United States
I had total left knee replacement surgery February 21, 2019. Surgery went well. Six and one-half weeks of physical therapy went well. Reached 120 ROM at two weeks. By the end of PT, my ROM was 125 but the therapists could "push" me to 132-133. Straightening was at 2. I never made it to 0. Exercising, elevating, and icing at home. Did everything as instructed. Continued to do my exercises, elevating, and icing after therapy. My problem was (and still is) the tight "band" feeling that will not go away. I have had the feeling since the very beginning of therapy. Every time I mentioned it to my therapists, their reply was always the same..."wait a year". After one year, I was still in pain. This is not the kind of pain that any medication can control. I don't think it is nerve based pain. I've tried Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, Meloxicam (Mobic), Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, Ibuprophen, Naproxen Sodium, Turmeric, CBD oils, and essential oils over the past 15 months. My pain level is consistently a 5. On bad days it feels like I have a brick strapped to my knee. On worse days it feels like I have a concrete block strapped to my knee. There are no good days unfortunately.
I went back to my surgeon in March 2020 (13 months post-op) and complained of the tight band feeling. X-rays showed nothing out of place, no cysts, no tumors, no cancer, etc. and the surgeon couldn't believe I was still in so much pain. At first, he recommended revision surgery because he thought my body was rejecting my implant. When I broke down sobbing in his office, he then recommended more PT closer to home instead of surgery and suggested I postpone revision surgery another year. So I recently finished 4 weeks of PT going three days a week with new therapists. In the beginning of this round of PT, I was at 100 ROM and 10 on my straightening. After 4 weeks, my ROM was 112 and my straightening was down to 5. The new PTs also used a TENS unit on me. I am continuing to exercise there three days a week using the elliptical, recumbent bike, treadmill, and squat machine. I also purchased a TENS unit to use at home as well as a recumbent bike. But I still have the tight band feeling. One therapist suggested I may have excessive scar tissue build up. My surgeon said, "Give it another year." This has affected every aspect of my life: working, standing, sitting, walking , sleeping, driving, housework, etc. It has affected me physically, financially, emotionally, and socially. I am at my wit's end. I wish I never had the surgery.
I went back to my surgeon in March 2020 (13 months post-op) and complained of the tight band feeling. X-rays showed nothing out of place, no cysts, no tumors, no cancer, etc. and the surgeon couldn't believe I was still in so much pain. At first, he recommended revision surgery because he thought my body was rejecting my implant. When I broke down sobbing in his office, he then recommended more PT closer to home instead of surgery and suggested I postpone revision surgery another year. So I recently finished 4 weeks of PT going three days a week with new therapists. In the beginning of this round of PT, I was at 100 ROM and 10 on my straightening. After 4 weeks, my ROM was 112 and my straightening was down to 5. The new PTs also used a TENS unit on me. I am continuing to exercise there three days a week using the elliptical, recumbent bike, treadmill, and squat machine. I also purchased a TENS unit to use at home as well as a recumbent bike. But I still have the tight band feeling. One therapist suggested I may have excessive scar tissue build up. My surgeon said, "Give it another year." This has affected every aspect of my life: working, standing, sitting, walking , sleeping, driving, housework, etc. It has affected me physically, financially, emotionally, and socially. I am at my wit's end. I wish I never had the surgery.
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