Revision TKR Mamie's Recovery Thread

Mamie,
Your surgeon or someone in the office should have called you back ASAP, go to the ER your leg should not be like this at one month out.
Just because your culture came back negative, does not mean there is no infection, there are pathogens that take 2 weeks to grow out to where they are detectable.
Such as Acne pathogen implicated in peri-prosthetic infections .

Sorry to scare you, but you need to take action and go to the ER, now!
 
Please, please, PLEASE get to the ER as soon as possible. This not normal and possibly very serious. :praying:
 
Hoping to hear from you on what your doctor or ER says. This is a time to be the "squeaky wheel."
 
Mamie, I'm going to reinforce what everyone here has said. The fact that your incision is leaking substantial amounts of blood and fluid is reason to declare it an "emergency" and get to the hospital. This is especially important given your other health issues. I hope by this time you are on your way or at the ER. Please let us know how things go.

You are way too generous with your feelings about your surgeon's return calls. They should have responded to you within 24 hours. It's inexcusable that they did not. Please don't allow yourself to be put in a dangerous health situation because of their inattention. This is a time you MUST advocate for yourself.
 
Hi Jockette. Well, another night awake but it was useful. I read a post you wrote to someone but don’t remember who. But I was deeply moved. I did not realize your surgery was only six months ago. You gave me such hope and are truly amazigng. You listed your ROM timeline and it made me feel like a winner not loser as my surgeon implies. I am pushing at four weeks and the last Measurement, I was 70 degrees which I was thrilled to have at 3 weeks. They have not seen me again since last week to measure again but I feel it’s improved again. I took two and a half days off from doing almost everything. My leg blew up so bad that I just elevated and iced it for two days. A lot of swelling was relieved and today I was able to bend it better. Sadly tonight it’s right back where it was but it tells me what I need to do. Anyway, I only wanted to thank you for your kind support. I now feel it’s possible at four weeks to reach 85 or 90 but if not I will hopefully be good with it. This swelling is awful but the bleeding at this stage is worrisome. I know the pressure opened it at the thigh and calf. You are very kind and again thank you. Good night. Mamie;
 
Hi @Mamie

I’m so glad that post about ROM was comforting to you. It truly is all related to how much swelling you have. When the swelling goes down, our ROM improves.
I did not realize your surgery was only six months ago.
I’m not sure which post you read, but right now I am more than 3 years post op. My surgery was done on March 13, 2017. I did have a very slow ROM increase my whole first year, but it continued to improve after my first year, and after my second year and other improvements continue for me, after my third anniversary.

How is your extreme fluid today? Did you hear back from your doctor? We are all very concerned about you.
 
@Mamie ....Yes, we are all concerned! Was hoping to read this morning that you had gone to ER! Please take care of yourself!
 
Did you go to the ER? This is serious!
 
Hello Jockette, it seems this is the second time I mistook the timelines. I was cruising the site looking for advice and friendly suggestions when I saw that post but until now did not realize the post must have been older. At any rate Thank you for what I did read even if an older post. I made this same error with another very kind moderator. An older post I did not look for dates...are they there?

I have been in touch with an orthopedic nurse and advised my surgeon or PA would be touching base with me today. My fluid retention has dropped again when checking an hour ago by several pounds.
Does anyone know when this fluid pressure usually stops or if bleeding should even happen at this stage? The ER nurse I spoke with yesterday told me it was likely just pressure at the incision if it looked ok and just wet and was likely just reacting to fluid pressure.
We won’t wait much longer but did feel better after speaking with the nurse.
Thank you everyone for caring. As soon as we know, I will let you know what’s said or done.
The compression bandage is helping so now trying to find new ones. Mine is 4” and twenty feet! We have no idea where else to look.
Blessing, love and caring regards to all.
Mamie
 
Hello Jaycey,

Good Morning everyone!

First GOOD NEWS...I have gained another 5 degrees. Total 75. I know that’s not a really big deal in progress but Ill take it!

I was so disappointed at first because I knew what the surgeon would say again about it not being 90 but we celebrated!!

To answer questions, here is what I learned today. I was so tired after therapy today, that I had a glass of wine, elevated my knee and fell asleep until after dinner was ready,

I went to therapy and ask them if I should go back to the ER. When going there yesterday I was asked if it were an emergency as they were having a COVID watch. I told them what was happening and they suggested that unless I had an outright emergency I go directly to my surgeon's office or to one of the off-campus emergency clinics.

