TKR Everything Comes to She Who Waits

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Hi Carol @patient 99 - I wasn't aware a hot tub was a 'Swinging' accessory, do you know that from personal experience, I wonder?? Obviously East Sussex is a lot more uninhibited than SW London!
My reasons for getting it .......
  • Fizzy whizzy jet underwater massagy bits ........
  • Alcohol + sun + water
  • More alcohol + sun + water
  • We are not overlooked at all so I can run around in my bathers without causing the neighbours to projectile vomit at my somewhat battered, flabby and scarred self.
  • I have told hubby it is akin to hydrotherapy so will be really good for my joints :rotfl: ......... he believed me!
Just need lots of sun and quick. Huh! The solar eclipse was such a non event here this morning.

No I don't like the water. Only seasick once a long time ago, but it was horrifically rough and I was unknowingly 4 months pregnant. However I am mildly terrified of the water as I am such a rubbish swimmer .......... another reason for the hot tub, I figure even I cant drown in that! I am sufficiently stupid that as long as I have a reasonable boat 'wall' between me and the sea, I forget it's there. We sold our cruiser at the end of last year and bought a big, mean looking black RIB that will go like crazy. Cant wait to give it a spin. Hubby has bought me a sexy, new automatic lifejacket .... although you cannot really put 'sexy' and lifejacket' in the same sentence. He got it especially as it accommodates 'ladies' chests' and I wouldn't wear my other one ....

Hubby's racing yacht is a stripped down racing beast - no niceties at all. The water comes in and goes out and you have to keep doing the ducking and hanging out over the side bit - which is scary and not my thing at all. The one and only time I tried it I screamed when it went on its side with my side in the water. Hubby was so embarrassed and humiliated that I have been banned.

Doing our own thing and us both being horribly independent certainly works for me and 'im indoors. 36th wedding anniversary 10 days ago - eek! Also the chalk and cheesiness of our characters helps. You will have guessed that I am obviously the serious, academically brilliant, staid, rational and sensible one in the relationship - :rofsign:

Don't talk to me about the Tory manifesto - the election is currently the main subject of conversation here ........... and another good reason to escape and drown my sorrows in the hot tub.

Hope you manage to get some answers about your knee. I will not dwell, just to say that I am fortunate in that mine is really good.

Take care and hope to see some wedding photos soon !

Love Chris XX
 
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I wasn't aware a hot tub was a 'Swinging' accessory, do you know that from personal experience, I wonder??

chuckle. But of course. Never mind 40 shades of grey. I am 40 shades of baize. You have more than sold the hot tub idea to me - sounds great.

I am fortunate in that mine is really good.

But what does that mean Chris? I so need comparisons. Does it mean it never feels stiff, it never feels tight, it bend like it should and generally functions and feels the way a normal knee does? By normal I mean all the things we took for granted when our knees were young?

You will have guessed that I am obviously the serious, academically brilliant, staid, rational and sensible one in the relationship

So being the opposite you are saying you are jolly, lacking in grey matter, flighty, irrational and daft. I'd believe jolly, but that's it. xx

ps: Oh and don't forget `communicator extraordinaire'. I know, 'cause I am gifted too :wink:
 
Carol, purely in the interests of your knee research I will try and be sensible and objective and describe my knee - so here goes. Sorry in advance for the ramble.
My knee is now almost 14 months old. I cannot help with the 'how my knee was when I was young' as I 'mullered' mine with a fall at 29, so I cant really remember when it was 'normal'.

GOOD BITS
My knee very rarely hurts now. I forget that it is an alien life form made of metal in there - I truly think of it as a real knee. Actually I don't think about it much at all.
It has completely lost that tight feeling and rarely aches. Although I have found if I really overdo it and walk a lot when the weather is very cold, it can be a bit achy overnight, but is fine by the next day. It is an 'overdone it and made it a bit stiff ache' rather than those awful internal bone and muscle aches pre TKR when it felt as though everything was loose and undone inside.
I haven't got the amazing degrees of bend that all those poster children have. My OS told me 120 would be a good result in my circumstances, but I know that I have well exceeded that. It does everything I need it to and my leg is extremely straight when extended.
I sleep in a foetal position and it bends beautifully and just as well as the other to allow me to curl up in a ball. I can cross my legs when I am sitting, run upstairs when I am feeling particularly bouncy and also downstairs. I don't need to hold the bannister, but am still very careful if I am carrying armfuls of stuff.
I can (and for the sake of my Achilles) have to wear a heel all the time, so all my walking is done in about 2 inch heels. Took a bit of getting used to, the knee did not like it at first but it's fine now and gives me a good excuse to buy lots of new heeled sandals this summer!
At about 11 months I was able to 'lock' my knees out and haul on the rope to pull the new boat off the trailer into the water with no ill effects! I was also able to climb up and down the pontoon ladders.
I can and have stood for l-o-n-g periods ( hours ) at social events.
Friends and family are all delighted at how the operation has really changed my life and abilities. They also say that I look better as the pain has gone from my face.

