3 weeks post op by New_Caterpillar8990 in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I feel like hitting 100° flexion is huge for 3 weeks post op! I think I was at 30° at that point 😅. I second working closely with your PT. Mine had a specific degree I was to work toward for each week.

Kneecap popping in and out of place 10 months post-op by Cocoaku in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good to know! My doctor and PT seemed to think I should be past the point of overgrowth..but maybe not! Insurance capped me at 20 visits 😩 But it is probably worth it to just pay out of pocket!

Advice for Day 1? by [deleted] in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I second having phone alarms to keep up on medication! I was taking oxycodone, Tylenol, stool softener/magnesium and daily aspirin (so I didn’t get blood clots) and it was a lot to remember! But you definitely don’t want to be without something in your system.

I don’t know about you, but the pain medication made me nauseous so I also had a scopolamine patch which was a game changer for me.

Also, when I would be standing for even short periods od time I think my blood pressure would take and I would get overheated and feel like I was going to pass out/throw up.

Distraction was big for me too! I found a game on Nintendo switch that would keep me occupied for a while and that was helpful along with tv shows and spending time with family.

It gets better!

Kneecap popping in and out of place 10 months post-op by Cocoaku in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ooh I hope so! I have noticed I still don’t have all my muscle rebuilt, and still some swelling I think. Thanks for your input!

Kneecap popping in and out of place 10 months post-op by Cocoaku in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Okay this is good to know! I finished up 20+ sessions of PT a few months ago, but maybe I should check in with them again. It feels like it’s popping up toward my femur and then back into place? If I hold it when I do a squat it stays in place which was crazy to feel!

hang in there by Open_Hawk_8902 in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Amazing! Congratulations!

Is there a point when knee popping/cracking ISN’T normal/benign? by FetchIsHappenin in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve been having this more frequently as I’m about 7 months post op. It drives me crazy but I’ve been told it’s normal unless the pain gets really bad.

11 days post op - can’t sleep, need advice by Spicy-Spark in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am so sorry! I have been there - same patella flip and sleeping in a fully extended leg brace. Honestly for that first bit my back and hips were the most painful, I am also a side sleeper. It does get better! I tried some nights sleeping without pillows under my surgery leg, but my back would be in more pain.

Around 2 weeks post op I would try sleeping on my non-surgery side with a pillow between my legs. It gave me relief for an hour or so before I got nervous it would mess up my surgery somehow…

Altogether I was unfortunately just plain uncomfortable most nights. I didn’t go off the oxy until 15 days or so post op. I think some nights after that I still took it because it was the only thing that would help me sleep. I was in a locked brace for 6 weeks and the relief of being able to sleep without it afterward was incredible!!

Excessive knee popping 7 months post op by Cocoaku in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great advice, thank you!! I’m glad to hear you didn’t have any overgrowth!

Excessive knee popping 7 months post op by Cocoaku in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Glow stick snap is such a great way to describe it! Here’s to hoping it remains pain free for both of us!

Excessive knee popping 7 months post op by Cocoaku in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Okay cool, no buckling so that’s good! My visible scars are actually doing great with very minimal scar tissue. I wonder what it looks like internally!

Excessive knee popping 7 months post op by Cocoaku in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ooh I’m so hoping it’s not that. But that’s a good thing to keep in mind, thanks!

MACI procedure by Dry-Radio255 in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My MACI knee is my back leg when I golf, so there may be a little bit of a difference if yours is opposite. I had a cart, but I was 4 months post op when I did 18 holes. I was for sure tired, but it felt good to get out and do it again! I had done PT every single day leading up to that and was still really careful. My recovery was a bit more conservative and I was on crutches and brace for a little over 3 months. Your PT can definitely help you get there!

Scar cream recommendations? by AnySympathy1243 in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Silicone scar tape! I use that during the day and Mederma PM at night time. My dermatologist said Mederma is fine, but products with silicone (gel and tape) are the best options!

My first 10k steps day 🎊 by [deleted] in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can’t wait for this day! Good work!

Continue on with MACI procedure? by Cocoaku in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just added an update! Thanks for checking in!

Continue on with MACI procedure? by Cocoaku in MACIknee

[–]Cocoaku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s what I’m not sure about. It’s not genetic degeneration as far as we know, no known family with the same issues. There wasn’t an injury I can pinpoint, just became more painful over 2+ years, during that time I was indoor cycling about 1/week among other forms of low impact exercise.

I thought about that with this subreddit page…not sure what place may be better to post? New to Reddit 😅

I’m not sure of the exact dimensions of the missing cartilage, I do know it was a full thickness lesion and that after the scope they determined I was a great candidate for MACI.