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My visit to knee consultant

Posted , 7 users are following.

john_04330
john_04330

I have posted about the rash on my tkr knee before. Ive had the rash almost from surgery in November last year. Surgeon who did op said allergic reaction to the metal is "almost unheard of" but I sought a 2nd opinion with an emiment surgeon privately. He told me the same,that there were no known cases of this happening. Said it was "incisional folliculitis" to do with the drainage. Also that it would probably clear in time. He prescribed me antibiotics. Flucloxacillin. One weeks supply . No drastic change in the rash after 3 days but I am more reassured that this is nothing worse. He also noted that the rash is only on one side of the scar. . Posting this in reply to all the kind members who have tried to help. Any further comments or questions appreciated.

2 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • lin73970
    lin73970 john_04330

    Posted

    Hi john

    i found this post extremely interesting as one of my concerns before my ops was the fact that i am allergic to Nickel and pointed this out to my surgeon!

    he told me it was very rare for someone have an allergic relation but just in case he wrote it large letters on my paperwork and assured me he would make sure I had a nickel free replacement put into my leg, same thing with second knee and I have been fine, I did get the itching which I was told was normal and had no rash just chronic itching on the knee and sides of my knee!

    im sure you would have asked pre op if you were allergic to anything, so if so it would have been ta

    ked about then. I sincerely hope things improve for you,, not sure if this helps but I had not seen a post about this subject on here before and if there is I listed it! All good wishes for your recovery.

    • john_04330
      john_04330 lin73970

      Posted

      Hi Lin

      Thanks for your post. Perhaps they HAD asked me about allergies etc. but if they did Ive forgotten. Anyway,as far as I know I havent. But then again Ive never worn jewellry etc apart from watches and never had any kind oof reaction. After the rash I suppose I was thinking the worst really. My TKR is apparently top part titanium and bottom part cobalt chrome. Middle plastic. Anyway as said I can put up with a rash,especially as I was prescribed a cream by a skin specialist,again private, which seems to control it. I just hope my GP will let me have it on repeat prescriiption.

      Thanks Lin

      John.

  • Nextoneplease
    Nextoneplease john_04330

    Posted

    Hi John

    I have been wondering how you were getting on. My rash was termed 'a superficial skin infection' but otherwise sounds quite similar. Doc's not very concerned, but it gets me down, looking at this livid red rash spreading across my thigh!! And wondering what it signifies, where it'll move to next.....

    Anyway am now into my last day of the same antibiotics as you. They appear to have stopped the spread of the rash, but it's still there along the scar line - also much more to one side than the other. 

    It's puzzling isn't it? I'll be interested now to see what happens when I finish the ABs tomorrow afternoon.

    all the best and thanks for posting smile

    • Nextoneplease
      Nextoneplease

      Posted

      PS Like you, I thought the worst. The very word infection spreads terror to me.....but I feel a bit calmer now......hope I can continue taking it in my stride, and that it doesn't get worse again tomorrow.....
    • john_04330
      john_04330 Nextoneplease

      Posted

      Hi Nextoneplease

      Yes quite a lot in common but as said I was reassured by THIS consultant a lot more. I thought the guy who did the surgery was just fobbing me off. My rash is still there after 3 days of antibiotics but if anything its not as bad. So fingers crossed for us both

      John.

  • Peglegbev
    Peglegbev john_04330

    Posted

    Hello I have a rash on the numb part of my knee just on the outside and a tiny patch on the bottom of the scar. I am know 15m TKR and for the first time in my life ever have been diagnosed with eczema - at least it wasn't shingles!  After several weeks of steroid cream all back to normal. The worst part was although I could feel the itch I couldn't scratch it as it was numb 
    • john_04330
      john_04330 Peglegbev

      Posted

      Hi Peglegbev

      Thanks for your post. When I saw a skin specialist about this he said it "looks like eczema" which i too have never had before. I had tried creams but nothing worked until he prescribed mometasone. This DID work but I was worried that the rash was a sign of something underlying,whch caused me to seek a 2nd opinion of the knee expert. But its encouraging that akll is back to normal. IM not as long as 15 months,only 6/7 months so hope im the same for me. 

      Thanks 

      John.

    • Peglegbev
      Peglegbev john_04330

      Posted

      Morning John

      Yes I was the same and thought oh no what now ? My grandchildren both had chicken pox and I'd had shingles a few years back so an infection in the scar was the worry but my GP who is very patient said nope eczema put it down to stress and prescribed cream every so often I get a tiny flare up but it does go and maybe one day my knee will be just a part of my leg and not an alien entity trying to take over my whole bring !

    • john_04330
      john_04330 Peglegbev

      Posted

      Thats a good description Peglegbev. I get the band feeling,the click/clumnk feeling,both of which Im quite prepared to put up with. But Im prepared to put up with it as Im just grateful I can walk better and even though my right knee is obviously a bit bigger its not twice the thickness of my left. I always think something could go wrong. At least youve giot a good GP. It takes me a month to see somebody in the surgery i go to and they want you out ASP. The surgeon was sadly the same.

      John

    • john_04330
      john_04330 Peglegbev

      Posted

      Peglegbev

      Would you mind telling me what cream you use on your leg please?

      John.

    • Peglegbev
      Peglegbev john_04330

      Posted

      Morning John it's

      Betamethasone vale rate 0.1%W/W cream topical cortecosteroid 30g - not an easy one to remember 😩

  • lucie47312
    lucie47312 john_04330

    Posted

    Hi John, just noticed your post which mentioned your knee clicking, I'm 6 weeks po and mine clunks and clicks, I'm sure it's speaking in an unknown language!   Plus mine is still very swollen, I've just tried some summer pants on, and that leg doesn't look good as the material is stretched 🙁   Does it take ages before swelling goes?   Thank you 
    • john_04330
      john_04330 lucie47312

      Posted

      Hi Lucie.

      One of the reasons I first saw about my knee was because my bad knee was almost twice the size of the other. After the op it wasnt twice the size but still considerably bigger due to swelling. As you know its a big operation. And yes,from memory Id say it will take quite a while before youll be able to look good in the summer pants. Sorry for the daft joke. But it will be worth it . 2 or 3 months id say Lucie,again from memory. Im looking at my legs now and after 6/7 months theres hardly any difference in the size. But remember theres a bit of metal in our new one. 

      Dont know whether yours will ever stop clunking and clicking but mine hasnt. Both the surgeon who did the op and the guy who gave 2nd opinion,a well respected guy i might add,say its quite normal. Some people on here say it can be overcome by exercise but Ive done plenty of that so in my case Id be very surprisec if i didnt have it for life. Its a thing i can FEEL rather than hear. Is yours the same? Anyway yours is early doors,maybe it will lessen. Cheers Lucie

      John.

    • sueisobel
      sueisobel lucie47312

      Posted

      The more you work on your quad muscles the tighter that area will become, doing the exercises will also strengthen the tendon that goes from above the knee to mid shin, this will in turn improve the stability of the joint/knee cap. Once all this is done and stable you will find that the clicking/cluncking will stop.  It's hard work, but worth it. The sweeling is just extra fluid, in time this will be absorbed by your body, may still be bigger than the other leg, but you'll get used to it, Think of the tightness of your summer pants as spandex for your knee ;-)
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