TKR Discouraged today

Oh my gosh @Fitzywhite you are doing so much!!! Go easy on yourself and rest up until the flight. I had a long drive back and forth (5hrs each way) around 8 weeks. I wore my compression tights (Dvt stockings) packed my ice machine and iced for 90 min as soon as I got to the hotel. I think the biggest thing (at least for me- we are all different) is not waiting until I am in discomfort to ice and elevate. I take on less and spread it throughout the day so I build in 30-60 min here and there to ice between activity- not because I necessarily need it right that second but because I have things I have to do later in the day and if I don’t I run the risk of overdoing it. Saying NO, I need to ice, stretch, take care of myself has been the hardest lesson , but the biggest blessing of this TKR. The more weeks that pass the easier it gets, not only physically but to put boundaries down and hold to them (the knee comes first) My family and friends are finally trained in accepting that I am not just “bouncing back” that this recovery is slow and that makes it easier. Give yourself (and your knee) some Grace. Your ROM is epic which means your swelling is probably not to bad. As the @admins remind us- You are only 20% healed. There are discouraging days, but keep your head held high. With a little R&R you may feel better and find your outlook more positive. It gets a little better each week. You are doing awesome!!!
 
It is only a 2 hour flight but I am concerned about it. I do not have global entry and I am afraid of having to stand in long security lines. I will be damned if I'll ask for a wheel chair but I will take my cane which i haven't used for weeks.
Can you just ask for transport through security and to the gate. They use a cart to shift those who can't walk a long distance. Nothing wrong with asking for help at this stage.

Sounds like you are doing pretty well for 10 weeks out. Your ROM will continue to improve. Are you still icing?

A 2 hour flight might be a challenge at this point. Be sure and get up and walk around when you can.
 
I really only do the PT exercises once a day because it gets achy and stiff in the afternoon. I do a lot of heel slides and i am standing and walking a lot around the house.
Forget the exercises, you are getting enough mobility in all you do throughout your day. You already have great ROM, so you don’t need them.
But I just feel like i can't ever get ahead of the whole thing.
You can’t get ahead because you are more active than your knee is ready for. Your knee doesn’t care about your schedule, it only cares about its own healing rate.

I do not have global entry and I am afraid of having to stand in long security lines. I will be damned if I'll ask for a wheel chair
Get the wheelchair, or the option that Jaycey just mentioned. Standing was hard for me for months, so was walking for any length of time and distance, so you will be in pain before you even get on the plane, and what’s the point of that? What is so bad about a wheelchair?
 
They do a bit on the knee cap and around it. The home PT person i had was wonderful but I had to switch to out patient 2 weeks ago. The part that is so painful today is between my shin bone and knee cap and it was surprising because 3 days ago it was fine. It is better now but its demoralizing when something that was getting better falls back to where it was a while ago. I have been icing and doing gentle heel slides today. Not much more. Walking is fine and this afternoon going downstairs is ok. This morning it wasn't and that was very surprising and upsetting. I still take a tramadol in the afternoon and one at night. No reason to be a hero, but the backsliding was bothersome and I am glad I found this blog.
I knew better from first knee & Bonesmart but let PT over do it on second knee when it was 1 1/2 months post op. That also set my first knee backwards. I quit Physio and over 1 month and just starting to get to where I was.
Best listen to Bonesmart, I didn't and paying with pain.
Good Luck.
 
WHOA. I just had zingers. Is that normal at 7 weeks? I was cooking and all of sudden yowza on the inside middle of my knee. They kept coming as long as I stayed standing. Sitting now with ice and much better, but I'm afraid to get up. hah. I guess i stood up too long?
I love Zingers. They are like Dr. Ho Tens machine, lol.
 
I am now 10 weeks post op. Flexion at 135 and straightening whatever the straightest thing is. Been doing ok, but I need a little Bonesmart pep talk. My knee is still so sore sometimes. I really only do the PT exercises once a day because it gets achy and stiff in the afternoon. I do a lot of heel slides and i am standing and walking a lot around the house. We are flying to visit family on Wednesday. It is only a 2 hour flight but I am concerned about it. I do not have global entry and I am afraid of having to stand in long security lines. I will be damned if I'll ask for a wheel chair but I will take my cane which i haven't used for weeks. Doctor said wear DVT stockings and take a baby aspirin before the flight. I got the stockings and they are fine (probably because I should have sized down) and we have extra leg room seats. I had company here last week and did a lot, out to lunch, out to dinner, cooked. But I just feel like i can't ever get ahead of the whole thing. Days like today are very discouraging. I am only taking 1/2 an oxy once a day, but I don't see stopping that soon. . . I also take a tramadol at night but I am not sure the tramadol does much.
 
