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Revision TKR Would like advice please, I think knee has moved

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i have had quite a week this week.

Monday was a 70 mile round trip to see my gastro in south Manchester. I have to have further tests, an ultrasound and a gastroscopy. I had one years ago but they want to repeat it.

Tuesday as you know I went for Gait Analysis which turned out to be a podiatry appointment. I have followed it up and checked the referral and it was for clinical gait analysis. I will have to wait for the follow up appointment in 4 weeks now to sort it out.

Yesterday, Wednesday, I had my annual diabetic eye check up. 10 years ago it was found that I was allergic to the dilation drops. Since then they have managed to do the check up without dilation, but this year they wanted to try another dilation drug. Well, I'm allergic to that too. Not as bad a reaction as last time but still not very pleasant. My eyes are still dilated almost 36 hours later and are itchy and photosensitive. I have some steroid eye drops to use. I hope the effects wear off soon. I have had enough. The good thing is that my eyes are completely OK with no sign of retinopathy. Next year I won't let them put these drops in again so I don't know what they will do.

Today I have taken it easy and have been doing my foot exercises. The orthotics I was given aren't very comfortable and I'm supposed to build up wearing time slowly. I can't get my leg raise in my right foot and the lateral post orthotic in my left leg to work together. There isn't room in my trainers despite them being 1 1/2 sizes larger than my normal shoe size. The height of the lateral post orthotic negates the raiser in my right foot and there just isn't room for another 1 to 2 cm to fit in my trainer. I have been chasing up my urgent appointment with the new foot/ankle consultant and it appears not to have reached the appointment section yet. All I can do as usual is WAIT. I should be used to this by now!

The only good news today is that I've been asked if I want to take part in a chronic pain research project using hypnotherapy. I have said yes and I'm awaiting news of it.
 
I had a bad night. I had a pity party and was in tears for quite a long time. It is about time things were improving for me.

My eyes are still dilated and sore and if they are still bad on Monday I'm going to get in touch with the hospital. It makes keeping myself busy and distraction techniques difficult. It restricts reading and close work. Why have I got so many drug sensitivities and allergies, I never used to have?

I can't see these foot exercises doing much good. Bringing my outer foot round is just exaggerating how much misalignment I have. Misalignment of the tibia was mentioned on Tuesday but wasn't elaborated on. This is dispite my consultant saying that the Xrays showed good alignment. I did mention on Tuesday the unnatural pose I had to stand in for the Xray to be taken. Nerve entrapment of the tibia and peroneal nerves was also mentioned. He also said that the feeling of having a spained ankle all the time could be due to nerve entrapment. My back around L4/5 and S1 is also bothering me and I think that is where the sciatic nerve is.

Life goes on and I'll have to pick myself up again. I just wish it wasn't so slow to get anything done in the UK on the NHS.

I've had a long soak in the bath and at least that has done me some good!
 
Busylizzie,
Sorry to read of all your alignment problems, they are a bear to live with, I know my Revision is off by 5 degrees, and the position of my heel feeds into this mal alignment.:tantrum2:

Reading about your sensitivity to eye dilation, our eye doctor has a camera to look at the retina, no dilation is needed. We pay an extra 30 US, for this service. Worth it to be able to drive safely afterwards. Not sure you will have this in the UK, but I would ask, with your allergy I would think it is warranted.
Nice thing is they save the photos and can compare them from year to year.
 
@Pumpkln, thanks.

After my initial allergy to the dilation drops tropicamide, I too had the camera at the local hospital. But for the last few years they have not managed to get brilliant photos. Last year it was decided that this year they were going to try different drops with the slit lamp. That is what I had on Wednesday. The reaction isn't as bad as the tropicamide but isn't at all pleasant. With the tropicamide I missed work for a week.
 
Sorry the camera no longer works for you, at least you are not down for a week with the new drops.
 
I am still struggling with the misalignment and foot pain. I have been slowly plodding away at the exerciss and come to the conclusion that they are making things worse. Last night the foot/leg/knee/hip/back pain was really bad and is no better this morning. Somehow at night you seem to focus on it more. Very little sleep. My whole foot is tender to touch, bruised. I am going to stop the exercises and see if I can get back to the stage I was before, still not a good place but better than I am now. The beginning of next month marks the 3 year anniversary of the original TKR.

I am going to give it to Christmas to see if things improve, if they don't I am thinking along the drastic lines of an amputation. I just can't keep on living like this! OK I might get phantom leg pain, but I should be able to walk with a prosthesis. I have had 5 major ops on this knee in less than 3 years. I need my life back. The waiting for appointments is getting to me again. I get my hopes up each time for them to be dashed. At least with an amputation it will be final and I can move on. I hope that I am not upsetting anyone by saying this.
 
@busylizzie I am so sorry that things have not improved - please please do not think you may upset anyone at all, you have been through so very much and have looked at every avenue and tried and persevered for so long and if after Christmas and nothing has improved and after consideration and research (which I know you will do) amputation is what YOU need then you will have full support.

I wish that you whatever happens and whatever you do and however it happens you achieve your goal of getting your life back - let's face it life is for living x

Shortie xx
 
I'm so sorry to hear this @busylizzie but you are a very strong,brave lady and if you decided to have an amputation I think you would cope very well,as for the phantom pain I remember my son had it but only for a very short time,whatever you decided good luck and healing thoughts x
 
Hi @busylizzie

I'm just so sorry you're in pain. No, you've not upset/offended anyone. How could you when you are simply just being completely honest about your situation and how you feel?

