badguybuster
Member
My ex wife had both done. The recovery is pretty quick. Good luck
Total knee replacement... in 4 days
- Thread starter Capt Steve
- Start date
I have a friend who's had both replaced 2x, and he's no better off today than the day before either surgery. Good luck to you.
Steve, Hang in there and wait until the ortho surgeon looks at it. The ortho guy has probably seen this before and knows exactly what is going on. He will tell you what needs done to correct the problem. I am a COTA and it sounds to me like you are doing the right things as far as therapy. I have not seen anyone with complications such as you describe. Hopefully everything gets fixed and you get down the recovery road. My thoughts will be with you and I wish you the best. Oh by the way, sorry, I am no bathing beauty!
Actually, most women in the therapy field like to see us guys. We get to deal with the retired, ex gunny that listens to no woman! I usually have no problem with those guys either.
Actually, most women in the therapy field like to see us guys. We get to deal with the retired, ex gunny that listens to no woman! I usually have no problem with those guys either.
Oldiron
US Veteran
Steve, I hate to say it but there are some folks around here that have had to have the knee replacement redone because their body was rejecting the joint. The husband of one of the women my wife is in a quilt guild with in particular. Even then they had to put a pump on his new one once for swelling, it is doing well now. The VA told my B-I-L that he didn't need his knees replaced and after one trip to an orthopedic doc after he got on medicare he was told that he needed both knees replaced because he was actually splintering the joints from them rubbing bone on bone.
I am at 10 months with mine and other than some scar tissue I am still fighting I am doing great. Hope the new Doc has some help for you without further pain. Maybe you just need to have a pump on it for a few days.
Will keep you in my prayers,
Larry
I am at 10 months with mine and other than some scar tissue I am still fighting I am doing great. Hope the new Doc has some help for you without further pain. Maybe you just need to have a pump on it for a few days.
Will keep you in my prayers,
Larry
Modern medicine
Medicine has come a long, long way. Hope you have little pain and a lot of good luck.
Medicine has come a long, long way. Hope you have little pain and a lot of good luck.
charlie sherrill
Member
Had one done in 05, the other in 08. Both are doing fine and it's the best thing I've ever done.
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Capt Steve
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this just gets better and better....
We just got home from the VA where I got a second opinion on my knee from a different surgeon(I am 5.5 months down the road since the surgery). We had been telling my original surgeon for the last three months that I obviously have a serious infection given the swelling, very warm to the touch, high pain levels etc.. He kept saying no, it was not an infection but at the same time claimed he had no idea what could be wrong with my knee all the while acknowledging that "something" was wrong. My new surgeon, took one look at my knee, laid his hand on it and announced that I have a serious infection. He drew some fluid from my knee (oh that was fun), and sent me to the lab for blood work.
The bottom line is I go back to see him next Monday for the lab results.... and to schedule the surgeries (yes, as in more than one), to fix my knee. I asked him to call me this week when he got the lab results but he refused. He said that conversation is going to have to be face to face because "you are going to freak". Can't tell you how much I am looking forward to that little chat. Because the infection has been there for 3 months it will take at least that long to clear it up. Antibiotics just won't do it. I'll find out on Monday just how they go about it but he is anticipating two additional surgeries. First the new knee has to come out (as soon as possible), but they cannot put another new knee in until the infection is gone. So long as the infection is kept out of bloodstream I should be OK but if it gets in there I will be in serious trouble. They will replace the old "new Knee" with a "spacer" which will keep my leg straight and probably stiff as a board for three months while they clear out the infection. Once the infection is gone they can go back in, remove the spacer and do a whole new knee replacement. If I am really lucky it will only take about 6 months give or take a month. The last 6 months of pain and misery have all been for absolutely nothing!
Obviously our dream trip (May thru September across the western US in our travel trailer - which we'd been planning for 5 years), this summer has disappeared like a fart in the wind. With a little luck I may be up and around by October or November. Looks to be a long hot summer as I will be on crutches and or a walker for months. Just hoping for a decent Monsoon to pass the time.
Other than that.... Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?
We just got home from the VA where I got a second opinion on my knee from a different surgeon(I am 5.5 months down the road since the surgery). We had been telling my original surgeon for the last three months that I obviously have a serious infection given the swelling, very warm to the touch, high pain levels etc.. He kept saying no, it was not an infection but at the same time claimed he had no idea what could be wrong with my knee all the while acknowledging that "something" was wrong. My new surgeon, took one look at my knee, laid his hand on it and announced that I have a serious infection. He drew some fluid from my knee (oh that was fun), and sent me to the lab for blood work.
The bottom line is I go back to see him next Monday for the lab results.... and to schedule the surgeries (yes, as in more than one), to fix my knee. I asked him to call me this week when he got the lab results but he refused. He said that conversation is going to have to be face to face because "you are going to freak". Can't tell you how much I am looking forward to that little chat. Because the infection has been there for 3 months it will take at least that long to clear it up. Antibiotics just won't do it. I'll find out on Monday just how they go about it but he is anticipating two additional surgeries. First the new knee has to come out (as soon as possible), but they cannot put another new knee in until the infection is gone. So long as the infection is kept out of bloodstream I should be OK but if it gets in there I will be in serious trouble. They will replace the old "new Knee" with a "spacer" which will keep my leg straight and probably stiff as a board for three months while they clear out the infection. Once the infection is gone they can go back in, remove the spacer and do a whole new knee replacement. If I am really lucky it will only take about 6 months give or take a month. The last 6 months of pain and misery have all been for absolutely nothing!
