@Jamie I found one in Charleston
Can I say his name or do you want me to PM you?
@Irish471 thank you so much for your kind words. I am sorry to hear what you have been through also. It is very discouraging. It has taken a HUGE emotional toll on me (as well as physical, obviously).
I actually did see a therapist for a while. She wanted to put me on anti-depressants but I just wanted to try talking with her first. She said it is absolutely understandable to be anxious/depressed when you feel like your life has been taken away from you like it has me.
I wake up thinking about my knees, go to bed thinking about them... lost my employment over them, make decisions based on them.. they literally RUN MY LIFE... and NOT in a good way :(
I didn't ever feel like I had CRPS. My diagnosis was "possible CRPS" because I had some of the symptoms but not all of them. I didn't have the MOST common ones, ie... the sweating, weird hair growth, allodynia, pain shooting randomly, no numbness, etc.. My pain was all localized in the knee.. redness, swelling and hot. Obviously, it was hot because it was in an inflammatory state and was trying to heal and it couldn't. No big surprise there.
Since then, I have had the PFJR, 3 radio-frequency ablations, the OATS, injections, etc and never had any type of "flare up" so I think sometimes that surgeons refer you to a pain specialist when you still have pain that they don't know what to do with. Which is OK, but then the pain docs also want to put a label on you because no one is sure. I mean, I know CRPS is a legitimate diagnosis obviously, it's just that I don't think I ever had it. It's just super frustrating.
So, you are scheduled for your surgery March 18th? Did you decide to go for the full replacement then? It's def a very individual decision and I am glad you have a surgeon in whom you feel confident and you can trust! That is super important!!
So... UPDATE:
I saw a revision specialist here in SC. They recommend TKRs on both knees.
I don't know whether to feel relieved or terrified. So, I definitely feel BOTH!
He told me I absolutely need a revision to a TKR on the right, and because the left only has the arthritis under the patella right now, it is up to me if I want a partial or just go for the total. I don't want another partial. I just broke down in the office... I was feeling so many mixed emotions... I don't know what to feel. I am somewhat still in shock. I went in there just hoping they would give me some advise and get some fresh eyes and they looked at the MRI, Xrays, did an assessment, etc.. and told ME what I needed. IDK.. this might be an end to a very long battle but I'm super nervous.
I just got a call about an hour ago and they told me that being that I am in good health, the doc doesn't see any reason not to do both at the same time!!! YIKES.
So... next Wed, I will get an official date. They said it will be sometime in April.
Once this is official... can I make a post in the pre-op area and start a new thread or do I keep this one going?