NOT SO GOOD BITS
My knee has reduced in size and rarely swells now - that said, it does swell very occasionally seemingly for no apparent reason. It is a better shape than it was before the operation, but still a bit wonky and not something I really want to flash about. My skinny trousers look better, but I still try to disguise the lop-sidedness of my two knees when I go out.
I don't limp, but if the Achilles on my other foot plays up, it seems to make me walk a little unbalanced if I have been walking a long way.
Wearing close-fitting knee high boots - with heels, for a long time tends to make it ache.
It occasionally feels a little warm - but that's all.
It still clunks occasionally, but less than it did at about 11/12 months - usually at night, and it wakes me up. After a big clunking episode my knee is often a bit stiff for a day or so - but the bonus is it is looser and bends further afterwards, almost as if internal bits have stretched.
The scar has not disappeared as much as I would like, I have very fair skin and a couple of undissolved stitches are taking ages to lose colour.
The feeling is returning to the 'numb area' now, but touching it still feels a bit weird.


As I get older lots of bits and pieces have off days when they feel a bit bleh, knee and leg included. But generally speaking, all is good. I don't mean to flaunt my perceived knee success but hope this helps.

XX
 
I will try and be sensible and objective and describe my knee

Chris, you are a star. Having a bench mark is so helpful. I was very jealous when I read you had no tight band feeling - I'd give up wine, chocolate and impure thoughts to have that. xx
 
@Dabber Hi Sue, saw you had been around. How you doing? Mike gets his results on Thursday. He had an infection from the biopsy he had last week. They changed the antibiotics and he is now much improved. I wondered if you were getting out and about a little more. Mind you the weather has been so cold, you aren't missing much if you haven't. Also wondered if you had any holidays planned - I know how you like to travel. Bring me up to date when you get a chance. x
 
@dogwheels - Read your post with interest -- and awe! Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I'm at about 9 weeks post-op and I'm planning to go back to work in 2.5 weeks. I don't have a lot of pain except at night or when I overdo, but the stiffness and swelling are a bear. Doc says it's normal, my knee may occasionally feel warm to the touch for up to a year, and that as long as my ROM is good, I'll be fine. Don't know my numbers but my ROM is fine -- can straighten almost all the way and bend all the way once my knee is warmed up and I'm not too stiff. I've been anxious to know how it might feel down the road and your post was very insightful.

Thanks! :dancy:
 
patient99 From the beginning I am one following your sometimes ( hilarious thread) . I enjoy the articulate way you go about dealing with your knee and can so identify. It 's a pity you seem to apply your writingskills to your knee only!
Eventhough I haven't had a TKR yet (partly due to experience on Bonesmart) I will have to succumb soon.
Also in Holland TKR is a very common surgery.
 
I enjoy the articulate way you go about dealing with your knee

Carol does several laps of the living room , arms in the air, shouting with joy `Recognition At Last. After 1849 messages someone has noticed me. Its nothing short of a miracle'. Drieqa, thank you. You folk from Amsterdam sure know your onions.

From the beginning I am one following your sometimes ( hilarious thread)

But wait a minute, what is that I see. You only joined BS today!!!! So when you say `from the beginning.......'
you mean you have been following me since 9.55am today. Its not exactly a world record, but no matter I take what ever I can get.

I have an appointment with a pain specialist tomorrow, that's got to be good for a laugh.
 
I bet driega has been reading here for awhile, like many do before joining.
Pain specialist, let us know how it goes.
And, yes I agree you do write very well, I should have mentioned that years ago, or at least a year ago.
My pain specialist ended up being my physiatrist for my back pain, he has been great.
 
Hello @patient 99. Yes, I check in every now and then. Let me know how Mike goes on.
I'm up and down. We went to the Lake District last week which was lovely but by about 2-3pm I was very tired and back home have somewhat crashed. I'm not sure what the problem is.....relapse, Rituximab side effects, a virus.....but despite it being a lovely day here I spent the afternoon in bed.
My knee isn't good, poor thing, I seem to have lympheodema as well, that leg of course. I'm going to ask for referral to a specialist clinic.
I await the pain clinic update with bated breath.....I may go down that route, indeed yes I will, I must!
Good luck with it.:console2:
Sue.:good-bad:
 
patient 99, LOL, I have a vivid imagination!!
Yes, I've been reading a long time before joining and am responsible for at least 400 of your more than 170000 views.
So curious about the outcome of your pain clinic appointment.
 
