Revision TKR Would like advice please, I think knee has moved
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busylizzie
post-grad
Thanks
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busylizzie
post-grad
Home again late last night. Bladder took ages to come round and almost had to stay night. I hadn't realised that it would be a full surgery. I thought it would be a quick in and out of theatre. Theatre staff were dressed up in full 'spaceman' outfits again. I guess it is to minimise any chance of infection. I managed to have a spinal again without sedation. Thought I'd be having a short acting one as discussed but ended up with a full one. Perhaps the longest acting and most effective of the 4 I've had. I've got 'ted' stockings for 6 weeks again.
Leg very sore. He didn't do an aspiration, I got antibiotics in the anaesthetic room so questioned it then. I guess he has decided it isn't an infection after all. Tissue samples are going this time to a top notch Consultant Histopathologist with a specialisation in Osteoarticular Pathology. Bad news is that in theatre he said come back in 3 weeks for the results, in reality the oppointment has come back at just over 4 weeks. Why does this always happen? He also said it would be about 8 weeks before I could have a new knee if it is possible because he wants me to be fully healed from yesterday's op.
So it is recovery again. I can't lift my left leg myself at the moment, I need to use the leg lifter gadget. Despite all the padding around my leg it looks and feels very swollen so I'm staying in bed today and only getting up for the bathroom. I can fully weight bear but as before I need my crutches all the time, I can't walk without them. I don't think ice with have any effect with all the padding on it and brace on top of that. My heels are sore today, they weren't very well looked after yesterday.
Let's hope they find the cause of the problem this time. It is a long wait again. Life feels on hold as it has since the beginning of this saga.
Leg very sore. He didn't do an aspiration, I got antibiotics in the anaesthetic room so questioned it then. I guess he has decided it isn't an infection after all. Tissue samples are going this time to a top notch Consultant Histopathologist with a specialisation in Osteoarticular Pathology. Bad news is that in theatre he said come back in 3 weeks for the results, in reality the oppointment has come back at just over 4 weeks. Why does this always happen? He also said it would be about 8 weeks before I could have a new knee if it is possible because he wants me to be fully healed from yesterday's op.
So it is recovery again. I can't lift my left leg myself at the moment, I need to use the leg lifter gadget. Despite all the padding around my leg it looks and feels very swollen so I'm staying in bed today and only getting up for the bathroom. I can fully weight bear but as before I need my crutches all the time, I can't walk without them. I don't think ice with have any effect with all the padding on it and brace on top of that. My heels are sore today, they weren't very well looked after yesterday.
Let's hope they find the cause of the problem this time. It is a long wait again. Life feels on hold as it has since the beginning of this saga.
spinfanatic
junior member
Oh Lizzie! I am so sorry you don't have the magical answer yet. I had hoped while in theatre with the full attention of docs you'd be home today with game plan in place. So patience is your best friend now. Don't know how you find it but I will be thinking of you during my many hours on CPM machine and praying you are comfortable and your docs get you answers and a date for your new knee. I'm glad you got to see your Mum last week. Now it's all about you. Try to stay confident and keep on advocating for yourself. You have a friend on the other side of the pond!
Coppernob
graduate
Once again I'm at a loss to know what to say. I'm glad you didn't have to stay in overnight but so sorry that you've got to go through the recovery and the waiting all over again. Let's hope the top man can eventually come up with the right answers.
I'm glad you got to visit your mother, even though it means you're now a member of the ODIC. All the best people are! I thought I was prepared for mum's death, but it has still hit me hard. Her funeral isn't until next Tuesday so there's still a while to wait, and my brother and sister in law aren't being the easiest people to work with. But enough of my moans.
Today is my granddaughter's 4th birthday and she requested a princess cake so I'd better go and finish decorating it ready for her tea party.
You are in my thoughts and prayers. Linda x
I'm glad you got to visit your mother, even though it means you're now a member of the ODIC. All the best people are! I thought I was prepared for mum's death, but it has still hit me hard. Her funeral isn't until next Tuesday so there's still a while to wait, and my brother and sister in law aren't being the easiest people to work with. But enough of my moans.
