Hinged Joint Revision Complete, recovery continues

[tashia]

Punkin, I don't know if you have read my posts but I too am fighting something very scary. Years ago I hurt both of my feet and ended up crippled for six years using cruches and wheechairs. I know the fear of losing your independence. Now the feet are back giving me mmmmm. And I am so afaid that I will end up back in the wheelchair or cruches. I am finding I must humble myself and use what I have to use and if that means using the walker or worse, I must because I don't want to make it worse. I have also had to start taking pain pills more often. I really hate that part but I must get better and if this is what I must do, I will do it. I am still having the knee done because it did help last time. Back in my mind am I afraid that it might not YES but I have to try it. Look at it this way, Doctors can be wrong. Like the one you said I would never walk. They can be wrong. So keep on seeing doctors like I am and the both of us will walk again and i believe without pain. It will take time but we are going to make it. When you need to cry, cry at my site I will understand and if i need to cry at your site it because I was told a long time ago a person should never cry by themselves. I will pray for you because I do know the fear, but you are strong and you will make it. Let me know how the doctor appointment comes out. I will be thinking of you all that day sending postive waves. We are going to make it, You Must believe this. If you forget i will remind you. Please stay strong and its ok to be afraid. Please take care and stay safe. Be careful with those knees. :doggieshmooze:Tashia

 

[Pumpkin]

Thanks Tashia, I appreciate very much your support, care, and concern. It is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, when no matter what you do nothing helps. And then to find out that from the the start you never had a chance to heal properly.:cry4:
I have read your posts both in knee pre op and hip post op. I admire you for you strength and courage facing the many challenges you have had.
We will be
Take good care this Memorial Day,

 

[Josephine]

My concern is all the rubbing and irritation on the soft tissue around the too large tibial implant, the pain is getting worse. I am afraid it eventually could damage the ligaments/tendons and other structures leading to an even more complex surgery.

Well, that is a concern but probably not quite as much as you are imagining! :wink1:

Can I wait to schedule the revision? Or should I proceed with the earliest available

Well, it's not an emergency if that's what you mean. It needs to be done soon-ish but don't let that put you off taking time to make the right choice.

How many revisions should a surgeon be doing in a year?

Probably upwards of a 150 a year.

My implants are GenesisII, femur size 4, tibia size 3

Makes no difference what the implants are. This can happen with any make because it was the surgeon's poor choice.

 

[Pumpkin]

Thank you!
I am looking at several surgeons, I will wait until I can see all of them in the next 6 to 8 weeks, before I decide.
:flowerysmile:

 

[maryo52]

Pumpkin, Glad you are looking at several surgeons. You just can't know if a 2nd opinion is good or not unless you get at least one more. My two 2nd opinions were different experiences but with the same conclusion and so I have confidence in the conclusion. But if they hadn't matched, I'd be out looking for a third surgeon. I'll be interested to know if you stumble upon one who isn't arrogant or even shows interest in you as a human being!!

 

[Pumpkin]

Mary,
My first consult is Wednesday. Will keep ypu posted on how it goes. Thanks for your feed back.

 

[bottomshollow]

Pumpkln, we are keeping our fingers and toes crossed for you that you will be able to find the answer and a solution. I know it must be really wearing on you pyschologically along with being a pain physically.

Please keep us posted. We care.

 

[Pumpkin]

Somehow I sent the copy of my records and the originals to the third Os that I am going to see.
What was I thinking, oh yeah, I wasn't.
:hissyfit::cry4:

 

[Pumpkin]

My first revisionest consultation is today, and did not sleep well last night. My knee and foot were very painful after traveling to get here. Have to drive this morning so tylenol and celebrex are all I can use.
Very nervous about this whole process ahead, and cautiously hopefeul, that I will find some answers.

 

[Pumpkin]

Saw the revisionist, he thinks it is too soon too proceed with a revision, I am at nine months. Yes it is a size too big, but I should be able to tolerate the over hang, with time. He then ordered a blood test for inflammatory markers, to check for a smolderong infection. He did a thorough knee exam, hands on, and answered all my questions.
I have two more consultation, in the mean time I am living with pain.
This whole process is frustrating, exhausting, and emotionally draining.
I wish I knew a year ago what I know now.

 

[Josephine]

Get another opinion?