@Josephine

I saw a pain specialist today. He said there is nothing to be gained by an MRI scan. Even if the images were clear, and showed what the problem was, eg, excessive scar tissue, it would only be informative, but of no practical use. This is because having tried massage, physiotherapy and acupuncture the only thing left, if I go down this route, is surgery. But open, or key hole surgery, is considered too big a risk. If my knee was very bad that would make a difference. As it is moderate, the risks of surgery are thought to far outweigh any benefits that MAY result.

I raised the issue of long term damage to my knee caused by the pressure it is under from the tight band (which I think is scar tissue). His response `cross that bridge if/when you come to it'.

What he did offer was something that might relieve the chronic discomfort. He suggested Facet Joint Injection. This is an injection of long lasting steroid in the facet joints which are located in the back area. It is carried out under X-ray control. Initially the injection would contain a small amount of steroid to see if it works. If it did, then the procedure would be repeated with a larger dose of steroid. Good results may give up to 1year-18mths relief. After which it is repeated for as long as required.

If Facet joint injection sounds worth a go, here's the downside. Generally speaking the procedure is safe. The most common side effects caused by the procedure itself are temporary pain, infection, bleeding, worsening of symptoms, spinal block, epidural block etc. The other risks relate to the steroid. These include weight gain, increase in blood sugar (mainly in diabetics), water retention, suppression of the body's own natural production of steroid etc. These side effects are said to be uncommon.

`Uncommon' is no comfort to me. I am one of the 5% with a poor TKR outcome. So that leaves me having to decide what to do next. As always I would welcome any input, particularly from Bonesmarties who have first hand experience of steroid injections.
 
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curious about the outcome of your pain clinic appointment.

Drieqa, I've posted my report on my appointment today. It doesn't contain any laughs - not even a little chuckle. Sorry about that. But if you get desperate let me know. I've loads of vegetable jokes courtesy of an old chum.

BTW what do you mean by this exactly:-

I haven't had a TKR yet (partly due to experience on Bonesmart)
 
I'm up and down.

Hi Sue, In late April I am starting a course at my local hospital entitled `Mindfulness'. Its designed to enable you to develop a sense of calm and upbeatness however intense a thought, feeling or sensation, which in turn increases your confidence and resilience in responding to physical and mental difficulty. I wondered if something like that might be of interest to you. I know its a far cry from being well and pain free, but I guess if it helps us to cope its gotta be a plus.
 
Carol,
I have had a steroid epidural, was OK, I have trigger points with steroids in my SI joint, they work great. DH had an injection into a facet joint after an MRI showed swelling and impingement on his spinal canal, one steroid facet injection and he has been fine ever since. His problem was different than yours, but it did work.
Glad you found someone who has some ideas that may help, at least you are moving ahead and not standing still.
 
He suggested Facet Joint Injection. This is an injection of long lasting steroid in the facet joints which are located in the back area.
Yes, I am very familiar with facet joints and facet injections. :wink:
Generally speaking the procedure is safe.
Yes it is, very much so. But it is also around 50/50 in effectiveness. Worth a shot though (pardon the pun!)
The other risks relate to the steroid. These include weight gain, increase in blood sugar (mainly in diabetics), water retention, suppression of the body's own natural production of steroid etc. These side effects are said to be uncommon.
Where did you get this from? The 'steroid' they use in these injections is Depomedrone which has none of these side effects. Those are attributable to prednisone which is used for conditions like asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. You can read more about it here Cortisone shots: are they safe and is there a limit to how many?.
 
I am very familiar with facet joints and facet injections.
granny and eggs come to mind <chuckle>. The explanation was for fellow Bonesmarties. Anyways back to business. I was given the leaflet yesterday by the pain specialist's nurse. Given your reply (as always so helpful) I have just phoned the hospital to find out just what cortisone Dr Ludgrove intends to use. xx
 
I have had many Depo Medrone facet joint injections over the years. You can only have so many each year, I have forgotten how many. I have had no ill effects even with my blood sugars. About 50% have been successful. Most have been done in a sterile theatre, xray guided. However a hyaluronic injection in my knee sent my blood sugar soaring and they wouldn't come down. Hence, I am now on insulin. Everybody is different.

I have also been on a Mindfulness course, my rheumy is an advocate of it. It does help. I met a nice bunch of people all in the same position - chronic pain. It is about living in the moment. I use it when I am feeling down.
 
@patient 99 Thanks for the information. Yes, I've heard of mindfulness. I will see someone tomorrow who may be able to advise on ways forward.
:friends:
 
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