What happened after knee surgery

Hi Mary,after surgery l felt funny sensations in my thighs and my buttocks,l didn't take too much notice because the pain from the knee was so bad and l thought it's all to do with the surgery.As the numbing feeling in my buttocks came back and my operated leg thigh came back it made what was happening in my unoperated thigh even more strange. I was washing myself down I the bath sitting on stool and every time water ran down my right thigh it was the strangest feeling,running  my hand down my thigh it felt kind of peculiar and it was not the whole thigh just about an area 4 inches wide down the centre. I kept saying to my family l don't know what has happened to my right thigh,all l got was mum it's the op to which l got annoyed but it not the operated leg,It was week 3 l was getting into the passenger side of the car when as l lifted my right leg it felt like l was being electrocuted l gave a scream what was that,l continued to get these peculiar sensations and pins and needle pains daily but l thought it must be to do with the spinal injection l had touching a nerve,l would tell theconsultant when l went for 6 wk check.When l saw him he was pleased with my progress and was ready to discharge me when l told him about what was happening he dismissed damage by spinal injection because l had been awake and l would have felt any damage.l upsettingly told him l did not have this prior to surgery what is it,he muttered it could be possibly  a name that l did not catch and l was too embarrassed to ask again so l came away none the wiser and discharged.Once home l went on the internet put in my symptoms numbing strange sensation pins and needles down centre of right thigh, straightaway it came up with a diagram showing exactly what l was experiencing Maralgia Parthetica that was the name he used. I went to my GP who had received email from my consultant saying operation successful but that l was showing the symptoms of MP, my GP could not give me any medication for it because l also suffer with Fibromyalgia and the medication is the same.Now let me explain the above happens sometimes during hip surgery or trauma like car accident where the nerve is exposed or cut off for long time a seat belt injury can cause it.there is no short term cure l still have it 12 post op .The Internet referred to it as being stung by a swarm of bees,l said its like having pins and needles down centre of thigh.l pray it will go upset because it was not my operated leg obviously the trauma of the op caused it.I do hope although long l have helped you keep me posted .

It's a nightmare what can go wrong. I feel so sorry for you because a few years ago I had a relatively simple operation on an ingrown toenail.

The so-called podiatrist who had been a lorry driver before training accidentally cut one of the nerves and the sensation was like somebody pulling at my toe every night - I got zero rest and had to resort to sleeping pills and some kind of chilli cream to try and numb the sensation.

The funny and beautiful thing is though since I had TKR on the 13th Feb this year that feeling has practically disappeared unless it's because I'm so preoccupied with the pain and discomfort from my new knee.

Hopefully it has gone because I suffered for years.

Now with this new knee sometimes when I'm in bed it feels like I've got a boot on the operated leg. That will drive me mad if it doesn't stop soon.

Do you think we'll all end up in the psychiatric ward half crazed but with new knees??

Ohh blimey sounded horrible too let's hope that it has now settled,The trouble is l too have felt so depressed with it all l had a fellow worker who had her op over a year ago and she is buzzing and happy,no probes good bend great,so she kind of gave me the courage to go for the op,my GP had already told me both knees had gone so l thought there's only one way to go.l still can't sleep 12 wk on l am still on pain relief and the stiffness is always there,it's true I bed you don't know where to put your leg,l keep the pillow in between my legs but l wake continually so by the morning l am shattered.Next week l am by to work goodness know how l will go my shift starts at 6.45 so l will have to be up for 5to do my exercises first,This forum is great because all l did for weeks was cry and curse ever having it done l have been told it's not for the faint hearted everyone suffers but for sure l won't have the other one done.you are still early days be patient,my poor suffering husband he moves his body in all different positions so l can get my leg comfortable in bed it's hilarious really,l say back a bit no not that much ouch nuts.anyway keep me posted be patient.

 

I do put the pillow between my legs but even that gets on my nerves after a while and then I start lying on the pillow - I can't seem to get comfortable. It never dawned on me it would be like this. I just thought I'd have a new knee and it would be painful at first but then it would get better. Never though my life would be turned upside down like this.

Now a new thing. Went to the docs this morning. He said I had a temp and it looked like my knee was a bit swollen! Daft really because it's been swollen much worse all along. It's just my walking was more painful.

He prescribed antibiotics and said if they didn't kick in 48 hours I would have to go to A & E

I went there two weeks ago with the same problem and they kept me nearly 5 hours to tell me my knee was fine and this was part and parcel of the course.

So hopefully my doctor who isn't really au fe with TKR has got it wrong.

The antibiotics are now affecting my foot on the operated leg- like I can't relax it but I think my temperature has gone down. I'm too exhausted to go and get the thermometer out of the other room. Plus I'm fed up with it all. If I die I die - that's how I'm beginning to feel. Don't worry I won't top myself but I'll never have the other knee done - half maybe but never the full monty.

I feel like getting in touch with Channel 4 - good idea for a programme or a horror movie!

The Nightmare Knee!!

Oh dear Mary if it's any consolation this procedure is terrible and you are not on your own suffering, GP's know very little about TKR mine is still very swollen  talk about little and large,l think what people don't realise is that this op gets you down it makes you depressed it makes you so wish you had never had it done and although we sometimes try and add a little bit of hysteria humour into it we r quite serious. I say to my family all the time l wish l had never had it done,they think l am just saying it because l know my knees were very bad  ,but it does destroy your life,l have become snappy bad tempered and all to the people l love but when l break down l end up saying you just don't have a clue how horrible it is,Unfortunately for us Mary we do know,hope you feel better soon from a fellow sufferer and l am back to work next week .