 

[Pumpkin]

I have an appointment for another opinion in 3 weeks, and another consultation is in the works. The OS I saw yesterday is young, he did 400 TKR's last year and has only done 50 revisions total. In any case I would not use him for a revision until he has more experience.
I plan to be sure I am happy with my surgeon before proceeding.

 

[maryo52]

One of the places I went and got a second opinion, they tried to set me up with a young guy and I insisted on seeing "someone who does problem knees."

Oh my it is so emotionally draining. Each of these go-rounds sends me on a nosedive into feeling overwhelmed and defeated. So actually when I see the OS who did my knee, I'm simply going to ask for an Rx for a brace and state why. I don't even want to get into it. Although I'm pretty sure I'll bomb for a few days after that appointment no matter how well it goes.

It's one thing for the mechanic to mess up the repair job, the painting job to peel in three months, or the plumber fail to fix the problem. But when it's our knee, it has huge implications. Had my surgeon put in a 13mm insert instead of 11mm, done a proper job of soft tissue balancing, the next 20-30 years of my life would've been on surer footing. To do it right the first time would've taken minutes; fixing it now involves another year of my life and great expense.

Sorry for the vent!! I know you understand. BTW generally they don't want to do a revision before the one year mark unless there's an infection or the knee is falling apart.

 

[1ELISEA]

Saw the revisionist, he thinks it is too soon too proceed with a revision, I am at nine months. Yes it is a size too big, but I should be able to tolerate the over hang, with time.

Ummmm...... NO. You should NOT have to tolerate the overhang and adjust over time. That is nonsense. I mean, really, these responses get my goat sometimes. :hissyfit: Or my dander up. I mean how many people go seeking help and actually follow such so called advice. :skeptical: Far too many.

Factually state to him that is not acceptable and to provide another option.

Get a second, third or more opinions until there is an OS who is willing to offer a realistic alternative and not what he thinks. If assuming that it is too soon for a revision, what is another option. If not, then the revision is the other option, if that makes sense.

Otherwise, odds are that you will not tolerate it and yet still be in this same situation in a year. And that Pumpkln, is NOT an option.

 

[Pumpkin]

Thanks for the support, Maryo52, and 1Elisea, much appreciated.
Unlikely I will be seeing the OS again that I saw on Wednesday, he is too young, and not enough experience. Also I do not feel I am going to adjust to the overhang, I am like the Princess and the Pea when it come to things like that.
I will be seeking other opinions, and have the blood test for inflammatory markers.
I find preparing for, calling to arrange and anything to do with my TKR knee is stressful and exhausting.
Before my appointment Wednesday we went out to a lovely lunch, so relaxing, it really helped. We talked about anything but my upcoming appointment.

 

[maryo52]

Yeah, sometimes it's good to avoid saying the "k" word.

 

[tashia]

Punkin how are you doing tonight? You have been on my mind for reason. Please take care and do try to relax. sometime its just patience is what we need. Also the body must have time to heal. Well it time to take some medication. Oh I'm so sick of taking it. But I know I will be in pain if I don't. Talk to you later.Tashia

 

[Pumpkin]

Tashia, thanks for checking in. IPad is slow, i will post more tomorrow.

 

[Pumpkin]

Had my second opinion last week, he said pretty much what the first MD said, wait until a year has passed, that the knee is still healing. He has ordered a nerve conduction study for the nerve damage that occurred during the surgery, to the heel and the additional damage to the peroneal n. that occurred when I injured the peroneal mm about 6 weeks after surgery. There was a previous study about 2 years ago for comparison.
He also prescribed voltaren cream, it is OK on the knee, but works great for my SI joint pain.
He did a physical examination, answered all my questions, and volunteered additional information. He did go over why he thought I may have received the bigger components (smaller one too small in some dimension), and that I had a "B" knee replacement not an "A". He only does 50 revisions a year, he does 300+ primary TKR a year.
Next consultation is July 26th.
I have an appointment with the original surgeon on August 27th and am going to ask him about the size.
My knee has been feeling better, so that is good, and ROM has increased a little. The barometer drops below 30 in. mg. or 1016 milli bars, and both the foot and knee let me know.
I am going to follow Maryo52's advice and not think about this until my next appointment.

 

[tashia]

Hay Punkin, I see you on line. How are you doing? How the knee treating you? Hope you have a good 4th. Ops knee is not happy need to lay down. Hope to hear from you soon. Tashia