#orthopedic #medical #nickel #kneereplacement #TKR #rant #inflammation #orthopedicsurgeon
This is a rant and a medical story, so please just skip this if you wish.
I'm in a bit of a sad and don't want to worry SO more than I already have, but I need to get this out somehow.
Background: Short version--Knee replacement almost 2 1/2 years ago. (Long version involves Bear Bryant and a #orthopedist showing up in a tux from a wedding.)
3 months after TKR, I wasn't making progress in #PT anymore. Besides the swelling and pain, I also developed a pretty bad, consistent case of 💩 💩 💩. Doc said come back in a year. No change, came back in a year, "Come back in a year. Inflammatory markers in blood tests don't mean anything."
So, I went back this year. Doc has left the hospital and there isn't anyone else who does joint replacements here. I told the PA about all the inflammatory issues I'm having and reminded him that I told everyone I have a nickel sensitivity. There's a very expensive blood test available which tests for sensitivity to all components of the replacement.
Turns out--I am very reactive to nickel, which is in my implant. The PA got on the phone with the original, now departed, surgeon, who recommended that I see another surgeon from the city who does office hours up here a couple of times a month.
Saw this new surgeon Friday. Turns out the plastic fake meniscus is faulty and that is the least of the worries. I will have to drive/fly down to the city for a 3-phase bone scan which may/may not show the cause of the swelling in my leg and knee. He's pretty suspicious of the nickel sensitivity, and repeated "Your implant has nickel in it" at least 3 times.
The new guy can do the insert replacement but not a revision. Also, I'm looking at starting a new teaching job (not renewing my current position) and being out for 3-6 months will mess up any new contract I might sign.
Then, there is the future #GI appointment I have at the end of May, also in the city. That appointment took nearly 10 months to get scheduled.
The rant part of this--I told him I had an allergy to nickel, I knew 3 months into this that something was wrong, and no one was listening! Maybe the problem is just the insert, but the original doc should have taken the complaints more seriously--allowed me to come back in 3 or 6 months for additional follow-up. This may seriously affect me professionally and financially
