Pain Management at 15 months for Total Knee Replacement.....thoughts?

Maybe it is time to get a second opinion. Has your doctor ever done an ultrasound to see if it could be a fabella bone? I had a baker's cyst and a rare fabella bone behind my knee that caused terrible pain after having a total knee replacement. It never hurt before the knee replacement. Once I had the fabella bone removed I no longer had the awful pain. I found this out after going to a completely different health care system in another state.

Maybe you should try to get a couple of other opinions before you give up.

Sorry you are suffering.

He has not done anything and I don't think plans to do anything. The cortisone shot did help with tells me there is a problem. I will ask about this as well. Was removing the bone very invasive as I do not want to go through what I did the the replacement. It's not an awful pain but it's enough to make things very uncomfortable. At least with this I can walk and do the things I want, prior to surgery there were times I had to get out the crutches it hurt so bad, I know that my Dr. said she would refer me to UNC which would be totally different that where I am going.

I "second the motion" to get another opinion. There are many "clowns" out there doing total knee replacements that are not skilled at doing them. Many people "go local" because they don't want to travel. I have had two knee replacements, one left hip replacement, and a reverse shoulder replacement. All of these surgeries were outpatient and I could have gone home the next day - but I don't live in Rochester; instead I went back to the hotel.
The same Mayo surgeon hip/knee replacement surgeon did both knees and my hip. Although I needed some pain medication (very short term) for the knees, I did not need any for either the hip or the shoulder. I know my knee surgeon has worked very hard to find out what problems patients have and he has worked with anesthesiology to make sure those problems don't happen to his patients. I had a shoulder specialist for the reverse shoulder arthoplasty; that also went very well. I walked to the hospital and walked home afterward; home was a hotel since we don't live in Rochester. (I certainly could have gone home if I was not from out of town.)
Please find a high volume center with a high volume surgeon and see what a new surgeon might do for you. I suspect that the University of North Carolina might be an option but please ensure that they have a high volume knee/hip orthopedic clinic and be certain to see one of their senior knee/hip replacement surgeons. Don't just accept an inexperienced low man/woman on the totem pole.
Don't put up with this nonsense. Stay away from the surgeon that did your knee. Find another asap.

The guy that did it actually has years of experience and came highly recommended. He's done thousands of them. But I'm one of the less fortunate that a still having issues 15 months out. I do plan o talking with PT as I was doing really well but was dismissed in September for the second round. Things started going downhill after that for some reason and I stretch, ride the bike and do the other exercises. I do plan on asking them as well. However the cortisone shot I recently got helped me about 70% and am happy with that but still stiff and sore. This tells me I still have lots of inflammation going on.

I am really sorry to hear this. I did three months of prehab prior to my surgery and at 13 weeks am still in PT. I do my exercises DAILY - 15 of them - at home. I usually take one Advil and one Tylenol later in the day to take the edge off the pain. And I ice a lot. I too think that a second opinion would be helpful. You need kindness and understanding - I hope you find that. Merry Christmas.

I had TKR in 2020. It was done by a top Boston doctor. To this day, my replaced knee is still very sensitive and sore. I cannot kneel down on that knee and it almost feels like I have arthritis in it. My left knee is very bad but I go for cortisone shots for it every three months and those shots give me great relief. My recovery from that right knee replacement several years ago was BRUTAL and I will not ever go through that again! I was in such pain (the pain meds they gave me were ineffective or I broke out in a rash from them). I could only take Tylenol. I have to admit that I was so depressed at my lack of progress in the healing process. I do all of the exercises every other day to keep up the strength in my muscles. So, I will continue to do my exercises, and go for the cortisone shots, but I will never have another knee replacement!!! I had to do PT twice a week for six months to get back to feeling “somewhat normal” again!!!

Sorry for your experience but I appreciate you sharing I am trying to do everything to avoid a replacement. I wish you luck.

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. It sounds like you did and still do all the necessary PT. That's hard to do when you're in pain.

I would certainly find another ortho surgeon. Others have suggested a Baker's Cyst, which sit behind the knee and not visible on an x-ray or during surgery. As for finding another surgeon, here's what I do when I don't know who to go to. Find a surgeon in his or her mid 30s to mid 40s, with a good pedigree - med school, residency, or both - places like Mayo or the Cleveland Clinic.

I choose these criteria because the surgeons are young enough to still care very much for current advancement in care, they are well educated and trained, and they've performed hundreds to thousands of procedures. I'd also find a surgeon with experience in robotic assisted TKR like Stryker/Mako.

IMO, your surgeon is copping out by sending you to pain management. At 15 months, that's just lazy advice. You may need it, but other avenues should be explored first.

I wish you the best. I've read the advice others have given and it's all excellent. At 62, well without knowing your other medical history, that just seems too young to be having these issues. I'm a 69 y/o male and had both knees replaced last year.

All the best to you, and please do keep us posted or let us know if you have more questions.

It's good if you can avoid a TKR through exercise and if necessary, weight management. I don't know your particulars.

Also, if it does become necessary, find a gym and a personal trainer and get your leg as strong as possible prior to surgery.

I did that and was dedicated to all the rehab exercises and PT immediately following surgery. My surgeon also used the Stryker/Mako robotic assistance.

All the best. Let us know if you have questions as well. I found the replacements to be life changing, at 69 y/o!

I feel so sad reading your post. I have had two total knee replacements (3 months apart in 2015); a total hip in 2021; a reverse shoulder in July 2023. They were all performed at Mayo in Rochester. I have had no problems with any of these surgeries. I am pain free.
That said, there are surgeons that specialize in revision knee replacements. Can you see one of those?
Given Dr Kurtz’s prestige in Tennessee, you may have to go out of state. Is it possible to do that?
You should not have to live like this. I believe it is fixable.
My best to you. Keep us posted!