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Clicking sounds & leg giving way!

Posted , 12 users are following.

veronica91735
veronica91735

For those of you that are well into recovery (I'm 23 weeks now, & eagerly awaiting an appointment with a 2nd consultant in 2 weeks time re my problems) - it would be interesting to know if any others have clicking sounds all the time, & does your leg give way? Mine has given way 6 times now (I suppose over 5+ months, that's not too bad, but it is so painful when it happens!) Veronica

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  • martinarvelo
    martinarvelo veronica91735

    Posted

    Mine clicks all the time. .every time I bend the knee when walking.  But mine hasn't given way yet. . just still very stiff, and fificult going down stairs . . . (twelve weeks)

     

    • veronica91735
      veronica91735 martinarvelo

      Posted

      I can't go UP the stairs yet!! Only one step at a time - the knee will no longer bend due to soft tissue swellings. The 23rd can't come soon enough for me!
  • louise07185
    louise07185 veronica91735

    Posted

    Hi everyone. I am 5 weeks 6 days 4: 45 minutes post op! 

    Today i have. Walked 1.5  plus miles knee clunk click every trip. Also leg gave way at least 6 times? ( not as many times as it did pre op) mind you it does not hurt me when this happens, I wonder if it is the same as yours Veronica. 

    i have have  read the clunking will get less once mucsles have built up around knee. Also the giving way will go once strength is reinstated. 

    I am now doing well. Sleep has not been a problem at all through my journey, only up one night. I am walking with one crutch, I can walk up stairs properly (although I only do this day time because of swelling later in day! )

    i canot walk properly, downstairs yet although I have managed 3 steps. I aim to try to do an extra step each day. 

    Pain gets worse as the day goes on as does the swelling. I still take meds regularly again reducing the strong meds unless I need them. 

    Today, I feel that the bulb has been refitted at the end of my tunnel, I just hope it does not go out again. 

    I see consultant a week  Friday.

    Today I am happy. I think the brain is clever because in my view it is very similar  to having a baby a lot of the real raw pains that we have at the start of the journey have now diminished from my brain, I know that I had them when I read my diary! 

     

    • veronica91735
      veronica91735 louise07185

      Posted

      It sounds like you are doing very well for just under 6 weeks. The end of my tunnel is still dark - I ended up having an ultrasound which showed up a misalignment - I was told it would take up to 18 months for the body to accept this, but I simply can't stand the pain, so my GP asked for a 2nd opinion. I'm scared they all stick together, so we may dig into our savings for a private consultation if nothing happens after my consultant appointment in 2 weeks time. I simply cannot live life with such pain - & on the other hand - I don't want a revision after reading up on them! Trying to live life as normally as possible, I have a tiny, but pretty garden, so have made the use of this lovely weather & pottered & potted! Going out for a meal later, after dosing up, as I feel my husband must be sick to death of me after 6 months almost of being like this! This forum has saved my sanity!
    • louise07185
      louise07185 veronica91735

      Posted

      I am so sorry to read about your problems! I know how I felt because things were not improving as I wanted them. but to have a problem like you have i don't know how I would have coped. 

      This operation is very much a lottery, no one knows who will improve or not.

      i feel very lucky in my progress. 

      i wish you all the best wishes and look forward to reading that you have improved, take care and keep us up to date on your progress. 

    • Annodoremouse
      Annodoremouse veronica91735

      Posted

      2nd opinions do a thorough job. They check in case the 1st cons is missing something. The NHS Dr you see could well be the same one that you wold pay for
    • tess94652
      tess94652 veronica91735

      Posted

      Really feel for you veronica! Talk about bad luck! but do hope you get that second opinion. I don't think k all surgeons stick together so keep optimistic!!! Also know of 2 revisions that have been completely successful (1 cos prosthesis was wrong size, other cos prosthesis loosened in the bone) GOod luck this time round! X
    • veronica91735
      veronica91735 tess94652

      Posted

      I think, judging from the letter the consultant sent my GP, it's a bit of both (wrong size and loosening!). Revisions have only a 80% success rate, compared to a 95% for the primary TKR - odds are I'd be in that 20% seeing as I made the 5% this time around! I'll post on here as soon as I know what the plan is. It's good to know that a revision can be successful - watch this space!
  • liz34614
    liz34614 veronica91735

