Negative comments on TKR surgeries

J

jaminhealth

Senior Member
Location
Santa Monica CA
I check into some TKR groups and read new reviews from time to time. Found this one today and thought I'd start a thread on the Negatives as I know the knee issues are a major issue around here. The person below says she is 61.

(((I had surgery scheduled for Left TKR on the 4th and have postponed it until Feb.
I have A lot of personal issues which are causing me a lot of anxiety and depression. My right TKR recovery was a nightmare and 3 yrs. later even tho I have great ROM and bend still have pain.
Reading all the stories on here reminds me what a long painful journey recovery can be with no guarantee. I’m seriously thinking of not doing it this year. I have good rom and bend but am bone and bone so some activities cause pain. )))
 

Around ten years ago there was a man I knew from work, close to retirement age. He had a knee transplant and was in a lot of pain, turns out they put it in at an angle. He had to go back into the hospital and have it redone, didn't see him after that, I assume he was forced to retire early. I've been using supplements to help keep my joints healthy in my old age, latest one I'm using is a collagen product. Hopefully I'll never need to replace anything, but will if I have no choice.
 
You have a choice. Before you do a replacement, read stories on Bonesmart. Every time I read over there I LOVE my problem knee, it could end up a lot worse with a LONG hard recovery. And pain meds and infection (maybe), bruising and it goes on and on.
 

I had good results. R knee in 2008, L in 2010. The R was so sore before that I'd stArt out to go to the store & it would hurt so much I'd turn around & go home. I think the reason I did well was doing phys ther before both to strengthen quads & following through after. L knee bothers me a bit now with what they called "patella-femoral syndrome but K-taping keeps that under control.
The left total hip in 8/15 was another story. It dislocated a month after in spite of good rehab, pt & following precautions. & started a cascade of problems that have messed up my life to this day. In retrospect, I think I should have called a lawyer after it dislocated.
 
Geezerette said:
I had good results. R knee in 2008, L in 2010. The R was so sore before that I'd stArt out to go to the store & it would hurt so much I'd turn around & go home. I think the reason I did well was doing phys ther before both to strengthen quads & following through after. L knee bothers me a bit now with what they called "patella-femoral syndrome but K-taping keeps that under control.
The left total hip in 8/15 was another story. It dislocated a month after in spite of good rehab, pt & following precautions. & started a cascade of problems that have messed up my life to this day. In retrospect, I think I should have called a lawyer after it dislocated.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your stories. So you had pretty good results with knees. I'm still holding off on right one since I had such a terrible hip replacement mess I live with from 2010. 5 months post op I was doing good and then it all came to surface and went downhill. So much nerve damage, IB band damage and shorter leg, which messed up already OA knee.

One has to be almost dead before an attorney will wake up and talk.

I believe so many WOULD NOT DO the replacements since the now live with their outcomes..I think about this all the time with hip. It's forever there, agony and misery....
 
Just talking to a friend this morning and a mutual friend is going in for a knee revision in Jan. He's had nothing but pain for probably 2 yrs or more since TKR and even with this revision he will still have pain.

Once our body is CUT, it's gonna be issues.

This friend believes his damage was done from squats and weights.
 
Well, I, for one, have had absolutely wonderful results from both my hip replacements. I believe it has a lot to do with the skill of the surgeon, and I waited for the best one in town. I did a huge amount of research and chose him very carefully. If I hadn't had those replacements done I would be in a wheelchair.
 
Butterfly said:
Well, I, for one, have had absolutely wonderful results from both my hip replacements. I believe it has a lot to do with the skill of the surgeon, and I waited for the best one in town. I did a huge amount of research and chose him very carefully. If I hadn't had those replacements done I would be in a wheelchair.
Click to expand...

I'm so happy you are one of the good RESULTS.

I hear it all the time, I had the best surgeon, did my research, etc etc.....so did I. The surgeon I had came Highly recommended and he does a LOT of good work and I was a less fortunate. We can have the best and still come out messed up. I had anterior approaches, You? Anterior does not cut muscle but sure did mess up the nerves. Years later I read info that Anterior approaches were falling out with some surgeons.

My whole right side is numb and damaged and incisions area is sore ....so was it the great surgeon or what. Was he in a hurry later Friday afternoon and did sloppy work. I'll never know, it's done and I live with it.
 
My lady was strongly considering knee replacement
Extreme pain in both knees, but her right one almost kept her from walking…anywhere

Long story short, she dropped down to 140 lbs (careful eating since last Feb)

Hikes 5 miles a day

No pain, none
 
Good for her, the weight loss made a big difference for her knee issues. Very thin folks have issues too s it's all different for everyone. Best to take off the weight anyway.
 
jaminhealth said:
I'm so happy you are one of the good RESULTS.

I hear it all the time, I had the best surgeon, did my research, etc etc.....so did I. The surgeon I had came Highly recommended and he does a LOT of good work and I was a less fortunate. We can have the best and still come out messed up. I had anterior approaches, You? Anterior does not cut muscle but sure did mess up the nerves. Years later I read info that Anterior approaches were falling out with some surgeons.

My whole right side is numb and damaged and incisions area is sore ....so was it the great surgeon or what. Was he in a hurry later Friday afternoon and did sloppy work. I'll never know, it's done and I live with it.
Click to expand...

My surgeon did not believe the anterior approach was a good idea, absent some compelling medical reason to do it. He told me there was too much risk of nerve damage and other problems. I had a thing called the posteriolateral approach. He didn't cut muscle, either, but shoved it out of the way. Mine were both done in 2013, a month apart. I had a quick, uneventful recovery.
 
Butterfly said:
My surgeon did not believe the anterior approach was a good idea, absent some compelling medical reason to do it. He told me there was too much risk of nerve damage and other problems. I had a thing called the posteriolateral approach. He didn't cut muscle, either, but shoved it out of the way. Mine were both done in 2013, a month apart. I had a quick, uneventful recovery.
Click to expand...

I have a friend who had posterior in 2010, the year I had my anterior...and she has NO nerve damage but with aging and the other hip going and some falls, she had a anterior a couple yrs ago so she one of each...she's gone down hill and walked so much and now can't do hardly anything without the rollater and she fell in her apt a couple weeks ago, looses balance and down....

If I could go back in time!!!!!!!
 
Butterfly said:
My surgeon did not believe the anterior approach was a good idea, absent some compelling medical reason to do it. He told me there was too much risk of nerve damage and other problems. I had a thing called the posteriolateral approach. He didn't cut muscle, either, but shoved it out of the way. Mine were both done in 2013, a month apart. I had a quick, uneventful recovery.
Click to expand...

Contrary to the NEW replacement techniques, your surgeon seemed to make the right decision in your case. New is NOT always better, as we find out. Same with older drugs, they are good but the pharma world keeps coming out with new and supposedly better more pricey drugs, etc.

Same with surgery, the surgeon billed medicare $22K for the job he did and my friend's surgeon billed $5K for the posterior and both surgeons were paid $1222 by Medicare.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top