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MUA 5 week failure<

@Robinmhs88 I can't believe that it has been a year since my RTKR October 9, 2017. This has been a difficult journey. Like so many, I wish I could go back to before my surgery. I no longer have bone on bone pain but now deal with rubber band tightness and weakness. I had pretty much resigned myself to accepting the tightness and the inability to go up or down stairs, dance or do anything without thinking of my knee.

I have been diagnosed with muscle atrophy of the quads and hamstrings. My OS recommended a Physical Therapist that specializes in muscle atrophy and he has had several patients like me who have a good, solid prosthesis but struggled with functionality. I have had 4 sessions with him and his exercises and approach are totally different than any that I have done before. He focuses on core strength as well as strengthening the quads and hamstrings. He has given me hope as he has been able to help TKR patients who struggled as I am struggling. He does not guarantee that he will get me back to 100% but he believes that he can help me. These exercises and stretching are not painful and he emphasizes that I should not do any of them if they cause pain.

This approach may not be for everyone but I felt as if I had nothing to lose. I will not allow a PT to do anything painful and his philosophy agreed with this approach.
 
That sounds much more hopeful. Stick with it. This time next year...
 
Thank you @4quilts for taking the time to let me know your situation. Our surgeries were close to the same day :). I am functioning but making no new progress and I am okay with that right now. I have been doing my own exercises and walking up stairs almost every day, getting better but walking down is still hard but I attempt that in small doses. The top right side of my knee is the weird spot. Feels like a mass and is super tight also behind my knee. Muscle therapy might be nice and I tried it but right away the muscle therapy stopped and they went right back to trying to bend. Maybe in a few months I can try again :) please keep me posted I would love to hear how things are for you. Take care
 
Hey there funkymuse... I am doing well still the same as before but living life. How are you?
 
Having a bit of a scary challenge with my knee...which they have sent me back to PT for - to strengthen the quads because when i move it a certain way, it feels like a steel rod is stabbing through it on the side where the scar is. Extremely painful. But all else is ok. It's still stiff and achy if I do too much so I'm still healing but I have about 125-130 bend. So that's good. I don't get how these people can go out jogging and hiking!!! I still have to be careful when I walk because it also has a tendency to 'slip' like my knee is going to go out of place. It caused me to fall one time... oh the joys. If I knew what I know now.. I don't think i would have had this done. Maybe I'll change that statement later.. but for now... that's how I feel.
 
Yeah I am still walking but my bend is 80 if that. Just learned how to move with it. I too wish I never did it and what's worse is my left knee is giving out. I am glad you reached out. Life has been a struggle but I just push on. Sorry your still struggling :( thinking of you
 
Hi, @Robinmhs88
I’m sorry you’re still struggling. I am, too. I’ve had 2 second opinions, one in June 2018 when I was 15 months post op, and one last month at one month short of 2 years post op. My X-rays always look good so no one will look past that to order any other tests.

Have you sought out any second opinions?
 
Yes I did get a second opinion and like you the X-ray looks fine. My knee is still more than twice the size as my other knee. That doctor said unfortunately some people, no matter how much they try, they can't bend their knee. I still exercise but it doesn't bend. I have learned to walk, even long walks. I ice when I get home and realize this is it. Soon I will need to do my left knee and I may have them go and re replace the right side. Sorry to hear your not doing much better than I am but know I am here to chat when you need to.
Have a great day! :loveshwr:
 
Will you use the same doctor for your second knee?

My first second opinion said that not everyone gets a good outcome, sometimes doing it over can make you worse, and some people’s body’s just don’t like the implant. At the time I thought he was just saying that because he wasn’t interested in me for some reason.

Then my second opinion, who took more interest in my issues and actually read and discussed my list of concerns, he told me 20% of people don’t like their knee replacement.

I don’t know what to think. I do think if their knee felt like mine, they’d look for an answer.

How’s your job going? Didn’t you start a new job just before your surgery?
 
thanks for posting @Robinmhs88 and @funkymuse. i've been thinking about you both since our last conversations. sorry to hear that your replacements are not working well. keep on searching for answers and recovery.
 
No I would use a different team of doctors. I have been told by my foot doctor that some people's bodies reject the implant but idk. He said I should look for a new team and see what they say about it.
It's beyond frustrating
 
Robinmhs88 said:
No I would use a different team of doctors. I have been told by my foot doctor that some people's bodies reject the implant but idk. He said I should look for a new team and see what they say about it.
It's beyond frustrating
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It's a good idea to use a differnt surgeon. You need one who specialises in problem knees. These surgeons see problem knees every working day and they can often spot a problem and suggest a solution that has escaped the original surgeon.

I don't think your foot doctor can be an expert on knees and no, people's bodies don't reject the implant.
 
Thanks for your insight, but I didn't claim he's an expert with knees he was talking to me about the 3 joint replacements in my foot I need. He said I should be tested to see if my body is rejecting the metal before we try to do my feet. Our bodies don't like foreign objects in them so sometimes they reject them or you could have an allergy to the metal used. He was trying to help me figure out why it has not healed right. I know I have never had chicken pox and never had the vacinne as a kid when I went to school to be an MA they made me get a shot and I ended up with a huge lump of liquid in my arm that had to be cut, my body was rejecting the vaccine and pushed it out. That doctor told me it rarely happens but....
 
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It is a good idea to be tested for metal allergies, especially if you have a problem with your knee replacement..

For anyone who would like to get a full metal allergy test prior to any joint replacement surgery, you can get the test done in the USA by ordering the test kit from https://www.orthopedicanalysis.com/testing/order-testing-panel . You want the Orthopedic Panel Test 2. Once you get the test kit, your GP (or any lab) can do the blood draw and send it in for testing.

Unfortunately, the cost isn't covered by insurance, but it could be a wise precaution for you to have this done before your second TKR.
 
Celle said:
Once you get the test kit, your GP (or any lab) can do the blood draw and send it in for testing.
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Be sure and send a doctor's order with that drawn blood. Without it, the lap won't process it.
 
Well it's been 617 days and I feel as discouraged as ever. I have learned to live with it.....It's twice the size of my other knee, I can bend very little and I have pain every second of every day! Can I get a do over :heehee:
 
When was the last time you had a second opinion?
 
Have you looked for a revision specialist? Someone who does second replacement surgery. These docs are able to look at your knee with a different lens and have experience with problem knees.
 
I saw my second opinion doc last yr (June). I just told my husband I should have someone new look at it. It really is painful and has made other areas, including my left knee more painful.
Never heard of a revision surgeon, how do you find those?
 
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