How do you cope with emotional and physical problems after 3 TKA's

Must say I get what I need not what I want….I can relate I am also several months out I have been experiencing a backwards regression….. started when I started using stationary bike …., but I was so happy I could I incorporate it into everyday therapy …., big mistake i over did it ….to much my knee inflamed after third day…… I been paying the price ever since…..,the point I want to make is I know how it is to get out of bed in pain to go to bed in pain and live every moment in between …. So please you are not alone …. The one thing I do for instance …. When I am not getting anywhere with my dr which was my case I found some things that have helped tremendously through these group chats…. Water therapy has helped me so much when I was not getting anywhere with land therapy….I found mfr massage through this group….the combination of both therapy took me from 40 bend to 85-95 ……but I am so fortunate to have a team in my pt and mfr therapist ……this set back I mentioned has been going on few weeks …. I had a lot going on I had to travel so did not help my leg much….. as soon as I came home I started looking for ways to make myself improve ….. what can I do different…..my first thing is get into see my mfr therapist which I had appointment set before I left ….. the first appointment helped I did get as much relief as I thought I would and I had to wait a week to go back to water therapy because that is there policy if you leave area…..so here I am second week home ii have been suffering ice all night elevation nothing helping ….. call my knee dr tell him what’s going ask if can send me for cat scan or X-rays…. He replies would not be beneficial at this time…..well at this point I am feeling pretty low pain all the time nothing working….. than yesterday went for mfr massage right after headed back to pool…,, it was so painful I usually stay at water therapy extra 2 hours yesterday only hour of walking in pool…,,but the awesome news is today is a great day not much inflammation pain minimal….so please sometimes we have to do what is right for us …..same therapy does not work for everyone…. So if you have not tried water therapy you should and I can’t say enough about mfr massage …..my heart goes out to you I could not imagine going for another surgery …….but give water a try sounds like nothing to lose not much else working….

Have another orthopedist - one skilled in revisions - do a joint aspiration. I complained for 5 years about my knee replacement pain. Finally, when I became ill with a fever and body-wracking chills and sudden excruciating pain in the knee - 5 years after the TKR, a new orthopedist took it seriously. My prosthesis is aligned and mechanically functional. But I have a slow growing indolent bacterial infection that now requires revision. I hope you do not have an infection, but insist that this be investigated. And be better. Healing wishes for you ( and me!)

Welcome @rebeccamary, Thank you for sharing your struggle with the knee pain. It's great when we communicate with our doctors and they actually listen. I'm glad the doctor discovered the slow growing indolent bacterial infection. Is your revision already scheduled? Can you give us an update after the procedure?

Hello Maraglenn02, I feel terrible that you are facing another knee replacement and you are in such terrible pain. I had my TRN done Aug. of 2019. From beginning (night of surgery) the nurses had trouble handling my pain. It continued and had to go to ER in Sept. due to the severity of my pain. Nothing was amiss with my prosthetic, no infection—well the following year I was scheduled for a manipulation —- that wasn’t meant to be due to my husband going to ER and being admitted to hospital for 5 days. Well thenCOVID hit.
Couldn’t see my doctor until April - then I explain how much pain I’m suffering with especially at night, it will wake me up- explain all this - well he blew me off! Because of his lack of care - I wound up over 2020 I had seen 9 doctors most in NYC and a couple of orthopedic Drs . In Charlotte, NC. None of these drs could give me a reason that would have made me feel comfortable doing TKR. Frustrating beyond words!!!
The very last doctor pushed me to have a very expensive blood test - which would tell me if I have and infection or looking for allergic reaction to my prosthetic. I did get allergy testing done and found out I am allergic to the bonding agent. The blood test extremely expensive and not covered by insurance..
Turns out topically I have an allergic reaction to the bonding agent and antibiotic that was used. It was the 9th doctor who listened to me and it was the results that told him my blood was fine and the bone and tissues were fine - no reaction to see at all. Talke about frustration!—- I still am dealing with this pain and do see a pain specialist. Over time I have tried to get back to my normality—- because that is the only thing that gets my mind off of it . I paint and that helps tremendously until I need to get out of a chair. A bi-product of all my time pushing up out of chairs with the arm's caused a huge tear in my shoulder — more pain! Well, I needed to address this before doing anything with my knee. So I had rotator cuff surgery.
That went well but I was petrified to do it and told the surgeon that - but I put my trust in him. I had to - had no choice. When it was bad all I could do was tell my self that if II’m vertical and mobile it was a good day even if I moved slowly it was better than nothing. The pain pills I have really weaned myself off.
If you don’t like the first doctor, keep on going until you find one that truly listens - my dr. Is located in NYC at Mt Sinai Hospital. He’s done revisions for over 9 years. After seeing and getting the results of the blood test - we both agreed that a revision just because of pain wasn’t the right thing to do- they were no promises that a revision with take away my pain. I haven’t tried water therapy but after reading other persons comments and will look into that. I’m sorry this is so long winded but I have tried to get my life back to as normal as possible. I thought it important to read the whole story - you’re not alone in this and if I can do anything else please reach out to me @irish283.
I hope you find the right doctor for your knee and one who is compassionate and listens. My doctor is Dr. Darwin Chen of Mt. Sinai. Good luck. Irish283

Hello maraglenn02, very sorry for your additional pain. A person hopes to get better and become pain free after visiting the doctor, especially after the brochures and videos they show and demonstrate the joy of a replacement. I had a TKR at the age of 43 after delivering Coca-Cola for 6.5 years. It has burned and ached ever since. My advice that I offer you is to have an allergy test done. In my case the burning is an allergy response to the metals, which my doctor never test me for and I have had very little sleep in the last 12 years. I am now on Humira and have been for 6 months because the allergy caused such an out of control inflammatory problem that the cells in my organs and bones were becoming inflamed. So, if you haven't already, have a complete allergy test performed. If they keep putting in the TKR with the same metals then the response will also be the same. I have read from this forum that so many individuals have had burning and had the knee replaced with one made from Titanium, after doing so, the burning was gone. I do hope you get relief!