New knee looks fantastic on xray but....

They would say that wouldn't they!

Hi

I'm nearly 14 months post op TKR on right knee.

It's been a nightmare of a year.

Now been told I have muscle waistage at the side of my knee and hydrotherapy sessions should help.

I've had one one to one physio session last week and did a couple of exercises which helped with my balance.

However, the last two nights the pain in my knee has been constant so I've had only brief snatches of sleep mainly from exhaustion pain or no pain.

Can anyone tell me what's going on - they keep saying the prosthetic is fine but I'm beginning to wonder if the size was all wrong for me

Mary

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Not goes backwards all the time

I will be back to bone on bone at this rate!

At this stage, 8 months, youd certainly expect to have some  relief from it. Is it the same kind of pain you were experiencing prior to your surgery or is it different? Are you having to take pain relief in order to get you throught the day (and night!) ...have you any other symptoms e.g swelling, locking, knee giving way etc? 

I ask all this because this was me within a couple of months of my first TKR, and it took over 18 months to get it resolved (Revision TKR 4 weeks ago).

If youre getting nowhere with your Doctor and Surgeon, please please please ask for a second opinion. Im not saying that theres anything wrong, but its notoriously hard to get a definitive diagnosis with post-TKR problems. Everything may well look fine on your X-ray, but that doesnt give the whole picture. It took bone scans, ultrasound scans, needle aspirations in theatre, and numerous further x-rays and blood tests to get my diagnosis, followed by months of consultations to get them to do something about it! 

Im not telling you all this to worry you, or to suggest for one minute that you have the same problem as I had, but rather to show you that although one set of Medics say that theres nothing wrong, it doesnt necessarily follow that theyre right. 

Good luck in getting some answers, and Im always here if you need to chat xx

Oh my goodness I feel so bad for you. One would think 8 months out you'd be pretty darn good. I'm certainly hoping that is in my future. I'm 9 weeks out and I can walk with only some discomfort. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. It's almost as if you wish the doctor would find something wrong to account for your pain??!!

Hi

I am 2 years post on tkr on right. There are still a few times I get an ache but it's nothing like before surgery. I take no pain meds at all. I'm 4 months tkr on left and started to do crossfit over the past 3 weeks. I do have uncomfortable days with swelling but no pain pills. I walk everywhere I can steps when I can. Only thing I think the knee cap moved at some point, now it looks raised on inside and little pain when pressing on it.

But I hurt so bad prior to surgeries that mild pain is nothing.

Sorry for the carrying on

Hi saralice, I cannot offer any experience as I'm only at 8 days post op and in a lot of pain now, but I feel for you if you have still have pain now and the doctos are  not supportive.

?Can you get them to give you sports therapy, massage, physio, hydrotherapy or anything like that? Did they give you any reason for why you have pain - this could surely be investigated by a pain clinic if unresolved.

?I have heard that complete healing can take up to or beyond a year, so maybe things still have time to improve - I wish you well and everyone on this journey.

If you keep moving it and getting it stronger, that will help diminish the pain. Are you still doing your exercises and stretches daily? Can you ride a stationary bike or go to a swimming pool? Those things will help.

Don't give up.

Wow, sounds way familiar. I had a L-PKR two and a half years ago and it will still give me fits. Again, X-rays look great. Granted, it's not the arthritic pain prior to surgery. Glad for that. But I've been restricted from my usual excercises and stationary bike since I just had  hip replacement. Recovery is totally different. My R-TKR is complaining as well. Some nights they both throb and I'm back to icing. But I will say after my home PT, the night was pretty sore too. So, at any rate, I do what I can to work the knees without aggravating the hip. Very frustrating but looking forward to getting past this as I've lost a lot of muscle mass too. That sure doesn't help. Good luck! 

I'm sorry to hear about your pain. My knee is still giving me the blues too. I had my total knee done in July 2016, a manipulation in August 2016, and a knee revision in January 2017. The prosthetics failed so I had to have revision. I haven't had a good night sleep in months. I contacted a legal adviser. I hear this gets them to take your treatment more serious. Good luck and be blessed.

Hi saralice. I am at 12 months post op both knees and have similar issues. Try anti-inflammatories after consulting with your GP. They help me. The medical profession do not generally "get" our discomfort. I have given up complaining and just regularly bike ride, pool walk and remain positive. I take 15mg codeine and 500mg paracetamol together twice a day. Time may provide us relief. Otherwise seek second opinions. Good luck.

Saralice, so sorry to read about your pain!  To be honest, I'd be furious to be told it all looks very pretty on x-rays when it's giving you serious pain!  I did read in the leaflet I ws given before mine was done that some people do get pain long term but I wouldn't expect that sort of pain!  I'm only four weeks post op tomorrow but have been the other extreme with no pain apart from on the extreme bend, but if I'd experienced what you had, I'd be asking for a second opinion.  In the meantime, are you trying ice, or any ointments or anything that might help.  If there is still a lot of swelling, then elevation too?  If it's stiff, then heat when you exercise - people on here told me about heat when it comes to pushing the bend and it helped miraculously!  I just put warm wet flannels around for 10 to 15 minutes before exercising.  Lots of icing at other times, with the elevation though.  But I would be asking for a second opinion.  Good luck!

Hi Saralice, sorry to hear about your long term pain. The medical profession just do not understand long term pain unless you see someone from the pain management team! It's just getting that referral though isn't it?!

Just a thought, you said you were wondering if it could be scar tissue have you thought about seeing a sports injury massage person to get a massage on your knee area & scar. You could try yourself but they will at least 'feel' where the tension is. As I said just a thought.

I hope you get a resolution soon. Pain is miserable & drags you down.

Take care

Marilyn

XX