By Sharon on Saturday, June 22, 2002 - 12:23 am:

Does anone else have a tendency to tear/break/stretch ligaments very easily. I have no real diagnosis except I am hypermobile and have a hereditary connective tissue collagen disorder. I think (well my GP thinks) I have torn my ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) in my left knee AGAIN, if this is true it will be the 3rd time (I have had it reconstructed twice already 1994 and 1998). I am pretty sure I have EDS 3 or very similar and have nearly all symptoms except stretchy/velvety skin, (which Aussie doc's try to tell me excludes EDS diagnosis and I know it odesn't)If my ACL is yet again torn I don't know what they will do (I wasn't diagnosed with anything last 2 times) and last time my O.S said it was the last time it could be done as he refuses to take graft out of other leg thus weakening my right knee (and fair enough too, 1 knee stuffed big time is BAD ENOUGH).
Does anyone else have the tendency to do this to there body and easily (I was drying myself after a bath this time, 1st time I stood in a hole, 2nd time it just stretched over time). Is this part of EDS???? or not do I just have this on top of everything else???
Please any help would be greatly appreciated.
I am YET AGAIN in an immobiliser knee brace and can't get into see my Orthopod until September and have been told not to weightbear on my leg but I cannot use crutches due to a stuffed/chronic shoulder (which was reconstructed August last year because of constant dislocations).
Are there other options apart from a wheelchair as I NEED my independance to keep my sanity.

any help would be very much appreciated

By linda on Saturday, June 22, 2002 - 07:41 am:

Hi Sweetie its me again. it's too bad u live in AUSSIE I'D LOVE TO CHAT WITH U SOMETIME. ACCORDING TO THE eds nosolog i think your problem is greater tHan type 3 maybe type 7 or something whichb SAYS!!!!!
FREQUENT LIGAMENT TEARS AND FREQUENT DISLOCATINS!!! your doc is rigt about nottaking graft from your other knee. it will just happen again. see what he says about the gortex material and let me know. its all about protection at this point. stay off it til it heals. Ihave 2 electric wheelchairs that the public scorns me for using cause i walk so well. but hey gotta do whatcha gotta do. there is a peddling wheechair but i dont think youll be doing that either. . just stay off and hopefully it will heal.hang in there. my fingers dislocate so its hard for me to type otherwise we'd be wroting forever. hang in there!! BTW having a collagen defect is the same thing as EDS . this other dopey doc told my friend the same thing about the skin and diagnosed her with heritable loose joints. there is no such thing!! if your docs could just read some literature!!!! maybe u could request some . just contact the EDNF website .you could either print out info or request brochures. your docs will prob still deny they made a mistake cause most docs cant admit things like that. but who knows?????
I only respect and go to docs who bother to look it up on the NET! luckily i now have some!! but it was not an easy road.most docs believe that dislocatins don't hurt if u have eds!! lol
common sense among these doc friighten me!! But do me a favor. stop feeling bad and blaming yourself for your knee. u really had no control over this. the tear was bound to happen. dont feel the need to apologize to your docs about it. about your independence. i know it's hard, i now need a full time aid even with an electric wheelchair because of my fingers and such. i have trouble feedng myself , toileting , brushng my teeth, dressing. it was an adjustment but you know what i have just learned to appreciate the things i can do like walk normal, go out to restaurants and shop. I now have a sincere appreciation for others with disabilities and can see that others are worse off. I am now just grateful for pain free days!!
just focus on what u still CAN DO!! TAKE CARE!

By Sharon on Saturday, June 22, 2002 - 04:58 pm:

Tank you so much Linda.
I wish we weren't so far apart to but Australia is so far away. I know it isn't my fault that my knee went AGAIN., but you do tend to feel a bit responsible.
I am going to keep trying to get a diagnosis as some of my young neices and nephews are already showing early signs.
Thank you so much for you help Linda
and feel frr to email me when you are having a good day and can