Become an Insider

TKR Sailor's Recovery Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
@lavender
Hi, Holly,
I'm not sure if it's the same as you describe. The looseness of the knee just makes it feel like the tibia and the femur are moving a bit in relation to each other, where in a normal knee they would be much tighter. This puts pressure on the ligaments, and also irritates the synovium. Does that make sense? It doesn't feel like the knee is wanting to bend more, or drop down, as you say. It just feel like the 2 components (tibia, or lower leg, and femur, or upper leg) are loose relative to each other. I guess I would describe it as a sliding motion between the 2 components. I can feel it significantly if I lay on my side, and lift the TKR leg in the air, and then bend the knee back & forth. It feels like the ligaments are loose, and I can feel the strain on them. Yes, definitely ask your Dr about what you are feeling, and let us know.
 
Hi @Roger. Just hearing the news and telling of an earthquake in SF Bay area . Hoping it is not anywhere near you and that things are fine and you are all ok. Holly
 
Hi @Roger I missed your post and then checking in found it. It does not sound the same thought he called it this. My knee can be stiff and then walking feels like she is trying to show me she is bending more sometimes by surprise and almost lost my balance. Other then that things are going great still 90 degree bend but doing find. I get into some trouble when I try to bend it maybe when sleeping and then pay for it the next day with swelling. Great things are going good and hoping your teeth are working out. Did you travel on your trip to Toronto yet and what did you see did you have any time to look around such a big place and growing every day. Wishing you a nice week going to my surgeon appointment in September on the 8th I think it is and then this will mark just over a month into the waiting period before my surgery hoping to get more information that day. Hollly
 
lavender said:
Hi @Roger. Just hearing the news and telling of an earthquake in SF Bay area . Hoping it is not anywhere near you and that things are fine and you are all ok. Holly
Click to expand...
@lavender
Hi, Holly,
Thanks for thinking of me. The EQ occurred up in Napa, which is about 100 miles away from where I live. I was asleep and didn't feel anything. @icep707 lives up that way, I believe. There was some damage near Napa, but I don't think anyone was injured.

My trip to Toronto was nice. I was very busy. I flew direct from San Francisco to Toronto on Air Canada. It was a very nice flight, both ways. We stayed in Burlington, which is the town where my company has their office. The second day, the whole company had a team building and lunch event in Hamilton, at Baranga's On The Beach. There was an outdoor buffet, and the food was great. Nice views of Lake Ontario, and I saw many boats coming in/out of Hamilton harbor as we crossed over the causeway. The weather was not so good. It was very humid with thunderstorms for the entire 3 days I was there. Fortunately, it wasn't too hot, so it didn't feel too oppressive. The weather cleared up and was beautiful the day we left...LOL. That was about all I had time for, but I enjoyed the trip.
 
Hi Roger, If I remember correctly you posted some while ago that you wore a support sleeve round your calf. Do you still use it? I ask because I also wear a support sleeve and don't want to become dependent on it. Doubt if its a problem for you, but it doesn't look attractive when I wear a dress. Carol
 
thank you. I'm trying to decrease the time I wear it, but some days are better than others. Carol
 
Hi @Roger good to hear you were not near the earthquake area and hoping that @icep707 and everyone else was not close to it as well. Great to hear you had a nice trip we used to go to Hamilton off and on not for a few years though pretty Harbor, water, and lots to see . Too bad it was not nice for weather but sounds like you had a nice visit and yes it is true sometimes it wait till you are done and going home and then sun. It is becoming more common where we live to hear about places that have been hit by Tornado's something that was not common at all when growing up. So fortunate that they have passed our city but not far away. We did have one 14 years ago down from us my brother had just moved there and the damage at his end was unbelievable who would ever have thought . Enjoy you day and hope you have a nice week Holly
 
@Lauramacky
Hi, Laura. You live up in the East Bay. Did you feel the earthquake early this morning? I slept through it..LOL. I don't think it was felt very much here in the South Bay.
I heard that there were injuries, and significant damage near Napa. But, fortunately, I haven't heard about any loss of life.
 
Hey Roger, All is well . Earthquake woke me up big time. 330 in the morning. Ironically i was in san Francisco back in 89 during that one. I was in the financial district and it was a doozy. My house in the city had no damage but things got knocked over. This one the other day was different. Nothing got knocked over but I got a free rollercoaster ride on my bed. For the next 2 hours I kept thinking it was a dream. Im probably 30 miles from the epicenter. We dont get earthquakes too often . I wouldnt move for nothing. Weather and scenery way to nice. Abit expensive but worth every penny. My knee is unbelievably well. Makes my other knee jealous. Hope you are good and your dental situation goes flawlessly. Best wishes , Ivan
 
@icep707
Hi, Ivan. Wow, my wife was also working in the financial district in SF when the 1989 Loma Prieta quake hit. She was on one of the upper floors of the BOA skyscraper...LOL. Well, I'm glad to hear that you are safe, and there was no big damage to your property. It was a very concentrated quake, limited to a small area, but sizable damage within that small radius. At least the wineries made it through OK :egypdance:
The dental work is progressing well. Like I said, it's all about "hurry up & wait". I get my final fixed bridge in about 2 months. The implants are healing well. No pain.
 
