TKR RTKR followed by Revision . Now LTKR giving trouble.

[mommabarefoot]

Left knee needs some repair and clean-up. Torn ACL, MCL, Patella fraying, tricompartmental arthritis, fluid build up ,etc... At the instruction of Dr Maale I will be seeing Dr Ken Matthis @ Methodist Houston Med Center on June 18. I'm back on a cane, not much walking, extremely painful, very depressed. However, compared to an infected revision this should be a walk in the park. Any and all prayers accepted.

 

[Pumpkin]

Wishing you all the best on the 18th.

 

[PolarBear60]

Hope all goes well on the 18th. Not sure how I missed this thread until now. What horrible beginning, but such a positive outcome. I'm in Central Texas, halfway between you and Dallas. I pray I don't need a revision or have any infection problems, but your experience lets me know where I'll look if necessary.

 

[kirklcra]

I shall be thinking of you on the 18th, good luck and here's to feeling much better soon. You have been through worse and overcame that.
Frances

 

[mommabarefoot]

LTKR 10/21/2015..excessive scar tissue producer ROM difficiency lacking full extension. Stuck lacking between 19°-22° of extension. Flexion not an issue as I know it will come (from experience). Constant freaking pain (6-9), inability to ambulate without cane and people asking if I need help or wheelchair. Pain induced insomnia , 28 lb weightless and depression. I have too hard of a time getting any pain meds, crazy doctors. I don't want to take anything anyways, I want issue fixed. Been in PT since 2 weeks post op from replacement (3 days a week). Had MUA 7 weeks post op, since then PT 5 days a week. I'm no better and terrified . I know it needs a scope clean out, but Dr just wants PT 5 days, CPM 8 hrs x 7 days. He even told me, "Mrs C., you're an excessive producer of scar tissue". No....you don't say doc......
I had RTK 12/13 followed by two MUA's, scope clean out of scar tissue followed by revision with limb salvage 9 months later (only after finding the correct Dr who listened to me). I've been taken to the brink of hell and made it back (with RTRK). I travel 300+ miles one-way to see my OS. He's the only reason I still have a right leg. Thanks to this forum and a very special person for telling me about him.
What do I do about this left leg and scar tissue? Why won't he listen to me this time around? I'm hanging by a thread. Any suggestions group? Sorry for the ramble

 

[Celle]

@mommabarefoot
I'm sorry you're back with what seems to be a similar problem to what you had with your right TKR. I believe you eventually saw Dr Maale with that knee. Did he do your left knee too, or did another surgeon do it?

I know that @skigirl had an open lysis of adhesions and I'm going to ask her to advise you.
What she was told was to go very gently into exercising her knee and not to do lots of PT, because it increased her tendency to make adhesions. The same may be true for you. I'm also going to ask @Josephine to advise you.

Since doing all that exercise doesn't seem to be helping, why not cut it right back and see what happens? PT 5 days a week is just too much for any knee. You need at least one day (preferably two) between sessions.

I can tell from your post that you're pretty fed up. However, if you're in pain you need to take pain medications. This isn't going to be a quick fix, no matter what you do or who you consult.

As for your extension - it isn't unusual for that to take longer to achieve than flexion. It's still possible to achieve it, though.

 

[mommabarefoot]

Thanks @Celle
Yes you are correct on Dr Maale. He did RTRK w/limb salvage and the LTKR (I won't let anyone else touch my knees). Since being in PT for almost 3 yrs now I have a very good relationship with my therapist and we discussed backing WAY off. In fact, by this coming Friday stopping outpatient PT and just continuing at home with all my exercises. This will also help me save some sessions for after a clean our should it ever happen. I will then have to fly back to Dr M n fall apart on an exam room floor to get him to listen. We've tried it his way long enough and he needs to slow down and listen to me. My knee is hard to the touch and swollen, just as my other was. I've got lumpy lesions above my knee from scar tissue mountains. It's all deformed. I know I needs pain contol, but I can't get pain mgmt to help me. I quit all narcotics 6 weeks post-op because I got so tired of paying to see them and being treated like a common pill head. Plus he kept telling me it wasn't as painful as I was telling him. How the heck does he know? He's never had a replacement and he doesn't live in my body. So I lie here night after night in pain, after spending day after day in pain. I'm just very frustrated and don't know what to or how to do what I need to.

 

[mommabarefoot]

@RestAssured @Pumpkln @PolarBear60
In a funk for past 7 months. Revision healed nicely, have 45% more use then Dr M ever expected. He keeps telling me to back off on the flexion. However, I don't even notice it 16 months post op. Knee and leg get sore from time to time and will for rest of my life he said. However, BIG HUGE HAPPY NOTE all the swelling went away around month 13. Dr M did end up replacing left knee 10/21/15 and now having a few issues with it. That's all on a different thread. WTH was I thinking ? He saved my right leg and I will be forever thankful to him. @RestAssured I can never thank you enough for your referral to Dr M to you and everyone who helped me during the darkest time in my life. Y'all truly helped save my life on more then one occasion. Heading to Bahamas in March where I hope to retire my cane on the beach with her own tropical drink topped with an umbrella. Love to all and hope to see in new thread

 

[referee54]

I merged all of your recovery threads as per forum rules and protocol. We prefer each member to only have one recovery thread, as it allows us to help you out much faster and more efficiently, as we do not have to hop back and forth from one thread to another. It also helps us cut down on duplicate posts between threads, as well.

Thanks,

Tim C.

 

[Celle]

@mommabarefoot,
I see that you've now added your left TKR to your signature. Thank you for that. However, please will you add "Right" or "Left" to the revision, as I think it not being immediately obvious has caused a bit of confusion. Thank you.

 

[Josephine]

However, please will you add "Right" or "Left" to the revision,

I've done that but @mommabarefoot, can you check to make sure it's all correct please?

 

[mommabarefoot]

@Celle the revision surgery was on my right knee in Sept 2014. Sorry for the confusion.