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Would anyone be able to tell me what metallosis symptoms are?

Posted by april0608 @april0608, Oct 31, 2023

Hello, I’m new here. Would anyone be able to tell me what symptoms of metallosis are? I had a THR 26 months ago. About a year ago I started having brain fog. It got bad enough that my supervisor ( I worked in an accounting department) started keeping a spreadsheet of my mistakes. January of this year I got a headache and stiff neck that have yet to go away. Then the middle of May, so many other symptoms started, including hip pain on the THR side. . I have had a ton of tests and have seen many doctors and had two trips to the ER. My neurologist suspected MS. I had neuro-cognitive testing ( mild cognitive decline was noted ) and a lumbar puncture. It looks to me that the tests for MS and cancer were normal. I googled what can mimic MS and saw metallosis. I talked my PCP into doing a blood test for metals today. Each time I see her, she says there is nothing wrong with me.
Any information you might give me will be so appreciated

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moprea | @moprea | Nov 7, 2023
In reply to @katietinco "I've been struggling with this on and off for a while after having had a MOM..." + (show)
@katietinco

I've been struggling with this on and off for a while after having had a MOM hip replaced 8 years ago. I had a rash that has never gone away completely that I always suspected was due to the MOM device. Fast forward to a couple of months ago and I had a full-on, systemic reaction to something.
Doctors were all stymied by it and couldn't figure out what was causing my reactions - brain fog and fatigue beyond belief, sensitivity around all of my surgical sites from the last 8 years, blurry vision, swollen lymph nodes, symptoms of thyroid issues even though I had a partial thyroidectomy in April. After looking at my calendar, I was the one who identified that my problems started just a few days after I had a new dental crown put on. I got the info on the crown and the cement from the dentist and discovered the cement has "antimony nickel titanium oxide yellow" in it. I then had sensitivity testing done by Orthopedic Analysis and discovered I am highly reactive to nickel.
My replacement hip is titanium but I know it probably contains nickel as well so now, we have to see if it will settle down and this "flare up" is a reaction that will go away over time or ??? I hate the thought of removing anything that contains any nickel, especially my hip as it was surgery #5 on that one, but I also know the brain fog and fatigue have been excruciating. No life. Work is suffering. Marriage is suffering.
Good luck @april0608 and don't give up.

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Katie
I so understand what you are going thru! All very similar to me with my knee replaced replacement I had done jan 2021 and redo glue did not bond to bone July 21. After 2 years 30 plus drs I have found like you allergic to nickel but also 11 of the other 15 metals in my implant. Someone on Mayo web site recommended a dr in texas who specializes in allergies of all kinds. I had a zoom call with her on a Thursday and my husband and I were so impressed we flew the following Monday to Dallas. I live near Chicago but flew to Dallas she is one of two drs/ labs in country who can test all different types of allergies.
So many drs don’t understand this or don’t believe it’s an issue.
I would be happy to share with you all I have learned. Feel free to private message me.
I can then share my phone number. I’m have spoke with people in florida and Boston with similar issues.
I feel like we all need to help each other.
Good luck to you
Please know I am happy to share all I learned

REPLY
katz5151 | @katz5151 | Nov 10, 2023

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR METAL HYPERSENSITIVITY SYMPTOMS, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE: ECZEMA/RASH/DERMATITIS/HIVES, EFFUSIONS, PAIN, OSTEOLYSIS, IMPLANT LOOSENING, GRANULOMAS, CHRONIC INFLAMMATION AND IMPAIRED WOUND HEALING. SOME CAN BE PRESENT AND NOT ALL. THIS LIST IS INCLUDED FOR THESE METAL IMPLANTS: HIP, KNEE, DISC, PLATES, SCREWS, SURGICAL CLIPS, MANDIBULAR JOINTS, SPINE ROD CONNECTORS AND TOTAL JOINT IMPLANTS. THE METALS INCLUDED IN THESE TESTS ARE: COBALT, CHROMIUM, MOLYBDENUM, NICKEL, TITANIUM, ALUMINUM, VANADDIUM, IRON, ZIRCONIUM AND NOBIUM. THE TESTING LAB IS IN CHICAGO, BETTER THAN PATCH TESTS. CALL 312-733-7121. TESTS ARE 400 TO 600 DOLLARS . 400 FOR 8 METALS AND 600 FOR 12 METAL TEST. IM WAITING ON MY RESULTS. HAVE HAD 4 KNEE REPLACEMENTS IN 3 YEARS. HOPE THIS HELPS, GOD BLESS.