@sfvaysailor thanks for asking Roger. Amazingly enough I did feel it and I screamed for my husband. The weird thing is the next morning I did not remember! I received an email from a friend and saw on the news there was an earthquake and asked my husband if he felt it. He looked at me like a deer in headlights and said don't you remember? You screamed earthquake last night. I guess the meds are doing their job LOL


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Sorry for the typos it is really hard for me to type on my phone.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Good to hear you were not hurt @Lauramacky and @icep707 and @Roger . Lots on the news here about the earthquake and damage happy you were all alright. Holly
 
Hi, all,
Well, today I had a consultation with a revision sub-specialist about the issues I've been having with my knee, due to the laxity. These include swelling, some minor pain, clunking, irritation and the need to wear a fabric knee brace all the time. I apologize in advance, as this post may be a bit lengthy.
Some background rehash: My osteoarthritis was caused by a sports injury when I was a teen, where I tore 3 ligaments, and the ligaments were repaired. It was a serious injury. The knee was casted, and it has always been very loose since then.
I got plenty of answers from the revisionist. Very definitive answers.

Here is what the revision specialist said:
  • Based on my previous injury, and the fact that my knee was so loose, the OS should have taken special care to balance the ligaments in my knee when doing the TKR. He did not do this.
  • A posterior stabilized knee was not the correct choice for me. Some OS's will use these in an effort to negate the effects of loose ligaments. But in my case, this was not the correct approach. The revisionist would have used a PCL sparing knee, and balanced the ligaments.
  • The OS should have used a quad sparing procedure. My quads were cut. Cutting the quads makes the situation with the loose ligaments even worse, and is a red flag in cases like mine, with loose ligaments.
  • Doing a revision to just increase the size of the spacer (as my first OS suggested) will not help the problem of the loose ligaments. If anything, it will reduce my flex and extension, and create more stiffness. Not the correct approach. If I did this, I would likely be looking at a 3rd surgery.
  • The stabilizing post on the plastic spacer of my posterior stabilized knee is taking a lot of stress, and is at risk for fracture. This could happen in one year, or several years, or not at all. I can reduce the risk by wearing a stabilizing hinged knee brace. I would need to be fitted for one.
  • For a revision, it would be best to use a special Depuy stabilizing knee, based on the fact that I no longer have a PCL, and the looseness of my ligaments. Sorry, I forget the exact type of stabilizing knee he referred to (there was an acronym). By this point in time, I was in a state of shock, and probably had a deer in the headlights look.
  • Plan A: I should return and get fitted for a stabilizing hinged knee brace. This will make me more comfortable, and should help with the laxity symptoms. But, it won't last forever, because....
  • I have recurrent tendontitis and synovitis from the laxity in the knee. It is a viscous circle.
  • Plan B: Depending on how long I can go with the knee brace, I will need a revision with the new special knee. Complete redo of the TKR, and another 12 weeks of rehab.
  • He feels that my chances of a very good to excellent revision outcome are about 85%, based on all my history.
  • The original OS was very conservative about how much bone he cut away for the tibial component, so I have plenty of bone to work with. The revision will not require a special tibial component with a long stem. That was the only good news.
  • He knows the OS who did my original surgery. He is a general practice OS, he is not a knee replacement specialist, and he does not do many revisions.
So there you have it. When I left the office, I was in a state of shock, and I had to wait about 1/2 hr before I could drive home. I called my wife, and told her everything. I was very angry. I've calmed down a bit now.

I SO much wanted this TKR to work out. I'm very sad right now. I don't know if it's my fault for not getting a second opinion before moving ahead with the TKR from the first OS, or if it is the OS's fault for not properly balancing my ligaments and not using the correct knee and procedure? He knew how extremely loose my knee was prior to surgery. Probably both of us are at fault.

So now, I need to schedule an appointment with the revisionist to get the knee brace fitted. I will NEVER go see the first OS again! Then, I have to figure out how long before I have the revision done. I'm having a hard time bearing the thought of a revision, with another 2 months on disability leave from work, and 12 weeks to rehab the same knee. And what if the outcome is not good (if I fall into the 15%)? I'd like to put it off until I retire, in 7 years, but the plastic spacer stem may not hold up that long.

I'm going to tag a few folks who may be interested in this opinion. Comments are very welcome.
I'm trying to think of a new name for my thread. I was thinking "Botched TKR, now need a revision...". That may be a bit harsh. I'll wait a couple of days and try to calm down, then I'll try to think of one.
Roger

@maryo52
@Pumpkln
@patient 99
@scaredinCA
@skigirl
@Josephine
 
Last edited by a moderator:
@SFBaySailor. OMG Roger....I can totally understand the deer in the headlights look. I must admit I had that look while reading your post. You poor thing! Ugh. I guess the good news is the 85% outcome bad you're with someone now who seems to really know what he's doing.

I've been going through some depression with my physical issues so I know how frustrating it can be. I mention this because I have a friend whose husband has had ALS for quite sometime. He is an ex football player, the epitome of health until ALS struck him down. When I get down about my physical self and start worrying, I only have to look at his Facebook page with videos his amazing wife posts of the power of moving forward with a positive outlook. Try to focus on these good things you found out today because no worrying about the past changes anything...well, it might change it but only for the worst. Some people never get answers or options for a solution.

I hope this little story doesn't make you think I don't have compassion for your situation because I have tons. You're in my thoughts and prayers Roger.


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Corganics CBD

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 665 (members: 0, guests: 665)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom