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Total Knee Replacement/Metal Allergy
Okay, I hope and pray someone can reply with some helpful insight as to my painful problem. I'll try to make this short....
Over the past 4 1/2 years I've had 4 surgeries, 3 major. In 2010 I had an osteotomy (probably spelled wrong) which is where they broke my shin moved it over, plated it down and realigned my knee. That was unsuccessful, so the surgeon proceeded to try a clean out. Unsuccessful. Then he tried injections for the pain. Unsuccessful. He then referred me to another surgeon. I was told I needed a partial replacement and that was the only option to relieve my pain. So, I opted in on the procedure. After that surgery, I seemed to be worse off than before. The doctor thought I was crazy. After all, the x-rays looked textbook. He shunned me off after 6 months and said it will take up to a year, possibly more, to feel the complete benefit of the procedure. Hang in there! You'll get better.....that is thee of the four surgeries over 2 1/2 years. To the surgeons, I was considered a hypochondiac, pain medication seeking, tweeker, that needed to man up and move on. The surgeries were successful in their minds. So I went a two years without further medical treatment. (A little side note: I was in pain management for 6 months after my partial replacement, before I opted out of that because I didn't want to be dependent on pain medication to mask a permenant problem. Just so everyone knows, there is a HUGE difference between an addiction and a dependency when you are living with excruciating pain!) After close to two years, I decided I couldn't bare to continue living life the way I was living. I am 34 years of age and have two amazing children that I can not play with, wrestle with, coach them in soccer, or even so much as ride a bike with them. I couldn't even perform my duties at work successfully. (I used to own/operate a couple of restaurants) it is brutal! So here we are. I went to a revision specialist. He proceeded to tell me that a Total Knee Replacement is my only option, at this point. Which, I already knew that. So we set the date. December 2nd, 2013. The fun begins. Three months later, still in therapy, and I am worse off than before. All the pain I had prior, had been multiplied, as well as the swelling. I go back in for my follow up, and the surgeon still resided on the statement, it's just gonna take some time. Your knee has been through a lot over the years. You will take longer than most simply based on the history of your knee. I bought that for one more month. Then they decided to stop my pain medication. Telling me their policy is 3 months post op, we can not prescribe you anything else. Take tylenol and ibuprofen. I insisted on pain management. They referred me. On my 4 month follow up, I told the surgeon that I know my body, and know there is something seriously wrong. I then stated I wanted a metal allergy test ran. He asked me how I knew about that. Really, that is your response?! How do I know? Well my sister is in the medical field and she said she had recently ran across a similar case to mine, and that I needed to look into it. He then said, well, you need to wait a year. If it's still like this in a year, then I'll consider testing you for it. I told him that I am 34 years old, haven't worked in close to 5 months, and that I didn't want to wait a year. He then said, we will take it month to month. I hobbled out of the office, baffled at the fact that he was so opposed to getting the test ran. I mean, I am paying the cost of it. He didn't have to lift a finger for any part of the test. So, a day later I ha my first visit with pain management. That doctor was amazing. Very considerate of me and my MAJOR problem. She obliged to my metal testing therory and said that their office had never ran a metal allergy test, but would look into it and set it up for me. 4 weeks later, at my follow up with the surgeon, I still hadn't had the test ran by my other doctor. Once the surgeon was finished with his same old diagnosis of, man it's swollen, but hang in there! It's gonna take time! You'll get there. And that is not an exaggeration either. Every follow up is the same with him. I stopped him on his way out and told him that I had my pain management doctor looking into the test. That caught his attention! He shut the door, say down, scratched his forehead, and aggressively said, I thought we talked about this! I told you to wait and we will look into that at a later date. I said, yes sir we did, and I told you I didn't want to wait. I can't physically take the pain and swelling any longer, not to mention that I am sinking fast financially! He said, I'll set the test up! But I am gonna tell you now that I will be reluctant to open you back up for a slight allergy. There only way I will open you back up is if you have an infection or the numbers on you lab work are conclusive to an allergy. So forth and so on, I couldn't believe at his aggressiveness, and his reluctancy of running the lab work for me. But he did. He said it would take 3-4 weeks to get the results. So, here we are, 6 months post op, and 5 days after the lab work, I get an email from the clinic that the lab was sent to, in Chicago, and I have an allergy to nickel! It's one point below highly reactive, all the way in the reactive. Te chart considers anything from 0-2 normal, 2-4 mild, 4-8 reactive, 8+ highly reactive. Mine is a 7. Does anyone know, prior to my appointment, what the next step is? I am going to call the doctor and try to get my follow up sooner, because my next appointment isn't until July 16th! God Bless those still reading and anyone with similar problems! I completely understand your pain and what you are going thru! I know I said I'd try to keep it short, and believe me, I did! Gods speed!
