Revised PKR to TKR 12 months later but can’t find my thread

[shelli22]

@jandoh what lovely words. Thank you. It was a comment I made having read a few posts elsewhere that promoted an especially down period.

@Gel-girl thank you. It is cathartic. That’s why I write. And, there are others struggling. It may help someone.

@mlwreader it may be that as I’ve had two ops eight weeks apart and I think my body has had enough. I will wait until I can get off the opioids and maybe things will settle down. Otherwise I still have the appointment with endocrinologist.

Actually funny thing. I must be wishing time away or something. A few posts back I wrote I was ten weeks. That was a week ago. Truth is tomorrow I’m nine weeks lol. What was I thinking?

 

[Jockette]

Could be the pain medication and/or wishful thinking!

 

[shelli22]

Haha yes. Possibly though I’m betting wishful subconscious subliminal messaging lol


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[skigirl]

You have gotten some lovely posts. I can remember when i was recovering and had just found Bonesmart. I turned on the computer several times a day, looking for posts that helped!! I found them too and here I am 10 years later giving you a post that I hope is helpful!!

 

[Josephine]

I am flabbergasted that I’m still in such pain at this stage. Not only is the whole thing a slow process because I have had numerous surgeries but I also have this new implant which has the long stem

Well don't be. If you've had a long stemmed tibial component, then they will have had to do a lot more reaming of the bone to get it to fit. That's what would cause the extra pain. And 9 weeks is still very early for such a device. We advise 12 weeks for the bog-standard knee. I'd say 16 for this type.

 

[shelli22]

Oh. Thanks Josephine. It didn’t help not being able to count lol. I was adamant I was eleven weeks post op and really confused at the pain levels. Only to realise I’m just nine weeks. Glad I’m not at work if I can’t even add up lol.

Skigirl I have received some amazing advice and support lately and yes yours too are helpful. I also spend a lot of time checking my thread. I am attempting to not get tempted to start madly exercising, because that’s what I want to do, however I know that firstly I’m in too much pain to do that and secondly I’m trying really hard to stick to the BoneSmart mantra. Instead, I spend a lot of time reading others threads looking for answers as well as taking note of the responses on my own thread.


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[skigirl]

I did the same thing!! Now is the time to do some of the stuff you don't do because you don't have the time!!

Here is some of what I did; I learned to knit on you tube, bought stuff on line and had it delivered. made hats for all the granddaughters! Watched Downton Abbey from day one. Looked at videos of Jane Austen.

I looked up some videos of old tv shows that I hear people talking about that I never have time to watch. Then, I got books from Amazon on my iPad and read a lot of mysteries.

I just looked up some kayaking videos on you tube because my daughter had one in front of her house---they were helpful. I watched a lot of ski videos on you tube. and started watching a show called Britain's got Talent on you tube--so many of the try outs are hysterically funny.

I had friends who took me out to lunch once a week--even though I had to put my foot on a chair. I walked my dogs---1/2 mile at a time.

I did a little bit of jewelry. I watched some Soccer games---ugh, it all sounds so silly when I write it down. Most of all, try to keep yourself going with something. You really do need to sit and elevate for the first two weeks. I made myself do that and almost all of the swelling was gone when I started PT at week three.

Here are some things that will make things worse. A PT who pushes your need to get extra rom!! This is a biggie, the swelling can last for weeks. For me, it was being on my feet in my studio---one night I was in agony--my knee needed more rest. So, at week 3---two hours down for every one hour up.

You are doing something good for your body, you are healing. So many people try to rush this stage and some frantically exercise so that they can be first to recover---we ususally find them later with tendonitis---you simply cannot rush these first three weeks.

take a topic and research it---Kayaking in Australia,in New Zealand. Beaches in Hawaii, how to change the oil in your car---you get the picture. Your computer is your friend right now.

I even got some audio books so that I did not have to hold the ipad!! Have you listened to the the HElP? or Lord of the Rings? or Pride and Prejudice.

I am a reader, if you are not watch videos. Amazon prime was a good friend for those weeks when I had to order stuff on line since it was delivered in one or two days. I studied some art--oh yeah there are classes on Craftsy---cake decorating, knitting, sewing, quilting, painting---I took 4 on acrylic technique--oil painting, drawing. Now is the time to indulge your brain and find something new to learn.

