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Cortisone shot after TKR

Posted by cindymattern @cindymattern, Aug 21, 2023

So I had a cortisone shot today at 11 months out from my right TKR...of course Dr. suggested Nsaids that I must be careful with, Voltaren gel which doesn't work, Lidocaine patches that don't work etc... I told him I do lots of Ben Gay. He decided to try a cortisone shot for what feels like a baker's cyst but he saw no fluid on my knee on the x-ray. X-ray looks good, knee functioning well and no hardware issues and he's hoping the cortisone help with any inflammation and soreness I am still experiencing. He also said maybe it may take me longer than the normal person. We'll see

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Garygirl | @taftst1 | Sep 3, 2023
In reply to @cindymattern "The first few months are rough.....I could not bend my knee hardly at all with the..." + (show)
@cindymattern

The first few months are rough.....I could not bend my knee hardly at all with the staples in and it pulled and hurt when I went to physical therapy. I used a walker for about 3 weeks and then graduated to a cane. Riding in the car was very uncomfortable as well for a while. I did however push myself and drove at 3 1/2 weeks. Be careful with the pain meds. I already have constipation issues and went 9 days with no bowel movement and did a bowel prep that my gastro called in for me. Thankful it worked within an hour and I was backed up to my distal colon (sp). I then used only Tylenol and muscle relaxers at night along with Gabapentin for nerve pain. It is a process and your physical therapist is your best friend and I believe in house therapy is the best. I did mine in late September however in March I started mowing my yard (43 minutes of nonstop walking), and am doing all I did prior to surgery except for getting up off the floor which is painful as I can't put much weight on my right knee. I recently went to Universal this past June and was walking 15-18,000 steps every day with my knee sleeve. Using a knee sleeve really helps me when I know I need to do lots of walking and was told as long as it didn't affect my range of motion it was ok. It's at 116. I suffered from lots of arthritis in my knee so I needed it and it was time. I"m being told that it can take for me longer than the year and hopefully the soreness and tightness will go away. You can do this just know it's a process. Make sure prior to surgery you have a walker, cane, higher toilet seat at home or get a raised toilet seat with handles on either side and a chair for the shower if you don't want to stand.

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Ugh constipation!! I have IBS too. Found out take 1.5 dose of miralax, ( been on it 2 years, yuk) I added 1/2 senna and a goli gummy,,sleep one, purple bottle. It’s has 12% magnesium citrate. Ohh boy. It cleaned me out.

REPLY
heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | Sep 4, 2023
In reply to @katrina123 "cindy, I have written about this before on this sight but maybe you have not seen..." + (show)
@katrina123

cindy,
I have written about this before on this sight but maybe you have not seen it.
I had incredible pain after my TKR. 17 months after my knee replacement I finally went to a new orthopedic clinic in another state and found out that I had a Fabella bone behind my knee. I think it is a good idea to go to a doctor who did not do the TKR because I believe in some ways, they do not want to find anything wrong. Just my opinion. This is a rare extra bone, and I had several orthopedists who did not even consider this. This bone was in the same area behind my knee as my Baker's cyst. Maybe you could ask your doctor if he has ever considered this bone as a possibility. This fabella bone was not seen on an x-ray but it was identified on an ultrasound. You can google Fabella Bone to find out a little more about it. I had surgery to remove this extra bone and all of the pain that I had been living with went away. From what I have been told having a TKR can cause trouble with this bone. The bone had never bothered me before.
I knew something was terribly wrong, so I just kept fighting.

Hopefully you can get some relief. Let us know what you find out.
Katrina

Jump to this post

This is interesting. The extra bone is found in 39% of people, if what I read is correct.

I think any good surgeon would know this and not misdiagnose as a baker's cyst or loose body in the knee capsule. These likely would only be seen on a lateral X-ray. I don't know if the TKR would cause the labella bone to cause pain or aggravation. It certainly won't be helped by pain killers, NSAIDs, patches and gels.

If I were in this situation I'd ask if removing the small bone would help. Should be able to be removed with a scope, I think.

REPLY
1 reply
heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | Sep 4, 2023
In reply to @johnpippin "I went to a orthopedic associates today was informed I need a TKR Can anyone tell..." + (show)
@johnpippin

I went to a orthopedic associates today was informed I need a TKR
Can anyone tell me what I'm in for ?

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Well I'm a 68 y/o male - not overweight - used to run a lot but what did my knees in was osteoarthritis. In 2022 I had both knees replaced.

Suggest you find a pt or trainer and get your leg in shape BEFORE the surgery, to the extent possible. After surgery, do the rehab exercises immediately and thoroughly.

As for post op pain, well it's a big surgery so there will be a lot of swelling and pain. The surgeon may give you a nerve block pump to partially ease the pain, and oxy for a few days followed by Tylenol. Ice and elevation of course, and wear a compression stocking on your foot and calf for a few weeks. After a few days, your inner thigh may turn black and blue from the tourniquet used during surgery.