Over the past 4 1/2 years I've had 4 surgeries, 3 major. In 2010 I had an osteotomy (probably spelled wrong) which is where they broke my shin moved it over, plated it down and realigned my knee. That was unsuccessful, so the surgeon proceeded to try a clean out. Unsuccessful. Then he tried injections for the pain. Unsuccessful. He then referred me to another surgeon. I was told I needed a partial replacement and that was the only option to relieve my pain. So, I opted in on the procedure. After that surgery, I seemed to be worse off than before. The doctor thought I was crazy. After all, the x-rays looked textbook. He shunned me off after 6 months and said it will take up to a year, possibly more, to feel the complete benefit of the procedure. Hang in there! You'll get better.....that is thee of the four surgeries over 2 1/2 years. To the surgeons, I was considered a hypochondiac, pain medication seeking, tweeker, that needed to man up and move on. The surgeries were successful in their minds. So I went a two years without further medical treatment. (A little side note: I was in pain management for 6 months after my partial replacement, before I opted out of that because I didn't want to be dependent on pain medication to mask a permenant problem. Just so everyone knows, there is a HUGE difference between an addiction and a dependency when you are living with excruciating pain!) After close to two years, I decided I couldn't bare to continue living life the way I was living. I am 34 years of age and have two amazing children that I can not play with, wrestle with, coach them in soccer, or even so much as ride a bike with them. I couldn't even perform my duties at work successfully. (I used to own/operate a couple of restaurants) it is brutal! So here we are. I went to a revision specialist. He proceeded to tell me that a Total Knee Replacement is my only option, at this point. Which, I already knew that. So we set the date. December 2nd, 2013. The fun begins. Three months later, still in therapy, and I am worse off than before. All the pain I had prior, had been multiplied, as well as the swelling. I go back in for my follow up, and the surgeon still resided on the statement, it's just gonna take some time. Your knee has been through a lot over the years. You will take longer than most simply based on the history of your knee. I bought that for one more month. Then they decided to stop my pain medication. Telling me their policy is 3 months post op, we can not prescribe you anything else. Take tylenol and ibuprofen. I insisted on pain management. They referred me. On my 4 month follow up, I told the surgeon that I know my body, and know there is something seriously wrong. I then stated I wanted a metal allergy test ran. He asked me how I knew about that. Really, that is your response?! How do I know? Well my sister is in the medical field and she said she had recently ran across a similar case to mine, and that I needed to look into it. He then said, well, you need to wait a year. If it's still like this in a year, then I'll consider testing you for it. I told him that I am 34 years old, haven't worked in close to 5 months, and that I didn't want to wait a year. He then said, we will take it month to month. I hobbled out of the office, baffled at the fact that he was so opposed to getting the test ran. I mean, I am paying the cost of it. He didn't have to lift a finger for any part of the test. So, a day later I ha my first visit with pain management. That doctor was amazing. Very considerate of me and my MAJOR problem. She obliged to my metal testing therory and said that their office had never ran a metal allergy test, but would look into it and set it up for me. 4 weeks later, at my follow up with the surgeon, I still hadn't had the test ran by my other doctor. Once the surgeon was finished with his same old diagnosis of, man it's swollen, but hang in there! It's gonna take time! You'll get there. And that is not an exaggeration either. Every follow up is the same with him. I stopped him on his way out and told him that I had my pain management doctor looking into the test. That caught his attention! He shut the door, say down, scratched his forehead, and aggressively said, I thought we talked about this! I told you to wait and we will look into that at a later date. I said, yes sir we did, and I told you I didn't want to wait. I can't physically take the pain and swelling any longer, not to mention that I am sinking fast financially! He said, I'll set the test up! But I am gonna tell you now that I will be reluctant to open you back up for a slight allergy. There only way I will open you back up is if you have an infection or the numbers on you lab work are conclusive to an allergy. So forth and so on, I couldn't believe at his aggressiveness, and his reluctancy of running the lab work for me. But he did. He said it would take 3-4 weeks to get the results. So, here we are, 6 months post op, and 5 days after the lab work, I get an email from the clinic that the lab was sent to, in Chicago, and I have an allergy to nickel! It's one point below highly reactive, all the way in the reactive. Te chart considers anything from 0-2 normal, 2-4 mild, 4-8 reactive, 8+ highly reactive. Mine is a 7. Does anyone know, prior to my appointment, what the next step is? I am going to call the doctor and try to get my follow up sooner, because my next appointment isn't until July 16th! God Bless those still reading and anyone with similar problems! I completely understand your pain and what you are going thru! I know I said I'd try to keep it short, and believe me, I did! Gods speed!
You sound like me in some ways the Dr's just don't care about us I have needed both of my knees replaced and they want to force me to do it but I don't I don't need that I need new knees and now a hip they won't do anything else I said if I could walk or ride a bike I would lose the weight I can't when I'm in bed or sitting they are the ones that caused the problem by putting it off I don't know what to do like you said they won't listen to me and it just doesn't make sense I'm setting here wasting my life away how do you get by this problem I think it's just a scam what if I did it and it messed me up then the knee surgery would be a waste I could even die doing it so they don't think about that it's like you your knee surgery didn't work I feel the same about the Bariatrics surgery what do we do !!!!!!!!♡ Mag
Wow this is a mess. I'm so sorry for your pain, and just the fact that you had to diagnose yourself. I wish I could help but I haven't a clue. Please update if you can, this is interesting (sorry at your expense).
If you were in Ca I would suggest Dr. Mayo, some come from out of state because he is that good.
Good luck Turner, wishing you the best outcome. Kitty
If you were in Ca I would suggest Dr. Mayo, some come from out of state because he is that good.
Good luck Turner, wishing you the best outcome. Kitty
Sounds like a nightmare.
There's plenty of data about nickel allergy/hypersensitivity in knee replacements -- find it here.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=nickel+allergy
Perhaps this research will suggest treatment options?
There's plenty of data about nickel allergy/hypersensitivity in knee replacements -- find it here.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=nickel+allergy
Perhaps this research will suggest treatment options?
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