TKR 12 Week check up, suck it up girl.

[Dabber]

I'm just a week behind you Dancer and can relate to so many things you say. For myself being stuck indoors when the sun has been out for so long....rare in the UK and everyone is away on holiday has been sad and awful. I've had to cancel things I'd planned months ago....my op was delayed a month with a chest infection, I'm supposed to be having a week away abroad in a month, my finger is hovering over the email to cancel. I daren't go out without my Dh for fear of falling or getting so far and being unable to get back and so on and so forth.
It will get better, it is getting a little better every day. Sleep is a big issue, last night awake til 4am and caught the knee turning over so pain, meds, pain...
Can you build in little treats?
I bought us a nice mattress topper so a comfy bed became a luxury bed, some nice chocolate, we make a lovely fruit salad to last a day or two, just little treats to boost us when everyone else is on the beach. Today I'm going to take a nice shower then watch a film and get some extra sleep, Dh has taken himself out for a much needed break. I can't do what I want to do but well, my arthritis pain has gone in one knee at least and hopefully a new start beckons.
I do so hope you have a better, happier day.
Sue

 

[danceragainsoon]

I was curious as to how many are recovered after 3 months. My mom says is was but that was so long ago I think she's forgotten. I'm at 3 months now and I still walk funny and still have pain and fatigue, as well as stiffness, especially in the morning. I think my mom being a mom tells me to move one and be tough. ( that's just her way) I have to go back to work in 3 weeks and I hope I am better. If I'm a sissy lala, if I am I'm going to embrace it. I have 3 more PT's and still struggling to get to 120. I get there after 2 hours of stretching. Anyways tell me what your experiences are someone. Thanks

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Nobody is fully recovered at 3 months he says sticking his neck right out

Stretching is good as long as you don't overdo it and hurt yourself. You will get there in time.

 

[speccybecky]

My neck's right out there with you Roy!

 

[Josephine]

Agreed. I think it was a good 10 months before I could factually say I was anything like 'better'. I did start doing jobs again (occy health) at 6 months but was glad I could pick and choose what, when and where!

 

[danceragainsoon]

Ok peeps I go to the dr today. He's going to take xrays. I guess they do that to see how the fake part is doing? Anyways, I hope he will tell me I can go back to work. However, if you see the way I walk and the pain I feel, I don't see myself walking the halls of a school with little ones running around me. My back is killing me probably from laying down so much. I'm going to my second to my last PT today. They gave me as much as they could. I'm still so tight. I hope that going away one day. I know I'm a Debbie downer. I hope everyone is having a good day.

 

[danceragainsoon]

Well I went for my 12 weeks check up. This is what I learned. Apparently I'm in that 20% that takes longer to heal. Most people by now are almost back to normal with no pain and stiffness. So I guess I need to put my big girl panties on and suck it up. The problem is this pain is real. The stiffness is real. I have to go back to work and frankly if he puts me on any restrictions I could get moved, So none of that. The pain isn't really bad except for when I stand up for more then 5 mins. or walk, then it gets stiff. At pt they get it to 120, but that's with hours of stretching. Oh lord, this is real and what is there to suck up. Emotionally I'm a reck, but I'm going to see any physiatrist to see why my anxiety level is so high. Anyways, today I'm going to focus my whole day into walking normal which is also a problem. Relearning this practice is hard. But I'm going to do it. My school kids need me, or I need them. Thanks for listening.

 

[speccybecky]

I can assure you I was not back to normal, nor had no pain and stiffness at 12 weeks! Sounds to me like you are more 'normal' in having pain and stiffness. You still need to be taking pain meds, are you? Stiffness is pain and could be because you are still swollen. Ice, ice and elevate, cut back on exercise a bit see if that helps. With measurements like that you will get there, just be kinder to yourself

 

[danceragainsoon]

Thanks Speccybecky. I didn't stop taking pain meds because I don't want to depend on them. But I do take them when I go to pt. I should take the anti-inflammatory but my stomach doesn't like it much. Be thanks for the support. This is why I love this site, because I'm not so alone.

 

[Josephine]

Dancer, I have merged FIVE recovery threads of yours. We prefer you to stick with ONE thread so you have the constant benefit of being able to read back what people have suggested to you. Clearly you're not doing that.

For instance, have you read the recovery articles (post #2)?
Did you read my previous (and others) advising you that you are doing too much?

Maybe you did and maybe you didn't actually take what we all said fully on board. I don't want to be snippy with you but let me say some of it again ...

The problem is this pain is real. The stiffness is real.

Stiffness and pain are the same thing and they need to be medicated. What pain meds are you taking, how much (in mgs please) and how often?

The pain isn't really bad except for when I stand up for more then 5 mins. or walk, then it gets stiff.

That's because you are undermedicated and doing too much .... like this ...

At pt they get it to 120, but that's with hours of stretching.

120 is pretty darned good at 12 weeks. Anything else will take several more months to achieve. And if you're getting there already, then you don't need any more PT. None at all.

Emotionally I'm a wreck, but I'm going to see any physiatrist to see why my anxiety level is so high

Well you don't need a doctor to tell you that! You're in pain, under-medicated, doing too much and scared stiff about how you're going to cope when you go back to work!

I'm going to ask you some questions which I know I've asked before but that was earlier
1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine)
2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mgs please) and how often?
3. how often are you icing your knee and for how long?
4. how high are you elevating your leg, how often and for how long?
5. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and
6. what kind of PT are you doing? How much and how often?


I'll be back shortly!

But please don't start any more new threads!

 

[danceragainsoon]

I'm sorry I still don't quite understand this site. I thought a new thread is just a new thought. I don't want to break the rules. It won't happen again.

