ziggy99
new member
Hi all. Had my knee replaced 2/1/2017. Everything went smoothly and I was back to full activity (which is a fair amount of activity. I walk/jog about 30 miles in an average week, 50-60 miles in busy ones, ride a bike, swim) within ten weeks and things were going fine.
On 12/27/17 I developed an infection in my knee - group b strep, as it turned out. Caught it very early according to the surgeon, so he just debrided it and replaced the liner. First they put me on Ceftriaxone (infusion via a PICC line) but I developed a reaction to something (my liver went crazy and I ended up back in the hospital) after a couple of weeks, so we stopped all meds except aspirin and switched to Vancomycin in place of the Ceftriaxone. That went fine and I am coming to the end of an 8 week course of treatment with the IV antibiotics.
The knee itself is a little sore, but fine. I am still a little tired from the infection and complications, but otherwise I am not limited in my activity. I know I am pushing the limits of the knee with my activity level but that is very much why I did this - I want to be active and enjoy my life. In this rehab I am focusing on range of motion, so a lot of stretching in addition to walking and some other strength work. So far, so good - 8 weeks in, I can flex around 120 degrees, quite a bit more than after my first rehab, and walk as far as I like.
Was reading some studies online and the numbers I found were that the two stage replacement of the prosthetic is successful in eliminating the infection over 90% of the time, while what I had done only works about 25% of the time. I was not in any shape to make that decision, and I think I would have gone with the less invasive choice anyway if the surgeon (who I like a lot in terms of the results of the surgeries) had consulted me.
So I guess I understand why the Infectious Disease doctor tells me I will be on penicillin for the rest of my life. The bacteria is probably still lurking around. I am curious if others have had different treatment for similar infections (group b strep caught early and treated with the debridement and liner replacement). Should I get a second opinion? I try to avoid taking drugs to the degree possible but the infection was miserable and since it sounds like there is a 75% chance some bacteria are still around, I will take the antibiotics. Just want to be sure it is the right treatment.
Also curious to hear about others who might be as active as me, including light jogging on soft surfaces, mostly grass and artificial turf (I referee soccer games). I am definitely overweight which was surely a factor in the wear on my knee but the surgeon told me I could do light jogging on soft surfaces after the replacement.
Any early wear on the knee, or other complications in similar situations?
My first year went so well that before the infection I was planning to increase my activity level.
Thanks in advance,
z
On 12/27/17 I developed an infection in my knee - group b strep, as it turned out. Caught it very early according to the surgeon, so he just debrided it and replaced the liner. First they put me on Ceftriaxone (infusion via a PICC line) but I developed a reaction to something (my liver went crazy and I ended up back in the hospital) after a couple of weeks, so we stopped all meds except aspirin and switched to Vancomycin in place of the Ceftriaxone. That went fine and I am coming to the end of an 8 week course of treatment with the IV antibiotics.
The knee itself is a little sore, but fine. I am still a little tired from the infection and complications, but otherwise I am not limited in my activity. I know I am pushing the limits of the knee with my activity level but that is very much why I did this - I want to be active and enjoy my life. In this rehab I am focusing on range of motion, so a lot of stretching in addition to walking and some other strength work. So far, so good - 8 weeks in, I can flex around 120 degrees, quite a bit more than after my first rehab, and walk as far as I like.
Was reading some studies online and the numbers I found were that the two stage replacement of the prosthetic is successful in eliminating the infection over 90% of the time, while what I had done only works about 25% of the time. I was not in any shape to make that decision, and I think I would have gone with the less invasive choice anyway if the surgeon (who I like a lot in terms of the results of the surgeries) had consulted me.
So I guess I understand why the Infectious Disease doctor tells me I will be on penicillin for the rest of my life. The bacteria is probably still lurking around. I am curious if others have had different treatment for similar infections (group b strep caught early and treated with the debridement and liner replacement). Should I get a second opinion? I try to avoid taking drugs to the degree possible but the infection was miserable and since it sounds like there is a 75% chance some bacteria are still around, I will take the antibiotics. Just want to be sure it is the right treatment.
Also curious to hear about others who might be as active as me, including light jogging on soft surfaces, mostly grass and artificial turf (I referee soccer games). I am definitely overweight which was surely a factor in the wear on my knee but the surgeon told me I could do light jogging on soft surfaces after the replacement.
Any early wear on the knee, or other complications in similar situations?
My first year went so well that before the infection I was planning to increase my activity level.
Thanks in advance,
z