TKR

[Auxiliary23]

On 19th January 2016 I had a total knee replacement after being diagnosed with Osteonecrosis. On 14th July I had a manipulation and arthroscopic procedure because I was having so much pain. Three months after this the pain is even worse. I saw my Consultant on 10th August who told me that I would have been better keeping my arthritic knee. He wrote to my physiotherapist telling him to carry on with the aggressive physiotherapy. I have always had a very high pain threshold but my physiotherapist had to stop all exercises because the pain was excruciating. The medication I have been taking since my op has no effect so I stopped taking it 2 weeks ago. I know there is something not right. I wrote to my Consultant three weeks ago voicing my concerns and he hasn't even replied. I am so depressed that I do not know what to do. Can anyone give me advice.

[Bevvy]

Difficult to say what you should do. All I can think of is for you to go to PALS at the hospital and ask them to look into it for you. Also maybe ask GP to send you somewhere for a second opinion?

[Auxiliary23 in reply to Bevvy]

Thank you for your reply, what is PALS? I have an appointment at the pain clinic today so hopefully they can do something. 9 months down the line I never thought I would be suffering so much. Still waiting for appointment to see the consultant again, and he still has not replied to my letter. There is no excuse for bad manners. 😖

[Bevvy in reply to Auxiliary23]

PALS stands for patient advisory liaison service and all NHS hospitals have them. It is a service to advocate for you with the hospital doctors and can be VERY helpful.

Can telephone the hospital and ask to be put through to the PALS office.

[Auxiliary23 in reply to Bevvy]

Thank you, I am going to phone consultant's secretary to find out if I have a scheduled appointment in the pipeline. Will update post when I have any further information.

[johnsmith]

You need to see someone for a second opinion. Suggest McTimony chiropractor. Osteonecrosis is a serious condition caused by reduced blood flow to bones. You need to get the blood flow capability up. Over contracted muscles can reduce blood flow. Stretching out over contracted muscles can be a painful process.

I do not know what "aggressive physiotherapy" is. You need to find exercises that you can do within your pain tolerance and do them. See a yoga teacher and sports therapist. They may be able to give you advice on moving muscles that you may not have thought of.

See if you can find an Alexander teacher with knowledge of phyiotherapy to help with fine muscle control and posture. This will reduce some of the pain and discomfort that you experience and may help you find ways to do the exercises that you need to do.

Hope I have been helpful.

[Auxiliary23 in reply to johnsmith]

Thank you.

[Pat-W]

You may have CRPS in the knee joint, not a happy situation. I have a similar problem, the consultants just do not want to admit the problem, they will not call it CRPS. I now take morphine patches, tramadol and Diazepam, the pain is mind blowing. A last resort is to have a spinal inplant but I will explore other options first with a neurologist. If you are lucky the pain could just go away after a year or two. It is most important to tackle the problem early, so that it does not have the chance to set in. Best of luck.

[Auxiliary23 in reply to Pat-W]

Thank you. Starting lignocaine patches today after a visit to pain clinic. Fingers crossed.

[Hidden]

I had a total knee replacement just over two years ago and I am still in agony. I have lost nine stone in weight because I feel so sick I can't eat and live on slim fast it has all the protein and vitamins in it. The reason I am in such pain is, there is Nickle and Cobolt in the replacement and I am allergic to both, I have now been to four different hospitals to get a replacement without any metals in it and have at last found a surgeon who has agreed to do the operation for me.

Ask your doctor for referrals to other hospitals as many as it takes, everyone will try to fob you off. If you don't know if you are allergic to certain metals or the cement in it ask for patch tests to be done.

Good luck, you have to keep at them, to get anywhere.

[Auxiliary23]

Thank you.