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Debilitating pain 6 months after knee replacement
My husband had knee replacement surgery six months ago. The knee is still swollen, hard, and very warm. He still has chronic pain. He's at a constant 3-4 level most of the time, with episodes that shoot the pain up to 9 -10 range every day -- every damned day! -- that bring him to tears. And this is a man who's had broken bones, suffered concussion, and had a total hip replacement and was back on the golf course in six weeks. He's had every blood test you can think of to rule out infection. He's been X-rayed and scanned to rule out anything else. And we're told everything with the new joint looks fine, so keep doing what you're doing and it will get better. He does PT. He elevates, He ices. He does deep breathing. We've been to a pain management specialist who's fiddled with his meds and done laser therapy. And nothing works to bring the pain down. it's not getting better. Any ideas or recommendations?
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@champton oh my gosh!! I am in that boat right now. My surgeon would only x ray and then refer me to neurologist, pain management, more p/t, acupuncture and on and on. I felt from the get go something was wrong, maybe tendonitis as the burning and sawing pain. Walking is terribly painful! I am going out of state to see a surgeon who concurred that it does sound like something with the patella or tendon. It has been 4 years of pain and life changing. I hope you recover and this is your final surgery.
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2 ReactionsIs it possible that this pain and swelling might be due to metal allergy to the device or glue?
Thanks for your response. It’s nice when ya able to give a perspective view on things. It’s hard for Drs to understand us. They’re being double booked is nonsense n having to sit nearly 2 hrs because of an emergency. There’s other Drs there. But please let me know what the new Dr found. Like I said it took a diff. Group of PT to see I had an issue n couldn’t walk. I’m still doing baby steps on basement stairs. I didn’t tell this new Dr that I’d already been down within a week. This is a much better outcome n I hope it last. I’m tired of Drs n Surgeries. This was my 2nd Big Surgery this yr. April was a big intestinal one. But Drs do need to focus n listen. Point out that there is other options besides having to continue going back every 2-3 mon. To see if we’re doing better. Nope. When I went in for my MRI I said about how I had to fight to get this test. She said you got blowed. That images will show internal. I can’t believe how stupid I was thinking back now how I kept going back to them n doin all my PT. This new Dr said to my Hubby, he didn’t know how I was able to walk. You’d never know that the difference of internal parts makes a difference when it comes to the correct size. Right now it’s whole lot better. I can bend backwards 90 ok but it’s the lifting forward that I’m having issues with. Hopefully my PT session tomorrow will give me a better idea. Right now I’m still trying to figure out another main issue I’ve been having that No Drs can figure out, which originally brought me here to this sight about 5 yrs ago. I’ve got internal Vibrations n not 1 of the 5 Neurologists can come up with an idea. Started n mid Sept of 20’ at my feet to bra area. Its stopped 3 diff times but it was related to 2 sets of antibiotics to stop for 3 weeks n 2 big surgeries it was 5 weeks to the day. It’ll start slowing n work upwards. All the Drs n Specialists say it’s a Brain or Spine issue. Well brain scans r fine. I see a lot on here that it is a real thing but I’ve not heard of what it’s all about. Nobody gives any info on their solution that I’ve found. I always heard Mayo Clinic knows n can cure it. Well I need their help. 1 Dr from the U of M Hosp said that it may be time to see the Mayo Clinic for Help. But I’m not sure how to go about it. Any ideas anyone?
But yes please ask n keep asking till the Drs get Blue w ya. We’re mostly right, we know when something isn’t right with us. I had to travel an hr away from home. I’m sure there’s another Dr closer by that can give ya a better idea on what the situation is. Just keep asking for testing. Ultrasound, CT n MRI will show what’s wrong. Please let me know what they come up with. And God bless ya n our Country! 🙏 🥰
I agree. Don’t know why some doctor’s limit the type of testing. I would have thought MRI right at beginning.
Someone I knew had an MRI of her breasts due to fiber cystic breast disease and they found the cancer that the Mammogram missed. When I asked for that test the doctor said it would be too expensive and I asked how much and he didn’t know. Called my insurance and the cost was negligible.
What does it hurt to take more definitive tests rather than guessing ?
I am 19 days post surgery. I thought I was there with no pain. I would walk around the house, go for walks outside, do dishes and cook meals, etc. I was in my third PT session this morning and reminded my therapist that my goal was to be on the first tee of my golf course in 8 days.
So he went to work on my quads. Wow!!!! He was massaging them with his thumb and hands and it hurt. He asked if he should stop and I said no...I wasn't there for vacation and wanted to get better. So for the rest of the day we did work on my quads and I am sore. I learned that there is a big difference between doing the daily things that one does and restoring the flexibility, without pain, that existed before I went bone on bone with misalignment. Have you addressed the pain issue directly with your physical thereapist?
As for the tourniquet, John Bishop accurately cited the authorities that say a tourniquet is not medically necessary and it does cause post surgery pain. There is legitimate debate between the different methods of doing a TKR (subvastus, midvastus, traditional cut), what type of implant to use. etc. But the data on tourniquet use is clear. I would not use a surgeon who still uses a tourniquet.