I am now 10 weeks post op. Flexion at 135 and straightening whatever the straightest thing is. Been doing ok, but I need a little Bonesmart pep talk. My knee is still so sore sometimes. I really only do the PT exercises once a day because it gets achy and stiff in the afternoon. I do a lot of heel slides and i am standing and walking a lot around the house. We are flying to visit family on Wednesday. It is only a 2 hour flight but I am concerned about it. I do not have global entry and I am afraid of having to stand in long security lines. I will be damned if I'll ask for a wheel chair but I will take my cane which i haven't used for weeks. Doctor said wear DVT stockings and take a baby aspirin before the flight. I got the stockings and they are fine (probably because I should have sized down) and we have extra leg room seats. I had company here last week and did a lot, out to lunch, out to dinner, cooked. But I just feel like i can't ever get ahead of the whole thing. Days like today are very discouraging. I am only taking 1/2 an oxy once a day, but I don't see stopping that soon. . . I also take a tramadol at night but I am not sure the tramadol does much.
If you use a wheel Chair you go to the front of the line and Board first.
My Dr. gave me Tramadol and I did not think it helped at all.
Good luck with your recovery and have a nice flight.
 
These posts give me pause...and hope. I am 65 years old, 5 weeks post TKR, doing well with 2x weekly PT sessions, currently 120 degrees flexion. I am walking 30 minutes per day, and exercise in home if not a PT day. Progression seemed great, but last night/today unexpected discomfort/pain. Awakened with pain at 6 hour interval from last Tylenol dose. I intended to start h2o exercise classes today, may delay until next week. Will discuss with Therapist today, concerns about recovery. Stamina seems low, despite efforts to rest, ice and elevate following exertion. Only pain meds is 2-500 mg Tylenol every 6 hours, Celebrex 1x daily and low dose aspirin 2x daily. Is this "plateau" normal in week 5? Your week 10 sounds somewhat perplexing, and I hoped to return to work by then...perhaps not? Tramadol may not address the knee pain but perhaps allows you to sleep. Patience seems to be the best attitude, recovery may take much longer than we anticipated. I wish you well, ask airlines for assistance in traveling, do not overdo!!!
 
My trip was great. Got the wheelchair and went to the front of the line. I am now at 14 weeks and feeling much better. its almost like 12 weeks is a magic threshold. Still have pain and stiffness but am feeling much more positive about a good outcome. Still doing PT twice a week but we changed the whole program to strength and doing at home exercises 2 x per day (very tedious and takes forever, but I feel they are the key). 5 weeks is very early. I was depressed and despondent at 5 weeks. I still have days when all day things are not good, but the good days outnumber the bad. I still live by the rule, if it hurts, stop doing it. Tomorrow is another day and when something really hurts it usually resolves with rest and ice within 24 hours. Don't work through the pain. Its not worth it.
 
Glad to hear you are feeling better! I am looking forward to my 12-week threshold as well. I just hit 8 weeks and felt it was a mini threshold, as I feel closer to normal than I have since the surgery (not even close to normal, just closER).

I totally get what you're saying about being depressed at 5 weeks. Funny, I just posted the same exact thing in my thread. From about 4-6 weeks it was so bad. Not the pain (although I still had some of that), just the overwhelming feeling that it was never going to get better and never going to end. Now I feel I've pushed past that a bit.

Congrats on a great trip! The wheelchair was a smart decision.
 
I love (not even close to normal, just closER). Totally agree. Even at 14 or whatever weeks, not normal. but definitely inching closer. My mood is greatly improved.
 
Right hip replacement 2014. Left hip replacement 2021. Left knee replacement 2022. Anticipating right knee replacement within next few years...I have auto-immune issues which I believe have contributed to my joint damage. That, and a lifetime of physical endeavor in live events technical productions, i.e., theatre, concerts, etc.
Hip replacements are so much easier than knees! I recovered quickly from 1st hip (younger, fitter) a bit longer for 2nd hip, because damaged left knee was a factor. I did return to physical work. Not expecting that outcome going forward, however. Didn't plan to retire early. I miss working.
 
I had my left hip replaced in 2001 when I was 47 years old. it was a big deal because it was a new kind of surgery. A week in the hospital, crutches for 6 weeks. but its fine and I have had no problems for 20 years. Knee much worse recovery, but as I said, its coming along.
 
@Joules, how about starting your own thread and telling us all about your surgeries, their dates, and your recoveries? Having your own thread is like having your own journal where you can write down your experiences and get replies from other members. Starting a new thread
 
@Fitzywhite, I have heard that knees are much worse than hips. Since I haven't had a hip replacement yet, I can't comment with any experience in hip recovery. But, many have said that a knee replacement is worse than childbirth and lasts a whole lot longer! I know it's not fun, but the end product is!
 
Hahahah. Well my daughter in law just had a baby naturally and pushed for 6 hours. Doesn't feel great today but will recover a lot sooner than a knee. I had c-sections so I can't weigh in on it, but having had a bunch of different surgeries over the years, including the 2 c-sections, i would say the knee is the worst. But the last week is giving me a lot of hope for the future. I see the doctor on Tuesday, but it is definitely much better.
 
That's what it's all about, getting better. It's slower than we would like, but it will get better, whereas the arthritis in it would only get worse. Your future is bright!
 

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