Cortisone injection 11 months after TKR? Did it help?

Posted by cindymattern @cindymattern, Aug 8, 2023

I sent my surgeon a message asking why my knee is still hurting so much at 11 months out. I can have PT or do exercises , mow the grass etc. and it hurts so bad. I feel like I should be getting better not the same. Yes, I am doing my exercises, riding my bike and stretching but I'm still hurting like I did at 3-4 months when I was dismissed from PT. Now I"m back in PT as my NP sent me. My feet hurt constantly on the tops and the bottoms burn (I take 900 gabapentin) as can't take Lyrica or Cymbalta though I felt great on them. Any suggestions or thoughts as I have no clue what they may suggest or he may just write me off. I really don't think I can do a revision after what I went through doing this last September or perhaps there is scar tissue that is forming in spite of all I'm doing.

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Hi @cindymattern, sorry you are dealing with so many frustrating symptoms after your TKR. I'd like to invite @kmacky and @jnoronha who have discussed cortisone injections before and may be able to speak on their effectiveness overall.

@cindymattern, did your provider suggest or a cortisone shot or is this something you want to learn more about to ask your provider about? Is your pain always there, or is it specifically related to when you use your knee during and after activity?

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@JustinMcClanahan

Hi @cindymattern, sorry you are dealing with so many frustrating symptoms after your TKR. I'd like to invite @kmacky and @jnoronha who have discussed cortisone injections before and may be able to speak on their effectiveness overall.

@cindymattern, did your provider suggest or a cortisone shot or is this something you want to learn more about to ask your provider about? Is your pain always there, or is it specifically related to when you use your knee during and after activity?

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I am wanting to ask my provider about it as it helped so much prior to my knee surgery. It always is sore however it gets really bad the more active I get and the more I do my PT exercises. By afternoon/evening it hurts really bad to where I can't bend my knee at all without any pain and it wakes me sleeping. I want to know of others experience getting a cortisone shot.

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I had 2 cortisone injections directly into the knee joint and each gave me temporary relief for about 3 months.
However, the hyaluronic acid injection lasted almost 4 years! I will see a new Orthopaedic doc next month to request another hyaluronic injection.

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Cindy so sorry to hear …. I see you in here all the time with helpful advice and kind words….. I am Year out of revision so trust I get you after two long years i myself will never go through it again …. But I understand the changes have you tried a good chiropractor…. When we have our knee done throws our whole body off including our feet … I have pain in my feet as of late I started red light therapy that helps, my chiropractor put inserts in my shoes that at first hurt more but now give me more relief ..,, she also does Graston technique to my feet, There is so much our bodies have to adjust too but we are works in progress….I am a advocate for myofascial release I continue to go Year after revision I think I always will for maintenance. I hope you find relief ….

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@kmacky

I had 2 cortisone injections directly into the knee joint and each gave me temporary relief for about 3 months.
However, the hyaluronic acid injection lasted almost 4 years! I will see a new Orthopaedic doc next month to request another hyaluronic injection.

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Kmacky I am very interested in the hyalauronic injection…..please let me know how you make out …. My other knee acting up was looking up non surgical alternatives that came up ..,, so my knee is bone on bone so not sure if that shot would help but I would like to find some alternative because tkr is not lol.,,,thank you

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@ezas123

Cindy so sorry to hear …. I see you in here all the time with helpful advice and kind words….. I am Year out of revision so trust I get you after two long years i myself will never go through it again …. But I understand the changes have you tried a good chiropractor…. When we have our knee done throws our whole body off including our feet … I have pain in my feet as of late I started red light therapy that helps, my chiropractor put inserts in my shoes that at first hurt more but now give me more relief ..,, she also does Graston technique to my feet, There is so much our bodies have to adjust too but we are works in progress….I am a advocate for myofascial release I continue to go Year after revision I think I always will for maintenance. I hope you find relief ….

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I have not tried a chiropractor. I did recently find out that the shoes Fleet Feet put me in are too small. I'm not in a men's 9.5 wide and it feel so much better however the insert raised my foot in the shoe and it hurt. My current PT is not certified in myofascial release however she knows how to do it. I hurt so bad a day after she does it though (she told me I would). It feels amazing right after too. I will ask about the Graston Technique. My diagnosis is leg pain so they can do several things because the order is so generic. You're right about how it throws our bodies 'off" in so many areas. I wasn't told it could do all this.

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@cindymattern

I have not tried a chiropractor. I did recently find out that the shoes Fleet Feet put me in are too small. I'm not in a men's 9.5 wide and it feel so much better however the insert raised my foot in the shoe and it hurt. My current PT is not certified in myofascial release however she knows how to do it. I hurt so bad a day after she does it though (she told me I would). It feels amazing right after too. I will ask about the Graston Technique. My diagnosis is leg pain so they can do several things because the order is so generic. You're right about how it throws our bodies 'off" in so many areas. I wasn't told it could do all this.

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So you are all over this lol …. I am hopeful You will find something that will give you relief … I also get bags of peas out of freezer and roll my feet on them for few minutes every night …. Does give me instant relief …. I mean comes back but nice to have some moments lol… I believe whole heartedly this is going to pass because of what we are doing …. Just may take some time

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@ezas123

Kmacky I am very interested in the hyalauronic injection…..please let me know how you make out …. My other knee acting up was looking up non surgical alternatives that came up ..,, so my knee is bone on bone so not sure if that shot would help but I would like to find some alternative because tkr is not lol.,,,thank you

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I will post results, for sure. TKR is not for me! Mine was bone on bone with that first hyaluronic injection. Same thing again, so I’m crossing my fingers that a second injection over 4 years later, will work as well.

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@kmacky

I will post results, for sure. TKR is not for me! Mine was bone on bone with that first hyaluronic injection. Same thing again, so I’m crossing my fingers that a second injection over 4 years later, will work as well.

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Question does insurance cover injection or do you pay out of pocket…. For that long of relief I would pay out of pocket if I have too …. From what it sounds and I read well worth it

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My injection was covered by my insurance when I had it done in 2018. I was in WA State and had Blue Cross Blue Shield. It’s a whole different world here in Florida. Don’t have a clue if my next one will be covered or not until I see the Ortho specialist, submit the right paperwork to see if it’s approved. I will post my results- hopefully within the next 6 weeks.
Also, I recall my doc back then telling me hyaluronic injections don’t work for some people.

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