Today is my granddaughter's 4th birthday and she requested a princess cake so I'd better go and finish decorating it ready for her tea party.
You are in my thoughts and prayers. Linda x
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busylizzie
post-grad
Thanks @spinfanatic I thought I'd be following you soon. As my husband said, the surgeon wants to get it right this time and if it has to be this timeframe so be it, don't rush it. I agree I don't want many more surgeries on this knee so I guess I must be patient and wait. I just don't like being told one timing by the surgeon and the appointment coming through for a later date. Getting the results a week late will probably have no impact now on the surgery date if he goes ahead with stage 2. He has said I have to wait 8 weeks to let it heal. It seems strange it has to heal for him to go in the same excision again.
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busylizzie
post-grad
Thanks @Coppernob. My grandaughter was 3 last month and wanted a Tinkerbell cake. Her mum made her a lovely one. They are lovely at that age and cheer you up with their visits. She has been round today and is just about to go home. She has been downstairs with grandad most of the time so I can rest. Hope the birthday party goes well. I missed my grandson's birthday party when I was in hospital last November.
It sounds as if my tissue sample is going to the right place and if I am going to get answers, I will from there.
I will be thinking of you next Tuesday. Will it be an overnight stay as it is quite a distance to travel? Take care
It sounds as if my tissue sample is going to the right place and if I am going to get answers, I will from there.
I will be thinking of you next Tuesday. Will it be an overnight stay as it is quite a distance to travel? Take care
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busylizzie
post-grad
I've got up, dressed and come downstairs this afternoon. I had to loosen off the crepe bandage and padding last night as it was far too tight. The pain subsided a little after doing that. It has got better today, and is OK until I have to move it. I can take the bandaging off tomorrow and have a shower. I'll just have a small waterproof dressing and my brace then. I have absorbable stitches and steristrips.
scaredinCA
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busylizzie, reading your thread is like reading a mystery book. You have so many things going on at once in your body thats its amazing to me. And wondering what could be causing all your problems is the big mystery! If I were a doctor I wouldn't know where to start with you. I pray that you get relief soon.
spinfanatic
junior member
Hey Lizzie. How are you today? I do not understand why a diagnostic procedure has to be so invasive. Thinking of you!
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busylizzie
post-grad
Hi spinfanatic how are you doing it's day 7 today for you?
I am getting better by the day. I had a shower today. The dressing on my knee I was told was waterproof. It was a good job I looked at it first and discovered it was micropore tape and not waterproof. I put a tegaderm dressing on top so it was OK. I've been up all day but elevating my leg. I've managed the stairs 3x today, only once yesterday. The pain now isn't much worse than before the surgery on Monday. I'm on the same painkillers now as before.The swelling and warmth isn't bad and nowhere as bad as it has been recently. Its puzzling to why, I would have thought it would have been worse. I have had a few nerve twinges this afternoon in my leg I guess it is because it has been disturbed.
I'm still surprised how invasive taking the tissue sample was. I've had lots of patch tests in the past. They wouldn't do any LTT, they don't seem to have much faith in them. Kept telling me just because I tested positive to the patch tests it didn't mean that I would be necessarily allergic to the substance if it was in my body. But they didn't want to risk putting a cobalt chrome knee in. I'm hoping the surgeon might get in touch straight away if he gets some results and not make me wait until March 12. He probably doesn't know about the delay in getting the appointment.
How did they decide that it was the cobalt chrome knee that was giving you problems? What symptoms did you have? I really hope the oxinium knee works for you. You should be well on the road to recovery before I may be able to join you.
I am getting better by the day. I had a shower today. The dressing on my knee I was told was waterproof. It was a good job I looked at it first and discovered it was micropore tape and not waterproof. I put a tegaderm dressing on top so it was OK. I've been up all day but elevating my leg. I've managed the stairs 3x today, only once yesterday. The pain now isn't much worse than before the surgery on Monday. I'm on the same painkillers now as before.The swelling and warmth isn't bad and nowhere as bad as it has been recently. Its puzzling to why, I would have thought it would have been worse. I have had a few nerve twinges this afternoon in my leg I guess it is because it has been disturbed.
