I received 2 hip replacements and then developed cobalt & chromium.

Posted by janneg @janneg, Mar 21, 2016

I am one of thousands that received 2 hip replacements and then developed cobalt & chromium and had to have them both again replaced-I need a brain MRI. If I have particles of metal in my filter systems-do I need to worry about having a MRI? No one seems to be able to answer this question. You are lucky to have Dr. Mary O'Connor in Jax-Fla- who was smart enough to NOT put in those devices. Wish we had known sooner. Frightening. Thank you, Janne

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@jenniferhunter

@suziet Did your surgeon advise you to wait longer until more healing of the incision has occurred before doing treatment? I have been through spinal fusion surgery on my neck, and incisions create scar tissue as you know, and also scar tissue in the fascial layers. I had to wait until 3 months before I could do physical therapy on my spine surgery scar, and that was also waiting for the fusion process to begin so it would not be disturbed. Sometimes healing is a long process and we just have to be patient.

Myofascial release can help treat scar tissue. My guess is right now, you have so much fluid in the tissue that it is being forced into your scar. As you heal further, hopefully the tissue fluids will lessen. Here is our discussion. MFR has helped me quite a bit and it can reduce tightness and get the body moving better. The first pages of the discussion have a lot of links.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
Have you heard of MFR before? Does it sound like something you may want to try?

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Thank you for the reply. My surgeon dosent know I plan to see the derma
doc. Im sure if he did he may have mentioned the wait time. Thank you for
mentioning this wait time. I guess I just didnt want to miss a window of
opportunity if there was such thing, there is so much i do not know.
I had read a bit about the treatment you mentioned. Im going to look into
that. I will go on the link. Thank you.
Also thank you for explaining the fluid and healing process to me as well.
Suz

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@suziet

Thank you for the reply. My surgeon dosent know I plan to see the derma
doc. Im sure if he did he may have mentioned the wait time. Thank you for
mentioning this wait time. I guess I just didnt want to miss a window of
opportunity if there was such thing, there is so much i do not know.
I had read a bit about the treatment you mentioned. Im going to look into
that. I will go on the link. Thank you.
Also thank you for explaining the fluid and healing process to me as well.
Suz

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@suziet Hi Suz, It's always a good idea to ask a surgeon how long after surgery they would authorize physical therapy. Your dermatologist may have told you to ask too. You will need a physician to authorize PT with a script so it can possibly be covered by health insurance. I can tell you healing a broken ankle is a very long recovery and I had months of keeping my foot elevated to avoid fluid build up. That was more painful than spine surgery and for a much longer time. I have to be patient again now because I chose to have the hardware plates removed from my ankle, so I've just had surgery a month ago. It's better this time, because I can walk, but I have some fluid and swelling. That causes other foot pain because there just isn't enough space in a foot to add fluid without causing issues. I think you may know when you are well enough for therapy. Right now, it would probably just be forcing the fluid to move around. Incisions also need to stay dry for about 6 weeks according to my surgeon, so there is no soaking in tubs or swimming pools that would re-open the wound. You're welcome and I wish you good healing. I guess we are in this together.

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@jenniferhunter

@suziet Hi Suz, It's always a good idea to ask a surgeon how long after surgery they would authorize physical therapy. Your dermatologist may have told you to ask too. You will need a physician to authorize PT with a script so it can possibly be covered by health insurance. I can tell you healing a broken ankle is a very long recovery and I had months of keeping my foot elevated to avoid fluid build up. That was more painful than spine surgery and for a much longer time. I have to be patient again now because I chose to have the hardware plates removed from my ankle, so I've just had surgery a month ago. It's better this time, because I can walk, but I have some fluid and swelling. That causes other foot pain because there just isn't enough space in a foot to add fluid without causing issues. I think you may know when you are well enough for therapy. Right now, it would probably just be forcing the fluid to move around. Incisions also need to stay dry for about 6 weeks according to my surgeon, so there is no soaking in tubs or swimming pools that would re-open the wound. You're welcome and I wish you good healing. I guess we are in this together.

