Time to face facts.....

Posted , 10 users are following.

Hi everyone, not been posting much just lately but I'm always lurking....

Just a quick recap - right TKR March 2015, left TKR Oct 2015.

Left knee was very bad prior to surgery, and I struggled to straighten.

It's doing much better now though, still pretty achy and stiff, but it's getting there.

The right, however, is a WHOLE different story. At my 6 week check up for the left,

I told my surgeon I was getting a lot of pain in the Tibial area.

He x rayed it and said it was fine and that it would pass.

Since then it's been on and off painful, until Easter this year

when it suddenly started to be REALLY painful.

I wondered at first if I'd managed to strain it somehow, but it seems not.

I found a lump near the top of my Tibia,

which has been x rayed and ultrasound scanned and it's a cyst.

I'm told it's unlikely that it's responsible for the level of pain I'm in

- if I stand for more than a minute or two,

then lift my foot and take the weight off my leg, the pain can be horrendous - enough to make me scream!

It's constantly painful and getting stiffer by the day.

I'm back to sleeping on the sofa as I can't get comfortable in bed, I'm in constant pain, and I've been put on 12 hour extended release morphine,

along with Tramadol and Oramorph for "breakthrough" pain, which happens a LOT!

I've got an appointment with my Surgeon on 4th July, there was nothing available until then.

But I think, realistically, I have to face the prospect of being told that the

initial replacement has failed, and will need surgical intervention.

Oh and on June 4th I'm having Carpal Tunnel release surgery!

Safe to say guys and gals, I'm a bit hacked off and pretty darned scared right now 😢

Sorry this is so long, so the formatting seems to have gone a bit weird so sorry if

It's difficult to read xx

1 like, 24 replies

24 Replies

Next
  • Posted

    So sorry to here all this Terri. I can't imagine that a whole year later you've discovered something else. I will tell you I had surgery on my left hand for arthritis in thumb 2 months ago (TKR in September 2015) so hand surgery should be an easy fix. So don't worry about that. I have to get my right hand done and I don't have any reservations about it. Now getting my left knee done is a different story. I'll wait as long as I can before that happens. Best of luck with your ongoing knee issue. Keep us all posted.
    • Posted

      Thanks for your reply Mary Anne - its a bit of a bummer, to say the least!

      Re the hand surgery - can you believe, the bit I'm dreading most is the local anaesthetic! After everything Ive been through, and Im scared of a little needle - pffft what a twit! 

       

    • Posted

      I just came inside from doing yard work - lots of it- so you'll be there too. I'm not a fan of blocks/needles but what I hate the most is when nurse puts the line in your hand for iv's. Hate it!! But the good thing is you're totally out for the surgery. Hang in there and get the knee straightened out! Don't sweat the hand😀
  • Posted

    Oh my goodness, terri, this sounds awful. I'm afraid I'm only 4 weeks post my first op, so have little in the way of experience to share, but I simply couldn't just 'read and run'. 

    I hear what you say about pain, and also about the long wait to see your consultant. I'm beginning to think that too many of these ops are being done, and that not enough time is being allocated to follow up.

    For myself, pain is the main issue, as well as immobility (knee getting stiffer by the day) and I often feel that there are simply no professionals to turn to. Even my friendly local private physio can't see me until June 7th!

    Anyway I hope you get responses soon from people with more knowledge. In the meantime I wish you well x

    • Posted

      Next

      I am Tania just wondering where you live I had to beat my surgeon off just to get time to get myself ready. I saw him, he sent the nurse in with a surgery chart he wanted to do it in 8 day I told I needed a little more time to mentally prepare myself . So I always wonder when people say they have to wait so long . Hope all goes well for you these forums are a great help so make sure to use 'them

      .

    • Posted

      Hi Tania, I am in the UK, Midlands area......waiting times are about 18 weeks in general, but there's currently chaos in my experience due to the longstanding dispute between the government and some of our doctors. So I do know a couple of people who've been called in at short notice, as the surgeons try to get through their lists. Hope that makes some sort of sense for anyone not in the UK !!

      Thanks for your good wishes. I certainly will use these forums now I've found them smile

      All the best to you x

    • Posted

      Next thank for the info I was just curious cause it happens fast here .Good Luck.
    • Posted

      Thanks for your reply, and caring about someone else while youre in the middle of Hell yourself! 4 weeks can be a dreary time, as your brain may think that you should be further along than you are, but your body is saying "No way, Jose!".

      Youve certainly got a point about adequate post-surgery follow-up - it can really feel as though youre on your own at times, with no professionals to turn to. At least we have each other on here, all at different stages with different issues, but bound together by our knees! smile

      Oh, and Im in the Midlands too - small world, eh?! xx

    • Posted

      I love that, terri ...."bound together by our knees" lol smile 

      wishing you well, my fellow midlander smile

    • Posted

      Next

      I am in a small town in North Carolina it called Sallisbury. My surgeon nickname is Dr. Knee smile

  • Posted

    Terri

    My heart goes out to you I hope all goes well for you and remember we are here for you. Right now I went back to work on mother's day and am now trying not to scream over the swelling and pain.

    • Posted

      Thanks Tana, I really feel for you, having to go back to work so soon and struggling as you are....I was made redundant one month to the day after my first TKR (yeah, nice!!) and to be honest its the best thing that could have happened (in a strange way). No way would my former employers have tolerated this length of time off! 

      Try to be kind to yourself, and rest whenever you can xx

  • Posted

    Oh Terri Sooo sorry to hear that, pretty grim, I guess us TKR's have had more than enough on a normal (whatever that is) operated knee, it's bad enough when it's going to plan, let alone ANY complications. I can only say I feel for you, and really hope they get this sorted and SOON. Ninth day out of surgery for me, don't know if I'm doing ok or not. As physio as been zilch, just a sheet of exercises, consequently asking yourself, have I done too much, too little,  what about the technique. Can stand unaided for 100 seconds on both legs, Defo need 2 crutches, operated TKR right knee very weak, long way off supporting itself. Flex ion good,  knee bends horrendous, break sweat, pain at night intolerable still on full dose paracetamol, 1 hr In Total last night, look and feel hideous!  Still making myself do the physio and it's hard! THIS IS NOT FOR WIMPS!  Will say a prayer for all my TKR people and God speed with an excellent result for us all!

     

    • Posted

      This is how I feel too Tiger. Not for wimps, indeed!!! 

      Good luck, we're all here for each other x

    • Posted

      Oh bless you, 9 days.....and youre stringing together sentences that make sense - quite a feat at that stage I promise you! 

      Little and often is the way to go with your exercises, along with LOTS of rest, LOTS of ice, and dont be shy with the painkilers - you wont get anywhere if the pain gets its teeth fully into you. Oh yes, lots and lots of fluids as well -  helps those poor tissues heal better and quicker if theyre properly hydrated. 

      PM me any time if youd like to, unfortunately I have a fair bit of experience of what youre going through! xx

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