Motherofmany
graduate
Hi Everyone,
It's been a long time since I've been online here. Just went for 1 year check up on my left knee and all was well with it. Right Knee is a different story.
Originally had it replace 3/31/09. Many complications. Then MUA in July 09 and finally scope/clean out of knee from adhesions/scar tissue Dec 14, 09. Have worked dilegently with aqua aerobics 8-10 hours a week along with regular life of mother with 9 under 18 at home. Also spend time on stationary bike and leg press.
Lately the knee has become unsteady. Seems the patela is slipping. Is happening more often, 2-3 times a week. Dr. K was unable to get it to move at all and order another x-ray with knee bent to see underneath. Nothing shows on x-ray. He said adhesions would not show up. The problem we see on the side view x-ray is a mass behind the knee that originally showed up on x-ray in March. He believes it is from the clean out. Possible bone chip or cement in the soft tissue. Knee is stiff, sore and loosing ROM, no matter how much I continue to work it. He thinks I overdo and wants me to back off. Problem is just 3 days at home living normal life and resting causes severe stiffness. Makes it difficult to get around and is very painful. The pool seems to give much relief, so I keep going.
He is ordering blood work with a scan to check for infection. Not sure exactly how that works, but says they remove blood, insert some sort of dye then reinsert it and scan knee 6 hours later to see if white blood cells are heading to knee area. This seems expensive and unneccesary to me, but he said will not touch the knee until we eleminate any potential infection. Knee is swollen and has heat at times and pain, but doesn't appear festered.
I am still icing and elevating and taking an anti inflamatory Meloxicam. 2 extra strength tylenols with a 50ml tramadol the mornings I work out. This manages the pain. On my days off I just take the Meloxicam and tylenol and sometime ibuprophen at night. When I overdo, I have to take an Endoset with Aleve to control the pain.
He suggests I get a second opinion to see if he is missing anything for both our peace of mind. I am checking into another practice in the next town for a second opinion before I make any decisions what to do.
I asked what he would suggest if it were his knee. He says to remove the mass behind the knee, he has to take it apart from the front, remove the insert and clean it out again. He said if he were to take another couple or mm of bone off the tibia, he could put a larger insert in and angle it towards the back. The current insert is the smallest available. He thinks that may be limiting my ROM, along with the scar tissue/adhessions that my body seems to be famous for making. Yes, that mean cutting, chiseling and drilling again!
Frankly, I am frightened :shk: and uncertain what to do. The thought of a partial redo scares me greatly. I remember the pain and know what it takes to recover. Definitely not looking forward to any more surgery or pain, especially with no guarantees on how it will heal. This is my driving knee though and I need it to be stable. Afraid it might lock/slip while I'm driving the big van. Certainly don't want to cause an accident or put my family/others at risk.
Any advice from you wonderful Bonesmarties would be welcome. Thanks Jo and all for still being here for me to come back to.
It's been a long time since I've been online here. Just went for 1 year check up on my left knee and all was well with it. Right Knee is a different story.
Originally had it replace 3/31/09. Many complications. Then MUA in July 09 and finally scope/clean out of knee from adhesions/scar tissue Dec 14, 09. Have worked dilegently with aqua aerobics 8-10 hours a week along with regular life of mother with 9 under 18 at home. Also spend time on stationary bike and leg press.
Lately the knee has become unsteady. Seems the patela is slipping. Is happening more often, 2-3 times a week. Dr. K was unable to get it to move at all and order another x-ray with knee bent to see underneath. Nothing shows on x-ray. He said adhesions would not show up. The problem we see on the side view x-ray is a mass behind the knee that originally showed up on x-ray in March. He believes it is from the clean out. Possible bone chip or cement in the soft tissue. Knee is stiff, sore and loosing ROM, no matter how much I continue to work it. He thinks I overdo and wants me to back off. Problem is just 3 days at home living normal life and resting causes severe stiffness. Makes it difficult to get around and is very painful. The pool seems to give much relief, so I keep going.
He is ordering blood work with a scan to check for infection. Not sure exactly how that works, but says they remove blood, insert some sort of dye then reinsert it and scan knee 6 hours later to see if white blood cells are heading to knee area. This seems expensive and unneccesary to me, but he said will not touch the knee until we eleminate any potential infection. Knee is swollen and has heat at times and pain, but doesn't appear festered.
I am still icing and elevating and taking an anti inflamatory Meloxicam. 2 extra strength tylenols with a 50ml tramadol the mornings I work out. This manages the pain. On my days off I just take the Meloxicam and tylenol and sometime ibuprophen at night. When I overdo, I have to take an Endoset with Aleve to control the pain.
He suggests I get a second opinion to see if he is missing anything for both our peace of mind. I am checking into another practice in the next town for a second opinion before I make any decisions what to do.
I asked what he would suggest if it were his knee. He says to remove the mass behind the knee, he has to take it apart from the front, remove the insert and clean it out again. He said if he were to take another couple or mm of bone off the tibia, he could put a larger insert in and angle it towards the back. The current insert is the smallest available. He thinks that may be limiting my ROM, along with the scar tissue/adhessions that my body seems to be famous for making. Yes, that mean cutting, chiseling and drilling again!
Frankly, I am frightened :shk: and uncertain what to do. The thought of a partial redo scares me greatly. I remember the pain and know what it takes to recover. Definitely not looking forward to any more surgery or pain, especially with no guarantees on how it will heal. This is my driving knee though and I need it to be stable. Afraid it might lock/slip while I'm driving the big van. Certainly don't want to cause an accident or put my family/others at risk.
Any advice from you wonderful Bonesmarties would be welcome. Thanks Jo and all for still being here for me to come back to.