TKR Update

[DOCCUKE]

I have not been tested for metal allergy. I will be even more angry if that is the case!

Gabapentin left me drooling in the corner & did not touch the pain on top of everything else

 

[Jockette]

Gabapentin didn’t help me either, and it gave me very undesirable side effects. I stopped it after about 3 weeks.

Metal allergies do happen, but not often enough for surgeons to ask each patient about it. Unfortunately that discussion usually comes up when there are problems post op.

 

[sistersinhim]

I think being testing for an allergic reaction is a good idea.

"For anyone who would like to get a full metal allergy test prior to any joint replacement surgery, you can get the test done in the USA by ordering the test kit from https://www.orthopedicanalysis.com/testing/order-testing-panel . You want the Orthopedic Panel Test 2. Once you get the test kit, your GP (or any lab) can do the blood draw and send it in for testing.'

 

[DOCCUKE]

Greetings all

I have not been on here for a while. Just popping my head in to say hello, I am alive through this covid-19 madness, still working from home, still hating my TKR!! BUT I am alive and not infected and still working, so there is that!!

I figure at this point my knee is and may always be that way. Unless I cannot walk at all I will not have it opened again. If I do ever get a revision it will surely NOT be by the same doctor. In face my last appointment with him was on my birthday, 2/21/2020, and I decided at that point there will be no more follow ups with him as he does not contribute anything helpful at this point and he is certainly never going to operate on my again!!

I still have more pain than pre surgery and I believe he may have botched this somehow, I am just hoping that with time it will become more tolerable

Meanwhile I go this coming Wednesday for surgery on my hand for trigger finger on my right middle finger. This is supposed to be a simple quick in and out surgery!! HERE'S HOPING

Hope that you are all well, healthy and pain free!!

PEACE

DOC

 

[Jaycey]

@DOCCUKE - welcome back! You will notice that I have merged your two threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just give a shout.

Sorry you are still in pain from your TKR. But glad you are safe from all this chaos.

All the best on your hand surgery! Let us know how it goes!

 

[sistersinhim]

How disappointing to read that your knee is still not right. When this lockdown is lifted you can search out a different doctor who specializes in knee revisions and get some answers. There is no need for you to accept a tkr that isn't correct.

Good luck on your hand surgery and stay well!

 

[DOCCUKE]

Sorry you feel this way! Everyone has a different experience with joint replacement. No two are alike. Your other knee replacement could and will be different than this one you had replaced. I am 9 weeks post op and just came in from mowing the yard and using the trimmer. I feel that my surgeon did a great job and I would do it all over again.

9 weeks?? WOW!! I am 9 months out and still in quite a bit of pain!!

I am glad that yours worked out so well!! I can only wish!! LOL

Keep up the good work!!

 

[DOCCUKE]

@DOCCUKE - welcome back! You will notice that I have merged your two threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just give a shout.

Sorry you are still in pain from your TKR. But glad you are safe from all this chaos.

All the best on your hand surgery! Let us know how it goes!

Sorry about that, I only opened a new one because last time I looked my original thread had comments disabled so I assumed I needed to open a new thread

I don't think I would trust anyone enough to cut me again at this point!! I don't know how much time I have left on this rock, and I already wasted the better part of a year on this replacement! Not inclined to risk losing another half year to a year on a second try!!

Hopefully the hand surgery will be as simple as they tell me it is

 

[Starsfan22]

Nice to hear from you and your journey. Sorry things are not better. I hoped time would help. What would it hurt to get a second opinion? I would, even if I was set on not going ahead with a new surgery. You need verification that you are correct that something went wrong. I would want to know what went wrong.

 

[DOCCUKE]

At the moment I don't even think I could get a second opinion. Most medical procedures are on hold right now. I figured I would give it a full year. If it still is this bad I will go to Boston , if I can get someone good to look at it.
Who knows where we will be by August? I do IT support for a auto dealership network & in the last month we have laid off or furloughed 1800 people out of about 3500!!

Crazy times

 

[Jockette]

I’m sorry your knee isn’t much better at this point. I understand your reluctance to see someone else about it, I feel the same way about another opinion. But I don’t have the pain you do, so it’s not a huge hardship for me to bide my time. Mine is just annoying at this point. I can’t believe it’s been 3 years since my surgery!

 

[DOCCUKE]

I am completely amazed at how different the tkr can be for each person. I have read some folks that have had one & were out pedaling a bicycle, running & doing squats with weights 3 months later & some that were far worse than myself.

There are many variables! I think my biggest flaws were perhaps too much PT too soon, not enough research in my part prior to surgery & truthfully a sub-par surgeon! I am not convinced that this Zimmerman Persona is a particularly good implant either!

I think I may have mentioned before that right after waking up from surgery I asked the doctor how long would it be before I could run & do squats with weights & he said "Oh you can never do those things again, you will break the implant!!"

Honestly at that moment I really wanted to punch him in the face!! But that is partly my fault in that I should have asked him those questions BEFORE surgery!!

If I had asked him before surgery & got the same answer I would have found a better surgeon!

Lesson learned the hard way!!

 

[sistersinhim]

From what I have learned here on Bonesmart, most all of the implants are the same. It's the surgeon's skill that is different. Some are good and some are not that good. If you do decide to seek a second opinion, Jamie will help you find a good one with lots of good reviews and experience for you to see after your anniversary. Just let her know and she'll be glad to help you.

 

[DOCCUKE]

Thanks I will do that!

 

[Jaycey]

I asked the doctor how long would it be before I could run & do squats with weights & he said "Oh you can never do those things again, you will break the implant!!"

Wow - very old school thinking! Did you ever ask your surgeon how many TKRs he does in a year? This question will give you a good idea of just how "expert" the surgeon is. You want to hear a number in the range of 150-200.

 

[DOCCUKE]

I did not ask him. But I know he has only been doing them for 5 years. He is very young. Unfortunately I believe I made a very poor choice

 

[Jockette]

Unfortunately I believe I made a very poor choice

You and me both! But we didn’t know any better. We trusted these doctors to know what was best for us. I have learned a lot since then!

 

[DOCCUKE]

Me too!!
I have registered reviews on this guy in a few sites, I would not want anyone else to make the same mistake that I did

 

[sistersinhim]

I was blessed to have joined Bonesmart six months before my tkr. By the time I had my surgery I knew that the skill of the surgeon was the key, not which implant he used. You have the chance now to do your research for a revision surgeon. There is no need for you to settle for what you have now when there are much better options out there for you.

 

[pamsknees]

I’m sorry your TKR hasn’t been a good fix for you. Like others have said, I’d seek out a second opinion with a really good surgeon. At least getting an opinion would give you options & it doesn’t force you to have another surgery, just allows that possibility. I was one of the fortunate ones in having an outstanding result & I think that is in large part due to a great surgeon who does a lot of these - I had to wait months for a consultation & then months to get on his surgery schedule, but it was worth the wait.