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Damage from Iovera Nerve block prior to TKR

Posted by kathi65 @kathi65, Nov 8, 2022

I had right TKR 18 weeks ago. Prior to surgery I had lower leg neuropathy and a neurologist could not determine why after testing (you're part of the 20% of the population that gets it for an unknown reason she said). My surgeon recommended the Iovera nerve block prior to surgery because it would help with pain after the surgery. He said that the nerve block would last for about 3 months. I had no problem when the injection was done, minimal bruising and my leg was numb. It's now been more than 3 months later and I still have numbness going all the way down the inside of my thigh to my knee and when I touched the skin it feels like someone's taking a razor blade and slicing my skin open. I'm also having problems when I bend my leg in certain ways or touch my leg in certain spots I start get sharp nerve pains down on my lower leg. I don't know if this is from the Iovera injection or not. And I have a feeling nobody's really going to tell me. Has this happened to anybody else? I already had a chronic pain condition before surgery and if I had known that I would feel the way I do now I don't think I would have had my knee replaced!

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catheem | @catheem | Jul 14 10:17am
In reply to @kobesnowy "Cathleem I have no idea My leg is very black and blue on the thigh and..." + (show)
@kobesnowy

Cathleem

I have no idea

My leg is very black and blue on the thigh and hurts like heck
When you go lower towards the knee it also hurts alot and is black and
blue on either side ...not as bad as the thigh.....I CANNOT TOUCH THE SKIN
as it hurts so bad ...

He said I might have hit something or stunned a nerve ...Did not explain ..Told me it only happened a couple of times since he has been doing it ...Oh sure...

Told me the only way it will go away is to let him redo it and I told him NO WAY ...I could
never go thru that again ....Gave me an Rx for Gabapentin ???????????

I have been putting an ice sleeve on which feels good but when I take it off because it loses it's coldness it goes back to how it felt ..

I postponed the surgery ...At this point I am not sure what I will do

This is the last thing I expected ...and I am so miserable now

I hope you have no issues or pain if you do it ......I am bone on bone so I really do not have
too much choice

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Again, I'm so sorry about your reaction! I read the TKR posts on my various FB groups, and what they have gone through with their recoveries scare me so much that I've put this off for so long! I am always told to remember that everyone is different, every experience, etc, but it's hard not to be so scared! I truly hope you will feel so much better very soon! BTW, did you try the gabapentin? I know it's specifically for nerve pain..

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1 reply
kobesnowy | @kobesnowy | Jul 14 11:38am
In reply to @catheem "Again, I'm so sorry about your reaction! I read the TKR posts on my various FB..." + (show)
@catheem

Again, I'm so sorry about your reaction! I read the TKR posts on my various FB groups, and what they have gone through with their recoveries scare me so much that I've put this off for so long! I am always told to remember that everyone is different, every experience, etc, but it's hard not to be so scared! I truly hope you will feel so much better very soon! BTW, did you try the gabapentin? I know it's specifically for nerve pain..

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Hi Cathleen

Thank you

Yes I took one Gabapentin last night...Did not help ..I think you have to keep taking them ...I
hate taking meds especially this ...I will try it again tonight .....The PA told me to take three at bedtime ...No way will I take three

I wish I could tell you the right thing to do .....It of course has to be your decision but if you have no pain and the Dr is not pushing you ..you do have some leeway ...

I wish you luck no matter what you decide .....

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catheem | @catheem | Jul 14 1:25pm

The Mayo Clinic says to take 3 a day in the beginning, 'tapering' by taking them at 3 different intervals throughout the day. However, I have read that if you take all 3 at once, it gets in to your body faster, and if taken at bedtime, you wouldn't feel the 'first time' side effects. But I would research this with your dosage and milligrams for safety. Also, if you do work up slowly to 3 a day, that would work, too. I know all about 'weaning' off and on these types of medication, so research~. Good luck! PS Can't you see the physician instead of the PA?

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kobesnowy | @kobesnowy | Jul 15 8:19am

Thank you
I did take one the night before and I felt loopy in the morning, which might’ve been my imagination, but my eyes were blurry. I didn’t take one last night because I hate medication and I hate the feeling that they give but I might follow your directions they seem plausible

No you can’t see the surgeon it’s like trying to see the president of the US

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carrie1970 | @carrie1970 | Jul 18 10:26pm

I am having the same symptoms since having the iovera injection 2 weeks before my knee replacement. I also feel like the iovera was not administered the proper way. When I read your post I was beginning to think that I had written every word you described for your pain. Sometimes my pain goes through my thigh and up into my hip as well. I have been going to see my Ortho surgeon about it. But it goes to def ears. Seems as if no one is listening. 😞 Worse pain I have ever felt literally going through me body. Although I am not at 3 months out, my shin bone and calf muscle will have pains shooting through my leg and my thigh since my knee replacement has continues pain all the time. Although there are a lot of factors. involves.

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2 replies
kobesnowy | @kobesnowy | Jul 19 7:59am
In reply to @carrie1970 "I am having the same symptoms since having the iovera injection 2 weeks before my knee..." + (show)
@carrie1970

I am having the same symptoms since having the iovera injection 2 weeks before my knee replacement. I also feel like the iovera was not administered the proper way. When I read your post I was beginning to think that I had written every word you described for your pain. Sometimes my pain goes through my thigh and up into my hip as well. I have been going to see my Ortho surgeon about it. But it goes to def ears. Seems as if no one is listening. 😞 Worse pain I have ever felt literally going through me body. Although I am not at 3 months out, my shin bone and calf muscle will have pains shooting through my leg and my thigh since my knee replacement has continues pain all the time. Although there are a lot of factors. involves.

