PKR My Drama Queen Patellofemoral Knee

[SusieShoes]

An experience like that is kind of soul-sucking. It leaves you feeling that pursuing help just leads to disappointment and failure, and that’s the worst damage to suffer, because it puts you off from trying again.

Try again. We see it often here on BoneSmart where someone is told there’s nothing wrong, their X-rays are fine, some people just don’t get good outcomes, etc. but they persevere and find a surgeon who believes them. That surgeon finds a problem; that surgeon addresses the problem. Most of the time that surgeon fixes the problem. Maybe it took three or four attempts. Maybe it took a couple of years. Those years would have passed anyway. Now, though, the person doesn’t have to suffer for the rest of his or her years.

Don’t let this surgeon (or his staff, which might not have ever communicated your messages) get you down. There are better (at communicating) surgeons out there. Don’t rule them out. If you come to the point where you want to pursue help for your knee, they’re on your radar. (Plus you will be clued in to not schedule on shore weekends! )

 

[Jockette]

(Plus you will be clued in to not schedule on shore weekends! )

Ain’t that the truth!!

 

[beachy]

Jockette...Oh No you didn't! On a weekend! As I was reading your posts I had a funny feeling that you went on a weekend. Susieshoes just confirmed it.

I really feel for you and wish I could do something. Maybe take a breather from this doc and give your mind a chance to clear.
Sending hugs and prayers.....

 

[Jockette]

Yes, it was a Friday. I had to go to Collegeville, PA. I’m surprised we’re not still creeping on the road. The Blue Route and 95 are notorious.

Surgeon #3 is not quite that far. I will beg for a mid week appointment as I will still need to be on the same roads.

 

[Jockette]

A warm knee is nothing to worry about. It's a sign that it's healing! Mine was warmer than the other one at least 9-12 months.

I don’t ever remember noticing my operated knee being warmer than the other one.

It does still feel itchy inside at times.

 

[sistersinhim]

I don’t ever remember noticing my operated knee being warmer than the other one.

I would think that, that's unusual. Many others have mentioned their new knees being much warmer than the old one. I don't know if this means anything for your new knee or not.

Please don't give up and accept what's a worse off knee than what it was before. Maybe since #2 opinion had some notoriety from being on the panel, he has been overloaded with new patients. Whatever his excuse, he made it plain, that he's not the one for you. There is someone who will listen to you out there! I wish you were closer to my OS. I'm not even close to my OS! He's almost an hour away, but he's worth the drive for me!

 

[beachy]

So, looks like you will see another OS? If so,

 

[Jockette]

I do remember my surgeon saying my implant is titanium. I’m tempted to buy some titanium jewelry and see if I react to it. It would be a very inexpensive first step to look into a possible allergy to the implant.

My incision is 16 months old and the lower half is still dark. No fine silver line here yet.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

I'm so sorry you're having so much trouble getting answers. Might I also suggest getting the last appointment of the day so as to have enough time to have a good discussion if you decide to get that 3rd opinion? My OS has stayed late, or gone over my appointment time, more than once when I needed more time to talk with him, or when he needed to spend more time torturing me (when he did that needle aspiration and believe you me-it was torture!).

He also did every test possible, plus a couple of surgeries, in the quest to figure out why my knee was still so swollen and painful. Other than a positive test for a nickel allergy, everything came up normal. But, as it turns out, during the revision he found that my tibial component was no longer attached to the cement, so that could have been part at least of the problem. The x-rays never showed the component as being loose, so it was a surprise to find it during the surgery. He did say it happens that way occasionally, so he wasn't shocked, just surprised. Did it come loose as a result of the nickel allergy? Had it already come loose early on when I started having problems around six months after the TKR? Or some combination of both, or......? We'll never know the answer, but we now know it was loose, and we also know my LTT-metal analysis result showed reactive to nickel. It took me well over three years to get to the point of willingness to try again after the terrible recovery I had last time, and as far as recoveries go it's been worth the chance to have a good knee. We don't yet know the final result, but we are hopeful it's a resounding success.