Obviously our dream trip (May thru September across the western US in our travel trailer - which we'd been planning for 5 years), this summer has disappeared like a fart in the wind. With a little luck I may be up and around by October or November. Looks to be a long hot summer as I will be on crutches and or a walker for months. Just hoping for a decent Monsoon to pass the time.
Other than that.... Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?
doublesharp
Member
tough news. prayers sent for a speedy recovery.
CaptSteve, I just read through this whole saga.... What an incredibly unfortunate experience. Your first doctor, who couldn't figure out that you had an infection, sounds like an incompetent fool.
I think you should shoot him.
You've had a rough road behind you, and what sounds like an even tougher road ahead of you. Reading how you have handled it to date, though, I am really impressed. You are one tough guy.
Hang in there, bro, and keep up the reporting. Your grit is an inspiration to us all.
I think you should shoot him.
You've had a rough road behind you, and what sounds like an even tougher road ahead of you. Reading how you have handled it to date, though, I am really impressed. You are one tough guy.
Hang in there, bro, and keep up the reporting. Your grit is an inspiration to us all.
Man, I feel your pain, & I mean that literally! Sometime back, my health took a "turn", & I did about six months in the hospital, ninety days of that in Cardiac Intensive Care. My Dad told me after I was out that at one point the docs were basically rolling the dice on my chances. I finally made it out of there & into Rehab, & they decided I needed a pacemaker. So, back to Cardiac. They put the pacemaker in & I went back to Rehab. I was doing good, but one day one of the therapists noticed blood on the chest of my hospital gown. Yep, pacemaker site infected. Back to Cardiac. They removed the infected one & installed a temporary external one to allow me to "heal". Back to Rehab. They put a wonderful machine on my first pacemaker site that drew the infection out. I wish I could remember the name of it, but I have tried to forget a lot of stuff that happened in that time period. So, infection gone? Back to Cardiac. This time, I think there was a lot more supervision, both in person & from above, if you get what I'm saying. I guess the whole point of this long ramble is to say never give up & NEVER doubt the efficacy of prayers. Mine are headed your way!
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Capt Steve
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THANK YOU! Your kind words have done more to salvage a pretty tough day than I can ever express. I will get through this but worry about the toll it takes on my family, especially my bride. I'm a pretty heavy load sometimes.
Steve, I am sorry to hear about your knee. Concentrate on making the trip next year and how much fun you will have walking around all of the sites pain free. Let that be your long term goal. Take it one day at a time and it will be in the past quickly. Look at everything as a hoop you have to go through. Get through one and focus on the next one. Check each one off of your list as you go. I wish you the best in your journey. I will be thinking of you.
Geez, Cap'n Steve, what a kick in the pants. Good thing you're
tough, though; woulda killed a lesser man. At least you've got
someone competent working with you now.
Sounds like you've found a candidate to carry your decoys out
on opening day of Gun/Deer season!
TACC1
tough, though; woulda killed a lesser man. At least you've got
someone competent working with you now.
Sounds like you've found a candidate to carry your decoys out
on opening day of Gun/Deer season!
TACC1
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Capt Steve
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Bum knee update
This just keeps getting better and better.... unlike my knee. The new surgeon is great and though he was convinced that I did in fact have an infection he wanted to eliminate one more possible problem. While it is extremely rare an adverse allergic reaction and/or sensitivity to the metal (Chromium), in the new knee will mimic an infection. He sent me to the Dermatology Dept where they conducted a week long "Patch" test. On Monday they applied 80 patches to my back and trussed me up like a Christmas goose. They jokingly referred to the wrap of bandages on my back as "The Straight Jacket" and it felt like one.
On Wednesday they read the results and did a second reading on Friday. Guess what? Yep, I am allergic to Cobalt and Nickel both of which are found in my new knee. The good news is there's an 80% chance that I do not have an infection and that my symptoms were all due to my body rejecting the Chromium knee (that has been in for 6 months). They won't know until surgery and the results of the biopsy come back from Pathology. If no infection (Hooray!), he will remove the old knee and put in a Titanium knee and I should be good to go in a couple of months. I may still have an infection in which case I'm really screwed and the spacer goes in for three months before the new Titanium knee.
The bad news is the VA does not have any Titanium knees laying around and the the only manufacturer is not under contract with the VA. My doc is trying to track one down and or wade through the bureaucracy at the VA to get one ordered (good luck with that doc). In the mean time I am at the top of the waiting list for surgery once they can get their hands on my new knee. Hoping for surgery my mid May but it could be June....ARRRRG!