1. pain level 5-4-7 depending on my activity.

2. pain med. Norco 10m I only take that when I go to PT. I also take Naprosyn.

3. I ice 2 to 3 times a day, 20 mins.

4. I lay down that's how I elevate.

5. I ride a recumbent bike 25 mins a day. Light house work and cooking. I also go to PT 3 times a week. In pt he mostly puts me on a bike and a stretching machine to bend my leg. He's also teaching me how to walk normal.

Ok. I think I answered them all.

 

[referee54]

I was curious as to how many are recovered after 3 months.

Three months seems like a long enough time, but it is not. Mine took about six months before I was around 80% and eight months before I was 90%-95%.

Many folks say that, in reality, their OS has said it may take upwards of a year to return to "normal."

 

[referee54]

I'm sorry I still don't quite understand this site. I thought a new thread is just a new thought. I don't want to break the rules. It won't happen again.

Not to worry---By using only one thread for your recovery, we can follow your recovery easier and look at it from the immediate post-op to right up to today. That way, by using one thread, we can see what has been going on and what issues that you have had or are continuing to have.

The one thread allows all of us---forum members and forum administrators, to view your entire history easily and, that way, we can give you the best advice in a quick manner without bouncing around from thread to thread.

 

[Josephine]

Well, on an ordinary forum it is! But here we like post-op members to stick to the one thread then all your information is in one place so we don't have to go looking for it. Think of it like your hospital notes! It's not a rule as such, simply our preference! Thanks for understanding anyway.

2. pain med. Norco 10m I only take that when I go to PT. I also take Naprosyn.

But why do you only take it before PT? Don't you realise that you need it on a regular basis to deal with that pain?There are also alternatives such as Tylenol which is best taken at 1,000mg 3-4 times a day

You didn't say if you'd read those articles - the first one is about pain management which I really think you should read (again!) Here it is anyway importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart.

3. I ice 2 to 3 times a day, 20 mins.

Ice more - ice is a great pain reliever.

4. I lay down that's how I elevate.

That's not quite what I was looking for. Laying down does not equate with elevating. And you don't necessarily have to lay down to elevate. Look at this article elevation is the key.

 

[referee54]

3. I ice 2 to 3 times a day, 20 mins.​

Ice more - ice is a great pain reliever.

I was going to say the same thing---do not ration the ice---try six-to seven times a day. Or ice as often as you need to---as long as you need to---do not worry about the 20-minute rule.

 

[referee54]

4. I lay down that's how I elevate.​

That's not quite what I was looking for. Laying down does not equate with elevating. And you don't necessarily have to lay down to elevate. Look at this article elevation is the key.

Ditto---"get your toes above your nose" take a look at how the surgical knee is elevated and how gravity helpt to eliminate swelling. It is not about simply getting off of your feet---it is about alowing the gravity to help you get rid of the swelling.

 

[danceragainsoon]

Ok good advice. And yes I have read the articles. Thanks for you help.

 

[referee54]

We will be with you---please keep posting updates as to how you are doing and what is going on! We will be here to help you get through this recovery and through these issues.

 

[kneeper]

If you take naproxyn be sure to take it with food--it can be rough on your stomach. But tylenol in the doses Josephine recommends does also help with this recovery pain. And as others have said continue to ice and elevate.
Yes, I was back at work at 3 months but I also was taking tylenol, icing and doing a lot of resting too. Hang in there and don't be so hard on yourself.

 

[Jamie]

You have excellent ROM for this point in your recovery. So, I really don't think you need therapy anyway. I hated hearing that you were stretching your knee for TWO HOURS at a time! Oh my gosh, that is bound to cause you to irritate those tender tissues. So I'm not surprised you had swelling and pain. Remember, with the knee you don't necessarily see swelling. It can be within the joint compartment itself, which is very compact. It doesn't take much swelling in the knee to cause a lot of pain for you.

My suggestion for you from now until the time you head back to school is to not push yourself in any way. Of course, you shouldn't sit around all the time. Do some gentle stretches and bends (like putting your foot up on a step and leaning into it until just the point of tightness and then release....do that about 10 times several times a day). Spend a good amount of time icing with your toes above your nose. Don't try to run a lot of errands at once or do home tasks that require you to stand or walk for extended periods (more than 20 minutes at a time). Get plenty of sleep and take naps if possible. Your body heals when it is at rest. You know, your body only has so much energy and when you are walking, bicycling or whatever....you're taking energy away from the healing process.

Plan your return to work carefully. That means get a parking place close to the door nearest your classroom. Get a student, an aide or someone to help you with those walking errands (like going to the office to pick up mail). Plan for a chair wherever you must be in the school. Maybe a stool would work better, but get the weight off your feet as much as possible. Take a small stool so you can put your foot up. Plan on ways you can like down on breaks and put your feet up. Take ice packs and use them throughout the day. There are many things you can do to help during the day if you think about it.

Then....especially for the first week or so, plan on NOTHING other than work. Don't try to sandwich errands before or afterwards. No cooking when you get home. Once you're back home, lie down with ice for the evening. Your work will be MORE than therapy for you. Don't feel guilty about any of this. You are still healing. The better you take care of yourself, the faster you will get back to normal again. But.....I must tell you that most people don't really begin to feel like themselves until at least 6 months out. This is a huge assault on your system and it takes time to bounce back.....for anyone....not just that 20% that your surgeon mentioned. You will tire more easily. You'll hurt faster when you overdo things. You may need to take pain medication of some type now and then. It's all part of the recovery process. But you WILL get there. Honest!!!

Here are a couple more articles from the BoneSmart Library that may help you:

Tips for Teachers

Lose the Work Ethic!