Jump to this post

I called and asked if I could have an MRI done and I was told no. I asked why answer was because you don’t need one. I said somethings going on that shouldn’t have and the answer was that I need to get the Eye vera redone and that would solve the issues

I replied is this going to guarantee me that this is all going to go away. Guess what… reply no reply.

Why would I go back to have IOVERA redone? This makes no sense whatsoever.
I’m going to go to another one of my doctors and see if they’ll send me for MRI to see what’s going on in my leg because it’s insane that in 21 days I haven’t had a night of sleep because there’s nowhere to put my leg.

I wish somebody would come up with an answer for us

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1 reply
kobesnowy | @kobesnowy | Jul 19 8:00am
In reply to @kobesnowy "I called and asked if I could have an MRI done and I was told no...." + (show)
@kobesnowy

I called and asked if I could have an MRI done and I was told no. I asked why answer was because you don’t need one. I said somethings going on that shouldn’t have and the answer was that I need to get the Eye vera redone and that would solve the issues

I replied is this going to guarantee me that this is all going to go away. Guess what… reply no reply.

Why would I go back to have IOVERA redone? This makes no sense whatsoever.
I’m going to go to another one of my doctors and see if they’ll send me for MRI to see what’s going on in my leg because it’s insane that in 21 days I haven’t had a night of sleep because there’s nowhere to put my leg.

I wish somebody would come up with an answer for us

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By the way, my knee replacement was scheduled for two days ago, but I canceled it due to what’s going on and I know what you mean by deaf ears

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kobesnowy | @kobesnowy | Jul 23 9:05am
In reply to @carrie1970 "I am having the same symptoms since having the iovera injection 2 weeks before my knee..." + (show)
@carrie1970

I am having the same symptoms since having the iovera injection 2 weeks before my knee replacement. I also feel like the iovera was not administered the proper way. When I read your post I was beginning to think that I had written every word you described for your pain. Sometimes my pain goes through my thigh and up into my hip as well. I have been going to see my Ortho surgeon about it. But it goes to def ears. Seems as if no one is listening. 😞 Worse pain I have ever felt literally going through me body. Although I am not at 3 months out, my shin bone and calf muscle will have pains shooting through my leg and my thigh since my knee replacement has continues pain all the time. Although there are a lot of factors. involves.

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Carrie

So from what I learned is that when the do the IOVERA they are supposed to be close to the nerve ...Not on it or in it etc...Obviously mine was HIT ..How many I do not know
My leg is swollen from the thigh to the shin. I feel as if my knee has fluid and needs to be drained ....The pain and weird feeling is still there and when you touch the skin it burns kinda...I cannot describe it ...One way or another I will get an MRI from someone .....It is 25 days today and I cannot walk with the leg ....

I hope you are feeling better

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carrie1970 | @carrie1970 | Jul 23 11:25am

I went to my regular doctor and talked to him about my concerns. The only way that I could get someone to listen is to go to my regular doctor and explain the Iovera procedure and the symptoms that I am having due to the injection. They set me up with a different Ortho Specialist. I am now waiting 5 to 7 days for him to go over my medical records that were sent to him and They stated that they will be calling me to go over everything. The ortho doctor used a tape measure to mark the injection sight. After watching videos on the iovera website, I am concerned about how he determined were to inject. Maybe if you go to your regular doctor and let them know about your concerns and the issues you are having, they will get you to another specialist that can look over and do the MRI to find the problem. Don't stop! Keep pushing for another specialist to look over what was done. Doctors are people to and they do make mistakes. Don't except anything else. You know your body and if something feels wrong, keep pushing until someone listens. If we are both feeling the same results and problems, then something needs to be said about the training and doctors that administer this procedure.
Good luck on your journey and I hope you get relief from all the discomfort.

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1 reply
kobesnowy | @kobesnowy | Jul 23 4:12pm
In reply to @carrie1970 "I went to my regular doctor and talked to him about my concerns. The only way..." + (show)
@carrie1970

I went to my regular doctor and talked to him about my concerns. The only way that I could get someone to listen is to go to my regular doctor and explain the Iovera procedure and the symptoms that I am having due to the injection. They set me up with a different Ortho Specialist. I am now waiting 5 to 7 days for him to go over my medical records that were sent to him and They stated that they will be calling me to go over everything. The ortho doctor used a tape measure to mark the injection sight. After watching videos on the iovera website, I am concerned about how he determined were to inject. Maybe if you go to your regular doctor and let them know about your concerns and the issues you are having, they will get you to another specialist that can look over and do the MRI to find the problem. Don't stop! Keep pushing for another specialist to look over what was done. Doctors are people to and they do make mistakes. Don't except anything else. You know your body and if something feels wrong, keep pushing until someone listens. If we are both feeling the same results and problems, then something needs to be said about the training and doctors that administer this procedure.
Good luck on your journey and I hope you get relief from all the discomfort.

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Thank you Carrie

Good luck to you

I am going tomorrow to see the PA ...Why I do not know
I am going to ask again for an MRI and if he also says no I am going
to ask why? Don't you think we need to know what happened..Don't you
think it is better to know than to second guess ...
If he also says no like the surgeon than I go to GP and ask
for one .....
Carrie if you read all the issues people have had ...and this web site is only a handful
Who knows how many others have been injured from these injections

Lets stay in touch please

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