    Posted

    Is it your knee, i e the actual joint that is giviing way, or is it the surrounding tendons/ligaments?  I will be 19 weeks this Friday, have never had any real pain, just some discomfort at certain angles, and can do anything and everything I want now without any pain.  At this time last year I could not get to the end of my drive way to collect the post, and could'nt walk the dogs, life was just pain and misery.  Life is shere bliss now!  It did take me quite a long time to walk up stairs properly, somehow lacked the courage and only started doing so regularly from 14 weeks.  I still have quite a swollen knee although pain free, and presume it will go down as time goes on.  I occasionally get painless clicking, but, I am haveing real problems with the tendons at the back of my knee right up to my groin.  I can only describe it as like a very sharp painful elastic twang, which momentarily releases my leg, and then snaps back.  It feels as though I am going to fall but I don't.  Just wondered if this is what you are experencing?
    • louise07185
      louise07185 liz34614

      Posted

      Hi 

      I too was in a lot of pain before the operation and the knee locked. Now the knee just goes from under me, like it buckles, I think because I'm aware I am more careful. One of the worst nightmares Is having is fall on the knee!!

      my walking up stairs was by accident, I was late leaving for appointment and needed something from upstairs, I started walking up and realised that I was banging my big toe on stairs? Made me think that it was time to push myself to walk up properly, did a few stairs a day till I managed the whole flight? 

      It is late afternoon now and my knee and foot is swelling up, this will go on till I go to bed around 8 pm then I lay with feet elevated till time for sleep. Not a pretty sight. 

      I hope your progress continues take care x

    • veronica91735
      veronica91735 liz34614

      Posted

      I'm not sure what actually gives way, as it all happens so quickly - after the 1st two very painful buckling, I manage to stop myself experiencing real pain by swaying sort of backwards & forwards, just once each way, then it all feels OK again. I wish I hadn't had it done. My pain, despite being bone on bone, was bearable, where it isn't now. I could walk my dogs for a couple of miles, where I can't now, & my two young grandchildren think I've morphed into an old lady, instead of the daft, playful Grandma I was before I had the TKR. Strangley - if I didn't have 3 small painful bumps of soft tissue swellings from the misalignment - my knee would be a normal size, with a tiny white line.
  • paul57039
    paul57039 veronica91735

    Posted

    Hi Veronica, 

    I am 20 weeks post op but never had a give way, but it clicks all the time, annoying at first but you do get used to it. I also can walk long distances, use stairs up and down, kneel down (using a pillow) and bend to about 150 degrees, but the knee swells and goes a bit red if I just stand still, (sorry can't do the washing up smile  ). However I was told not to stress about progress as long as there were gradual improvements until after year has passed but the clicks could last forever. Regarding meds, my surgeon said there was no need to suffer extreme pain and was prescribed 12 weeks of panadol forte (30mg of codeine  and 500 mg of paracetamol 4 times a day, supplemented by, chemist purchase, 4 times a day Panadol max (500mg of paracetamol) I took these just before my physio and they made it a lot easier. I was told the muscles need to be built up to give the knee good stability as most people have wastage due to previous lack of mobility because of the pain pre op, so perhaps you need some specific physio to help you in this regard, your consultant should be able to help with this. Stay strong I think you are over the worst of it.

    Regards Paul

    • paul57039
      paul57039

      Posted

      Sorry Veronica,

      I just read a further post you made and sincerely hope your knee is not misaligned as that sounds dreadful after all this time. Please keep as posted.

      Regards Paul 

    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo paul57039

      Posted

      I have the same problem with standing still . . I think it has to do in my case with the knee not being completely straight (about 7 degrees), but it also causes a lot of pain in the spine where the injection was. . .Even loading the dishwasher is a pain!

       

    • veronica91735
      veronica91735 paul57039

      Posted

      Fingers crossed they can do something other than a revision! Meanwhile - ventured out to my 1st village charity event since this happened, & had to show the line/crease across the knee where the 6mm misalignment traps flesh & the multi swellings to all & sundry! Feel quite (in)famous now!
    • veronica91735
      veronica91735 paul57039

      Posted

      I had my 2nd opinion today. He was wonderful, very thorough, & I felt complete confidence talking everything through with him. I agreed to transfer to him completely, which means I will now attend another hospital. On Monday, I have a "long leg" alignment x-ray, then I will await an appointment with the new guy to discuss going forward. He told me one in ten who have TKR's, are unhappy with them. The figures are pretty similar with a revision. I am in more pain now, 6 months after the TKR, than before, but I will only go ahead with a revision if the alignment is out. He told me quite a few of the one in ten, have permanant nerve damage, which causes pain & is permanant damage with no chance of the nerves getting back to normal. I still feel better having seen him - I think he will explore all avenues as he knows I care for my husband, who has M.S. (the positions have been slightly reversed somewhat over the past 6 months!) Watch this space!
    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo veronica91735

      Posted

      I am so glad you have been sent to a specialist you feel you can trust and hope that he can sort something out for you to end the permanent pain. It must be incredibly wearing for you and your husband as well.  My specialist also referred to the 90 per cent success rate. . which sounds  quite good unless you are one of the ten per cent!  Good luck
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