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That is great however since this is the second time I have had an infection the odds of the out come you had are not the same for me. It is almost like flipping a coin its pretty much a 50/50 chance one way or another not very comforting. If the odds were more in my favor it would not be so bothersome but that is not the case.

I had an infection after my 4th revision I was in the hospital 2 days then went home this was July 27 2015 2 weeks later came down with a fever Friday morning fever is at 99 by Monday morning its at 103 back in the hospital Aug 18 2015 had revision taken out and cleaned put back in also had my 1st time with the PICC line. October 2015 PICC Line comes out still testing for infection Dec I was told I had to had the 4th revision taken out and a spacer put in. This was done Dec.30 2015 also had PICC Line yet again Feb. 2016 developed a clot back in hospital this time ICU for 2 days to get rid of it. May 9th 2016 5th revision. I know exactly what to expect with or without a spacer having a PICC line for the 3rd time stinks even more so then the 1st. A spacer is not that bad but you will be on crutches for 2 months which once again no fun. I thought I was done with all of it. It might be your okay with it being your first time this to me just stinks

Johnnie

Oops sorry. Hit reply too soon. Is it really painful with just the spacer? And does the gaba help with pain? I ask because I'm going in for stage one on July 6th and really starting to freak out. After my tkr I found the gaba did absolutely nothing.

Everybody feels pain differently What hurts me may not bother you the same could said just the opposite. From when I had the spacer its just you just got out of surgery the biggest difference you have to use crutches, small walks around the house are okay and small meaning inside your home anything else crutches. Pain wise its not the worst I have ever felt but your never really pain free either. Some do really well with the gaba and some do really well with cortizone shots neither of these did much if anything for me. I think my problem I have been on pain meds for years so what would work for some does little for me. Since you have been thru a TKR the spacer is not quite as bad its not meant to be as flexible as a revision its used to treat infection no more no less. Your also going to be on a PICC line. I think they stink!!! but its the best way to treat an infection since odds are you will be on Vancomyicin its about the size of a nerf football ( if you can remember those? ) it takes 2 hours start to finish and it has to be done 2X a day 12 hrs. apart. I do mine at 9 am and 9 pm. I wish I could do it sooner but the nurse usually comes between 830 and 9am and if you did it before the nurse got there they would get an improper reading. The other thing with an infection just because they are treating it the best they know how does not mean it will be gone there are no guarantees. If you should ever need another revision ( I hope you do not follow my path!!!! ) the odds of dealing with another infection are pretty high as I found out. Yes it all stinks but its not that bad pain wise you have been thru a revision so this really no different. The spacer is not meant to take the place as a prosthesis its strictly used to treat the infection.

Hope this makes some sense??

Improper reading? What are they reading? Do you do it or does the nurse have to do it? Are you walking around with an IV pole and machine that feeds the IV fluids? Isn't there a simpler way to do all this????

Yes it does. Thank you. And you are correct about the pain- everyone feels it differently. I too have been on pain MGMT for years. So. I know my tolerance is way higher for pain meds than others. I just hate pain. Who doesn't?

I assume to much when I write not everyone has been thru what I have my apologies. Since I was put on warfarin ( they want your blood to be on the thin side they do not want you to develop blood clots ) a nurse has to come by 2X a week to check my blood due to the warfarin I was put on. Depending on the reading the nurse gets ( I think they are looking for a certain value ) the dosage of warfarin may have to be adjusted up or down. The PICC Line takes the place of the IV pole and or pump they would use at the hospital. You have a line inserted in your arm ( if you were to make muscle under the that ) and they use an X-ray machine to have it go thru an artery towards your heart. You wind up with with an extension with 2 lines one so blood can be drawn the other for the antibiotic to go in.In order for the nurse to get an accurate reading it has to be checked prior to hooking up the antibiotic to the PICC line.It would be nice if you can do it when ever but the antibiotic has to be done 12 hours apart and your pretty much sitting or laying around for 2 hours for all of it to get in your body. This may not be exactly the right way to explain it but if you look up PICC Line and or Proper way to use the SASH method it will explain it better. Like I said the blood thinner is only used to prevent blood clots following knee surgery you only take it for about one month and that is it. While your on it a nurse comes by to monitor you blood to make sure your getting the right amount of blood thinner.

So you do your own antibiotics? Does it not need to be elevated to drain into the PICC line? If one is on Xarelto or Eliquis, there would be no need to check blood thinner levels.

In a way it really sucks some and my surgeon is one, he told me when he had his first TKR yes he took pain meds while at the hospital but when he was discharged he did not take anything but over the counter meds he refuses to take opiods. He had his 2nd TKR on his other leg yesterday once again no prescription pain meds when he leaves. He is 11 years older then me 68 I am 57 and he makes me feel like a wimp. There is no way I could tolerate that much pain with tylenol or aspirin etc. I was on Hydrocodone 10 w/ act.325 since 2016 and on hydromorphone 4mg prior to that for 6 months never thought of it as a problem until they tried making me feel better after the surgery. My guess I am on the bonus rounds with this being # 6 and I can say truthfully its not day and night worse then the past surgery one week out but it is different and it does hurt more. I am with you completely when it comes to pain it flat out sucks and there is only one things worse and that is dealing with an infection along with pain this is one cocktail that really stinks. 

It's amazing how some people are able to tolerate pain. My mother had a tkr and took no pain meds either once she got home from the hospital. Not sure how she did it.

You are so NOT a wimp If you are then I am as well. Lol

My heart goes out to you. You have been through he** and back and I really hope that this past surgery will be your very last.

They call it infusion?? no it does not need to be elevated the ball is under pressure and as it drains the ball gets smaller until its empty.So you know more then me I went by what the Dr, prescribed every revision was warfarin or cuomoden sp ???. 

Thank you very much but going by what the Dr. told me one very real possibility is this turns into a full blown infection and boy I really hope not the other option antibiotic for the rest of my like. Yes one is better then the other but come on it all started with a torn meniscus now I am at 18 surgeries with 6 of those 18 being revisions what are the odds this will just go away and this will be my last its almost like winning the lottery the odds of having more problems are like flipping a coin how do you not feel like you screwed something up or in some way shape or form this was all my fault. This is really bugging me you have an idea but until you have been thru it I just cannot say you fully understand. I am sorry for being pessimistic but look at what I have been thru does any of this indicate things will be better I doubt it.