Thank you for your response, I really appreciate it. I've had a total of 5 surgeries on both knees, once on the right back in 2011, and 4 in total on the left. My GP knows my medical history better than any one else, and I know he sympathizes for me and thinks I need the procedures. My current orthopedist was my doctor from 2016 to early 2018. I've gone back to see him after the surgeon who did the partial retired, so he's my "new" old doctor. He did the last scope on my left knee, and removed half a dozen bone chips from my right elbow for me.
After the last arthroscopic procedure on my knee, I had to go back to see him to have my knee drained of excess fluid every 4 or 5 weeks until he basically gave up and referred me to the doctor who did the partial. No one in his office could figure out where all the fluid was coming from, and why it built up so fast. My left knee is full of excess fluid as well, but because of the partial appliance in there, they don't want to drain it for fear of an infection, so I'm in pain in that knee as well, again.
I guess I can try asking my GP for a referral to another orthopedist, it would be my 6th surgeon since 2010. I'll have to discuss it with my wife and see what she thinks, but the thought of those medical bills coming back is scary. We're having a hard time keeping our heads above water as it is, my SSDI benefit have given us a big decrease in our income. I've given some serious thought to just swearing off of medical specialists like orthopedists and neurosurgeons and just putting up with pain for the rest of my life. I'm not going to bankrupt my wife and myself, or my family with medical bills because I'm in pain, it's not fair to them.