Good evening, hope everyone is well....
Ive not been around for quite a while, so many of you probbly dont know me. Quick history - First TKR March 2015 age 48, Left TKR 7 months later at 49. Around 4 or 5 months after the right one was done, I started to get a different sort of pain in that leg/knee, which intentified more and more, to the point where I sometimes couldnt lift my leg without squeaing.....cue months of investigations, blood tests, x-rays, ultrasounds and bone scans, and finally I was diagnosed with premature loosening of the prosthetic joint.
Had to undergo an aspiration to make sure that there was no infection in situ - good news was NO INFECTION!! Apparantly an Aseptic loosening generally has no explanation or particular cause....
Which still leaves me in the position of needing a revision replacement of the right knee. my original Surgeon (who has been out of the picture for a ;ittle while as he has had to have a hip replacement, talk about physician heal thyself!!) doesnt feel that he is the right guy to do the revision, as he hasnt done many revisions and not for a while, so Ive been referred to a new surgeon. Im told that he has a particular interest in Revisions..... I get to meet him on December 6th, 2 years almost to the day since I was placed on the Surgical waiting list the first time round....
SO thats me. Ive not been around for a while as Ive not been in a particularly good place......Ive been finding it extremely hard to come to terms with the fact Ive got to have a 3rd surgery, and a more complex one at that.....its already taken 2 years out of my life, and Ive still got a good way to go yet......BUT Im getting there. Ive had some help from my GP (I dont know what Id have done without her to be honest) and I can now talk about whats happening without bursting into tears....
Sorry Ive gone on a bit, I always say its going to be a quick post.....
Hi Terri,
Sorry to hear of all your troubles. How did they diagnose the loosening definitively? By ruling everything else out? Or did they see it on an x-Ray?
Michelle
Hey Terri, I hear u. This surgery is not for the faint of heart if po therapy doesn't go well. I'm 8 months in, still have some knee pain but now especially going from inner knee up through inner thigh and some times up the back of thigh as well. Some in our knee group have suggested it may be a pinched nerve, muscular or nerve damage. I just don't know , I do know I do everything I'm suppose to do as far as exercise etc etc. I've been laying low for last few days. But going back to exercise tomorrow in fear of locking up the knee??? 🤔🤔 seeing doc gp next week and will run this all by him and ask to get appropriate tests. After that I got appt. w surgeon dec 2. And will go with questions in hand. I have to say I do feel better then I did a few months ago, but this sore tinglely pain in the inner thigh is new and painful. My bend was never good only at about 100 at last measurement. Hoping it's better at next measuring 😏🤔. Now that my head is clearer I'm up for "war". I too need some answers like yourself. Never give up, best of healing to you (I too end up going on and on, sorry), 🌬🌬 🍀🍀 👼👼, kathy p
Hi Terri!
TRY to think of your upcoming surgery as you probably did your first and second TKRs ---"Can't wait to get things FIXED!"
Some people NEVER have to get "repaired" yet they have other issues that are chronic like IBS or diabetes or psoriasis that are very menacing, uncomfortable, and just plain nasty to have to deal with!😲 It's all different stages of ROUGH!
I know how I felt having to have both knees replaced (June and October 2015). I KNEW I had to get my head in the right place before ANY surgery. I decided to focus ONLY on how good I would feel once I had my surgery and recovery was underway.
With all that said, I am sending prayers your way tonight for strength, for calm, and for JOY that you WILL get repaired and will eventually be on the mend!💝
Contact me anytime.
Allow yourself to vent ANYTIME!
Everyone here has experienced frustration at times and will relate!😊
Hi! Sorry to hear about your issues. I am going through something similar, thought I would share my thoughts. I had a TKR on my left ten years ago. This past June, jumping on a trampoline with class I work in, seemed to have brought on these "attacks". I can't put weight on it either when these attacks happen. Usually have an attack once a week. My knee swells up and I am in agony....absolute agony. Usually end up i bed keeping it up for 12 hours...then with the help of a cane, slowly improve to a point where I can move around better.
Anyways, I finally got in to see my surgeon, who told me right away at that visit that I will need revision surgery (they took regular xrays) and that one of his colleagues specializes in revisions and that he would like to send me to him. My original surgeon who did the replacement lives in another province, since we moved three years ago. I got this new surgeon because I will need my right need replaced within the next year. But I absolutely have no issue being sent to a revision doctor, it can be quite "complicated", he said, and I would prefer to have someone who knew what he was doing. I guess my original kneecap was left and it is arthritic and he said that is contributing to my pain. He said something also that the tissue came away from the replacement. He said that trampolining probably wasn't a good idea and quickened this revision process.
