I know I posted once already, but I wanted to tell you the whole story:
I was diagnosed in early Dec. with costochondritis.I usually work at a computer all day and night, and was not conditioned enough to do what I did. I got on my husbands Total Gym 2000 and proceeded to do pull-ups at its highest level. NOT a smart thing to do. The sternum pain was so bad in Dec. I swore I was having a heart attack. ( Costo mimics coronary artery disease). I also suffer from anxiety. Anyway, I finally went to the doctor and had an ekg done and blood work. As my dr. said, all were 'pristine'. I am generally in very good health, thank the Lord. Because of my anxiety, the dr. put me on Atenol for high pulse rate (94).This is the first time in 45 yrs. I have ever been on prescription meds.. Four days after my first pill, I had diahrrea and muscle cramps in legs. Which is a rare side effect of Atenolol. A few days after that first and only day of very painful muscle cramps ( they did continue but much milder and sporadic) I noticed this lump behind my left knee. It starts right above the crease and goes downward a little beyond the crease. The Dr. diagnosed it as a Bakers Cyst. I was wondering if that severe cramping that first day could have caused this. I haven't been bothered by it until this week. I'm having minor pain in my left leg too. I took my last Atenolol on 2-7-99, don't know if the pain would continu a week after stopping the meds. I have read 98% of all the postings concerning bakers cysts, and not too many symptoms were listed. I now have pain in the cyst, pain around my knee, and above, pain in the calf, shin, and especially at the very base of the calf. The pain is not severe, just annoying. I read about exercises? orsomething I can do to help this Dr. Stoll?? Could you explain more about this to me and where I can get this book. Also, my dr. didnt seem concerned about rupture, is this a medical emergency if it happens? If not what can I do for it if it does happen? I heard there is excrutiating pain when this occurs. Please write me and let me know if any of you experience the same symptoms that I do, after talking to those live doctor's on AOL, I am so scared I have a blood clot. Sorry this is so long, and thank you all for your time. Terry
Follow Ups:
Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB)
Posted by Walt Stoll on February 15, 1999 at 07:25:18:
In Reply to: Bakers Cyst posted by Terry on February 14, 1999 at 01:25:51:
Dear Terry,
I have no doubt that your exercise precipitated your costochondritis. However, if it was the cause, everyone who uses that machine would have costochondritis.
The fast is that the same total body bracing that made you susceptible is the same thing that causes Baker's Cysts to herniate from the synovial sac of the joint. ALL a Baker's Cyst is is a leak of the synovial fluid through a ruptured area of the sac (hernia).
The rupture of a cyst is not an emergency (it is much like a ganglion cyst of the wrist which is just a leak of synovial fluid from a leak in the tendon sheath (hernia). I will bet that you have heard that one of the treatments for a ganglion cyst is to break it with a blow from the "family bible". Some actually stay away after rupturing-----the same with a Baker's Cyst.
I understand why so many people are having trouble finding the summary for Baker's Cysts that I made within the past couple of weeks just to save people from having to look through the archives for information. My son Bill is here to teach me how to link. This is my second try at doing this:
Walt
Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB)
Posted by Leslie on February 16, 1999 at 03:59:55:
In Reply to: Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB) posted by Walt Stoll on February 15, 1999 at 07:25:18:
This is a wonderful site, I just read the archives on my problem. Dr. Stoll, I have a baker's cyst.It's about the size of a ping pong ball. I have had it 3 months now with no problems until now. I have had swelling below the cyst in the calf, pain in middle and lower calf, which comes and goes and lasts very briefly. But I am now having tingly feelings in my toes. Is there a possibility that the cyst could be pressing on a nerve to cause this? Can I exercise with this, or should it be rested, and elevated as much as possible? And what is better for this, moist heat or ice? Thank you verymuch, and I will be ordering your book. I know someone who purchased it, a friend cross country and she found it very imformative and suggested I purchase it. I hope to hear from you soon. Have a good day, Leslie
Follow Ups:
Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB)
Posted by Walt Stoll on February 16, 1999 at 11:25:36:
In Reply to: Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB) posted by Leslie on February 16, 1999 at 03:59:55:
Dear Leslie,
Did you go to the link I provided that goes to the Baker's Cyst Summary"? If that doesn't answer your questions, I need to do a better job with the article. Only you and your doc know exactly where the cyst is. Only you or your doc can answer these questions. If you don't want to go to the atlas yourself, go to your doc and insist that s/he answer them with you both looking at the atlas.
Walt
Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB)
Posted by susan on February 16, 1999 at 19:19:42:
In Reply to: Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB) posted by Walt Stoll on February 16, 1999 at 11:25:36:
I noticed that you still have people questioning the infamous "Baker's Cyst." All of my posts to you are now gone. Even though I made a list of ten questions for you to answer that would have cleared up the whole issue, you STILL refused to answer the questions. Why couldn't you just have said, that yes or no, these things were a possiblity. I made up a T or F test just so you would clearly know EXACTLY what I wanted to know. All you did was refer me to the same old post. I don't expect a doctor to know everything. If you aren't sure about an answer, just say so!
Follow Ups:
Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB) (SUSAN!)
Posted by Walt Stoll on February 17, 1999 at 11:45:56:
In Reply to: Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB) posted by susan on February 16, 1999 at 19:19:42:
Susan,
If you read my response to that "10 questions" I carefully explained why either YOU or your examining DOC were the only ones who COULD answer those questions. If you are not going to read what I write why should I waste my time?
It seems to me that you need this to be a contest in which you want to force me to answer your questions as you pose them regardless of the facts in the situation.
I am done!
Walt
Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB)
Posted by Betty Evans on April 11, 1999 at 20:57:35:
In Reply to: Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB) posted by susan on February 16, 1999 at 19:19:42:
I found out last week that I havwe a Baker Cyst. I went to the emercy room, and they took a ulersound, and they said it showed a Baker's cyst. I have alot of pain, and my leg feels like its giving out when I am up on it. I can hear it crack, and I can hardly bend the knee. The leg is swell, and my ankle was even. I didn't notice it until I made a trip of 1200 miles from home. I could hardley stand up on that leg. I am home, I had a lot of pain traveling, but I am home. Now what should I do? I need to get something done, I am alot over weight, I hate to go to the doctors, because they blame it on weight, and say they can't do anything. I also have 2,3,4,5, disk in my back rupture, and 2 spurs on my spine. I have a lot of pain from that. But when they did the ulersound, they said it show also I had a Baker cyst. What would you suggest for me to do. The pain at times is unbearable. I was wondering if I could have a blood clot, they though I had one at first, but they said it was a Baker's cyst. Can you give me some advice? Thanks so much.
Follow Ups:
Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB)
Posted by Walt Stoll on April 12, 1999 at 12:12:44:
In Reply to: Re: Bakers Cyst (Summary on BB) posted by Betty Evans on April 11, 1999 at 20:57:35:
Hi, Betty.
If you DON'T lose weight you are going to need knee replacements (and probably hips as well).
NOW, having said that, go to the link below and read about your choices. Also, go to this note.
THEN, if you still have questions, write again.
Walt