Knee Infection* Infection at 7 Months Post Op - Back to Crutches

[maryo52]

I relate so much to your story. Exception my infection was not slow growing. It was a mushroom cloud, an explosion. It happened in the course of one day.

I am also challenged by fears. My anemia is significant -- a hematocrit of 27 which is two thirds of normal amount of red blood cells, and as a result I don't have energy. My knee, same as yours, has been opened up three times. The physical recovery has been smooth.

You middle school teachers!!! I've known a few and marvel at their choice of age group to work with. I'm a school nurse and what I enjoy about them is seeing the beginnings of their adulthood, and appealing to that when health issues arise. Although once a teen came in asking for advil for her migraine, and I wasn't going to give it to her without being sure her nausea wasn't morning sickness. I asked if there was any chance she could be pregnant, and the next morning her mother accosted me in my office for accusing her daughter of being loose.

BTW I take a probiotic that my pharmacist stocks in his fridge. I take it three times a day, along with eating some occasional yogurt. I can't say my gut is normal but at least it hasn't gone haywire.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Yep, I also took a probiotic the whole 8 weeks I was on the super strong antibiotics. I took Fem Dophilus. I ordered it the day I found out about the infection. It kept all my systems from getting out of wack during that 8 weeks. Thank goodness! I had enough to deal with!

 

[maryo52]

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Starsfan22]

@Mrs. Ciz I'm about to face what you've just gone through. A couple of quick questions....did they ever identify the specific bacteria/virus you had? I'm going in tomorrow for an aspiration under sedation because the drainage produced no culture growth. I want to be able to target with the correct antibiotic.
We're you able to put any weight on the spacer? No way can I manage getting up and down on one leg!
So happy you're on the other side, good luck to you.

 

[klinkmcbear]

@oregonlass
I’d be interested to see what suggestions folks have for the tight hamstring behind the knee pain too. At 12 weeks post op, I’ve been stretching it gently for 2 months and working on it with my therapist, and it still hurts most days. I understand why it’s tight. When I lost my cartilage and my knee was bone on bone, the hamstring shortened up. When the new knee joint with the spacer was put in, it put a lot of tension and pull on that hamstring. It really hurts! It’s way worse than any of my knee pain has been post op.

Someone on another thread posted about their behind the knee pain being from the Popliteus muscle rubbing on the back of the implant. Arthroscopic surgery to release the muscle fixes the problem. How do we tell if we just have a shortened tight hamstring or this other problem?

@Mrs. Ciz , what ended up happening. I've been working on the assumption that my pain is from my popliteus. I've recently had a couple of steroid injections to that area and it does seem to be helping - would like to avoid a 5th knee surgery. How are things going for you and your behind the knee pain and your hamstrings. Any information on what you've done for relief would be great. Thanks!