Foot neuropathy (numbness and pain) after total knee replacement (TKR)

Hello and thank you.... I've seen my doctor and his trying to tell me I have neuropathy.... But the strangest thing is I never had anything wrong with my foot.... I've been standing a little with PT but it's so hard cause I can't feel my foot... I'm going to a foot specialist next week... But I knee doctor act like he doesn't care and it hurts cause I have loss all my independent I had before with one leg... Now I need hurt with everything... And it's very stressful... On a another note I'm glad I have someone to talk to.... Thanks again for the relpy

Foot neuropathy after my knee replacement, oh yes! Upon examination
The next morning after surgery; I had NO feeling in my foot. I’ve unfortunately experienced nerve damage caused from knee my replacement! Unfortunately four years later I’m still dealing with foot neuropathy; located beginning at the middle of my ankle downward on the top of my foot into my middle toes. I’ve been unlucky locating a doctor to correct this issue. I want Relief-HELP!
Over these past four years, I’ve taken gabapentin- 900 mg three times a day, Lyrica & Meloxicam. So far these medication did not stop the nerve pain and numbness I experience each day- all day. I’m feeling depressed; this award feeling is very annoying! I do find some relief by propping my Leg and Foot however does not lend to a good way of daily life, I cannot just sit 24/7.
Lately I did receive slight relief with a steroid injection in the top of my ankle/foot area, however this lasted apx 10 days, then the same feeling became a daily way of life again. I plan to try a second shot soon and hope this shot will last longer, but, we all know steroid shots cannot become A permanent way of life; As steroid shots will eventually cause tissue damage in this area.
I had my other knee replaced a year later and did not experience any nerve damage, it was a perfect surgery scenario, No issues!
So my first knee replacement was an unfortunate situation, I just want the nerve damage addressed and fixed properly! Is this too much to ask for? Living a good way of life, walking, sitting & living without foot and ankle nerve pain. Getting approved to see a Nerve Specislist takes months... & There is no guarantee the specialist will approve and except me as a patient. Once they read the story they run the opposite direction, are they afraid to get into the mess I see myself in? Again I just want this nerve damage corrected! It’s awful, painful, annoying, frustrating, aggravating, etc. etc. hopeful to find a surgeon to agree to and correct this issue I deal with daily.

My replacement was almost a year ago in March 2018. I have battled and apparently beaten back arthrofibrosis after a second surgery. My surgeon is now saying the remaining pain is neuropathy. Problem is the remaining pain is localized to the only the inside of my knee and primarily weight bearing. I have trouble standing for more than 10 mins or walking more than 30. Does this make sense to anyone with more experience with nerve damage than me?

@mel61913 Hi Mel, and let me offer my welcome to Connect along with the others.
I think you are taking the best next step in seeing another doctor. You may need a consultation with a different knee doctor, but you are getting the ball rolling with the foot doctor appointment. I will be interested in hearing how he advises you to proceed, or what he recommends to correct the problem. I have had two TKRs and not had a problem like that at all, but I know every TKR is different. I have been reasonably happy with mine and I hope you can get this corrected so you will be happy with your also.
Please keep us posted. Your experience can possibly help other people too.

@shalasa It sounds as if your problem is similar to Mel's, and I think you are taking an excellent next step too in seeing a doctor for nerve pain. I'm sorry to hear you have had to deal with this for four years, that's a long time. I am amazed too that dealing with it you had the other knee done. That's great that the second TKR worked out so well. I hope you get back to tell us what the nerve doctor has to say also.

@melcpa86 Your situation sounds a bit different because of the location of the pain. The problem you mention sounds like problems that are common in the immediate time following a TKR but should be better by now. What does your surgeon say about it? Does he/she think this will resolve eventually? That of course would be the best possible outcome.
JK

I had a total knee replacement 8 months ago on my left knee and I have had numbness on my foot ever since. I know that numbness on the side of the knee is normal after knee replacement but not the foot. I mentioned it to my doctor and he said it could get better in time, well here it is 8 months later and there is no chance. He sent me to have a nerve test done which revealed that I the nerve impulses were slow on my leg. The doctor than sent me to a pain management doctor who did an MRI which revealed that I have a bulged disk. However, prior to the surgery I was not having any problems regardless weather the bulge disk is there or not. She then had me go into the hospital and injected with a steroid shot on my spin and said if it was a pich nerve from the bulged disk, that should help relieve the pressure and the feeling on my foot should return. Well, two, weeks passes, and nothing. I went back for my follow up and she than informed me that the injection should have worked. She than tells me that now she believes what she thought all along, but wanted to make sure, that the nerve on my knee had been damaged during surger. She said that it might get better on its own but chances are that it might not. Now, I have pain all the time. And can’t go with out wearing shoes. I get cramps and the out side of my leg also hurts.
The numbness feels like a pressured a pressure cuff. Everyday I wait for it to wake up.
Does anyone know if there is any kind of surgery that can repair damaged nerves?

Hi Josie.... I had my left knee done January 14 of this year.... Woke up and couldn't feel my foot either my doctor try to tell me I had neuropathy... But I never had any problems with my foot... So since then I've been been to foot specialist had nerve test done and still nothing.... So I went to see chiropractor and said I had a bulge disk so he move it back and still nothing... So went back to see my doctor and now his saying the tibial to my foot could be a nerve block.... Honestly I really think his just guessing and really just hit a nerve.... I'll be praying for you

You are the first person who is going through exactly what I am going through. It is hard trying to explain it to people. It has been 8 months for me but I keep being told it takes about a year for the feeling to return. I know that it won’t on its own. I will need a doctor to correct what the Orthopitic did. I was fine when I went into surgery and now I have not been able to feel my foot ever since.

Thank you!
They know that they messed up and won’t admit it. And they can’t refer us to a nerve doctor because the nerve doctor won’t take us because they will figure out what happened and it might become an insurance issue. I think we are stuck with the situation. You know that my doctor does his surgeries all in the same day. I was #5 that day. I don’t know how many he had that day. I’m sure doctors make mistakes. My pain managment doctor told me that on her surgical day she does close to 30 to 40 surgeries. Im sure doctors get headaches or get tired too, so I know they make mistakes at our expense. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do about it because we sign the papers prior to surgery holding them responsible for any wrong doing.

Really hard for me cause I'm a right leg amputate all the way up to my plevis.... I've doing everything for 20 years just fine with 1 leg until this happen.... I feel so Rob of my independent now.... Got to have help now.... It's really stressful but I can't let it beat me... I've been working with PT with walking a little.... But I'm always looking down now to make sure I don't fall cause I don't have a backup.... I can say my spirits have pick way back up now.... I just praying it's not to late and I get my feeling back soon... Just miss driving and going to see the grandkids.

Hi @saingram52 - Welcome to Connect. I am so sorry to hear of your pain on the opposite side big toe. I've never heard of anything like this, but we all have our own issues to deal with - and I'm feeling for you. How are you doing with PT? I would definitely ask my physical therapist for exercise that might help alleviate the pain. Best of luck!