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Shared experiences & advice: How do we safely navigate Connect?
This forum is generally for patients to ask questions, but as another unsuccessful TKR recipient I have exhausted all my questions and come to this conclusion.
As a lay person when it comes to medical issues, I cannot respond to whether the many answers to questions that patients ask have merit or not, but I notice that responses cover everything on the spectrum from soup to nuts. Answers to questions can be misleading when responders relate their personal experiences. This can take the questioner down a rabbit hole with bad advice that may end in more pain, additional expenses, and frustration.
Consensus from many unsuccessful TKR recipients state that following surgery and months’ apart follow-ups you are on your own. Doctors are good at blowing you off by giving you hope and optimism for about a year before they subtly dismiss you by making no more appointments.
It is a sad commentary on our medical community when patients in pain, distress, and frustration reach out to other patients for advice and recommendations.
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What happened to your implant? I have had both knees replaced and one is fine. A different doctor and different prosthesis. Do you know anyone who had a revision knee surgery? I sure would love to hear some stories if possible. Thanks.
My left TKR on 03-13-18 by doctor A was never right from the beginning and I had a revision on 12-26-23 by doctor B. Doctor B informed me up front that revisions have a lower success rate, and as of this writing the pain remains. There are more factors that come into play in a revision. This same doctor B did my right TKR on 01-06-21 that was successful.
Who knows. I didn't have a fall or anything. It just became unstable, as the doctor's describe it. And it became painful. I have had 2 different doctor's to tell me that it needs to be redone.
My left TKR that was done like 10 years ago started falling apart (because of prothesis design) about a year ago. I am still walking around on it and it isn't like so much pain as it feels like a band around it. So I am holding off (per my new doctor's advice who did my right knee 4 years ago and fine with a different prosthesis) until I have to because I have read revisions are not always successful and much more time to recuperate. I just don't want to damage the bone that is in that knee by walking around with a prothesis that is falling apart. That left knee was fine until this happened What can you do now with your left knee?
First the bad news. I decided to do nothing! I'm just too tired chasing every link to possibly improving my left knee. I'll never regain the money (traveling) and time. During the past seven plus years I have equipped my office with equipment for TKR recovery from exercise floor mats, polar cooler for icing, heating pads, muscle massages, and a stationary bicycle. At my requested visit with my Ortho, only two weeks ago, he said "I can't explain why you're having pain," everything looks good. His latest thought is possible nerve damage. I'm leaving it alone. I might add that my Ortho was reluctant to do a revision, but I was in so much pain that I insisted.
On the good news. Only you can decide the level of pain you have and the willingness to again go through the difficult recovery period. Although the revision success rate is lower than an original TKR, overall the odds are in your favor. Don't get sucked into the "Best Doctor" nonsense. All my doctors are the best of the best, just like all the patients on this forum. Go with you gut. Best of luck.
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