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TKR Lesions caused by metal sensitivity

I'm certain it's just that surgeon who isn't willing to deal with fibromyalgia in conjunction with a revision. Be thankful he was honest with you. Keep looking, there is a competent surgeon out there who will not have a problem with it. (This does not mean I think the surgeon you visited was incompetent. He knows where his skills lie, and it isn't in the area of fibromyalgia. It's a challenging condition.)

Don't despair. There's someone who is right for the job.


Jean

RTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 June 2016
LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
ucsbgal1971 said:
Yun just shook his head yes when I asked if it would be better to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
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Inexcusable that this surgeon would say this to you!!! Please ignore his behavior. You do NOT need to be in a wheelchair. You just need to find a different surgeon. Pumplkn and PolarBear are right....you don't want a "good" surgeon who is not comfortable with your situation doing your revision.

So....start looking! You are fortunate to live in an area where there are many, many doctors and hospitals from which to choose.

Here are some for you to check out:

broken link removed: https://www.orthopaedicsurgery.uci.edu/faculty/schwarzkopf.html - hip and knee primary and revision

Dr. Steven Barnett - hip and knee primary and revision (Orange County)

broken link removed: https://www.bertjthomasmd.com/orthopedic-surgeon-santa-monica.html - does primary and revision knees and hips. Does a lot of complex revisions.

broken link removed: https://www.ossburbank.com/shahan-v-yacoubian/ - hip and knee primary and revision surgery

broken link removed: https://www.jri-docs.com/our-doctors/dr-thomas-schmalzried/ - primary and revision hip and knee surgery

broken link removed: https://www.pamf.org/dr-colin-l-eakin.html - works with patients with arthrofibrosis patients
 
Don't give up. Good luck finding another surgeon.
 
ucsbgal1971 said:
Dr Yun is supposed to be tops and his hospital is rated #1. I wonder if he just doesn't want to take a complicated case to risk his rating. I wish I knew what doctor I can trust. Yun just shook his head yes when I asked if it would be better to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
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There must be thousands of surgeons who are supposed to be "the tops" or "the best". We've heard of a lot of them here.

It sounds as if you will be much better off with a different surgeon, and one who cares more about you than about his reputation. Dr Yun sounds arrogant and uncaring.
 
I am not having a revision, but it took me a 6 month search to find the right surgeon. I was turned down by two, for different reasons, and felt just like you feel. But with some determination and great support from bonesmart, I finally found a very competent, caring surgeon who had no problem with me, other conditions or my desire to be an active participant in my care.

Dont give up, there IS a good doc who will take care of you.
 
I missed the part about him indicating you'd be better off spending the rest of your life in a wheelchair. I can only shake my head at that one. I wouldn't want someone with that attitude about me anywhere near me with a scalpel. Good riddance!
 
No one even mentioned my fibromyalgia when getting set up for my tkr. I wouldn't have thought it would even be a problem. Hope things go well for you.
 
What a terrible thing to say to anyone that it would be better to live in a wheelchair. Keep looking and you will find the right surgeon for you. I had a revision and the original OS had told me to just live with the pain I had after my TKR because that was the best that could be done. My revision was done by a very caring and excellent OS and I'm much better now.
 
I have Fibromyalgia. I am seeing a specialist for a revision and he didn't even blink an eye at the fact I have Fibro. Did you ask him why he would say such a thing? I'm having a revision because the first surgeon put in the wrong size spacers plus I found out I had a nickel allergy and I am allergic to the implants. Jeez, maybe our recovery is going to be hell?????!!!
 
ucsbgal1971 said:
Dr Yun is supposed to be tops and his hospital is rated #1. I wonder if he just doesn't want to take a complicated case to risk his rating.
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My knowledge of Dr. Yun is that his focus is on younger, active patients and getting them back into activity quickly. It is quite likely that you just were not a good fit with his "specialty." There is a surgeon out there for you. Don't worry. Just get busy interviewing either some of the doctors on the list I gave you or others that you may come across.
 
ucsbgal1971 said:
Yun just shook his head yes when I asked if it would be better to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
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:yikes: WHAT?!??!