REPLY
Hurkey | @hurkey | Jul 2 11:26pm

I had a hip replacement in 2010, and a knee replacement in 2015. I have been checked for metallosis for several years; my cobalt level has now reached 2.4 micrograms per liter. I may be entering a time when surgery will be necessary; my question to the group is, can you tell me is there always pain in the joint when metallosis is becoming a concern? Trying to learn what to watch for - thank you

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2 replies
srwolfe | @srwolfe | Jul 3 5:15am
In reply to @hurkey "I had a hip replacement in 2010, and a knee replacement in 2015. I have been..." + (show)
@hurkey

I had a hip replacement in 2010, and a knee replacement in 2015. I have been checked for metallosis for several years; my cobalt level has now reached 2.4 micrograms per liter. I may be entering a time when surgery will be necessary; my question to the group is, can you tell me is there always pain in the joint when metallosis is becoming a concern? Trying to learn what to watch for - thank you

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Not at first. More of a low feeling. Not feeling like you’re self. Then you get the oh oh feeling of the groin pain. Hope you get through this one ok

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1 reply
Moderator
Justin McClanahan, Moderator | @JustinMcClanahan | Jul 3 9:33am
In reply to @hurkey "I had a hip replacement in 2010, and a knee replacement in 2015. I have been..." + (show)
@hurkey

I had a hip replacement in 2010, and a knee replacement in 2015. I have been checked for metallosis for several years; my cobalt level has now reached 2.4 micrograms per liter. I may be entering a time when surgery will be necessary; my question to the group is, can you tell me is there always pain in the joint when metallosis is becoming a concern? Trying to learn what to watch for - thank you

Jump to this post

Hello @hurkey, I combined your discussion with another discussion titled, "Would anyone be able to tell me what metallosis symptoms are?" - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/would-anyone-be-able-to-tell-me-what-metallosis-symptoms-are-i-had-a/&#034;

I did this so you could meet members asking the same questions about signs and symptoms of metallosis - @katz5151, @april0608, and @moprea all shared their story about experiencing an allergy or metallosis with their joint replacements and may be able to offer a few of their symptoms to keep an eye on.

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1 reply
Hurkey | @hurkey | Jul 3 11:29am
In reply to @srwolfe "Not at first. More of a low feeling. Not feeling like you’re self. Then you get..." + (show)
@srwolfe

Not at first. More of a low feeling. Not feeling like you’re self. Then you get the oh oh feeling of the groin pain. Hope you get through this one ok

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Thank you!

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Hurkey | @hurkey | Jul 3 11:30am
In reply to @JustinMcClanahan "Hello @hurkey, I combined your discussion with another discussion titled, "Would anyone be able to tell..." + (show)
@JustinMcClanahan

Hello @hurkey, I combined your discussion with another discussion titled, "Would anyone be able to tell me what metallosis symptoms are?" - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/would-anyone-be-able-to-tell-me-what-metallosis-symptoms-are-i-had-a/&#034;

I did this so you could meet members asking the same questions about signs and symptoms of metallosis - @katz5151, @april0608, and @moprea all shared their story about experiencing an allergy or metallosis with their joint replacements and may be able to offer a few of their symptoms to keep an eye on.

Jump to this post

Thank you Justin!

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