What else is there to do??? Exercise , walking, massage, heat, cold,

I have a neighbor who had a TKR a few years ago and she is doing great. She’s my age 74. She had a good surgeon therefore getting a good result. I believe that you are most likely going to get a good result if you’ve had an excellent surgeon. Have you had any recent x-rays. Get a second opinion. It’s never too late. My neighbor had a THR at the age of 88. She did very well with a top surgeon at one of the best hospitals in our state.

Here is a new idea fro you.
At about 5 months post TKR, still experiencing pain and stiffness, my lucky stars brought me to a person who owned a Pulsed Electro Magnetic Field (PEMF) device. It helped tremendously and I eventually bought an OMI Ring home unit that I use regularly around my knee and up and down my leg. Here is the blurb about it from the Amazon web site.
"The OMI Ring is a electromagnetic field therapy applicator for localized and focused therapy over a specific area. The device emits gentle low-intensity low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields which help to restore the blocked ion flow and stimulates the body’s own regeneration processes. The device improves cellular health, increases micro-circulation in blood vessels and capillaries, and reduces inflammation in cells and tissues. This results in accelerated healing of the treated area. PLEASE READ ABOUT PEMF THERAPY BEFORE PURCHASE. DO NOT EXPECT INSTANT RELIEF OR CURE. DEVICE DOES NOT PROVIDE HEAT THERAPY OR MASSAGE THERAPY. NO PHYSICAL SENSATION DOES NOT MEAN DEVICE IS NOT WORKING OR IS DEFECTIVE. PEMF WAVES ARE IMPERCEPTIBLE AND CANNOT BE FELT. RESULTS MAY TAKE 1 MONTH TO 6 MONTHS OF REGULAR USAGE DEPENDING ON SEVERITY OF CHRONIC CONDITION. It can be comfortably placed on your neck, or slipped over your limbs (hands, legs, shoulders, knees, elbows, feet etc.). Helps to alleviate chronic pain, joint pain, muscle pain, back pain, knee pain, sciatica, fibromyalgia etc. Improves bone health and beneficial for quick recovery from fractures, or to accelerate healing of orthopedic conditions such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, etc. Aids in improving mental health and can help reduce stress, anxiety, depression and increase focus, concentration and meditation. Can also be used as a complementary therapy for people with neurological conditions such as Parkinson's, migraines, multiple sclerosis, post-stroke rehab etc. Helps to improve sleep quality for people with sleep disorders. Helps in reversing damage caused by harmful EMF's and dirty electricity."

I agree Linnie. I had both knees replaced in 2022 and I researched surgeons. Pretty simple criteria - I wanted a surgeon in his or her mid 30s to mid 40s (younger surgeons are up to speed on the latest in medicine and are still very ambitious) and with a good pedigree - that is, a top medical school and/or residency at a respected hospital like Cleveland Clinic, Mayo, Rush Memorial, Northwestern, and on.

As for Callie, I don't know what to say. I'm a 68 y/o male and have had great results, but I was also luckily born with athletic genes. I was also born with osteoarthritis genes and that's why I had the TKRs...... But I would scout around for a new surgeon, or if financially feasible, schedule a visit with a surgeon in an elite hospital - again, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo, etc. You might have to travel.

Im sorry what Callie is going through, and wish her all the best.

I have been very fortunate to have lived a few subway stops from some of the best hospitals in the country in New York. Moved to MA and again live very close to Boston and Massachusetts general hospital and there I had a THR six months ago and today I am almost pain free which is a miracle as I was told my surgery was not your run of the mill THR. Not everyone lives close to a top hospital or clinic. But if a person is not happy with the outcome of the surgery and is still in pain they need to see a new surgeon because apparently the operation was not successful in my honest opinion. I agree with you that traveling to see a top surgeon might be in order. No one should live with that kind of pain.