I am flabbergasted that he would say that. Unbelievable. I'm so sorry you're going through this. Please look for another surgeon who will take care of you.
 
I think ratings of different doctors are not always comparable at times. While some doctors take on the most complicated cases their ratings can actually appear a bit lower than those who deal with straight forward easier cases for patients with no other medical problems. My old OS had the same ratings as my revisionist but I knew of a couple of patients that the old one worked on that he completely destroyed their knees.
 
ucsbgal1971,

Please consider looking up Dr. Jaime Hernandez! He works for the Southern California Orthopedic Institute, or SCOI, in Van Nuys. Google his name and you will find a short bio on him as well as interviews by "Good Morning America" and local news stations. He specializes in knees and hips. He did both my knees (RTKR in Feb. , LTKR in July) and I couldn't be happier with his work.
Like most of the OS spoken of on this site, he lacks social skills (he's laid back, and a little cocky, too), but he is an amazing surgeon.
He uses a GPS system that aligns your knee perfectly. Not that this is necessary since many surgeons have great results without using it, but he is one of the very few who does the procedure with it.
From the people I saw and spoke to in his waiting room, he does many revisions and "fixes other surgeon's mistakes." Most of his patients are in their 70s--80s, so he considered me one of his younger patients at 57.
Considering the number of people saying they had replacements and revisions with fibromyalgia, I think you won't need to worry about that too much. Just concentrate on finding a good surgeon!
Wishing you the best of luck in your search!!!


11 July, 2016
 
Oh my gosh! Thank all of you for your kind responses! I wasn't able to look at my computer until today and was so surprised. It is heartening to hear from those who have fibromyalgia and who have had replacements. I am going to check out every doctor that was suggested here. I felt like giving up. I am frightened to go through another surgery anyway so when Dr Yun turned me down, I thought that must be a sign that I shouldn't have another surgery but the alternative of my wheelchair is so depressing. Thank you again for the support! I am so grateful that the site is still here.
 
Riley said:
Jeez, maybe our recovery is going to be hell?????!!!
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My first recovery was not terrible for what is is worth. I think I progressed at an average rate without any real complications other than I never attained very good ROM. My pain level was well managed and I was able to wean myself off of the pain meds without too much difficulty when I followed Josephine's recommendation. I hope it will go well for you too Riley.
 
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I have a Specialist who has won awards and is highly respected. His name is Dr Christopher Evanich in the Milwaukee Wi area. I'm sure I am not his first patient with Fibro and everybody that I have talked to rave about him. So, I put my faith in God, and the Dr and pray for a good recovery. :angel:
 
What do you do for your Fibro? Do you take any special meds or follow a special diet?
Putting your faith in the doctor and the Lord is definitely a good thing. I have been praying that I will be directed to the best doctor for me.
 
ucsbgal1971 said:
I am frightened to go through another surgery anyway so when Dr Yun turned me down, I thought that must be a sign that I shouldn't have another surgery but the alternative of my wheelchair is so depressing.
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Please don't take it as a sign. He was one doctor who wasn't a good fit for you. My first OS blew me off completely. I took that as a sign that I could do better, and I did!

I pray you find a new OS who will help you. It will be worth the perseverance.
 
Julie, Thanks for sharing your situation and the pep talk. It is good to hear that I am not the only one who has been blown off by a doctor. I guess it is better to be blown off then for a doctor to take a patient with whom he doesn't feel he will be successful. I am more scared to have a revision than I was for the first surgery. It was such a shock to my system that I ended up having a gallbladder attack and had to have my gallbladder removed right after my knee surgery. Maybe that was a coincidence but not sure. Then I developed a very painful problem with a salivary gland. I wonder if the problem was actually caused by the chemicals in my system from the pain medication. I am no doctor so who knows. I do know for sure it is a major surgery and the outcome can be wonderful or not so wonderful. Needless to say I have had to dust off my wheelchair again. I am grateful that I didn't get rid of it though I keep running into the doorjambs. I need to learn to drive better. Thanks for your prayer. Pam
 
You will find the right OS for you. That surgeon will be able to take on your case and fixed your problems and get you on the road of recovery again.
 
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