TKR ONE DOWN ONE TO GO

[cibia]

Hello cibia,

You are truly an inspiration! I am scheduled for a LTKR on February 1st and I know the right TKR will follow - just not sure when. You have answered so many questions I didn't even know I had! hahaha Congratulations on your valiant efforts and speedy recovery.

Warm regards,

Kim

Hi Kim !!! Congratulations on making the best decision of your life, and that means doing both knees one right after the other. I truly think one of the reasons I have been able to push myself was the incorporation of the IOVERA procedure one week before each surgery. Look it up on YouTube then call your doctor on Monday morning and demand this procedure !!! I know my first knee was done only a few days before my surgery and it helped tremendously. So much so that I wasn’t taking the chance of not getting it done with the second knee. Insurance might not cover it (mine didn’t) but it was worth every penny of $600. Praying for you and hoping you can get the IOVERA treatment done before your surgery. It will make a world of difference, in my humble opinion. Make sure to get back to us and keep us updated on your surgery and progress.

 

[cibia]

My newer knee took longer than my first knee to feel really comfortable side-lying (at least on my second one I wasn't terrified of breaking the implant if I turned!!! Oh I was a nervous nellie on number 1!) and at this point I still from time to time think about getting up to put a pillow between them... but am too snug and lazy by then so don't bother!

The weird sensations? I'll let you know when they go away (yes on the first knee they are much better by now, and I often forget it's post op for a few hours at a time)... the baby knee is chock full of weird sensations sometimes, but better than a couple of months ago.

Omg we’re like two peas in a pod !!! If I had a third knee I could probably do all this recovery with my eyes closed !!! You’re right about sometimes forgetting that I’m still post op. I love that my two knees are so close together, so that I can compare the progress and feel hopeful that in six weeks, the left knee will feel like the right knee feels today. One of the things I still find so crazy is that no matter how much I do, therapy, work out, ice, my legs, I’m still stiff! What the heck! Seriously look forward to the day when I forget that I ever had TKR. I hear that’s a “thing.” Not sure if I’m buying it !!!

 

[MSuki]

On my first knee I posted a little but not for very long. Wish I had kept a better record of milestones that time, but if my right knee felt as good as my left I think the only time I might think about it would be kneeling (I can kneel but still not super comfortable) and when someone brings it up.

 

[Layla]

Hi cibia
Happy Three Month Anniversary!
I hope February's been good to you. Please let us know how you're doing when you have time.
Looking forward to your next update.
@cibia

 

[cibia]

Good afternoon all !!! Been a busy busy bee lately so I haven’t had that much time to sit down and reflect on my TKR journey. My right knee is almost 5 months in and the left knee 3 1/2 months in. Everything feels really good except so much stiffness all the time. No matter how much I exercise or do knee bends blah blah blah the stiffness is always there. From what I understand it’ll take more time for that to start to dissipate but for today it really bugs me. My newest concerned is kneecap pain on the first TKR when I wake up from sleep. It’s a really really bad stabbing pain but it does go away after I ice it. Any ideas what that could mean? I hate to go back to the doctor just for him to tell me it’s really nothing but I will if nobody seems to have an opinion on what they think it might be. Hope everyone is doing well and I’d love to hear , some feedback on your journey as well! Have a blessed day everyone.

 

[MSuki]

no ideas on that unless it’s your position while sleeping. Is it consistent or just occasional?

 

[Layla]

You're still early in the game, cibia, considering the controlled trauma your legs endured over the past five months due to two major surgeries. The stiffness is from inflammation. Icing, elevation, movement, but not necessarily excessive movement should aid in easing it. You may experience swelling for up until a full year post op, normally easing along the way. The pain you described may be due to inflammation, or the way you're sleeping. Make note of that and see if you notice any consistency with the position you wake in, in relation to your pain. If it continues, rather than speculate, the peace of mind you'll receive in hearing "it's really nothing" from your surgeon may offer the reassurance you're seeking. Thanks for updating, it was nice to hear from you.
I hope you have a lovely Spring!
@cibia

 

[benne68]

No matter how much I exercise or do knee bends blah blah blah the stiffness is always there.

Over exercising those baby knees may be the cause. When we overdo it, our knees become inflamed -- you can have significant internal swelling even if you don't see swelling on the outside. Swelling will cause stiffness and pain.

WIth my first TKR in 2021, I experienced swelling and stiffness for many months. I think it was almost a year post-op when I realized I could get our of bed without my knee being stiff.

Try to be patient. I know five months seems like a long time, but it's still less than half-way through this year-long recovery.

 

[cibia]

Thank you thank you THANK YOU to all the wonderful people here who read everybody’s messages and answer when we need an answer! I actually never thought about inflammation being the cause of stiffness and pain. Sounds silly, right? But I thought if I don’t see swelling on the outside, then everything must be going OK. I actually emailed my doctors assistant and she made me an appointment for Tuesday. My doctor just wants to make sure that everything is OK so when I go to see him, I’m going to ask him about internal swelling and icing and pain and stiffness!! I think he’s mainly concerned about the sharp pain that I described after sleeping. It does worry me, since it came on out of nowhere, but it’s true. I do tend to work myself a little harder than maybe I should because after all, that’s just who I am! Thank you all for taking the time to comfort me during this time in my life. You all mean more to me than you’ll ever know. Have a blessed weekend, everyone!