My experience has been different, Bilateral knee replacements, chronic pain and stiffness, 2 revisions on the left a year apart plus manipulation with no relief from pain and severe loss of mobility to the point where I needed a mobility scooter. Was told I had arthrofibrosis but nobody knew how to stop the extreme formation and growth of scar tissue. After 5 years of suffering, I took matters into my own hands and was blessed with an appointment at Mayo. The diagnosis was the same, Arthrofibrosis, but they have an ongoing research study and developed a protocol to treat. I had surgery 5 weeks ago and I am doing wonderful. No more debilitating pain and I have full range of motion in my right knee. I am going back next summer to have the left revised for the 3rd time but given my success with the right I am confident I will be good. All parties agree my surgeries were well done, however it’s hard to predict how scar tissue will form from patient to patient. For those of us who end up with severe cases such as mine, it is debilitating, excruciatingly painful and no amount of PT, exercise, ice, heat etc. is going to fix it. I could have had the best surgeon in the world they would not have predicted what was on the horizon. Thanks to Mayo research this is something that we might be able to anticipate in the future and at a minimum surgeons across the country will be able to treat adequately and with success so patients such as my self will not have to travel for treatment. I say this to say that a small percentage of patients through no fault of their own will experience pain, stiffness after TKR over which they have no control and it has nothing to do with surgeon selection, PT etc.

I am in the same situation as Callie ☹️ seeing my fourth post op consult in September. Three different docs said 3 different things, one said too bad do nothing; second said could try arthroscopic surgery but only 59-75% chance would relieve pain which is lower than success rate with original surgery; third wanted to do revision. Had horrible case of diverticulitis after TKR from opioids to help with pain so hesitating about revision and the rehab is so painful for at least 6 months. Should’ve gone to Mayo first off. Still may go depending on consult #4. Tired of constant pain!

@linnie1948
Most people have top surgeons do their TKR/THR surgery. What, do you think most people deliberately select a lousy surgeon to do this surgery? And whenever people have complications they get X-rays. The surgeon almost ALWAYS says the x-rays look FINE. In fact, surgeons send a whole semester of medical school practicing saying "X-rays look fine." 2nd opinions are hard to come by IF you have issues. FEW surgeons want to give a 2nd opinion to some other surgeon's complications. Just ask anyone who has had to seek out a 2nd opinion. They aren't easy to get. Sounds like you haven't gone thru this experience yourself with all the pat answers that solve nothing. I had a top surgeon in my state and he messed up my TKR because unbeknown to me, I was his 7th replacement surgery of his day. It took me 4.5 yrs and seeing 8 different surgeons before I found someone who would give me an opinion and was willing to do a revision. This is the last surgery a person wants to do more than once. IF a person has complications, there are no easy answers or other surgeons willing to get involved. A screwed up replacement becomes a wild goose chase for other opinions which then becomes a a ruined life- physically, emotionally and financial.

Having gone thru an RTS and TKR, I had the same military surgeon do both. He was in his early thirties and excellent. He told me prior to surgery to find a good occupational or physical therapist before surgery close to home and that to be successful would require a lot of work on my part. So off I went called and visited different therapy offices and found one I got good vibes from. I hit the jackpot, a young man almost 2 years post doctoral had credentials in physical and occupational therapy as well. I had one on one for all my therapy with only him. He was my lifeline after my surgeon did his work. With any issues I had I went to my therapist first and he addressed each and everyone. A good therapist will tell you when and if you need to go back to surgeon outside of your routine checkups. He used a variety of modalities to include exercises, muscle stimulator, deep tissues massages, dry needling, cupping, taping, pulleys, bike, therabands, balls, ice, heat, water aerobics, to name a few and I always had homework between therapy days. Still do regimen of exercises he gave me upon completion of therapy.
My point in all this is to say a great therapist is just as important as a great surgeon, and we have to do the work. Having said all this all of our bodies are different and there are always exceptions. Always stayed in therapy until my therapist said I was ready to fly on my own. Took a year for my RTS, and 5 months therapy for TKR. It’s not a sprint but a marathon! Best of luck to everyone

Totally agree with everything dmk said above! I am 10 months out from TKR , of course I also had the best surgeon, but my physical therapist made all the difference in before surgery and post surgery. He was my rock, physically , emotionally and spiritually. Yes I still have swelling, stiffness and soreness. I also have days I don’t even think about my knee.

Oh I forgot to add ; I went to my physical therapist for TKR recommendations. He gave me 3 docs in the area; not limited in my big city, to research. I chose MAKO , and had to drive just a bit out of town for it.