TKR Questions 8 months from surgery

Surgeons rarely need to engage with patients post surgery. That means many of them don't know how complex this recovery is.

A colleague of mine who is a top knee surgeon said he had no idea how complex TKR recovery was until he nursed his Father after performing his TKR. After that experience is totally changed the way he spoke to pre-op patients.

Now you know why BoneSmart was created!
 
I’m so upset again went to my dentist and they were surprised how long it is taking me to heal……it’s just so defeating. Sorry just had to vent. It really plays head games.
 
Can someone tell me why doctor/ surgeons don’t tell you that healing can take up to a year?
Before the surgery, my OS told me I'd be well enough to return to work in 12 weeks. At one of the post-op visits, he casually mentioned that my continued pain was common because it takes up to a year to heal. Wait, what? Luckily I had Bonesmart in my corner and I already knew that but was surprised that he confirmed. Also, one of our kneesies said their doctor stated if they told people it takes a year to heal no one would go through with the surgery. I beg to differ, we'd just be better informed and prepared.

Just pull out your list of things you can do today that you couldn't do a month ago for affirmation that you are indeed improving. Then take it easy because in my excitement at improving, I often landed on the ODIC bench. :heehee:
 
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if they told people it takes a year to heal no one would go through with the surgery. I beg to differ, we'd just be better informed and prepared.
I agree!

I’m so upset again went to my dentist and they were surprised how long it is taking me to heal……it’s just so defeating
It always amazes me how many people have an opinion about this surgery, and don’t hesitate to tell us, and yes, their comments are hard to shake off. I wish there was a BonesmartLand where we could all go for our entire recovery, where we would only hear encouraging comments!

Hang in there, you are having a normal recovery. :console2:
 
Thanks for helping me get my head around this, it just gets to me! I’ll just keep looking here for the encouragement especially after I hear “ your still not healed yet”, ugh
 
they were surprised how long it is taking me to heal
When anyone said that to me, my reply was: "And when did you have your knee replaced?" They would usually stutter something like "Oh, I didn't, but I know someone who...(fill in the blank here with some exceptional feat or early recovery)."

I learned to roll my eyes or shake my head. Most of the time I would change the subject, but -- occasionally, if I was feel especially snarky -- I would reply., "I'll bet he performed his own surgery, too."

Isn't interesting how the people who've never been near this surgery are such experts? :censored:
 
Mickimouse I hear you about other people’s comments! Sometimes I feel like it’s the hardest part of this whole hard process. Benne68, I think I need to borrow some of your snark! Jockette, can we please come to your mythical BoneSmartLand to heal in peace?? I don’t know why these things get under my skin so much. We saw friends over the weekend and it was so much fun just enjoying ourselves and I almost felt ‘normal’ for a couple hours. Then just before they left, my friend said, “I thought you’d be doing so much better by now” and my mood just plummeted. I know it was just a thoughtless comment and not meant to be hurtful, but now I can’t get it out of my head! I don’t know what I would do without this forum and others’ stories and support and people here telling me: it takes time but it will get better. Mickimouse, your knee is doing the best it can. It will take the time that it needs, but it willI (it will!) get better. Try not to dwell on those questions and comments from people who don’t understand, though it is so hard. We are all pulling for you here!
 
Yes I have heard it from a few who had the surgery, I guess they were the lucky ones.
 
Or they have forgotten details. Either way, I found their comments so defeating.
 
Yes I have heard it from a few who had the surgery, I guess they were the lucky ones.
I think it's like having a baby. Once it's all over with you forget about a lot of the pain.
 
Can anyone tell me approximately when the stiff front of knee starts to go away? Also my incision looks good but is still sore….any ideas or approximately when relief happens? It will be 15 weeks on Monday……
 
Those symptoms fade at different times for people. I found at 4 months that a couple minutes on the stationary bike or under desk pedaler stretched me out well (really 2 minutes was all it took). As to the incision, I had some pulling as recently as last month and had to return to daily massage of the site with vit E to break up some of the tightness.
 
Well here I am again, 4:00 am, turned my leg/knee slightly pain shoots from outer side of knee up thigh/hamstring to spot in butt. Butt spot pain still lingering. Any advice what to do or who to see? When I saw the doctors PA he didn’t seem alarmed and said if it doesn’t go away by month 5 come back for follow up……does that sound right? Could this magically go away? Any thoughts!?
 
To me, it sounds a lot like IT Band inflammation or bursitis. I have the exact same thing that flares up after doing too much. I bought a roller that I roll up and down the side of my leg and butt where it is painful. That really hurts, but it helps in the long run. You can try that and see if it helps.
 
Sistersinhim, does it eventually go away?
 
Mine hasn't. Shots help some but I found the best thing is to stay away from what aggravates it. For me, ladders are really rough as is hiking up and down hills. Walking on flat land doesn't seem to bother it. I'm averaging about 9000 steps a day and that's OK. It's the out-of-the-ordinary things I do that flare it up. Today will be another ladder day so I know that I will be awakened tonight with the pain. I find is I get up and walk, it goes away for a few hours.
 
I just got done with my primary doctor and her examination did confer the bakers cyst. You think getting the knee replacement would solve things but other things creep up…..I am so frustrated and sad, but she did say I will get better……will I? Ugh so sad
 
The cysts do get better. Too much activity will aggravate it and it can fill up again, but normal activity should keep it under control.
 

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