I really hope you can find a surgeon who is not only willing to take the time needed to have a good first discussion with you, but is willing to go the distance to help you. Those of us who have significant issues after our surgeries need a surgeon who has the patience and drive to help us. (I know my OS has to have the patience of a saint to have put up with me for all these years and not have strangled me ) He's stuck with me all this time, never lost his patience no matter how much I had to have driven him nuts, or at least my knee did, and worked hard to come up with a plan to get me safely through the recovery without using any narcotic pain meds. Now that's my definition of a great and dedicated doctor! I wish the same for you in your quest for answers.

 

[Jockette]

My appointment with my second opinion must have been the last, or at least last of the morning, at 12:30. Once out the door of the exam room my husband heard him tell someone, I’m out of here. I don’t know what he was in a hurry for, but he definitely was.

I don’t think I have symptoms of an allergy, but who knows. It does feel like nerve damage on the lower lateral side but I’m starting to wonder if they could mimic each other.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

I wasn't suggesting you have an allergy, just that I really hope you can find a dedicated surgeon who gives a darn about patients. My symptoms were pain and swelling, which could be caused by a lot of different things. I am blessed with a surgeon who was willing to walk the long road with me. That's my wish for you.

 

[Jockette]

@lovetocookandsew
I didn’t think you were suggesting an allergy. It’s just something I’m wondering about after reading about some members who are looking into allergy testing. (Which wouldn’t show on an X-ray either!)

 

[jboles]

I just caught up on your thread. I'm sorry you're still having these problems and that your second opinion surgeon was so rude. Sadly, some of the best doctors have no "bedside manner". Don't let him make you second guess yourself, you know how your knee feels. Don't let him stop you from seeking out another doctor, the next doctor might be willing to do some test and find out what the problem is. The metal allergy test is just a blood test, I had it done, and believe me, I'm really glad that I did. Most insurance pays for it. I had to pay up front, but I sent the bill into my insurance company and they applied my cost to my deductible.

I understand the feelings of frustration you must be feeling. I'm right there with you.

 

[Desertgal]

Hi @Jockette, I feel your disappointment in finding a new doctor to give you answers. In my original post, I did not go in to all those offices that would not even give me the time of day and those offices that made be provide x-rays to look at without even talking to me. They all said the x-ray's look fine and no need to make an appointment!! The two doctors who actually would see me, I only count as my 2nd and 3rd opinion. Keep knocking on doors, you will be glad you did. Although I am facing a revision, a peace came over me when I finally had an answer for my issues. Your new "angel" is out there!!

 

[Jockette]

@Desertgal
Its nice to meet you. I’m sorry for all the struggles you’ve been through. Best wishes for your revision.

Thank you for your encouragement to keep seeking an answer. Some days it’s so hard to keep keep trying when 2 surgeons have been disappointing.

Sometimes it’s also hard to determine when something might be wrong. This is my first experience with knee replacement so I don’t know what’s par for the course or what truly is not going well. But surely by now, 16 months post op, things should be better for me than they are.

 

[sistersinhim]

I think if you're worse off now, than before your surgery then something is not right. But, that's just my opinion! You know how that goes!

 

[SusieShoes]

And you know my opinion too. Of course I also believe squeaky wheels get greased.

 

[Jockette]

I’m not a squeaky wheel type of person. I wish I could do it better.

 

[sistersinhim]

Fight for yourself. You are worth it!

 

[Xmasknee56]

Jockette. I’m just chipping in now. I have noticed that you are often the first to offer kindness and support to others on this forum and am thinking now is the time to do so for yourself. Be kind to you. Many here are cheering you on and will be with you throughout the path you choose.

Another opinion and your happiness is central here. You need and deserve more information. You need a kind clever OS who has time for you. Time to talk and time to work with you.

If your mechanic didn’t fix the car you would get it fixed by another. If the toilet still flushed pooh out to the tile you’d get another plumber. Etc etc. You get the drift and pardon the metaphor it’s the oxycodin talking

What we all do on this journey is invest in a future. A future of the 80 year old with straight legs. A 70 year old walking the dogs. Running with grandchildren. 65 and hiking Italian museums and art galaxies. And a 62 year old who can walk downstairs without pain.

Do keep moving forward and investing in you first. More information.
Best wishes
Kathryn