Do my symptoms present as a meniscus tear and should I consider a second opinion?

[AEM87]

I have been out of work for over 2 months due to this current state I am in. On Nov. 3rd I was at work and 2-3 hours into my shift, I started having pain in my knee out of nowhere, I didn't think too much of it as I am a heavy weightlifter at the gym and I get aches and soreness from time to time as one would. That particular day I had done bench press in the gym, no direct involvement with my legs; the previous day I did not go to the gym. As my shift went on the pain got worse & worse, by the time I got home, I could not even put weight on my leg or extend it I was in so much pain. I went to the ER, they did an x-ray. Said the X-ray looked OK, but I had bursitis and a lot of crepitus and swelling. They wrapped my knee, put me on crutches, & ordered PT and said to follow-up with ortho. Ortho wanted to rule out a torn meniscus & sent me for a MRI. I was told the MRI looked fine and to continue PT. At my last follow-up with ortho on 12/20, the Dr told me there is now some involvement with my hamstring, due to the fact that I still cannot extend and fully lockout my knee. I was given a cortisone shot and I have been on a daily anti-inflammatory since. I've been doing PT for 9 weeks now; every time my therapist tries to increase my exercises or anything weight-bearing, I can barely tolerate it. The next 2 days after I am in so much pain. He believes it to be "patellar tendinitis," which I do have some discomfort there, but 98% of my pain is in the medial meniscus. I can physically feel it throbbing after certain exercises.

This week the physical therapist asked me to try doing my exercises at the gym to try and develop an at-home program and see how I do. When I tried to do the leg extension with a very light weight, I can actually feel the meniscus muscle pulling, if that makes sense. While I was told the MRI looked OK, I highly beg to differ. I know they are not 100% accurate. Should I consider getting a second opinion? My other issue is, I really do not want to get surgery, so even if I do get a second opinion, is it going to change anything if I don't want surgery? Do I just have to wait it out and give it time to try and heal? I really need to get back to work, but if I can't bear weight on my knee, I don't know where I go from here.

I apologize for the length of my post. Thanks in advance.