We are here for you, even in the early hours of the morning there is usually one or other of us lurking about x x x

Take care cos we care

Love Nana moon 27 xoxoxo
 
busylizzie said:
I am still struggling with the misalignment and foot pain. I have been slowly plodding away at the exerciss and come to the conclusion that they are making things worse. Last night the foot/leg/knee/hip/back pain was really bad and is no better this morning. Somehow at night you seem to focus on it more. Very little sleep. My whole foot is tender to touch, bruised. I am going to stop the exercises and see if I can get back to the stage I was before, still not a good place but better than I am now. The beginning of next month marks the 3 year anniversary of the original TKR.

I am going to give it to Christmas to see if things improve, if they don't I am thinking along the drastic lines of an amputation. I just can't keep on living like this! OK I might get phantom leg pain, but I should be able to walk with a prosthesis. I have had 5 major ops on this knee in less than 3 years. I need my life back. The waiting for appointments is getting to me again. I get my hopes up each time for them to be dashed. At least with an amputation it will be final and I can move on. I hope that I am not upsetting anyone by saying this.
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Oh, you're having such a hard time right now. (((busylizzie)))
I wish I could do something to help. @Jamie
 
I'm sorry, but I'm at a loss to make any suggestions for you other than to possibly see a different surgeon. I'm going to tag @Josephine for her thoughts and possibly a recommendation for someone you could see. She is currently away from the forum for a week, so it will be a while before she can get back to you.
 
Thanks

I have chased the appointment with the foot/ankle specialist. It was supposed to be an urgent appointment but reading between the lines it appears the referral had got delayed. Now waiting for an appointment and I have been told he hasn't got a long waiting list. I am going back to see my knee consultant after that - Christmas perhaps, the speed things happen over here!!!!!!!

My knee is now swelling up along the pin line, I have a fixed hinge knee. This is something new as is the heat associated with the swelling. The swelling is more along the lateral side. I have also started hyperextending with this knee. I have had some degree of this prior to the original TKR and with my right leg. This new knee now hyper extends more than the other knee. I am also loosing flexion that I have slowly fought so hard to attain from the straight leg that I went into this last surgery with.

I looked up peroneal nerve and the exercises to sort that are the opposite to what the podiatrist gave me last week for my foot. I stopped all foot exercises a few days ago. My blood sugars have been running high this last few weeks and I am needing extra insulin and I can't figure out why. I don't know if they are linked. I am spending most of my days and nights with my leg elevated.

My mood understandably is low at present. The foot problem seems to be affecting this knee so much now. My gait is so unnatural and I think is producing the pain in the other parts of my body which I hope can be reversed. My hubby struggles to know what to do with me when I am like this and tends to back away. It is times like this that I need his support more. Roll on the appointment with the foot and ankle man and hope he has some answers.
 
@busylizzie it is so rubbish you are having such a difficult time - I really really don't want to say this but when did you last have any bloods done to check for any infection markers? I only ask because you say your sugars are up with no explanation and I know that this can happen when people have infections - I don't want to worry you and pray it is not the case but it might be a worth a trip to the GP to check it out.

Shortie xx
 
@Shortie, I was thinking along those lines but dismissing it. I collected a bag for blood samples to take to the hospital yesterday but haven't been yet. It is for my annual diabetic health check and doesn't test for infection markers but I've never had raised ESR etc at all even though they found an infection at the last surgery. I guess I'll have to get hubby to take me tomorrow.
 
Hi @busylizzie

As you know from my thread my husband does the retreat thingy. I have found that I have to basically tell him what I need him to do. Even just a hug!! Some blokes are just not born nurses is what my GP said to me, who is male btw! That kind of helped me. So I've learnt to simply ask or spell it out. Yes they moan and groan but your needs get met a but better this way. They definitely do not like seeing us in a powerless, immobile state. In their mind they want you to just be you again doing your own thing. They dont always cope with the dependency.

You are having the worst time ever of this. To have diabetes on top of everything is just awful. It complicates things. @Shortie might well be right about the possibility of an infection somewhere in your body. My bro in law is diabetic and when he had an infection his sugars were uncontrollable. He was manically depressed and very irritable which is unusual for him. Once he got the infection treated he was completely different in himself, he was a lot more brighter xxx

I hope you can get this sorted, you don't deserve this at all.

Take care
Love Ann xxx
 
Blood test done yesterday, now have to wait for the results. The horrendous leg pain has subsided slowly. I am now back to the stage I was before starting the foot exercises. Not good, but way, way better than the pain/swelling I had earlier in the week. I still haven't got an appointment through for foot/ankle specialist. I'm not going to try anything new until I've seen him.
 
Hi @busylizzie

Did they give you a time frame/scale as to when you'll get the results from your bloods? I'm glad your pain has subsided a bit. Nothing drags you down more than pain. It's an absolute misery at times. It's surprising how those foot exercises upset your knee/leg but at least you were able to identify that and get yourself feeling a bit more comfortable. Big hugs to you.

Love Ann xxx
 
Don't wait for blood results - start phoning in the morning! Other than blood cultures (which I doubt you needed at the moment) all should be done within hours of bloods being done x

Hope your weekend has been good.

Shortie xx
 
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