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Revision TKR Instability Question

thanks @Josephine - I know you are sincere. I can't see anyone for a while and I'm going on a two week trip with my wife. I don't know how I'm going to do this since I can hardly stand but....I am. I'll bring a cane...swallow my pride lol. Maybe a brace too....

ugh! I've been through a lot. I just want a leg that works.

rah
 
Hoping the best for you! Enjoy your time on vacation too.
 
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rah2435 said:
. I don't know how I'm going to do this since I can hardly stand but....I am. I'll bring a cane...swallow my pride lol.
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I suggest you take your walker, it will offer you more support. And stay off your feet as much as possible. This trip is not in your best interest.

I went on a weekend trip at 4 months and caused myself a set back that lasted a month. I thought I should have been further along and tried to be a good sport and did more than I should have and was too embarrassed to ask for help. After all, I’d only had a partial and thought recovery would be 2-3 months.

Don’t do what I did.
 
thanks @Jockette - a walker..... geesh. I don't know. I know the trip is not at the right time but my wife has been waiting for years for this. got to go.

My wife said she doesn't see any buckling when I walk. Maybe I'm just "feeling-like" it is???
Also - I get pains in my same hip as my surgery. Don't know if it's piriformis thing or not. I had a scanogram done last year to look at my leg length and it showed no arthritis in my hip.... maybe my gait????

thanks so much you guys.

rah
 
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ok - so I am back. It was a difficult 2+ weeks but I did have some fun as well. Was in the UK for most of it - a town called Seaford. Also saw London and spent a day in Dieppe (took the Ferry). The hardest part on my knees was the airport. We got wheelchairs. :-/ But it was still difficult.

I have question - both my knees (especially the new one) feel very "tight". I mean, every time I stand up it feels like the poly or something is taking all my weight and it really hurts! Almost like I have arthritis of the TKR! It makes it almost impossible to stand and walk. What would cause this? Is it my back? nerve issues? weak muscles? maybe from overdoing it on my trip?
I'm real disappointed.

thanks,
rah
 
rah2435 said:
very time I stand up it feels like the poly or something is taking all my weight and it really hurts!
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Of course it's taking all your weight - BUT, the plastic has no nerves so it cannot possibly be painful! It must be something else that's painful.
 
Well, @Josephine, I do think my trip took lot out of me. I stood and walked more than I should have. I forced myself. And the trip home through two airports, a 7 hour flight followed immediately by a six hour car drive to get home at 2:30 AM. Yes it was over-the-top. (Even so - I do love your country!!)

But the problems I'm experiencing I was having before I left. They may be a bit worse now but they were there. Left knee still bucking. The muscles in my left upper leg feel like they have dwindled and my left leg feels like a stick when I walk and stand. The quad is sore and weak. I think this is why I am having so much trouble walking and standing. And I am experiencing nerve pain outside of left upper leg, along the scar and my left foot gets tingly and numb. I am really feeling scared and down.

Who do I see that can help me? PT to help get strength back? I have had nerve conductive studies done within the year and I know I have problems with the sciatic nerve stemming from L4/L5 in my back.

My plan was to get my leg more stable via the revision fixing my lax ligaments then see a chiropractor or SOMEONE to see if I can start working on my back problems. But it's starting to feel so hopeless as I can hardly stand for more than just a few minutes minutes which is awkward and painful.

Thanks for listening!
Sad rah
 
Oh rah, my heart goes out to you.

I certainly don't think a PT would do you any good. A chiropractor might but it depends what kind of chiro you go to. Some are better than others.

When you say you had nerve conductive studies done, whom did you go to for that? If it wasn't a neurologist then I suggest you try one now because most of what you've described seem to me to be attributable to the spinal problems. That's
left knee bucking
muscles in left upper leg feeling like they have dwindled
left leg feeling like a stick
quad sore and weak
trouble walking and standing
left foot feeling tingly and numb​

All those appear to me to be following the path of the sciatic nerve from pelvis to foot.
 
Josephine said:
When you say you had nerve conductive studies done, whom did you go to for that?
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It was a neurologist.
If it is - as you say - from sciatic nerve / spinal issues....what do you think my course of action should be?
Also - might it be arthrogenic muscle inhibition (just read about this)?

I should mention that the orthopedic center where I had my nerve conductive study done had tried given me steroid shots which did nothing and then wanted to give me a radio-frequency nerve ablation ... you may not remember this but you and I discussed it in this thread..it was before my surgery. We both thought it sounded a bit .. well ... just wrong.
I don't want to give up although I so often feel like I do. If there's an answer I'd like to find it. Many people have sciatic nerve issues and yet don't have quite the problems with their knees that I do. But - they also didn't have TKRs.

Someone once told me to"shake the tree" ... look everywhere for answers. There's got to be something I can do!!!! I want to avoid spinal surgery if I can!!

