Bad Knee Replacement Results

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Oh My, Nora, you have the same knee story I have! I want my old knees and arthrities back! It wasnt as painful! I had both knees done and had to retire from my job because of this! Is there any recalls? I had wright implants. Iam just about 3 years out with 24/7 pain still! Iam also 54!

Roberta2008,
I saw that you mentioned the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Did you go there? I was looking at their website the other day and it looked so promising. I live in Texas, unfortunately.
luvsrail

Nora,
I am new to this forum and I was reading about your ordeal in 2005. How are you now? What else has had to happen? I am in a similar situation with my knee and facing more surgeries. I have a staph infected right TKR going on 2 1/2 years now and take 1000 mg of Dicloxicillin a day to hold the staph at bay. I am now having to face doing something to my left knee as it is shot also. I'm a little gun shy right now.
I would be happy to hear what has happened to your situation.
Becky (Luvsrail)

Hi Tammy,
how did your 3rd replacement turn out? I met a lady in PT who has had 4 replacements in 6 years on the same knee and still having problems. Did you ever find a site about faulty components?

Bev

All the doctors at Hospital For Special Surgery in New York City accept Medicare which really surprised and pleased me. They have an excellent staff of surgeons.

Roberta

Thank you for the encouragement.
Sandra49

Hi,
I have been reading this forum and I am scared to death. For the last 10 years I have had severe arthritis. I have had Synvisc, and many cortisone injections. Both of my knees are bone on bone. I had a bone scan in October and a Orthopedist told me I needed surgery on both knees. I went to another Orthopedist three weeks ago and he agrees, but wants me to pick a knee and only do one at a time. I am very stiff and in pain, but from reading this forum, I am not sure surgery will help me. I am 49 years old. I know that working as a shipping clerk, a rural carrier for the US Postal Service, and helping my husband on the farm are responsible for my bad knees. I have depression, carpel tunnel,and narcolepsy to contend with besides my arthritis. I get a lot of infections (sinus, ear, etc.). That is a serious concern, because infection is drawn to metal in your body (so I've been told). My husband will not help me make a decision about surgery. He just says that he would not want it done on him. If I thought I could get disability without waiting years, I would not attempt the surgery and just try to stay off my feet as much as possible. The problem is: I owe, I owe, so it's off to work I go. I am endangering everyone on the interstate in the afternoons, because my medication is ineffective late in the day and I fall asleep at the wheel. That is a problem that will continue even if I have successful knee surgery. I believe my doctor is the best choice for an Orthopedic surgeon, but he can't promise me anything. I am a teacher now and it is difficult to walk. Field trips are real hard. I can barely get on the bus. I have been trying to find numbers on how many surgeries are unsuccessful and any factors that might increase the chances of TKR being unsuccessful. This forum is the first place I have found mention of unsuccessful TKR. I would appreciate any advice or words of wisdom.
Sandra49

I am writing on behalf of my mother. She had bilateral total knee replacements a year ago and has never been without pain. She is going under again for revision and polyethylene exchange next week. I have been told her manufacturer has had several recalls. Does anyone know anything about this" She had a ZImmer total knee and Stryker homedics parts. I have read horror stories. Please , I hope I find someone to lead us in the right direction as to what to do about all these companies making bad parts . Thank You

Just wondering how everyone is doing. I'm still in therapy, but it's not improving anything as far as the extension goes. I have went to another ortho. doc and he tells me that he has some opyions for me and for me not to give up.
I have another appointment with him in a few weeks. I do have some concerns about having any more surgery. It just seems the more they do, the worse it gets.
But, at 55-years old, I don't want to limp around and be in pain 7/24.
Hope someone here has some good news to relay.
Suzie

<<<I am living off the profits of a house I just sold but will be broke before I feel like going back to work. Did anyone else have this problem going back to work? Also, did anyone else have an epidural instead of full anestesia? I had an epidural and a little loopy medicine but heard a LOT of hammering! The epidural was left in for three days and had no pain at least for those days>>>

Oh My Gosh, The more I read ....the more it seems like we all have some things in common. Due to running out of FMLA, I had to return to work in 28-days. Now, I'm only getting like 8 or 16 hours a pay period. I had my surgery on August 31,2005. I'm still having therapy three times a week. Thank Goodness, my insurance allows 60- therapy visits a year with no co-pay or I would have been sitting on the side of the road with a tin can to pay for them.