In the meantime, the PA emailed me and asked for a different photograph of a front view of my knee. I e-mailed it but no word again. Whatever she thinks it looks like she said she was not concerned about anything. I asked about the excess fluid and bleeding at this stage. A friend whose a surgeon in California said this:

“These issues are definitely not normal 3-4 weeks postop. Are you on blood thinners? Is there pus with the blood? Is there a clot under the incision? Needs to be seen by the surgeon. If you can't get in to see him within a day or so, raise hell. ER if no other options. It may be nothing, but it should be seen by the surgeon to be sure it isn't a clot or infection, and an unavailable surgeon is below the standard of care you or anyone deserves”

I trust this surgeon and have been friends for decades. I am not on blood thinners, there was a small discharge with pus last week. I’m going Tomorrow to the ER if they don’t reach back before noon.
 
I think I really like your surgeon friend. Nice to know he agrees with BoneSmart.
 
Hi Jamie, It has been a very long day but yes, I told him about BonSmart. He is a retired surgeon (plastic) but worked with a code of ethics he never broke. He and I keep up to one another and he gives me advice when I need it.

I wanted to share part of his e-mail to answer questions for some that are in the same boat. I think I will have my answers this week. I have asks so many about my leg. Lost 10 to 12 pounds and gain it back after moving around much. I can't just lay here doing nothing.

I received the solution for helping scars but not sure as long as it is leaking. Is it safe to put on a wound that won't stay closed? I am concerned my friend could be right. Is there a clot or anything else pushing the incision? Or just fluid pressure pushing it when it is so swollen. The wound is never dry. What is making it sticky feeling? What could be coming from a wound sticky? And blood? Why? No answers. No one can tell me. My doctor today-no one. IThe wound does not look bad. Except its wider after it split open. It is dry looking and blackened from a huge bruises-normal to what happened in surgery, and red all the around the entire incision. Bottom line...I'm scared. I've been everywhere, spoken with scrub nurses in orthopedics, sent messages, made calls but no answers. Is this anything close to normal?

Mamie
 
Sorry to ask, I won't again. But as I shared last night after having a crazy day trying to get help, no answer. I have been to the ER and no one knows and tells me to talk with my surgeon. No idea why it is so swollen or is leaking. They reinforce the compression bandage for fluid and up the dosage for fluid retention-diuretic. That is as far as it gets.
Thank you for your concern. Goodbye.
 
I'm sorry I upset you.
I've seen everyone recommending you go to the ER and I didn't see anywhere that you said you had already been.
 
Celle, You have your right to be frustrated, as I do but you are right. I will stop and wont ever ask again. But, I did post it yesterday and once last week. My computer has been acting up and a few times my post have not shown up when I check later. I’ll be back when I have something more important to share.
FYI
I’ve been twice but it seems I manage to go and either be turned away to a clinic (which are truly awful) but it was due to a COVID WATCH or I draw someone who says orthopedics is not their department and gives me a script for duiretics which I already have. We live in a very small area where no one knows anything about revisions. Some ER’s are asking you not to come if you aren’t sure it’s an outright emergencies. All I could tell them is what I have said here. So we drove an hour plus each way for nothing. I’ve just been afraid. We try again tomorrow in hopes of an answer. Goodnight.
 
@Mamie I wonder, how far is it to get to a different ER or to a larger hospital?
Would you consider looking into that?
If this was my situation, I would be researching and looking for a highly rated facility and plan the road trip.
I’m sorry you are worrying so. We all are worried for you, too!
 
Dear Mamie,

In the month since you set up you recovery thread, it has had over 4,000 views. I am one of those bonesmarties who are watching out for your posts, but don't post myself because I don't feel as if I have anything useful to contribute. But we are all in the background longing for you to get answers and praying for a successful recovery for you.

I confess that, like Celle, I was confused as to whether you'd actually been seen in the ER. What a truly dreadful, worrying time you are having. As CricketHip has just said we are all worried for you, and the last thing we want is to upset you further. Please keep posting.
 
Mamie...I want to reiterate what @helenium and others have said. Quite a few of us are following your thread, because we’re worried about you and we care. We’ve all shared your experience to some degree or another, but the post op problems you’re having are of deep concern. We want you to get the care you deserve, and it’s troublesome that your healthcare team continues to be unresponsive. My friend had shoulder replacement surgery a week before my knee was done. Two weeks post op, her arm became quite swollen. Despite COVID precautions, her surgeon’s office requested that she immediately go to the ER. She was diagnosed with a blood clot and received appropriate treatment, and since then her recovery has been smooth. We want the same for you...a diagnosis and then treatment for your condition so that you can continue to heal. Please continue to let us know how you’re doing.
 
Mamie,
Our hearts go out to you, a complex recovery with no answers, confounded by Covid-19, it must be so frustrating for you.
I can answer one question, why is the discharge so sticky? It is from the fibrin in our blood and plasma, it is what helps stop bleeding. I sticks to everything as you are finding out. Without it we would bleed to death with a minor cut or bruise.

Keep us posted on how you are doing.
 

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