I'm still surprised how invasive taking the tissue sample was. I've had lots of patch tests in the past. They wouldn't do any LTT, they don't seem to have much faith in them. Kept telling me just because I tested positive to the patch tests it didn't mean that I would be necessarily allergic to the substance if it was in my body. But they didn't want to risk putting a cobalt chrome knee in. I'm hoping the surgeon might get in touch straight away if he gets some results and not make me wait until March 12. He probably doesn't know about the delay in getting the appointment.
How did they decide that it was the cobalt chrome knee that was giving you problems? What symptoms did you have? I really hope the oxinium knee works for you. You should be well on the road to recovery before I may be able to join you.
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busylizzie
post-grad
scaredinCA thanks for your prayers. Most the problems I have started in the last 10 to 15 years, I was relatively healthy before that. I was a gymnastic coach for 10 years whilst holding down an almost full time job. Hill walker and hiker, keen gardener and DIYer. In my younger days I played hockey seriously, track and field including cross country, basketball, netball, cycled and was fit, in fact I would try most things. Nowadays a walk around the garden on crutches is impossible some days. I guess that is why I get fustrated sometimes now.
My mum has knee problems but refused to have a TKR years ago, so I guessed that I would be likely to get oesteoarthritis. My brother is superfit and is currently cycling the Ho Chi Minh trail and he is older than me.
Nobody knows why our body develops problems but some of them must be connected to our genes. Some of mine are related to autoimmune diseases. I despair what is going to happen next. I see my specialist gastro next week. In the past when I've told him about the escalating drug sensitivities he says with my problems it is par for the course. He is a really nice caring man who fully understands me and always has time for me although I'm on pallative care with him. He is always running late but he doesn't scimp on the time he gives you. The nurses are often waiting ready to close up the clinic but he won't give up until he has seem everybody.
My mum has knee problems but refused to have a TKR years ago, so I guessed that I would be likely to get oesteoarthritis. My brother is superfit and is currently cycling the Ho Chi Minh trail and he is older than me.
Nobody knows why our body develops problems but some of them must be connected to our genes. Some of mine are related to autoimmune diseases. I despair what is going to happen next. I see my specialist gastro next week. In the past when I've told him about the escalating drug sensitivities he says with my problems it is par for the course. He is a really nice caring man who fully understands me and always has time for me although I'm on pallative care with him. He is always running late but he doesn't scimp on the time he gives you. The nurses are often waiting ready to close up the clinic but he won't give up until he has seem everybody.
Coppernob
graduate
Good to hear you had a bit better day yesterday. Hope you continue to improve as your wait continues.
If only life was as simple as down to Norfolk and back again! My nephew is getting married in Hove tomorrow so, weather permitting, we're there. Then we go to Paul's sister in Ipswich. Late on Monday night my daughter arrives from Italy so we pick her up and go back to Ipswich. Tuesday morning we drive to Kings Lynn for the funeral. When that's all over, which won't be till late afternoon as there's a private cremation, then a thanksgiving service at the church that mum was a member of for over 30 years and then a 'bun fight', we drive to Stansted for an overnight stay so that Sarah can get an early flight back to Italy on Wednesday. (She has to be back to take a lesson in the afternoon which couldn't be changed.) Then we come home for a rest!
Continuing thoughts and prayers for you. Linda x
If only life was as simple as down to Norfolk and back again! My nephew is getting married in Hove tomorrow so, weather permitting, we're there. Then we go to Paul's sister in Ipswich. Late on Monday night my daughter arrives from Italy so we pick her up and go back to Ipswich. Tuesday morning we drive to Kings Lynn for the funeral. When that's all over, which won't be till late afternoon as there's a private cremation, then a thanksgiving service at the church that mum was a member of for over 30 years and then a 'bun fight', we drive to Stansted for an overnight stay so that Sarah can get an early flight back to Italy on Wednesday. (She has to be back to take a lesson in the afternoon which couldn't be changed.) Then we come home for a rest!