Speaking of epidurals, that's what I started out with, but I was alergic to the adrenaline(sp) and had to have 4 shots of something to counteract it. But, they took me on to surgery and in the middle had to put me out, due to me trying to reach for the tourniquet.

Today, I still don't have full extension, my bending is getting worse. The therapy, the Dyna-Splint and home therapy doesn't seem to help at all. Like most, I can't pull myself up from a sitting postion without holding on to something.

My doctor only say's, you will get to feeling better sooner or later. That's very heartening to hear after 3+ months.

I have to agree about the pain, it's not like at first, but it's a constant aching that never goes away.

I did have a bone scan last week and it showed a lot of activity at each end of replacemet. Plus, my left ankle has activity, the doctor said due to shifting my weight from the right knee.

OMGosh, it's Christmas time, I wish all of you a wonderful painfree time through the Holidays and all through the year.

Suzie

Hi Suzie,
This procedure entails being put to sleep and having your knee gently bent to tear or break loose the scar tissue. This is usually done to improve flexion, not sure how much it will help with extension. It is an out-patient procedure and I walked out about an hour after the procedure. Good luck!

Patty

I'm trying to remember if this is the Forum that I joined earlier in the year, if so, please forgive me. I am 54 years-old. Like most of you, I am very depressed with my TKR.
I have arthritis. But, along with that, I twisted my knee and after a MRI, it showed I had a lot of damage. The first Ortho. told me from the beginning, that he would only give me a 60 % chance of a Arthroscope helping. I opted for this, but within a month or two, I was limping very badly. It was a bad time at work and I kept at it for about 5 months, limping the whole way. Finally when I was in so much pain and was dragging my leg around, I gave up.
On August 31, 2005.....I had the TKR to my right knee.
Looking back, I made some terrible errors. I had 15 minutes of patient education for this surgery ( MISTAKE # 1 ). MISTAKE # 2, I had a home-health physical therapist. He had a great personality and made my husband and I laugh. This lasted two weeks. During the first months, I cried and wailed with pain.....medication, even doubled didn't help. Then, on the third week, I finally made it to a good therapist. This has lasted for 3 months. My extension is horrible. I've worn a Dyna-Splint for 8 - hours a day, which hasn't helped at all. I can go up steps pretty good, but have to go down them side ways, one step at a time.
The last time I went to my Doctor, he simply stated " Oh this will get better ." I go back the first of January.
I can appreciate everyone's story, except it seems like we have no answer.
Each time I go for therapy now, the therapist does the manual pushing and I've learned not to yell. I take two pain pills before going.
Now, I have fallen at work ( made things really good with my supervisor ). Since, I was on light duty due to the TKR, Workman's Comp, will not pay for the hours that my Dept. does not have for me. I just went to the WC doctor yesterday and he was so horrible. I went to the therapist this morning and she thinks I have a torn muscle in my left shoulder area. So, from the fall, I have injured my left knee ( MRI scheduled for the 14th. ), something is going on with my lower spine. So, the doctor has ordered a Bone Scan.
I guess I should be thankful, my health insurance allows 60 visits per year. The WC is picking everything up for the other therapy & MRI & Bone Scan.
Thanks for listening. I'm asking Santa for a whole new body for Christmas.
Wishing all of you less pain and more comfortable movements for the new year.
Suzie from Tennessee

Hey everybody! I posted earlier to this thread when I was miserable and facing the last possible solution to my infected knee. After that I had been told I would get infected again eventually and be faced with amputation. Talk about being scared! I'm 52 and refused to settle for that prognosis, so I contacted the Mayo Clinic. My experiences there have been nothing short of WONDERFUL! They really have lived up to their reputation for being the best! They accept Medicare and any other insurance you may have which was absolutely necessary for us to afford to go. Surprisingly, their rates are very low for any proceedurel Seldom did we ever have to wait more than 5 minutes to be x-rayed, blood tests and get in to see the doctor. How odd is that!

On Aug. 16 I had surgery to remove my infected prosthesis and a spacer was put between my bones to keep them taunt. Then, a full leg cast was put on - something I was worried about because I am so ungraceful. But, my surgeon assured me that it would protect my leg and the soft tissues making it a better choice than a splint. The antibiotic they used was a new one on the market that kills staph and all forms of drug resistant staph and also the second infection I had, endococcus. It only took two weeks on this medication IV and I started feeling better than I have in YEARS! It has been another month now off the IV med. and I'm still wake up every morning thankful for good health.