 

[MSuki]

Let us know what they say. Hopefully it’s something that just needs TLC and ice.

 

[Layla]

My doctor just wants to make sure that everything is OK so when I go to see him, I’m going to ask him about internal swelling and icing and pain and stiffness!!

Good you're checking it out. You'll likely receive the reassurance you're hoping for. Try not to worry about the pain too much. Like most of the strange twinges, or annoying discomfort experienced early on in the healing process, it's often fleeting, or quickly replaced by a new odd sensation. You're only 3.5 months into the average recovery time of one year. Overall you seem to be doing well. Best Wishes for Tuesday. Let us know how it goes.

 

[cibia]

Good morning TKR family Went to my doctor appointment on Tuesday. They did several x-rays and when my doctor came in to talk to me, he assured me that everything looks A-OK. He’s thinking the reason I had that pain in my kneecap was because before surgery both times I had the Iovera injection. If you’re unfamiliar with that procedure, look it up on YouTube. I highly recommend this procedure for anyone considering TKR. It freezes the nerve for up to 90 days and therefore I did not experience the same pain as others during that 90 day period. He assured me that my exercise regime was perfectly fine, and he trusted that I knew went to quit and went to push. Thank you everyone for all your encouragement.

 

[Susie-Q]

Iovera injection

I have not heard of this procedure. Is it done just prior to a TRK so as to prevent severe pain for 90 days after surgery?

 

[Layla]

What a positive update, cibia! Thanks for sharing. Those visits with the OS mean so much when you receive reassurance that all is well and you're progressing normally. It puts a little hop in your step afterward...well maybe, but probably not, we'd likely trip and fall, lol. Have a great day!
@cibia

 

[cibia]

Iovera injection

I have not heard of this procedure. Is it done just prior to a TRK so as to prevent severe pain for 90 days after surgery?

It was the best decision ever. I have a friend who did not get it done ($600 out of pocket.) I offered to pay after having it done on both knees and she would not take me up on the offer. She had severe pain for the first 2 months. She’s in her 3rd month post op and the pain is subsiding. But I would recommend this procedure to anyone.

 

[mendogal]

Iovera has been discussed a lot here. We have had our members report both positive and negative effects from it. These mixed results are echoed in online research reports.

 

[cibia]

Iovera has been discussed a lot here. We have had our members report both positive and negative effects from it. These mixed results are echoed in online research reports.

Really ?? I find that so hard to believe since I did it twice in a 6 week period and my recovery has been basically pain free.

 

[sistersinhim]

Pain free can be bad. Your knee's only way of telling you that you are doing too much is to hurt. Damage can be done to a new knee with doing too much too soon and a pain-free knee wouldn't be able to tell you that. We've had members who have had tendons torn and incisions opened up by doing too much.

If anyone selects to undergo these shots, please be very careful in your activities. We don't want anyone to harm themselves.

 

[mendogal]

Iovera has been discussed a lot here. We have had our members report both positive and negative effects from it. These mixed results are echoed in online research reports.

Really ?? I find that so hard to believe since I did it twice in a 6 week period and my recovery has been basically pain free.

I'm sincerely very glad it worked for you. It does for some people.

Please also understand that with every medication and every procedure there are documented benefits and risks. Something that works beautifully and easily for one person may be disastrous for the next. It's the documentation and each person weighing benefits and risks that is key. And we owe all our members the opportunity to understand this.

 

[meecies]

Please also understand that with every medication and every procedure there are documented benefits and risks. Something that works beautifully and easily for one person may be disastrous for the next. It's the documentation and each person weighing benefits and risks that is key. And we owe all our members the opportunity to understand this.

totally agree with this

I have been unable to find independent, unbiased, non industry funded studies on the effectiveness (and risks) of this procedure

I've got 3 friends who had it, and all 3 were happy with it, HOWEVER only one of them had a TKR without it, to be able to compare pain levels- and she was glad she had it done.
That said, oftentimes you can have both knees done and have very different experiences with them, even if the procedure and meds are identical (or as close as possible to identical) I've heard many say one was easier than the other


my other two friends were happy with the Iovera but they'd never had knee surgery before, so how do they know how much of an effect the Iovera had?

I was all set to get the Iovera til I heard from a nurse who participated in hundreds of TKRs and who said she did not see any huge benefit overall for most patients. I'm writing to ask her if she's got studies or numbers to back this up (she mentioned tracking certain outcomes for her surgeon who was interested in provided the best experience for his patients)

but I am going to decline the Iovera. Another thing that seems odd to me is that the office that does this procedure is unwilling to bill any insurance besides standard Medicare (they will not work with medicare advantage plans, medicaid nor ANY other type of insurance)

to me that says it's likely very difficult to get it approved, which doesn't necessarily mean it's not effective, but can mean that there is just not enough evidence to do a cost/benefit analysis , which seems likely considering how hard it is to find studies

it might be worth if it you can not get surgery, if you are too frail or have other barriers to surgery, it might be something you'd want to invest in.


But I found out about other things that can be done and other things that they are now doing in surgery to decrease post op pain, so I feel a lot better about going with what's covered now


I too am very happy for those who got good results with Iovera, and I hope they'll make it a covered benefit for those who have no other good options, if it proves to be worth the cost.