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Hey there
Well with TKR i had my first PT in the hospital about 2 hours after surgery. PT had me do stairs and walk hallways. I came home same day of surgery. The next morning at 9am a PT came to my home and did the evaluation and my first in home therapy. I had 3 more of this and went to out therapy PT, Ive been doing out PT 2x a week and its been 12 weeks Tuesday since surgery. With TKR, you have already spoke with surgeon's assistant weeks before surgery and have orders and as I mentioned have the first PT at the hospital within hours of the TKR. The TKR is a very diffrent surgery if you dont start PT that day and the morning after and do your PT given exercise 3x a day and do PT 2x a week (only 3 at home then start out PT and do that for 3 months right after) you will have no ROM and be right back in the hospital.. so I have been under the care of PT since day 1 and I will be at 3 months Niv 2nd.
I have not seen the derma doc. I will be talking to the surgeon tomorrow about the derma doc appt.
With TKR i have been doing the bicycle and squats the list goes on since 2nd week of my surgery. Its a brutal process from day of surgery to even now. What I mean is that having to do exercises therapy with PT within hours of the surgery and daily for 3 months after.
I dont mean the surgery is worse than ither surgery's, i mean the rehab starts asap with in hours of waking from the surgery. A must or the knee will freeze up and back to surgery it would be.

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@suziet

Hey there
Well with TKR i had my first PT in the hospital about 2 hours after surgery. PT had me do stairs and walk hallways. I came home same day of surgery. The next morning at 9am a PT came to my home and did the evaluation and my first in home therapy. I had 3 more of this and went to out therapy PT, Ive been doing out PT 2x a week and its been 12 weeks Tuesday since surgery. With TKR, you have already spoke with surgeon's assistant weeks before surgery and have orders and as I mentioned have the first PT at the hospital within hours of the TKR. The TKR is a very diffrent surgery if you dont start PT that day and the morning after and do your PT given exercise 3x a day and do PT 2x a week (only 3 at home then start out PT and do that for 3 months right after) you will have no ROM and be right back in the hospital.. so I have been under the care of PT since day 1 and I will be at 3 months Niv 2nd.
I have not seen the derma doc. I will be talking to the surgeon tomorrow about the derma doc appt.
With TKR i have been doing the bicycle and squats the list goes on since 2nd week of my surgery. Its a brutal process from day of surgery to even now. What I mean is that having to do exercises therapy with PT within hours of the surgery and daily for 3 months after.
I dont mean the surgery is worse than ither surgery's, i mean the rehab starts asap with in hours of waking from the surgery. A must or the knee will freeze up and back to surgery it would be.

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@suziet Hi Suz,
That is good that you are asking your surgeon about MFR (myofascial release). It isn't the same as doing strength training and movement exercises because with MFR, you are specifically stretching the fascia. If your incision is healed well enough for that is a question for your doctors. The incision will have tight fascial scar tissue around it, and sometimes that tightness extends into muscles. When you stretch the skin and the incision scar to release fascia, it has to be completely healed so you are not pulling it apart. I think it is a good question to ask, and also for everyone else who is reading this, we want to be an example for people to consult their doctors about what is right for them and when. If you do try MFR, I hope you will join the MFR discussion and share your experience.

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@jenniferhunter

@suziet Hi Suz,
That is good that you are asking your surgeon about MFR (myofascial release). It isn't the same as doing strength training and movement exercises because with MFR, you are specifically stretching the fascia. If your incision is healed well enough for that is a question for your doctors. The incision will have tight fascial scar tissue around it, and sometimes that tightness extends into muscles. When you stretch the skin and the incision scar to release fascia, it has to be completely healed so you are not pulling it apart. I think it is a good question to ask, and also for everyone else who is reading this, we want to be an example for people to consult their doctors about what is right for them and when. If you do try MFR, I hope you will join the MFR discussion and share your experience.

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Jennifer,
Thank you so much. Your time and effort has been appreciated. I have made notes from our messages and will be prepared for my doc.
Have a great evening
Suz

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@janneg

The implant really does not matter-I know now everything there is to know about this horrible mistake!

It is the cobalt & chromium that is stored in my body I am worrying about. I know I am a "cancer magnet" from this metal poisoning and I know that it is stored in my body filter systems-all I want to discuss is (Too little information-too late!-it is what it is.)

Question: What if the medical particals-which are stored now forever in my body are they attracted to MRI?
They are magnetic. Appears to be a stupid question-but none of my doctors or technicians can answer it.

I believe Dr. O Connor could.

