Thanks all for the support and advice. I've already done ~6 weeks of PT prior to this at 3x/week and am still experiencing pain. We're doing lots of IT band stretches and have been doing most of the exercises suggested as well (plus laser therapy). I don't have access to a certified bike fitter out here, but the guy who fit me was a racer and very experienced cyclist. I have high arches in my feet and I know that my hip muscles are weak. I'm all lateral thigh muscles and nothing else.

The reason my doctor is already talking about surgery is because I am about to go off my parents' insurance (really good, no deductible, etc.) and onto my own insurance (bare minimum as I have no money and my job doesn't help pay and this is now a pre-existing condition). I trust my doctor to make the right decision - he was highly recommended by a close cyclist friend and he was trying to avoid surgery until I told him about my insurance situation. My patella is pretty rotated, but the groove of my bones is good, so my doctor thinks that with increased VMO strength we have a good chance of avoiding surgery. I'm just a researcher - I like to know about all possibilities, just in case.

In addition to PT 3x/week a friend of mine that I work with used to play collegiate level basketball and she is going to take me as a guest to the Y to use the machines there the other days of the week (I know nothing about gym equipment, I generally hate those places). My right side is >50% stronger than my left according to my evaluations, which is probably why I haven't had a problem yet on that side. I've always been inflexible/weak on the left as long as I can remember.

Thanks all for the replies. I really appreciate the insight and things to consider. I am going to ride today for the first time 2 months to see how my knee behaves (on the order of the PT). But it will just be a short out and back so hopefully it will go well. I didn't experience any pain last time until the next day, so I won't know until tomorrow if things are ok.