Continuing thoughts and prayers for you. Linda x
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busylizzie
post-grad
spinfanatic
junior member
Hi Lizzie. Thanks for thinking of me. First week as expected. Activity limited to CPM, eating, sleeping and crazy pain meds. One thing for sure, second time around, although frustrating, is a lot easier. I am pretty certain this knee is going to take a little longer to heal but I'm okay with that. Quads are very sleepy! Incision is crazy long and ugly! Good news is that I got released to outpatient PT to start next week and very much looking forward to gentle massage and stim that in house folks don't offer. As for testing my original surgeon after over 3000 TKRs had never sent any of his patients for allergy testing before me. He was not familiar with LLT and sent me for patch testing. Patch testing was very positive for cobalt and nickel. The revision specialist who is very familiar with metal allergy reactions was very impressed that after a month I still had a blistery rash where nickel and cobalt patches placed. He said very firmly that he believes in patch testing results over LLT and given my patch test results that this is the 'real thing'. I am ever hopeful that my body accepts this new Oxinium knee but recognize there is no guarantee. But all in all glad to be moving forward! I hope your docs anticipate your scheduled appointment and come up with strategy. Your husband is right that after all this time and frustration what's a few more weeks and how important it is to get it right. Fingers crossed you get the green light soon. Anne
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busylizzie
post-grad
I thought I was doing too well. Yesterday the pain and swelling and warmth went up a notch. I didn't do anything to trigger it. I hope it goes down soon. It woke me up and kept me awake last night. Same as last time the brace got very tight. I'm still tracking my body temp and girth of my leg. I've still over 3 weeks to wait until I go back for the results. I just have to hang in there I need the results! Don't know what to do if they don't show up anything again.
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Hope your swelling and warmth has gone down, frustrating, but you are only 6 days out from your surgery. The knee is still boss. Hang in there waiting for the results.
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busylizzie
post-grad
As if things couldn't get any worse, last night just after I went to bed I must have somehow twisted my leg even though it was in the brace. It has been painful since around the spacer, so much so I've been crying out all day in pain when I move and sometimes when I just lay still. I don't know what I did.
To top this I read my appointment letter for the test results to find it wasn't with my surgeon but his fellow. This was the first I knew of it. Why didn't they tell me before I left hospital. I rang appointments to try and get it changed but was told my surgeon wouldn't be in clinic until the second week in April and I was best keeping the 12 March appointment with the fellow as it was better than nothing. I said I would need to discuss the results with the surgeon before the decision on the way forward was made. They suggested getting in touch with his secretary and seeing what could be done. If the tests come back OK I was supposed to be having surgery 8 weeks after the 10 Feb to replace the knee, I can't see this happening now. I've rung and I'm waiting for a reply after she has got in touch with him. Why does it always happen with me, you can almost predict that something like this will happen.
The only positive note is that I saw my gastro yesterday and he is going to write an open letter about what to do about my bowels when they don't work. Also give his contact details so he can be consulted. So at least I shouldn't go through the bowel blockage again on my next surgery. They wouldn't listen to me last time and told me to chill out even when they were blocked.
To top this I read my appointment letter for the test results to find it wasn't with my surgeon but his fellow. This was the first I knew of it. Why didn't they tell me before I left hospital. I rang appointments to try and get it changed but was told my surgeon wouldn't be in clinic until the second week in April and I was best keeping the 12 March appointment with the fellow as it was better than nothing. I said I would need to discuss the results with the surgeon before the decision on the way forward was made. They suggested getting in touch with his secretary and seeing what could be done. If the tests come back OK I was supposed to be having surgery 8 weeks after the 10 Feb to replace the knee, I can't see this happening now. I've rung and I'm waiting for a reply after she has got in touch with him. Why does it always happen with me, you can almost predict that something like this will happen.
The only positive note is that I saw my gastro yesterday and he is going to write an open letter about what to do about my bowels when they don't work. Also give his contact details so he can be consulted. So at least I shouldn't go through the bowel blockage again on my next surgery. They wouldn't listen to me last time and told me to chill out even when they were blocked.
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Sorry to hear of your frustrations with the OS offices, at least you will have our results by March 12th.Be sure to Rest, Ice, Elevate, and Medicate that sore knee.
I think those of us with challenges feel this way
.Hope you knee settles down and feels better soon.
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