Cortisone shot - whoa. Feels like someone gave me speed.

Chris

Never did for the TKR leg. I was at the pointing of at least getting the short period of relief for my other bad leg. It typically doesn't last very long and never was a solution with my left. The side effects are really putting me off though.

Did they warn you about side effects?  They didn't me.  I felt sick by the time I got out of the hospital before I even got to the car!  And it just got worse.  I do hope you feel better soon.  I don't think I was much fun to live with for a week or so after the injections LOL!  I turned into a raging bull LOL!

Lol. The first time I got it they said I "might" have insomnia for a night or two. Lol. They didn't tell me it would be because your heart is exploding in your chest and feeling flushed (like having the longest hot flash). I still have a low grade headache too. Here's the kicker - although not feeling good I feel like I have been pumped full of steroids so I have this unnatural energy! 💪

Well I suppose you have been pumped full of steroids LOL!  Marathon tomorrow? LOL!  No, seriously, I hope you do feel better soon.  And I hope it helps the knee!  When I got out of the car today after our trip out I was groaning with pain from the non operated knee!  It's not worse from the other one being done though - it's just as it's been for a long time!

Chris, feeling better now here at the end of the day. Slight headache but more annoying than really painful. I do have immediate pain relief in the right knee which I appreciate to no end. Let's see how long it lasts. You will notice I keep referring to my leg as opposed to my knee. Since I had my TKR I cannot think of it as a knee operation as it affected my entire leg. With nerve damage could not even use my left foot or move my toes. 95% Rehabilitated now thank goodness.

Phew Milla!  That actually had my jaw dropping - I knew the effects of this op could range hugely but never dreamed it could affect your whole leg like that!  I am so glad that there is pain relief now for you!  How did the nerve damage get repaired?

Chris, I thought it was like that for everyone! Meaning that you have pain in entire leg. The nerve and muscle death occurred in my thigh so it was either the nerve block or the tourniquet. Getting plenty of shin pain. And the foot and ankle Gets iced if the knee is done! My foot is still a little "dumb". Taking chair showers and takes me a few minutes longer to get my slippers off the left foot. I said Honey look how dumb this foot is. He said very complacently: "Yes honey. It's the dumbest foot I have ever seen. "

Nerve damage- mine is not so severe that it requires surgery, otherwise I am getting laser and electric treatment twice a week to stimulate regeneration. But ultimately it is all about time. I am doing good today so far. It's only 7 am but I am positive because I did not wake up with pain and wonder of wonders slept for 6 hours with only getting up once. Yay! How are you doing???

Oh Milla!  I've a feeling I might have read something about this being a possibility in one of the worst scenarios but never understood what it actually meant at all!  I'm SO pleased yours is improving with the laser and electric treatment!  Your husband sounds wonderful too:-))))

I'm almost embarrassed to say - my experience has been totally the other extreme!  I had no pain after the second day but still took the codeine at night for a few nights, and the Ibuprofen as I was told for about five days because they said the Ibuprofen helped with inflammation.  My only real pain was when something 'caught at the back of the knee' and that was excruciating but the physio at the hospital said to not push the bend to that point for a couple of weeks.  I think that was about a week ago.  My bend then was 115 (three weeks post op) and it dropped down to 108  but then gradually went up again and today was 112, but I just hit that 'danger point' but it didn't hurt nearly as much.  It was just a twinge, so it's obviously something that is improving, which is a huge relief.  I'm going to go back on the recumbent bike in a day or so again.  I went from crutches to sticks before the three weeks that the physio suggested and am not using sticks at all at home anymore - they're left in the car in case I need them, or just for storage until the next knee is done:-)  Right from the second night I've been sleeping through with no discomfort apart from the other knee that needs doing!  My whole experience has been nothing short of amazing!  It is the other knee that needs doing that's giving me much more grief than the knee that's been done!  It's stiffer, hurts more getting in and out of the car, hurts at night and with every stepl  I've noticed over the past few days that the operated knee is much easier getting in and out of the car and I'm not needing to slide over the seat further to do it now:-)  Before this op I hoped for the  best, I did lots on the recumbent bike and treadmill to prepare, as well as the pre op exercises the hospital gave me, and I've been SO SO lucky!  I'd say now, at four weeks today, that although my gait is normal, I'm still aware of walking and look forward to the time when I can forget about it.  But I've been so aware of every step for so long, because of the pain of arthritis, that I guess it will take a little while not to be like that.  And the other knee done LOL!  Roll on!

Chris don't be embarrassed at all! I am overjoyed it went so well for you! I do not wish a difficult recovery on anyone!

Who knows, my right knee might turn out like yours! When I finally have the courage to do it. Plus I need this leg to completely heal. So it gives me hope to read your story!

Wow. 115 at 3 weeks. That is impressive even for a good recovery! Do they do Synvisc Gel in the UK? I tried it but unfortunately did not work. I have spoken to others though and if it works you are painfree for up to 6-8 months. One old guy told me it bought him 3 years before he finally had to get the surgery. It is made of Rooster's comb. With insurance I paid a co pay of $250 so it is expensive but well worth the try!

