Revision TKR Sondrals’ Revision

[sistersinhim]

That standing in place is rough after this surgery. I'm finally OK with it on the new knee, but the old one still fusses about it.

It sounds like you are doing really well and on the road toward that finish line!

 

[sondrals]

So I'm like what? 2.5 months out from my revision surgery. I don't know why I thought this would fix everything but it obviously hasn't. I'm in tears just about every single day now. I still can't walk without a cane or I have a limp where I hike up my right hip. All anyone can tell me is my left leg, more specifically, my hip, is weak and that's why I'm doing it but I'm beginning to think there's something else more serious wrong.

I don't know what to do anymore, I feel like I made the worst mistake of my life having this surgery. Between the limp and my right one always being painful, I'm at a complete loss. All physical therapy wants to do is make me do squats and leg presses and a million step ups which just ends up with me hurting more it seems.

I feel like I'm never going to be able to walk without a cane again and I'm not sure I want to live like that. So what do I do? My surgeon has looked at it several times now, it doesn't move around, he also thinks my muscles are weak. I feel like I am beating my head into a wall and I can't seem to do anything right.

 

[Jockette]

All physical therapy wants to do is make me do squats and leg presses and a million step ups which just ends up with me hurting more it seems.

This is inappropriate PT for you. No wonder you feel so bad! Forget this kind of PT and just go about your day, as you are able, and let your activities of daily living rehab your knees naturally. Seriously.

Any muscle weakness is mostly from the trauma of the surgery and all it entailed. You’ve had several surgeries in a short time. Your body needs more time to heal. Your muscles will strengthen naturally as you heal and are able to do more.

In order for it to improve, stop making it do more than it can with this inappropriate PT.

 

[Celle]

So I'm like what? 2.5 months out from my revision surgery. I don't know why I thought this would fix everything but it obviously hasn't. I'm in tears just about every single day now. I still can't walk without a cane or I have a limp where I hike up my right hip. All anyone can tell me is my left leg, more specifically, my hip, is weak and that's why I'm doing it but I'm beginning to think there's something else more serious wrong.

Sondra, you're only 2.5 months into a year-long recovery. Give yourself and your knee time to continue healing. Stop fearing the worst.

Of course your muscles are still weak - you've had several major surgeries. Give them time and they will strengthen gradually. Stop doing inappropriate PT (squats etc) that is doing more harm than good and remember this:

Your knee isn't finished yet. It still has over 9 months in which it will continue to improve. It's still a work in progress and where it is now is not where it's going to end up.

Lots of people still limp and still need a cane at only 2.5 months after a revision. It's normal after the surgeries you've had.

It is worth waiting. Your knee is going to get better.

 

[Sara61]

Sending you a big virtual hug, I hate to see you feeling so down, it's only a couple of months, your knee is still healing from all the surgeries you had on it. With time and plenty of Ice and rest it will get better. Tell your PT to back off, your knee will be fine without the pushing/bending and squats...I have never done a squat in my life and my knee now is absolutely fine.
Here's hoping a better day for you xxx

 

[sistersinhim]

All physical therapy wants to do is make me do squats and leg presses and a million step-ups which just ends up with me hurting more it seems.

Why are you doing all these? You have been on Bonesmart long enough to know that these things are not appropriate for a baby knee, especially one that has been through what your knee has in less than a year. You need to either quit that PT or find someone who isn't traumatizing your already traumatized knee. When you do all these exercises your knee has to heal from these before it can get back to healing where it was before you did them. Ice, elevate, and rest that knee. ADL is all it needs to come back to normal. You can not force it to do it any sooner than it can do it but you can sure slow it down by doing aggressive activities.

 

[sondrals]

I guess they convinced me that my leg was weak and the only way to make it better was to work hard. I’m desperate to be able to just walk again. My surgeon is sending me to see a specialist to get a second opinion. I still have a lot of swelling and tightness on my older one. It pops a lot too. I quit pt, went for a short walk last night and the night before and did some of the “hip strengthening” exercises that I was given that don’t really involve my knees. Mostly I’m just tired, sad and disappointed in how far I’ve come. It’s like someone got into my head and made me forget how to walk.

 

[sistersinhim]

These recoveries take patience and that's such a hard thing to have. I know because I wanted to be well way before I was, too. Just try and relax and let your body do the healing it needs to do. Even your older knee isn't healed all the way yet and has had to carry most of the load since your revision.

 

[Celle]

@sondrals - please stop worrying about strengthening. It's perfectly normal and understandable that you still have some muscle weakness. Your body has been through so much, but it will cure itself if you let it.

So stop making things worse with all this unnecessary exercise. All you're doing is irritating those wounded tissues, making them more angry, inflamed and swollen. Give them a chance to heal and recover.

 

[sondrals]

So I have a lot going on. I saw the specialist today. He thinks my left leg’s implant isn’t centered and it’s left me still knock kneed which is affecting my gait and my balance because my leg isn’t lined up. I asked if it would get better and he said probably not because the weight disbursement isn’t going down through my leg, it’s going off to the side. Also my knee cap on my right leg is sitting outside my implant but he thinks with targeted pt they can strengthen my inner quad and loosen my it band so it sits more centered. He also said the pain in my right leg is bursitis and he recommended a cortisone shot in it. He is sending me out to get a long bone x-ray from my hip to ankle on both sides and a CT scan. Does any of this sound reasonable? I’m so overwhelmed and at a loss right now. My surgeon was supposedly the best in state and I feel completely betrayed.

 

[Sara61]

I really feel for you Sondra.
Hopefully the cortisone will resolve the bursitis and the long bone x rays and scans bring back more positive results.

 

[sondrals]

Guess one of my blood tests came back indicating a possible infection too. So insult to injury. I have a CT and full hip to ankle X-ray on both sides next week.

Im honestly not sure how I feel about letting the original surgeon do anything to me. Or anyone for that matter. I don’t know who to trust now

 

[Celle]

Im honestly not sure how I feel about letting the original surgeon do anything to me.

I wouldn't let him near my knee again.

 

[sistersinhim]

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about letting the original surgeon do anything to me.

Personally, I'd run as far away from him as I could. I'd go to someone that has no contact with him at all. You need a brand new fresh set of eyes of a revision specialist.

 

[sondrals]

Is there any way to get a recommendation on a revision specialist in Alaska?

 

[Celle]

Is there any way to get a recommendation on a revision specialist in Alaska?

I'll ask @Jamie if she has anyone on her list of recommended surgeons.

Where do you live and how far are you prepared to travel?

 

[sondrals]

Anchorage. It’s the biggest city in Alaska. The only other city is about 6-8 hours away so I guess I’d prefer to stay here if possible

 

[Jamie]

@sondrals.....I don't have any surgeons on my list for Alaska right now. I'll have to do some research.

 

[sondrals]

@Jamie thank you for checking. If you come up with anyone please let me know.

 

[Jamie]

I didn't see a lot of choices in Anchorage for knee revisions. But here is one surgeon that looked pretty good and I think would be worth a consultation for you. I didn't see anyone experienced in knee revisions in Fairbanks.

Anchorage

Dr. Michael L. Reyes
Orthopedic Physicians Alaska
3801 Lake Otis Parkway
Anchorage, AK 99508
Phone: 907-562-2277
Hip and knee primary and revisions