I saw the revision specialist two weeks ago. He wants to do the an aspiration, as well, wants to rule out infection before doing the revision. Because these attacks are so brutal and affect my whole leg and back, he wants to freeze the knee at the same appointment...so, if there is no pain, he will know it is the knee, and not sourced from the back. I think this is a great idea! He did ask me to get my knee as aggravated as possible on the day of the test....which I can't predict. Sometimes the attack happens first thing in the morning...so it isn't necessarily brought on by activity.
Funny thing is, the last two weeks I have not had an attack...and not needing the cane. My knee is sore and it will need surgery, I'm sure. But I am enjoying not having them, that's for sure.
I am also very frustrated, because I am already preparing myself mentally for a right TKR, now two surgeries. The revision doctor said that he always takes out the kneecap....and replaces with a "button". Says it is four extra minutes in the OR. 
Hang in there.
Jeanette
Very encouraging post, Thanks Terri! Good points! You are right, once things are fixed, life with be better. I am encouraged that you had your replacements within four months of each other...I think I would choose to do that as well.
Jeanette
Hi Michelle
They basically used all the evidence gathered: the bloods and aspiration were clear so that ruled out infection, ultrasound showed no soft tissue damage, x-rays showed no misalignment but it DID show a "line" where the Tibial component sits, which may have indicated loosening, and that was confirmed by the bone scan which showed uptake of Radioactive material in the same place - the uptake means that there is activity in and around the bone suggestive of new growth trying to form.
I'd find the whole process fascinating if it wasn't happening to me!
Terri .....good to see your name again but sorry you are still fighting the battle. As all of us that has been through the multiple surgery stuff knows, it doesnt get any easier just because we have experience but each time is one step closer to the end. Now that I've got my 3rd one on the left side I'm once again convinced its getting me back to being as good as I will get and the pain lessens all the time. Like my surgeon told me, each one takes a little longer just because of additional cut and paste procedures but it does improve. A lot of new names on here since you left but all will the great sense of family and helping. Keep up the good attitude but don't be afraid to let down the brave front and have that good healthy cry when you need it. It's still therapeutic.
Hey there Cheryl, I wondered if you'd still be on here! Great to hear from you! I remember your posts have almost always been uplifting and supportive, even when you've been having tough times yourself.
Wasn't it you who likened your leg to a treetrunk filled with cement?! Oh the good old days!
I hear what you say about having your head in the right place prior to surgery, I was incredibly positive last time but I told them that I needed a little extra time to prepare myself mentally for this one.
Thanks for your good wishes, it means a lot xx
Hello Terri - your story and mine are the same, 2 years ago i had a total knee on the right side and now hardware is loose and going into revision in 2 weeks, i am 53 years old and this is surgery number 4 on that knee. Good luck to you and try and keep your spirits up i know it is hard. Please keep me posted
It IS fascinating, but yes, sorry this is happening to you. Take care, and keep us posted.
Hi Terri, Here is my case. TKR right leg 3 years ago in Sweden. 3 months later implant infection 2 deep clesnings in Stockholm. One here in Bangkok where I live. My doc wants to do a revision " gold standard ". It's a big operation. I don't want to go through that now. I am 67 and I enjoy my work and I want to carry on for the time being. Driving. No walking without forearm crutches. My work: automotive editor. The annoying TKR infection flares up occasionally, pus oozing out. Daily cleaning & change of gauze. Pain & stiffness? Yes! Medication? Tramadol 25 mg - 50 mg per day. Especially, when walking in the big shopping malls with an excruciating hip pain. Additional bonus! A part from all that I have great appetite and I sleep well every night. Finally, there seems to be a lot of post-op TKR pain & suffering around the world. Hang in there - Good luck Bangkok-Johnnie
Your journey through this has been very long , I hope finally you are getting through this.
Regards
I'm sure They have given you the rationale for doing it. The infection can get in the organs and be a very painful end of life. I was told the staph I had could be fatal and it wouldn't be a pleasant finality. Go to mayo clinic web site after you get the actual name of the infection. There you can get honest, legit and timely answers. Good luck
Hi there t, I agree w ofg, get the infection under control , best of health to u, k p
Yep! DEFINITELY had a tree trunk filled with cement (left leg!) That's GREAT for you to remember that!😊
Timing seems to be EVERYTHING! I visited my surgeon last month for my one-year check-up on RIGHT KNEE. My surgeon shared with me that HE was FINALLY getting his right knee replaced! He just couldn't take it anymore! We all reach the point when pain and discomfort finally WINS and we just can't stand it anymore!
Your time will arrive. I will be thinking of you and stand right there with you in solidarity against PAIN!😊