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TKR New Year, New Knee - Jan. 3, 2017<

My stomach did not like meloxicam either, though it is supposed to be better for the stomach. I went back to ibuprofen which is keeping my non operated knee very happy. And before surgery my non operated knee hurt 98% as much as the one that was replaced. Makes me wonder if I really needed this surgery and could have done better by increasing the ibuprofen. :hissy:

I understand the risks of ibuprofen but right now it helping me a lot.
 
@Jockette I thought that post surgery when I was first introduced to Tramadol. I thought heck... if I could have taken this before, I could have put off my surgery a bit longer.
 
@sistersinhim I did not have any allergy testing. At my one year visit with the OS I asked him about a possible reaction and he really felt that was highly unlikely based on what the prosthetic was made of... he mentioned titanium and I don't know what else. I think I know that feeling lifting from the side. I don't think mine really likes much lateral movement at all. It gets a little bit of it in the water, but seems okay then. These "picky, picky knees!"
 
@jaschembra .... did I give you some surgeons to check out? I was thinking I had...

If not, are you near MU at Columbia, Missiouri?
 
jaschembra said:
if I could have taken this before, I could have put off my surgery a bit longer.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, putting the surgery off doesn't help us in the long run. The knees will continue to get worse, not better. After the tkr, they get better!
 
@jaschembra I’m one of the very few people that are allergic to titanium, so even if it’s unlikely that you could be allergic to it, it is possible.
 
@Jamie Sorry, I just now saw this. I am not near Columbia, MO... about 2 hours away. I'm just outside St. Louis. Just curious, did you have someone in Columbia? There is a place there that advertises for biomedical placements (not stem-cell). I was curious if it's the same that you're seeing. Thanks.
 
No, I don't know anything about "biomedical placements." I do know a surgeon associated with MU, but since you're near St. Louis, we should be able to find someone closer to you to see. Do you want some help locating a revision surgeon?

You don't need a new surgeon to get the allergy test done. I would suggest doing that even if your insurance doesn't cover it. Most don't, sadly. It needs to be ruled out and it must be this particular test to tell you (and any future doctors you see) if you have any reactions to even small amounts of the metals used in various implants. You can order the kit and your GP can order the lab work done if you aren't ready to see another surgeon quite yet.
 
@Jamie Thanks for the info. Yes, I would like to know what you find for a revision specialist in St. Louis.

Also, regarding the allergy test - will I need to know what metals my implant has in it or does the "kit" test for all metals? I've been thinking of scheduling my yearly GP visit sooner so I can request this lab work along with any other testing she thinks may be needed for this inflammation I continue to have.
I have allergy testing for other allergies (dog/cat/horse/dust mites/mold) in March with my allergist. When I made that appointment, I asked if she does metal testing and it sounded to me like she can do patch tests with specific metals so I wasn't sure which way to go for that metals testing. Thanks again.
 
The patch test isn't reliable. We suggest you do the complete blood test. From what I've read, you buy the kit and then take it to your pcp, who will draw the blood. Some insurances will pay for it if it's a prescription, which you'll send in with your blood. I have an appointment with mine on the 15th so I'll take the kit with me, if I get it in time. You can pay for it with PayPal, which makes it very safe and easy!
 
@sistersinhim thanks for the input. I’ve sent you a PM. I’m sure you’re looking forward to have the testing done and getting the results (which we hope are negative). I almost had it done prior, but had never had a reaction that I was aware of and my OS didn’t think there would be an issue. I’m ready to have it done now, just to rule one thing out.
 
I would never do my next replacement without have the metal testing done. It's best to be careful and not sorry afterwards. I don't really have the symptoms of a metal allergy, but I still want to be sure!
 
Me too! My pain and inflammation is enough for me. I also have itching on the top 1/3 of my incision on occasion.
 
The information above is correct. Patch testing in this case is not good enough. This is the only company you should use as their test is very comprehensive and it's unique. No one else does it this way.

https://www.orthopedicanalysis.com/metal-sensitivity

You want the Orthopedic Panel 2 test kit. Do be sure and check with your insurance. It's always possible they might cover it.
 
Thank you @Jamie That is the company I had found when I googled... and I also had thought the panel 2 was the testing to be used since it's "post op" - the most thorough. It's good to know I was on the right path. I am very fortunate to have very good insurance with my husband and do plan to check. I made an appointment with my GP for next week in order to get her orders for blood work and to show her Orthopedic Analysis (of course, I'll have the kit prior to the blood draw). I would really like to rule out allergy sensitivity. Thanks again.
 
I think you are very wise to do this. :thumb:
 
If you don't mind, I'd like to know what surgeons you have worked with. It's fine to post them here on the forum, but if you're not comfortable doing that, you can PM me. That helps in my search as I know what practices would be out of the running. You want totally independent eyes for a good second opinion.
 
@jaschembra, thanks for posting about this. I'll be following to see what you learn from the metal testing. I've wondered about it before, and asked my primary about it, but she told me to talk to OS first and smiled when I told her I didn't want him to think I'm crazy and she's known me 20 years and already knows it. I don't think I will push it at the one year appointment because of my thyroid issues, but I will ask for the exact name and metal content of my implant. Thanks for being something of a pioneer in this. So hopeful for you!
 
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