On Nov. 16 I will have my new knee put in and I can't wait. The way I have it figured, the implant will be a huge success as well......and I will have my life back for the first time in seven years!!!! I highly recommend the Mayo Clinic if you refuse to put up with the poor quality of life faceed by so many of us.
Look them up at www.mayoclinic.org Good luck to those of you who are able to go....it will change everything!

Becky

Hi Nora,

Sorry to hear about the problems with your knee - just thought I might share my experience with you in the hope that it might help.

I'm 55 years old and have always been fit and active, but lived with severe arthritic pain in my knee since 1987. It was caused by having a cartilage removed in 1973 during my rugby career, and I guess that running 13 marathons and 1000's of miles in training caused the inevitable!!. I needed 14 operations on the knee to keep it going including a femoral osteotomy and two open knee debridements. The net result in attempting to keep the knee going was a drastic reduction in my range of movement - just 78 degree of bend and it was impossible to straighten my leg.

I had my TKR in June of this year, and the surgeon had to dissect a great deal of scar tissue before he could actually replace the knee. It has been very tough since the operation to get a respectable amount of bend back because the quadriceps (thigh muscles) have shortened considerably as they haven't attained any degree of stretch since 1990. I have done the usual therapy sessions such as lunges etc and I managed to force a 95 degree bend through gritted teeth!!

What has helped tremendously over the past 5 weeks however, is going to see a sports masseur who has really worked on my quadriceps. After warming the knee and muscles up, she lies me on my left side, and hooks my right foot on her left hip. She puts one hand on my right hip to prevent displacement and supports my right knee with her other hand. She then moves to her left forcing my knee to bend and when she reaches resistance stops and then leans slightly for a count of 15. After relaxing, she then drops my knee slightly and repeats the exercise so as to stretch another part of the quads. Finally she repeats it by lifting my right knee slightly higher, again to stretch another part of the muscle. This process really helps and if you can get someone to do it at home, you may find that your knee will loosen up considerably. I can now bend my knee comfortably to 95 degrees and can walk downstairs properly for the first time in 15 years - and I can ride my bike for the first time since 1995!!

It is very tough especially if you have had a restricted range of movement. Standing in one spot causes me swelling and discomfort, but I find when I get on the exercise bike, rowing machine and cross trainer for an exercise session, this swelling soon disappears.

I do hope this advice helps - please contact me if you need more information.

Best of luck

Wyn

Nora,

I'm sorry to hear of all your problems with your TKR as I've been there, done that, and I'm still having problems.

My name is Susan and I live in Michigan and I'm 52 years old. I had my right knee totally replaced August 31, 2004 and I still have very little ROM and my extension is terrible.

I have just recently gone to see another doctor and unfortunately he tells my husband and me that the window of opportunity has passed to really achieve any significant progress but he is willing to take me back to surgery and cut the ligament to get me some ROM and extension, he makes no promises of anything.

I have gone through depression and I still am. I went as far as obtaining a Ultra Flex Splint and started visiting with an Orthotist to see if we couldn't get extension and then we would work on my ROM. Well this doctor said that it has been a waste of my time. He said it isn't going to happen with this splint.

If anyone reads this, I am now wondering if anyone has tried going to a Chiropractor or done deep muscle therapy? Have you tried these Nora? I'm willing at this point in time, to try anything. I want my life back as I knew it before the surgery, it has been almost a year now. I'm not willing to take pain medication the rest of my life. I'm certainly not willing to walk with a cane the rest of my life either.

I hope that you read this Nora and I hope to hear from you. Please write to me at susan71353@sbcglobal.net if you feel like it.

Hang in there, don't give up. Maybe we can help each other out.

Susan

I had a knee replacement in March 2004 and then a knee manipulation under anesthesia in Sept 2004. I continued to have pain so I had a biopsy and it showed chronic synovitis. They were looking for plastic particles but found none. I still have swelling and pain. A revision was suggested but I feel like you do. Are they Kidding. I found that surgery was horrendous and recovery took forever. Good Luck

I sure hate hearing that you are having such problems! Beware doing too much to that knee because it seems one surgery leads to another sometimes. I have had nine surgeries so far including a new knee after it becoming infected and being taken out. Then, my kneecap was messed up and had to come off. Now, I have another infection which will mean my LAST new knee because the bone won't support anymore surgeries after this one. Then, its the unspeakable. I have been hurting since Jan., 1999 when I fell and twisted my knee and to tell you the truth, being totally rid of the pain is tempting to me right now..... Becky