Bet then, each day gets better. Range of motion improves. Most unhappy TKR patients don't do the required rehab/rehab and get scar tissue. Don't let that happen to you.

REPLY
1 reply
cindymattern | @cindymattern | Sep 4, 2023
In reply to @heyjoe415 "Well I'm a 68 y/o male - not overweight - used to run a lot but..." + (show)
@heyjoe415

Well I'm a 68 y/o male - not overweight - used to run a lot but what did my knees in was osteoarthritis. In 2022 I had both knees replaced.

Suggest you find a pt or trainer and get your leg in shape BEFORE the surgery, to the extent possible. After surgery, do the rehab exercises immediately and thoroughly.

As for post op pain, well it's a big surgery so there will be a lot of swelling and pain. The surgeon may give you a nerve block pump to partially ease the pain, and oxy for a few days followed by Tylenol. Ice and elevation of course, and wear a compression stocking on your foot and calf for a few weeks. After a few days, your inner thigh may turn black and blue from the tourniquet used during surgery.

Bet then, each day gets better. Range of motion improves. Most unhappy TKR patients don't do the required rehab/rehab and get scar tissue. Don't let that happen to you.

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I already had the surgery and am 11 months out....still lots of swelling and if I don't wear the sleeve it gets really sore and stiff. I am in PT right now and I can't take nsaids. I was doing really well at 12 weeks when they released me. Now I"m back...I do the exercises and surgeons says all is well take nsaids for swelling. It may be more than a year and I had tons of arthritis which is why I had it done.

REPLY
katrina123 | @katrina123 | Sep 5, 2023
In reply to @heyjoe415 "This is interesting. The extra bone is found in 39% of people, if what I read..." + (show)
@heyjoe415

This is interesting. The extra bone is found in 39% of people, if what I read is correct.

I think any good surgeon would know this and not misdiagnose as a baker's cyst or loose body in the knee capsule. These likely would only be seen on a lateral X-ray. I don't know if the TKR would cause the labella bone to cause pain or aggravation. It certainly won't be helped by pain killers, NSAIDs, patches and gels.

If I were in this situation I'd ask if removing the small bone would help. Should be able to be removed with a scope, I think.

Jump to this post

heyjo,
I am proof that a TKR can cause a fabella bone to cause horrible pain.

Fabella syndrome is a rare but relevant cause of pain post-total knee arthroplasty (TKA) due to mechanical irritation of the posterolateral tissues of the knee1234. The symptoms of fabella syndrome are posterolateral pain and a catching sensation (or clicking sound) with knee flexion14. The fabella can also get in the way of knee replacement surgery and cause pain and discomfort on its own5.

REPLY
heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | Sep 5, 2023

Fascinating thank you. It seems the bone would be visible on a lateral X-ray. It should be removed pre TKR I would think.

And in most TKRs, the ACL and PCL are removed. I wonder if that affects the labella, especially the PCL. During a TKR, I don't think it would even be possible to see the fabella bone or a baker's cyst.

REPLY
sar370 | @sar370 | Sep 7, 2023
In reply to @katrina123 "cindy, I have written about this before on this sight but maybe you have not seen..." + (show)
@katrina123

cindy,
I have written about this before on this sight but maybe you have not seen it.
I had incredible pain after my TKR. 17 months after my knee replacement I finally went to a new orthopedic clinic in another state and found out that I had a Fabella bone behind my knee. I think it is a good idea to go to a doctor who did not do the TKR because I believe in some ways, they do not want to find anything wrong. Just my opinion. This is a rare extra bone, and I had several orthopedists who did not even consider this. This bone was in the same area behind my knee as my Baker's cyst. Maybe you could ask your doctor if he has ever considered this bone as a possibility. This fabella bone was not seen on an x-ray but it was identified on an ultrasound. You can google Fabella Bone to find out a little more about it. I had surgery to remove this extra bone and all of the pain that I had been living with went away. From what I have been told having a TKR can cause trouble with this bone. The bone had never bothered me before.
I knew something was terribly wrong, so I just kept fighting.

Hopefully you can get some relief. Let us know what you find out.
Katrina

Jump to this post

Thank you so much I too will seek advise at another practice

REPLY
sar370 | @sar370 | Sep 7, 2023
In reply to @johnpippin "I went to a orthopedic associates today was informed I need a TKR Can anyone tell..." + (show)
@johnpippin

I went to a orthopedic associates today was informed I need a TKR
Can anyone tell me what I'm in for ?

Jump to this post

I would definitely get a second opinion and based on my own experience sample of one see how they prepare you for the surgery . First time round , I have had both knees replaced one 6 years ago at 56 due to osteoarthritis, everyone stayed in overnight in case of blood clots and it allowed for PT to instruct you how to do exercises , equip you with walker etc. and to ensure you could navigate stairs in relation to the number in your home. Also ask how long the surgery takes? Second has been horrible . That being said even with the pain I still have in the right new knee I am more mobile than when it was bone on bone. For now I ice elevate massage swim and hope time will heal.

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