Revision TKR _My Saga of a Hopeful Happy Ending - Nerve Burning??

[RestAssured]

Hello!

I haven't been on BoneSmart as much as I used to be so I missed seeing that you had another revision. I will be praying for a speedy recovery, so you can deal with the other knee and possibly shoulder. I have a bone spur that is growing from the top of the foot and has one point that looks like a dagger! Painful, so I'm glad you took care of yours![emoji173]️

 

[LaPaz]

@LaPaz
I had a RTHR 3/2/2015, a LTHR on 6/15/2015, R rotator cuff repair 10/8/2015 and LTKR on 2/4/2016!!! That's a lot on a year but was told three months apart is good!! Definitely hope I'm finished for a long, long time!!


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Yikes! Another walking orthopedic disaster. Sounds like a similar plan I would like but maybe even closer together if my surgeons will let me. Hope your doing well after all of that and all is recovering well. Thanks for sharing with me.

 

[LaPaz]

Hello!

I haven't been on BoneSmart as much as I used to be so I missed seeing that you had another revision. I will be praying for a speedy recovery, so you can deal with the other knee and possibly shoulder. I have a bone spur that is growing from the top of the foot and has one point that looks like a dagger! Painful, so I'm glad you took care of yours![emoji173]️

Sonja, You have not missed much with me as I have not been on much and just posting updates. I hope your doing well and have taken care of all your issues. I really don't understand why we get bone spurs (both knees and my shoulder) maybe it comes with age.

 

[skigirl]

Nancy, I so relate to the orthopedic disaster name!!! It is hard to get old and have our bits wear out!! I am glad that this surgery was a success---bone spurs, failing backs, yikes I have been there. I did find that PT did a lot for my back---back surgery is iffy.

 

[LaPaz]

Nancy, I so relate to the orthopedic disaster name!!! It is hard to get old and have our bits wear out!! I am glad that this surgery was a success---bone spurs, failing backs, yikes I have been there. I did find that PT did a lot for my back---back surgery is iffy.

Hi Kelly, I don't think I will be needing back surgery but I do have a small deformity in my lower back that I had problems with in the past. Lots of crunches and back exercises has kept it at bay but now I feel there may be a nerve pinching there. Maybe just an adjustment may do it. With all I have gone through with the knee it may have affected my back. Getting old really takes its toll on the body especially for us that have tested the limits with our body as I have done. But in the end I am very thankful that I am extremely healthy in all other aspects.

 

[skigirl]

Amen to that!! My husband has leukemia and will have chemo---I am so happy to have avoided some of those more serious diseases---at least so far. Bob is 8 years older than I am, but he does look older--heart failure, spinal pain and now leukemia have taken a toll on him. (and me!!!)

• If you have a pinched nerve they can do a minor kind of back surgery where they remove part of the lamina to relieve the pressure. I have had friends who have had this surgery and it seems to be effective. It has about a two month recovery. I think it is called a laminectomy!! Jo will probably know more about it. You can tag her if you get serious about it.

I also do a ton of back exercises called "McKenzies" every day. I get sick of it, but back surgery scares me!

I am glad that your knee is recovering. Sometimes I feel like my knees let me down!! When I see kids on ski jumps who are landing smack, smack===I just want to run over and say, Stop---don't do this to your knees!!! I guess then I will be a true crabby, old lady!!

 

[LaPaz]

Kelly, I am so sorry to hear about your husband's misfortune. I am sure it has taken a big toll on the both of you.

I just hope it does not go that far but if it does I will refer back to this.

You are so funny! I bet you did the same thing when you were young and have no regrets. I know I would not go back and change any of my life style for what I know now. It just would not of been me. And I suppose you are still skiing by the sound of this. That I don't think my knees would allow me to do.

 

[LaPaz]

Well it has been awhile and many things have occurred. Besides knee problems I have had a neck problem that makes sleeping difficult for me. I was referred to a pain doctor who has done a number of things and now will go in and burn the nerves that will hopefully buy me more time so I don't have surgery. I will have this done in A few weeks.

As for my right knee it continues to give me problems mostly just doesn't like stairs, standing or walking for extended periods. It doesn't seem to swell just hurts and becomes restless at night causing it difficult to sleep. So now the pain doctor will also burn the nerves in my knee also. Another surgery is not a good alternative as I have already had 5 on that knee and the mechanics seem to be fine.

As for my left knee I still have bone spurs and they are now starting to interfere so I am hoping I can at least go until November before I will need a revision for removal of the bone spurs.

Has anyone had the nerve burning done in their knee that could share their results? (Radiofrequency Rhizotomy). I have searched the web but have not found much on the knees but a lot on the back. I will definitely post my experience which I am scheduled for in Late June.

 

[Jamie]

I'm so sorry to hear you're still facing challenges like this! We've had one or two folks here who have had the nerve treatment, but it's certainly been some time ago. On the off chance that a member or guest has some experience with that procedure, I've modified your thread title just a bit to reflect your quest for help. I'll also tag @Josephine.....maybe she has some sterling words to share.

I hope the best for you! You've been through a lot and it's time for this to start getting better!

 

[Josephine]

Another surgery is not a good alternative as I have already had 5 on that knee and the mechanics seem to be fine.

I'm inclined to think you have something akin to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS or RSD) which will certainly react unfavourably if made to undergo too much surgery.