Chris, p.s. From all 5 million possible symptoms (lol) the pain behind the knee is the only one I haven't had. Heard many also complaining of clicking. Starting to hear some clicking. Doesn't bother me and in fact I think it is a good indication that the swelling inside the knee has gone down considerably!

Milla, you are so right - your right knee may well be a wonderful experience!  I am very aware that I can't bank on my right knee being as good an experience as the left was LOL!  They do say it can vary hugely from knee to knee,  We can only live in hope LOL!  I think it's as bit like when you have babies.  One can be a dream from birth, but one can be terrible and keep you up all night for months and months.  Who knows why they're so different?   BUT, whatever, in the long term it can't be as bad as the arthritis has been for so many years.  With a knee replacement, generally speaking, you know there is a light at the end of the tunnel!  I've never heard of Synvisc Gel.  I have had some success with Flexiseq.  That's what's given me the best relief for arthritis.  Again it's fairly expensive at about £14 a tube but when the arthritis starts to get on top of me I use it for a few days and it does take the edge off.  Ibuprofen gel 10% did nothing to touch it.  And I hate being dosed up with tablets on a long term basis.

I do wish you increasing improvements now Milla:-)))

I'm getting very slight clicking too, but nowhere near as loud as the clicking on the other knee LOL!  My husband thought it was something happening with my shoe as we were walking along LOL!

The pain behind the knee really worried me because I googled it and came up with 'impingement' where some of the soft tissue gets caught in the knee joint, and that was exactly what it felt like.  It was something that needed surgery to release.  But surgery was usually very effective and sorted it out, so I got to the point of thinking if it comes down to that, then so be it, but at least it should sort it out.  But now it does seem to be getting better:-))))  I had another panic when there was runny brown stuff pouring out two sides of the waterproof dressing LOL!  I was TERRIFIED it was an infection or something (I'd met a man in hospital who's wife had ended up having a leg amputated because of infection after a knee replacement) but it turned out to be where the staples were pulling so much that they were making holes in the skin that were bleeding.  I suspect because I had much better bend than they expect at that stage!  The worst of it all is, there are so any variables of what can cause us anxiety that we just wouldn't have dreamed of, so we are fumbling through to some extent.  It's quite an experience, isn't it LOL!  But I think those of us with supportive families are SO lucky!  And to be on this group where you can get reassured that most things are absolutely normal!

Thanks! The Synvisc is actually injected into the knee.

Yes, seems like the thing behind the knee is a big problem for a lot of people. I wish I knew how to paste a pic on here. Tried to copy pic from my phone but no option to paste. 3 Days after I got home my entire dressing was soaked with blood and running out the sides of the dressing. That one was scary for both surgeon and myself. My surgeon skyped with me and I cleaned it up and out new dressing on and it was fine! Read a post on here from a lady that had leakage for 5 months. Also watery brown, yet they said it was fine. For a moment when I was asked to wiggle my toes on that leg and couldn't I thought my leg was a goner😱. But it was all things that just took time and special therapy. I am more afraid of an infection than the devil himself. And it is a vigilance we are going to have to keep up the rest of our lives. I am having dental work done on Friday, got the pre-med antibiotic to take 6 hours before and for a day after. Even years later, especially infections in your mouth can go straight to the implant. I believe Chico had an infection; had to take implant out completely; put a block in for 4 months and immobilized his knee and then went back for the new implant. Someone out there always has it worse off than you. I am just to grateful for my progress.

Oh!  I've NO idea what they injected into my knees but it was cortisone of some sort and utterly useless.  But then they thought it might be because they were 'too far gone'.  This was quite a few years back too, so maybe I did well hanging out for as long as I did.  I was utterly determined that I was going to hang on until there was an alternative to knee replacements LOL!  Famous last words LOL!

Milla, that must have been horrendous!  You've had so many rough times with this! I didn't realise that Chico had the implant out and put in again either!  I really think if everything that happened to you had happened to me, I wouldnt be in QUITE such a rush to get the second one done!  Yes, I knew about the dental work and risks of infection.  There was a lady in the next bed to me having her knee done who told me she was going to the dentist the following week to have a tooth out - I didn't comment but two weeks before my knee was done I went for a very thorough check up!  I've got a couple of dental implants and am always VERY hot on dental hygiene!  But anything in the future will be covered by antibiotics!  I THINK the recommendation now is if anything arises within two years, to cover it with antibiotics, but again, this seems to vary.  Some say it's not necessary and some say to cover for longer!  My surgeon didn't seem to think it needed extra cover but I'd always be on the safe side.  You're so right - there is always someone else much worse off, and that goes with everything!  I hadn't heard about the thing behind the knee with anyone else, apart from Bakers cysts, but it wasn't that.  But it was probably that I wasn't on the group when others were getting it.