Articular cartilage damage

[MSEsperanza]

Was only diagnosed with this after falling badly which left my knee not only much more painful than before but also couldn't move it as I used to do.

MRI showed a ruptured medial meniscus ('acute tear of medial meniscus') which explained the new pain but what seemed more concerning: articular cartilage damage that has reached the bone (grade 4 damage -- see Wikipedia ).

Orthopedic surgeon said a special knee surgery could repair my knee so that I could use it again as I used to and without pain. Otherwise, I would need a new joint in 2-3 years.

Spoiler: Short digression on how inserting new joints is called in different languages

Funny there seems to be quite different terminology within and across languages that I think means the same? -- the translation of the German terms are 'artificial joint' or 'joint replacement' or 'endoprosthesis'; in English it seems to be 'arthroplasty'?

Wanted to consult with forum people first but would have been too exhausting in addition to all the consultation with doctors and my partner and considering consequences / preparing for hospital and for seven weeks healing time after hospital with temporarily being much more restricted in all activities than anyway.

So to be able to fully move my left leg again and also to prevent needing to get a new joint within the next years I had knee surgery last Friday.

That's what was done besides suturing the meniscus :

'Autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis (AMIC)' -- wikipedia page here.

Hope I will be able to share my experience and some thoughts.

But mostly wondering, as this problem seems to be quite common in people above the age of 50, how other people with ME are dealing with it or what they get offered from their doctors, respectively.

 

[MSEsperanza]

Now am very exhausted just from going to the loo and other basic activities: For seven weeks, I'm not allowed to use my left leg/ stand on my left foot at all (and hurts badly when I still accidentally do which happens several times at day and night when too wobbly with the crutches)

So apologies for incoherent posts.

I realize I'm lucky that I was able ME-wise to have the surgery at all and now even with temporarily only one usable leg still am able to move around a bit at home and even able to climb stairs (thanks to flip-up seats at each landing in the staircase, I can have breaks and sit down). But am happy that I live in an apartment so only have to climb stairs to get home but no stairs inside my apartment.

Edit: Hope I will be able to get out every 3rd/ 4th day. Now also have a wheelchair waiting downstairs so if/ when I manage the stairs, can still be a bit outside.

I guess I'm a bit untypical as before the knee injury, on good days I could do physical activities like walking, cycling or swimming for up to 20 minutes without getting PEM, just needed to have rested before (including having a 30 minutes nap immediately before the physical activity) , and needed a longer break afterwards, usually again lying down.

Despite being very exhausted, 'classic' PEM is tolerable at the moment, maybe because there's just no way to over-exert too much? I'm so knackered from getting along with the crutches so if I don't lie down after only a couple of minutes of any kind of movement or standing involving legs/ crutches I risk to stumble and fall so my upright activity is even more reduced than usually.

Anyway, wondering how your joints are doing?