Has anyone had the nerve burning done in their knee that could share their results?

Fraid I haven't so cannot comment.

 

[LaPaz]

Thanks both Jamie and Josephine I appreciate your concern. I did read the CRPS and it is a possibility. I do feel it is definitely related to nerves as my knee always wants to to reflex along with my ankle. When they did the pre test which is an injection of lidocaine to 3 nerves I got immediate relief. But when the drug wore off I got a strong squeeze feeling around my knee which reminded me of the recovery after my revisions.

 

[LaPaz]

New update... The nerve burning on my neck did not work but the nerve burning of my right knee seems to have made a big difference. The jumping of my right knee at night has stopped 100% and the pain has lessened but the knee still gets stiff. The left is catching more often and is hurting me more.

I just saw my OS to schedule my surgery on the left knee and he ordered a bone scan. Well, the results came back positive that an infection or looseness on both knees. Both my OS and I don’t think it is an infection but I did the necessary blood test. He is wanting me to get a second opinion so in October I will see his associate. What I was hoping would be just a removal of bone spurs on my left looks like a full revision. Then on the right he suspects the tibia component is loose. Not good and all this has really made me depressed. My pain level is not that bad most of the time so I am still trying to keep up with my exercises to keep my legs strong. Last summer I moved off my boat as the up and down was just getting too painful and now live in a condo with an elevator, which has helped my knees a lot. My life seems to be surgery after surgery for my right knee but luckily the left has survived only an arthroscopic since the original BKR in 2010. I’m scared for my right!

 

[Pumpkin]

Nancy,
Sorry to hear you may be facing another revision. Glad living in a condo with an elevator is helping your knees.

 

[LaPaz]

Thanks Chris I’m really trying hard to not let all this get me down.

 

[Jamie]

LaPaz.....it's great to hear from you, but I'm sorry you're facing some challenges right now. Hopefully once you get some firm plans in place, you'll feel more comfortable about what comes next. It sounds like you have good doctors and that is so important! Let us hear how you're doing.....we'll be here for hugs and support.

 

[skigirl]

Oh Nancy, I was so sad and worried to read your post! Of course you are worried about that right knee, it has gone through so much already. I am sure it was painful to move from the boat, but practicality is so important right now.

Bob, my husband, died on June 7, I am in the process of moving to Minnesota to be closer to my grandchildren. There have been many sacrifices and adjustments to my life as well. I guess we just keep on keeping on!

Will you have this surgery in Mexico?

 

[LaPaz]

Oh Nancy, I was so sad and worried to read your post! Of course you are worried about that right knee, it has gone through so much already. I am sure it was painful to move from the boat, but practicality is so important right now.

Bob, my husband, died on June 7, I am in the process of moving to Minnesota to be closer to my grandchildren. There have been many sacrifices and adjustments to my life as well. I guess we just keep on keeping on!

Will you have this surgery in Mexico?

So nice to hear from you Kelly but so sorry to hear you lost Bob. It is nice you will be with your grandchildren. I was blessed to have my granddaughter here in Mexico for three weeks this summer. I am guessing your knees are doing well.

I will be with my OS in La Jolla, Calif. as I trust him. I know he is not liking the idea of going back in the right knee and neither am I. But I do think there is a problem just wish it would disappear. I was hoping it was just the irritation from so many surgery’s. I plan to do my left knee first unless he wants the right first and hopefully in November. I am ok about moving off the boat as I got a beachfront condo at my favorite snorkeling beach near La Paz and feels like I am still on the water.

 

[skigirl]

Will you have help in lajolla? I think your mom lived there. It is so hard to uproot my life, to give up the beautiful mountains. But this am, my little 16 month old Audrey came over to me with her arms up!, it made it all worth it!

I am on my way to Montana to empty my house into a truck, my son Ian will fly in to drive it for me, back to Minnesota.

 

[LaPaz]

Well, I had my patella revision (left knee) Oct 30,2017.

Everything was going well until about two months ago when my ROM was improving I started to have real sharp pains when lifting my leg from a bent position then straightening. I felt I needed more healing time so I continued to do exercises and took things slow. After passing the 3 month point I got concerned as I begun to think that something may have been left that was hanging up.

I just came from seeing my surgeon and after X-rays and reviewing my surgery he told me that the bone spur he removed which was large and at the spot I showed him the area of pain, was the problem. He went on to explain that due to the fragility of my patella he chose not to replace the existing button with a button to cover the patella.

The roughness from the bone spur is exposed and I assume as I didn’t ask,the thinness kept him from smoothing it out. He doesn’t want to change out the button as he feels it is too risky. He says to avoid doing things that irritate it and in hopes in time it heals itself. I remember when I had surgery in the 70s on my left knee the doctor told me my patella looked like shredded cheese and that some day I would need a replacement. That was probably why my patella is so thin. Now I’m trying to absorb this and have found very little information on this.

So my surgeon says, there is no patella replacement. What happens when you destroy your patella and it can’t be replaced? Anyone know of this problem? How about a surgeon in the USA that may specialize in patella problems like this I could see.

 

[alexthecat]

Nancy, welcome back! I'm sorry you are still going through so much. I don't have any advice or info for you. I just want to wish you all the best. I'll tag @Josephine and @Jamie for you.