Help! Doc recommends knee surgery

I'm in an odd predicament and I've been crying myself sick trying to decide what to do. I'm hoping someone has had this type of surgery and can tell me something.

Basically, my doc just recommended arthroscopic surgery on my right knee to clear out loose cartilage. I looked it up online, and I think what he was talking about was debridment and lavage.

I had surgery on my left knee four months ago to trim torn cartilage, and while under, the doc (a different doc) decided to do microfracture. I went in for a surgery with a short recovery time and left with one that required 3 months on crutches! and I don't think it has helped!

So the left knee still isn't great, and the right knee, well, I sometimes don't lift that when I walk, practially drag it sometimes. I can't walk enough to really even do shopping. I am going to work, but only because my finance drives me in.

So back to the lavage. The doc says I'll be back to work in a couple of days, it's no big deal. Online forums I've seen show some people saying it didn't help at all, some say they are worse. Some said it meant weeks on crutches (my doc says no time on crutches will be required, but we'll see what he says after the procedure). Some studies say there's no proof it helps and it could hurt.

The tricky part of it all: My finance goes in for an interview in England next week (we're in the U.S. now, both Americans). If he gets it, the job starts in January! It's a really good career move for him, and he's stressed out and miserable at his current job, so if he gets it, we must go.

The only slot the surgeon has open to do this surgery is this Thursday. If I were going to do it, that would actually be the best time because my fiance could be with me for a few days before heading off for the interview, and I'd have a month to recover before he left for England (I may stay behind in the U.S. a couple of weeks or even a month or two longer if needed).

The problem: As bad as my knees are, I'd feel better if I could wait a few weeks or a month and then decide about this surgery. But that is a problem because we'd be moving to England by then. I could stay behind, maybe go to my mom's and get the surgery so she could help me, quit my job and pay for Cobra coverage. Or I could go to England and try to get it on NHS, which could take a very long, miserable time.

I don't know what to do. If I'm going to get it, right now is the best time. But I'm not sure it's the best move to make. Ideally, I could wait a month or two and then decide, see if my knees start to feel better. But I'm in this weird bubble caught between U.S. and UK healthcare choices, and it's a bad place to be.

Anyone have thoughts on the surgery itself or on waiting to do it in the UK?

can you get a second opinion from another doctor? online-resources are great but nothing beets a person actually looking at YOUR knee.

I agree with a second opinion. Also, did you do physical therapy for your first knee? If it's not better, and maybe even worse than before the surgery, I would go back to that doctor and let him know you're still in pain. I think that personally I might address the first knee and work on getting that one better before letting anyone cut into my other one!

There's no time for a second opinion if I do this by tomorrow (and I gave a long explanation of why it looks like that's something I need to do or else end up on an NHS wait list).

This doc is my second opinion doc for questions about my first knee. He backed up the first doc on most things (except deciding to do microfracture in my case). As to the pain and all, there's really nothing they can do, it's basically a situation of wait and see, give it time to heal. I've seen the first doc repeatedly on that. My options are few and all unpleasant.

I've had debridement and it was so worth it!

I had one done just six weeks after full ACL reconstruction w/hamstring tendon, so I was still in a brace w/the right knee.

Full weight-bearing w/both these ops - as well as the others - asap.  I had those stick type crutches to help me maintain normal gait, however.

It was a pretty quick procedure under local anaesthetic w/IV sedation, maybe 45 minutes. 

I walked out.  I even walked out of my ACL recon, although that was a nearly 3 hour op under regional anaesthetic. 

I've had to have most of my left meniscus removed and a large bit of cartilage in my left tibial plateau (found during the debridement procedure).  Well worth it!  I was in some pain before the procedures.  When the surgeon went in for the tibial plateau, he remarked, 'This must have really hurt.'  But as it was just a few weeks after my ACL recon, I had a new standard of low for pain!

Oh, I've had to have my kneecap in my right knee retracked, too.

I had a brilliant surgeon, however, very forward-thinking.  Was worth getting a second opinion - he was my 2nd opinion! 

Just wanted to offer you best wishes groovy_yank! That's a hard position, and I wish you luck with your decision. I had arthroscopic surgery about 8 years ago (complications of a broken patella--part of the kneecap broke off and became lodged underneath), but luckily that was a pretty simple recovery.

I've had debridement and it was so worth it!

I replied to this, but didn't see it post, so forgive me if this is a repeat.

Did you have the surgery in the U.S. or UK? If in the UK, how long did you wait to see a doc in the first place, and then to have the surgery?

I need to do something as I'm basically crippled at this point, but I don't think I can decide right now, today, to do this surgery tomorrow morning. This timetable we are under really sucks.

Does any know how long I might have to wait to see an orthopaedic surgeon, and then how long for surgery in the UK?

In the US.

I reckon you'd be in for quite a wait in the UK.  First, you'd have to get registered w/a GP.  Then, you'd need to be referred to an orthopaedic surgeon.  Then you'd need to wait for the surgery.

If you can get it done in the US, I'd do it there and then.

Debridement is pretty minimal stuff, IME.