochondral defects in the
bones of the ankle mortise or calcaneum.
The sinus tarsi appears normal.
Image 12 of the sagittal gradient echo T1
series shows irregular low signal of the
intermediate cuneiform and adjacent
metatarsal bone.
The sites are shown as high signal on the
sagittal gradient echo STIR series (12).
These features are consistent with marrow
oedema of the intermediate cuneiform and
adjacent metatarsal base.
Please check rheumatoid factor.
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rollar64
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Posts: 129 Location: melbourne
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Posted: 07-16-08 00:10am
it does sound like pretty good news i
thought you ankle would have been in
pretty bad shape i think with the right
treament its possible to make a good
recovery
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