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TKR 15 months ago still in pain.

Posted , 5 users are following.

purplerlover
purplerlover

Haven't been here in awhile. been in PT off and on . Even tried pool therapy. My ROM is 122. I have good movement. The surgeon says you just have to wait, it takes time. Stop exercising.

That's when I saw the 2nd opinion Dr. He just happened to be the Professor of my surgeon. He wanted to do tests. So I let him as my surgeon was doing nothing, Fluid drawn off the knee and sent off. No infection. Blood work. X Rays. Everything is fine, artificial knee in position, no idea why the pain let alone the swelling all down my leg , edema, One morning I had a calf cramp in both legs at once. I leapt out of bed . I had excruciating pain that started at the bottom of my TKR leg and went UP my leg into my KNEE!!! It felt like I was being electrocuted , then it went up my hip, to my butt and into my groin, I thought I was going to die the pain was so bad. I called the 2nd opinion DR. and he suggested an MRI.

I finally had the MRI. I have Spinal Stenosis, Bulging disks, and degenerative scoliosis.Pain Mgt Dr. says he wanted to inject my spine at L3. L4-L5. It could help my knee and side of my leg. He said it could take 4 days to show improvement. I woke up and had NO pain. AT all, not in my knee, leg, groin, hip, etc. It was like miracle. It lasted the rest of the day and almost all of the next. Then it started hurting again on, and off .

I got my 2nd shot 2 weeks later. I hurt so bad I could hardly walk. In fact since the pain in my calf I have been using a cane. I woke up after the injection ready to be painfree again. I was STILL hurting. A lot. I was told maybe the surgeon got too close to something, it takes 4 days. How can a pain medicine take 4 days to start working??? I have also been told these injections cost over $3,000. 15 minute procedure. My insurance approved the procedure but don't know what they will pay. Now the Dr. is talking about a nerve block in my knee. Or a spine stimulater that is implanted with a box in your back, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!Please someone out there tell me they have had the pain this long and there was a solution. can't be the only one with pain this long.

Has anyone else tried pain mgt? or any of these procedures? Please share. I can't imagine having another surgery after what has happened to me after my knee surgery.

I need some hope. Thanks for listening. I hope everyone's pain goes away a lot quicker than mine,

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • jeannie65935
    jeannie65935 purplerlover

    Posted

    I feel so sorry for you, it's been a total roller coaster ride for you. I am 17 months and I decided on getting a 2nd opinion, my new Specialist said my implant has to come out and new one put in. My TKR has not been put in correctly it's out of alignment. I have been complaining all this time doing everything right and the Surgeon who did my TKR didn't no why I was in pain and my knee kept getting locking up. Second opinion Surgeon showed me exactly where the problem is. I broke down in his surgery, to find that I wasn't going crazy. Theses so call experts who play with our lives should be held responsible for their actions.

    I truly hope you find some relief from all the pain you are in , this surgery isn't good.

    • martha08360
      martha08360 jeannie65935

      Posted

      To both of you ladies.. I too, am having a revision done next month. at a different hospital by a different surgeon..... The last xrays showed significant changes, thus the revision..... While Im not looking forward to it, I welcome it at the same time. and the original surgeon will be hearing from me...............

  • jeannie65935
    jeannie65935 purplerlover

    Posted

    I feel so sorry for you, it's been a total roller coaster ride for you. I am 17 months and I decided on getting a 2nd opinion, my new Specialist said my implant has to come out and new one put in. My TKR has not been put in correctly it's out of alignment. I have been complaining all this time doing everything right and the Surgeon who did my TKR didn't no why I was in pain and my knee kept getting locking up. Second opinion Surgeon showed me exactly where the problem is. I broke down in his surgery, to find that I wasn't going crazy. Theses so call experts who play with our lives should be held responsible for their actions.

    I truly hope you find some relief from all the pain you are in , this surgery isn't good.

  • jeannie65935
    jeannie65935 purplerlover

    Posted

    I feel so sorry for you, it's been a total roller coaster ride for you. I am 17 months and I decided on getting a 2nd opinion, my new Specialist said my implant has to come out and new one put in. My TKR has not been put in correctly it's out of alignment. I have been complaining all this time doing everything right and the Surgeon who did my TKR didn't no why I was in pain and my knee kept getting locking up. Second opinion Surgeon showed me exactly where the problem is. I broke down in his surgery, to find that I wasn't going crazy. Theses so call experts who play with our lives should be held responsible for their actions.

    I truly hope you find some relief from all the pain you are in , this surgery isn't good.

  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX purplerlover

    Edited

    A few thoughts from someone 4 years post-op...

    1. There are reasons why TKR patients experience other pain in their bodies. Read: Other Pain. I got sciatica 5 weeks post-op...fixed by my chiropractor. Then I got stenosis (sciatica down both legs plus extreme weakness) at 8 months.
    2. Anything spine related gets taken care of by a neurosurgeon...and only a neurosurgeon. If chiropractic, then pills, then pain shots don't work, see a spine expert...a neurosurgeon. He/She may be able to do a simple decompressive laminectomy (I've had two) or, if necessary, a one or two-level fusion (I've had three). Either way, sciatica and stenosis get totally cured...at least in my case. I don't regret ANY of my spine surgeries as they did the job they were intended to do.
    3. My rule is: Find the root cause and fix it...period. All these other modalities just mask the pain; you need to permanently solve the root cause of the pain. If a fusion is required, look into the XLIF (or LLIF) procedure. One night in the hospital, no brace, no rehab. This was a miracle op for me as my stenosis was gone 100% the minute I woke up. Find a neuro who has experience with the op and see if it applies to your case.

    None of this is easy but you must become your own best health advocate. If a doc won't provide the answers you're looking for, go to another one who will. Stay strong...get it done!!! Picture of my XLIF at L2/L3...

    image

  • Paddycakes
    Paddycakes purplerlover

    Posted

    I am going through pain management spine injections now . I have had 4 injections using an ultrasound in each appt,, 2 weeks intervals, now on 4 weeks intervals. I had severe pain in lower back and sciatica which came severe after my tkr. I had MRI and showed mild disc bulging and l3 l4 l5 stenosis. I also go to a chiropractor which also helps. I am in Ontario and our Ohip covers this.I went in with a 7 to 8 pain. now have 1 to mild discomfort. there is different types of injections, nerve blocks etc, depending on pain and what works for you. My anesthesiologist injects by ultra sound and after a few minutes my pain level has decreased. My surgeon who did my tkr told me not to let anyone inject the knee. I hope you get some relief and find someone who can inject you without pain. i did have an injection last year by someone who did not use ultra sound and just kept probing to find a space to inject and that had me in tears.

    .

  • glenn54030
    glenn54030 purplerlover

    Posted

    This sounds exactly like what my wife put up with.The doctors is desperation tried everything. None could understand why her pain continued indefinitely after her TNK . She went to 2 or 3 pain management doctors, water therapy, acupuncture, copper discs (that is how desperate we were) psychiatry ad infinitum. Finally her surgeon said "I suspect you may have fibromyalgia". She was in her 60s and beyond the usual age for fibromyalgia and a doctor at Johns Hopkins would not accept that as the cause nor did he have a remedy. But the pain management doctors all declared it was FMS.There is no cure for FMS.Some meds reduce pain.Eventually she was unable to walk, was bedridden and I lost her nearly 5 years ago. I do so hope you do not have FMS but I also hope you get a diagnosis and and relief.If have a very good idea what you are going through.

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