Thanks,

Janne Gregoire

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I’m replying to this even ‘tho it’s older…I feel the same way regarding metal ions…I had a MoM for 16 yrs….6 weeks (exactly) after my 2nd c-section. I was 41…I’m 5’2” 130 (not pregnant). I was busy with a 2 yr old & an infant…I didn’t really have time for worrying about me…NOW I wish I’d been more conscientious about hip..(20 20 hindsight & all) since rev 1 year this month, I’m worried about my mental & emotional state. I had HORRIBLE Gut issues for years, finally a GI told me all my gut issues could be caused by my hip…I’m afraid she was right on that, but who knows what else has been effected ?
🤷‍♀️

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@sickofbeinsick1

I’m replying to this even ‘tho it’s older…I feel the same way regarding metal ions…I had a MoM for 16 yrs….6 weeks (exactly) after my 2nd c-section. I was 41…I’m 5’2” 130 (not pregnant). I was busy with a 2 yr old & an infant…I didn’t really have time for worrying about me…NOW I wish I’d been more conscientious about hip..(20 20 hindsight & all) since rev 1 year this month, I’m worried about my mental & emotional state. I had HORRIBLE Gut issues for years, finally a GI told me all my gut issues could be caused by my hip…I’m afraid she was right on that, but who knows what else has been effected ?
🤷‍♀️

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I don’t think Dr’s would say a word

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@janneg

The implant really does not matter-I know now everything there is to know about this horrible mistake!

It is the cobalt & chromium that is stored in my body I am worrying about. I know I am a "cancer magnet" from this metal poisoning and I know that it is stored in my body filter systems-all I want to discuss is (Too little information-too late!-it is what it is.)

Question: What if the medical particals-which are stored now forever in my body are they attracted to MRI?
They are magnetic. Appears to be a stupid question-but none of my doctors or technicians can answer it.

I believe Dr. O Connor could.

Thanks,

Janne Gregoire

Jump to this post

I had a total hip replacement in ‘04…it was M on M. I had necrosis in femur head (likely due to motorcycle vs. car accident as a teenager. I was pregnant with my 2nd & last. (with a 2 yr old at home). We had to schedule the c-section so I could have the replacement.! Talk about too little too late! Saw commercials about Stryker? Mine wasn’t so I couldn’t get any help. FF 16 yrs later. Woke up 1 morn last year & couldn’t walk or think. I don’t “KNOW”.what all the ions have done or if the damage is permanent (I hope not). I was in a state of total delusion & in bed for a week….I didn’t even know, my husband told me after. It’s TOTALLY messed up my gut & God knows what else. I know my memory is practically nonexistent- it does seem to getting a little better slowly. Which is how I realized how bad I was, I’m hoping for the best. I did have MRI’s w/ hip. Nobody said anything 🤷‍♀️.
But you ARE correct….Dr’s won’t say a word. I have to say my GI of 8 yrs (or so) finally told me she thought ALL my gut issues could be caused by my hip….with the caveat “but there’s not a Dr. in the world that would admit it”. She really knew what she was talking about.
I am basically a different person now…& not in a good way…hopefully I will improve. So, to you I say “Good Luck”
Some people are allergic to metal

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@sickofbeinsick1

I had a total hip replacement in ‘04…it was M on M. I had necrosis in femur head (likely due to motorcycle vs. car accident as a teenager. I was pregnant with my 2nd & last. (with a 2 yr old at home). We had to schedule the c-section so I could have the replacement.! Talk about too little too late! Saw commercials about Stryker? Mine wasn’t so I couldn’t get any help. FF 16 yrs later. Woke up 1 morn last year & couldn’t walk or think. I don’t “KNOW”.what all the ions have done or if the damage is permanent (I hope not). I was in a state of total delusion & in bed for a week….I didn’t even know, my husband told me after. It’s TOTALLY messed up my gut & God knows what else. I know my memory is practically nonexistent- it does seem to getting a little better slowly. Which is how I realized how bad I was, I’m hoping for the best. I did have MRI’s w/ hip. Nobody said anything 🤷‍♀️.
But you ARE correct….Dr’s won’t say a word. I have to say my GI of 8 yrs (or so) finally told me she thought ALL my gut issues could be caused by my hip….with the caveat “but there’s not a Dr. in the world that would admit it”. She really knew what she was talking about.
I am basically a different person now…& not in a good way…hopefully I will improve. So, to you I say “Good Luck”
Some people are allergic to metal

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I just hope my body can filter all that out….w/out permanent damage. What are the options?
🤷‍♀️

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@sickofbeinsick1

I just hope my body can filter all that out….w/out permanent damage. What are the options?
🤷‍♀️

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Some options include:
Get tested to to see if there is chromium or cobalt still in your body.
Get all of your thyroid hormones checked ( heavy metals can affect it.)
Get your heart checked. (I developed a permanent rapid heartbeat and slight arrhythmia from the metals or thyroid.)

My gut issues turned out not to be from the metal, but instead a very sluggish and inflamed gall bladder (for years.) Once removed I feel better than for a long time.

Keep pursuing a solution.
Have you had metals and thyroid checked?
Sue

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