This just keeps getting better and better.... unlike my knee. The new surgeon is great and though he was convinced that I did in fact have an infection he wanted to eliminate one more possible problem. While it is extremely rare an adverse allergic reaction and/or sensitivity to the metal (Chromium), in the new knee will mimic an infection. He sent me to the Dermatology Dept where they conducted a week long "Patch" test. On Monday they applied 80 patches to my back and trussed me up like a Christmas goose. They jokingly referred to the wrap of bandages on my back as "The Straight Jacket" and it felt like one.
On Wednesday they read the results and did a second reading on Friday. Guess what? Yep, I am allergic to Cobalt and Nickel both of which are found in my new knee. The good news is there's an 80% chance that I do not have an infection and that my symptoms were all due to my body rejecting the Chromium knee (that has been in for 6 months). They won't know until surgery and the results of the biopsy come back from Pathology. If no infection (Hooray!), he will remove the old knee and put in a Titanium knee and I should be good to go in a couple of months. I may still have an infection in which case I'm really screwed and the spacer goes in for three months before the new Titanium knee.
The bad news is the VA does not have any Titanium knees laying around and the the only manufacturer is not under contract with the VA. My doc is trying to track one down and or wade through the bureaucracy at the VA to get one ordered (good luck with that doc). In the mean time I am at the top of the waiting list for surgery once they can get their hands on my new knee. Hoping for surgery my mid May but it could be June....ARRRRG!
Oldiron
US Veteran
Dang Capt Steve, Has been a long road for you to get to this point but there is some light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully this time it isn't a train. One of the questions I asked my doc before he did my knee was what brand and model they used. Luckily mine was titanium and I could find no bad press on the internet with the make or model. Will keep you on my prayer list.
Larry
Larry
Sounds like quite the ordeal but at least they're onto a way to help and aren't just sayin' "I don't know."
Looking foward to reading about how you're back on your feet and doin' well.
Looking foward to reading about how you're back on your feet and doin' well.
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Capt Steve
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Got the call today, I am scheduled for surgery on May 17th unless they have cancelation sooner. I go for the pre op paperwork tomorrow. Thanks again everyone for all the support!
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Capt Steve
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Got home from the VA hospital yesterday after a miserable 14 day stay. The surgery went well and I am way ahead of where I was after the last one. The new knee turned out to be "Oxinium" (Google it), as it was a better choice than Titanium. Spoke with the surgical team that put it in and they were all impressed. It is suppose to be rated for a 30 year life in normal use. The VA had to special order it as they have no contract with the one and only manufacturer. I should have nearly full use of the knee by July 8th when I see the surgeon for the followup.
In the meantime I start another round of Physical Therapy at the local VA Clinic on Monday.
In the meantime I start another round of Physical Therapy at the local VA Clinic on Monday.
kozmic
Member
Sounds great Capt. Good luck with rehab and recovery.
Hey, hey! Finally! Light at the end of the tunnel! Keep on truckin', bro.
(Just read your April post. Gotta wonder why in the heck they don't test for extremely rare allergic reactions before putting the dang thing in. That is really unconscionable.)
(Just read your April post. Gotta wonder why in the heck they don't test for extremely rare allergic reactions before putting the dang thing in. That is really unconscionable.)
Oldiron
US Veteran
Capt Steve, Was wondering about you the other day. Glad this one is working better and hope it stays that way.
Had my 1 year checkup last month and am on a once a year recheck now.
Larry
Had my 1 year checkup last month and am on a once a year recheck now.
Larry
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Capt Steve
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Another update...
It has been just over a month since my second surgery and feel like I am making progress. I finally got the green light to get back in the pool as the incision is now completely closed. I am doing 20 laps (25 meter pool), a day without a problem along with PT at the VA twice a week and trips to the gym 5 days a week.
The swelling is till a little more pronounced than I would like and the pain levels can be measured by seismologists two states away but I have managed to cut the Oxycodon down to one at a time.... as needed. I'm guessing getting a knee that I am not allergic to is making a huge difference. Thanks again for your support!
It has been just over a month since my second surgery and feel like I am making progress. I finally got the green light to get back in the pool as the incision is now completely closed. I am doing 20 laps (25 meter pool), a day without a problem along with PT at the VA twice a week and trips to the gym 5 days a week.
The swelling is till a little more pronounced than I would like and the pain levels can be measured by seismologists two states away but I have managed to cut the Oxycodon down to one at a time.... as needed. I'm guessing getting a knee that I am not allergic to is making a huge difference. Thanks again for your support!
Oldiron
US Veteran
Steve, don't overdo the exercise. I know on mine, it would sometimes take a couple of days for the fun of a rigorous PT session to feel good. Just go to the edge of OK and bump it a little into the Ummm stage and it will get there. Hope you don't mind but you are still on my prayer list.
Larry
Larry
It's good to hear that you're doing well, I wish you the best.
LouisianaJoe
Member
I had my second knee replacement last November. I do not have problems climbing stairs now and I have started hitting the racquetball again. I went to the NRA National Meeting an I was on my feet for 8 hours on the Friday looking at the displays. My knees did not bother me at all, but my ankles did bother me some. I have not taken anything for pain in a few months.
My point in this is to let you know that it will get a lot better in a few months.
My point in this is to let you know that it will get a lot better in a few months.