 

[shelli22]

Oh I tried to indulge my brain by enrolling in my uni course but found I couldn’t string two words together. I just can’t get into anything. But that will change as time goes on. Netflix and Foxtel are my best friends at the moment. I’m nine weeks and still doing only ADLs as I don’t want to risk swelling and more pain. Time will tell.


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[shelli22]

@mlreader. I was reading someone’s thread today and they mentioned something I hadn’t even considered. She had had a very long recovery in which she dealt with so much I was honestly feeling a bit like a wimp (until I remembered that my journey has been almost five years and I have yet to be convinced that it will ever improve). She mentioned that she too suffered from sweating, pain, fever etc etc and came to the conclusion that she may be deficient In vitamin D. I have never considered this and have no idea whether mine is normal or not but it can’t hurt to have it tested! I will discuss with the OS at my appointment next week.

I took a photo of my knee as I was holding it up with the leg lifter today and I cannot get past my feeling that the leg kicks out from the knee down. I have sent a photo to the PA and voiced my concerns. I also asked her to review the results of my mri I had done to determine why sciatica was causing so much pain it was affecting my ability to extend my leg. The result were still not there (4 weeks later) so she will also follow them up.

She will show these to the OS in the morning and let me know if he wants to see me earlier or just wait until next weeks appointment. I figure at least I have notified him of my concerns and issues and if needed he could order an X-ray done prior to my next appointment if he is concerned with the alignment (or it might be nothing and I’m seeing things).

 

[SusieShoes]

Lots of people are vitamin D deficient (I take supplements for that), and it’s easy to find out from a simple blood test. It would be great if your symptoms are due to something as simple as that!

Let us know what the doctor says about your photo. Knees after surgery can take a while to look anything close to normal — they can be lumpy, bumpy, swollen, and discolored for a long time — but if you think there’s an issue it’s best to find out.

 

[shelli22]

@SusieShoes this is my third op. I understand that a knee can look different to normal for a long time following surgery. This knee has been swollen and scarred for nearly five years and has had many different lumps bumps and sizes. This isn’t like that. The actual leg doesn’t appear to be aligned. Ion is straight from hip to knee then appears to go 25/30 degree out to the side ( I’m guessing the degree). Like I said I could be seeing things but compared to the other leg it looks odd. Not only that I can’t straighten it and when standing I feel like I need to slightly rotate the knee outwards to get it to straighten but I can’t due to pain.

 

[Celle]

Shelli,
Can you post a photo of both your legs, so we can see what you mean?
You need to be standing straight, wearing shorts, facing forward. Include both legs all the way from your hips to your feet.
That way, Josephine can measure the amount of alignment and see if your knee is misaligned at all.

 

[shelli22]

I can’t Celle. I couldn’t send him that even. I am not trying to be difficult it’s just the thought of that makes me ill. I sent him one in long pants of one leg. He now wants a long X-ray done prior to my appointment and is ordering a synovasure test as well for the 24 th. He hasn’t commented yet on the MRI.

 

[sistersinhim]

If you don't want the photo to be public, just pm it to Josephine. She can offer you can good advice, I'm sure.

 

[shelli22]

Had X-ray today. My goodness I was in tears and had to hide it. Boy did that hurt trying to stand anatomically straight against a wall. But the most painful part was when they rotated my knee to get moving pics of it a different angles.


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[Jockette]

Some techs are not very gentle. They either forget, or don’t care, we’re having X-rays taken for a reason.

 

[shelli22]

Oh he was trying to be gentle. It wasn’t him he was doing what he had to do. It was my knee lol


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[Jockette]

I’ve had some rough techs. I’m glad yours was trying to be gentle and I’m sorry you are still in so much pain.

 

[shelli22]

@Josephine I am posting these. Maybe you can see or maybe not. I would appreciate it if you can look but as its a phot of an X-ray I’m not expecting miracles. If not I will patiently wait until I see OS on Tuesday next week. Thank you.

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[Josephine]

I've tried to indicate the line of your leg and it does look off.

I am not trying to be difficult it’s just the thought of that makes me ill.

Please tell me what it is that makes you feel that way. I'd like to understand because I would feel more comfortable doing this on a photo of your leg. A photo similar to this - including both legs, hips and feet, barefoot, wearing short shorts