numbness in quad.....anyone else?

[northman22]

Hi Guys,

From day one (2/29/08) I have had complete numbness in my left quad from the outside of the knee through my left buttock. Right leg is fine. I am slowly gaining feeling but I have terrible pain and spazms in it still. I have feeling in my buttock now (which makes my wife happy when she needs to kick me in the butt) but it really seems to complicate my recovery. Doc said it has to do with back and not the TKR, so maybe the spinal block or something. I had to have my pain meds upped to oxy's my first week home due to the shooting pain in my quad ,not due to knee pain. Flexeril helps some by the way. Just wondered if anyone else has had the same experience and how long it took to get feeling back. I'm sure the anwser is it differs with all of us, but would like to get a benchmark if anyone has one.


thanks, Steve

 

[Jamie]

Hi, Steve. Sounds like you've been through quite a lot! Although you and I had our surgery on the same day, I didn't have anything like you describe. But I'm glad to hear you are regaining feeling and that your doctor is on top of the situation. Hopefully someone out there has had a similar experience. Did you have one knee done or both? Let us know how you get along in the next few days and weeks! ....Jamie

 

[northman22]

Thanks for the response Jamie. I had both knees done. I questioned my sanity foe the first three weeks, but glad I did it. My doc said if I only did one I still wouldn't have a good leg to stand on.


Steve

 

[Jamie]

LOL....THAT'S the spirit!!! It's such a major undertaking in life, isn't it! But the results are worth it, in my case at least. I wish you the best in the rest of your recovery and I hope you find a soul mate out there who has gone through this exact same thing. It helps to talk to people who understand what you're going through!

 

[JenniferG]

I have numbness on the knees (also a bi-latter) themselves. I was told that it has to do with nerves damaged when the incision is made and there is a 80-90% chnace of it all returning IN TIME (famous last words). I occasionally feel tingly pains in that area and I would attribute it to nerve endings regenerating & connecting (waking up). Are you able to work the quad in PT?

 

[northman22]

Yes I can work the quad in PT. Interestingly enough, my left quad functioned fine from the start, and had to give the PT the enjoyment of electrocuting my right quad into working. It just feels funny, and to be honest the pain now has lessened considerably, but still get major spazms. The doctor also said that numbness on the left side of the incsion is common due to cutting some nerves, but not up the thigh.

Steve

 

[Jim]

Hi Steve, sorry to hear about what your going thru. I didn't go thru what your describing, but my wife's friend who had TKR has. His was due to the Femoral Block the surgeon installed before the surgery. His operation was in Oct 07. His situation is getting better. I have not heard how he's been doing in a few weeks, I will find out thru my wife when she get's back into town and let you know. Good luck and good thoughts in the mean time. Later.

 

[Josephine]

What you describe is a typical sciatic nerve problem.

This can be due to a variety of things. The spinal tap may have contributed to it but may not be the actual cause. A long period of laying still on the operating table will almost certainly have been contributory.

Most of these can fairly easily be sorted by a good chiropractor.

 

[kath]

Steve, I have had both knees done within 2 months of each other though. My first went great, no quad problems, but this one since the beginning I have had quad concerns. I work on it with my PT and all the time at home. It is weak and I just wrote and asked anyone if they have this feeling of having to stretch it so much and the more you do it just doesn't go away, it is so strong that it is almost worse than pain. Vicadin doesn't take it away and neither does ice or heat. Walking helps. My right leg is much weaker, I am much less steady, sometimes felt like I was walking on a boat or something, Pt says all due to my weak quad in that leg. I too have sciatica but I had it prior to surgery. My surgeon was hoping that my new knees would help eleviate this, because my legs were so bowed the pressure etc. on my hips and back were pinching that nerve. He said it will take time. And you are right, it is worse than the knee. My actual knee feels pretty good if I could get this quad thing under control.
We just have to hang in there and work through it. It is hard though I really understand when you just can't rest. That's my problem, if I could just get some sleep it would help so much.