TKR Now two years post op and still recovering from nerve damage

[Jazyb]

Ouch Margaret, I hope your knee is okay and your physio can help. Take care.

 

[Randi]

Oh Margaret ! You've done it now..hope things are feeling better today. Looks like you and I just can't stay out of trouble...

 

[speccybecky]

How are you today, Margaret?

 

[Campervan]

Thanks girls. Not much better. Just about to go off to physio. Appointment is in half an hour.

 

[aretha]

Good luck with the physio Margaret, fingers and toes crossed that you haven't done any damage and it can be "fixed" with rest and medication.

Keep us posted please. xx

 

[Campervan]

Physio was really helpful. There's no damage from the event earlier this week so we switched attention to the ongoing quad lag problem. The inner range quads still have not switched on properly. She can see the first couple of inches don't work and then there's a jerk and the quads take hold.

We talked through the possibility of damage from the femoral nerve block and this is looking more and more likely to be the problem. She said many other patients of her's have been given the same exercise regime, haven't been as diligent as me and have regained all quad function in a much shorter period of time. She mentioned possibly its nerve damage and the signal not getting through to the quads. If she's right an MRI won't show it and there are some other tests which she said are horrid. Damage may or may not be permanent. If not permanent then will take many many months to come right.

She worked out that when I walk upstairs I'm actually pushing up with the lower leg rather than using the TKR leg. So some exercise changes. My squats sliding down a wall exercise - I'm to put my non-TKR leg onto a step and then slide down. This will increase the effort the TKR has to do. I'm to continue with the one-leg squats but to only hold onto support with the opposite hand. Also buying an aerobic step so that I can start more exercises with that.

So now its off to the surgeon next Thursday and see what he says. But in the meantime if there is anything anybody, particularly Josephine and Orthodoc, could add that would be wonderful.

Sorry post is so long.

@Josephine; @Orthodoc;

 

[Janet2012]

Hi Margaret, to tag someone, use a semi colon rather than a colon. It doesn't look like that, but trust me!

 

[Jamie]

Janet....I edited the tags to alow them to work properly.

 

[Pumpkin]

Campervan,
Sounds like those quads are having a hard time. They can do a nerve conduction study to see if the nerves are working. I had one about 18 months ago. The little needles felt like a tiny prick, not painful or stressful at all. Josephine and Orthodoc will have more information.

 

[Campervan]

Janet....I edited the tags to alow them to work properly.

Darn, and now I've fiddled with them from Janet's post. So may have stuffed them up!!!

 

[bassplayer]

Hi Campervan, sorry to hear about all your quad troubles. Hope there is a way to resolve this soon!

I'm just waiting and waiting for my pre-op day next Thursday and will soon be having my RTKR.

 

[Randi]

Margaret -I've had nerve conduction studies , too. Not so horrid at all- especially after all you've been through - but well worth getting answers. I hope you get this sorted out soon so you can move on with your life.

 

[Orthodoc]

Sorry to hear about your problem with the nerve block.

The good news is that permanent damage to the femoral nerve is rare. Sometimes nerves can take a very long time to recover from injury.

Check out this article about complications following regional anesthesia :https://www.anesthesia-analgesia.org/content/104/4/965.long

Here is an excerpt that is nice to read : Among the 16 studies in which complications were sought 12 mo after PNB, only one case of permanent neuropathy was reported.

Hope this helps.

Orthodoc

 

[Josephine]

Sorry post is so long.

In no way is your post long! Or even medium! :wink1:

 

[Campervan]

Today Hubbie made one insensitive comment that has depressed me. He said "I thought you'd me much better by now". So feeling very sorry for myself and there's no chocolate in the house......

 

[referee54]

I am very sorry to read about what your husband said to you.

Tell him to go out and make it right to you---and buy you some really delicious dark chocolate!

 

[Campervan]

I shouldn't complain really, he's been awesome through this whole extended recovery.

 

[Randi]

Yeah , you should complain -that's what we're here for !

My answer to him would be " I certainly thought I'd be better by now, too..."

 

[speccybecky]

I'm sure he didn't mean to be insensitive. I'm sure I've thought that about myself . Just get the chocolate

 

[tashia]

Sorry to hear about your problem. Chocolate solves all problems.:hysterical::doggieshmooze:Tashia