I just used a tens/EMS i have to give me leg some electrical pulses - I case it's AMI or even if it is sciatica... this might help I think.

rambling......

But this isn't the end of my fight to walk and stand like a somewhat normal person before I kick the bucket!!! there must be something out there that I can do reach my goal.
:-)


thanks,
rah
 
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so - it's been a while and here is the latest. I saw a Physiatrist at Penn Hospital in Philly who diagnosed me with trochanteric bursitis.. Told me I needed PT. So - back in PT and lucky to have two great therapist working with me. They refute the docs diagnosis however. They told me I wouldn't be able to sleep on that side of my body if this was the case. I sleep on that side every night.
However, they are giving me exercises that would address this diagnosis anyway. Has anyone else here had this?
Also - they measure my LLD as 1.5 cm - lying down. Scanogram was 1 cm standing. I have since gotten orthotic inserts for my shoes from a chiropractor that correct for about 3/4 cm. I think I may need more.
Still have laxity and lots of weakness in my left leg. Thinking about doing some bracing but waiting to see if PT helps.
I'm working on it!!

Rah
 
Here is some information about trochanteric bursitis and LLD.
Trochanteric bursitis with THR
I have had trochanteric bursitis and have been able to sleep on that side.

Leg length differential - LLD
The feeling of needing a larger lift may be due to getting used to your revision and the LLD. Using a lift greater than the LLD is usually not recommended.
Some chiropractic and PT offices will have trial elevation sandals or adjustable hight shoe lifts you can stand on to see what feels best to you.
 
@Pumpkln - I did some on-line research and I'm not so sure...
I forgot to mention that, in PT, they told me I have hyper mobility. I had never heard of this before. They told me I was very flexible for someone "my age" lol. I thought this was a good thing but - apparently not. It may be why I have so much laxity in my joint. I'm not double jointed or anything - but I have no problem placing my palms on the floor when standing.
They also think that this issue has more to do with my back than any thing else. I don't know - the doctor says one thing and the physical therapist says another. The doc seemed pretty convinced. In PT they told me that they have treated people with this before and this is not what it looks like to them.
Also - I noticed that LLD is one of the causes of trochanteric bursitis. But then again LLD can screw up your back as well. I've had LLD for over 6 years not - since my first TKR. Before I had my right leg done in 2015 it was 2.7 cm. Now it's lower. Maybe 1 cm maybe 1.5 cm.
I've had a lot of issues with nerve pain. I was diagnosed in 2014 with idiopathic femoral nerve damage - but now Im told that this has healed. I've also been told that I have sciatica.
This new doc did take an x-ray of my back and..he still thinks it's trochanteric bursitis.... AHHH!!!!

rah
 
I'm back! It's been a while and some changes...

1) PT has helped and I'm back in the gym doing leg strengthening exercises as well as core and upper body exercises. My revised leg is SO weak - after I do my exercises my left leg gets stiff and tight. Sometimes it's all I can do just to make it to my car.
2) saw a neurologist, had an EMG done. Results were negative - which I guess is good but I still get tingling in my foot and sporadic burning in my thigh.
3) still have a lot of trouble standing for just 10 minutes. MY leg gets sore and tight.
4) It will soon be a year since the revision. I have a yearly checkup coming with the OS. what to say?
5) Lower back pain and neck pain still an issue. Thankfully they are not constant.
6) had an injection in my back fro pain management doc. Seemed to do nothing. He asked me this question "do you want back surgery?" - I said NO! lol!
7) having another MRI of my spine performed in a few weeks.

I struggle onward. The knee is a mess though. I never know how it is going to feel. Sometimes it feels loose and unstable - sometimes it is feels tight. ROM remain very good. I can really feel this implant. It feels bigger (I think it is) and very uncomfortable.

I hardly ever get out anywhere. My instability and pain just standing make it difficult to do anything. I feel trapped!! Keep hoping this will get better.... My wife thinks I shoud 'seek out the best surgeon in the land" and write correspond somehow with this person. Explaining my history and current situation - then asking for advice. I ... don't ... know.....

Any ideas?

thanks
Rah
 
If you ‘hardly ever get out anymore,’ that’s a sign you should probably pursue the knee issues more aggressively. You probably don’t need ‘the best surgeon in the land,’ though your wife clearly cherishes you and that’s sweet. Can you go back to your surgeon and learn more?
 
Helizabug said:
If you ‘hardly ever get out anymore,’ that’s a sign you should probably pursue the knee issues more aggressively. You probably don’t need ‘the best surgeon in the land,’ though your wife clearly cherishes you and that’s sweet. Can you go back to your surgeon and learn more?
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I see him in two months. @Helizabug
 
rah2435 said:
after I do my exercises my left leg gets stiff and tight. Sometimes it's all I can do just to make it to my car.
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Working your leg to this point is not good for you, it is counter productive and may even be causing damage.

Have you considered a second opinion?
 
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