Guest viewing is limited

2 months out and discouraged

Status
Not open for further replies.

wrinklepooh

new member
Joined
Aug 28, 2009
Messages
4
Location
United States
I have just completed 2 months post op TKR...I thought that recovery would be faster, and I am very impatient. My PT says I have some IT band and VMO issues that are causing my pain, but now my heels hurt almost as much as the knee. Is this possibly due to the realignment after years of knee problems? I had my first of 4 knee surgeries 40 years ago,and now my knee appears to have a giant "4" scar on it. Everyone I talked to before my surgery said it was a breeze...no pain...wonderful from day one! I was so glad to find this site and realize I am not alone! I have kept up with therapy, but after 8 weeks they say I need at least 3 more weeks...I'm really down and about ready to give up...I don't have my energy back yet, but have recently gone back to work. In my job I stand quite a bit and the swelling is effecting my ROM...my last PT session I had lost 5* from 106 to 101...my OS could only get 120* at the time of my surgery and said that should be my goal,but due to long time damage I might not get there...Has anyone else had these problems? Any advice?:sigh:
 
Yes, I can relate. The more active you are, the more exhausted you become. Also causes more swelling that makes the IT Band really tight and hurt. I'm at 5 months preparing for my second TKR and still have problems with the first one. Repeated injuries to my left knee have slowed down recovery on the first one. It seems just as I am making good progress, the other knee acts up.

Will be taking care of the left knee in 3 1/2 days though, so hoping to heal faster without the delays.

At 8 weeks, you will have times where you seem to regress and get discouraged. This will improve with time though. Remember to rest as much as you can, ice and elevate and take your meds to help with swelling and pain management. I just finished pt this past Wed. after my MUA. Was only at 97 degrees flex with 0 on ext. Will have to live with that for now until after surgery, then will begin pt again on both knees. I am definitely not the poster child for this surgery, but am improving. Looking forward to the day when my knees aren't my focus and able to live without pain.

Not trying to discourage you, just let you know we all heal at different rates and it is so easy to become impatient and frustrated. Hang in there, it will get better with time. Keep going to pt and rest often.
 
Wrinklepooh
I want to welcome you to bonesmart. I am a hippy and do remember a bunch of us last summer talking about 2 steps forward, one step backwards.
And so on. Healing does take time. Seems shorter for us hips that have uneventful recoveries, but it still takes more time than most of us expect.
judy
 
I also had 4 major and a couple of minor scopes on 1 knee and 5 on the other that also started about 35 years ago. I went to PT for 6 months (the last month was only once a week thought). My OS also said that I might not get more than the 95 ish I had preop because of the previous surgeries which left alot of surgery and other internal damage. Well with a great physical therapist and alot of PT plus exercise at home, I did reach 120 at 7 months. I have lost a bit since then as i seem to have an underlying inflammation problem and my doctor wanted me off the aspirin which is not working.

Anyway, you just have to keep going and as other said ice and elevate especially if you are on your feet at work. I was stuck at around 105 for 2 months and the gain in ROM was very slow.

Good luck

Simon
 
Hi, Wrinkle....welcome to the BoneSmart family! So sorry to hear you are having some pain following your TKR. The folks who told you they had no pain from day one did you know favors. That is simply not true with this type of surgery. The recovery is VERY significant and can take many months to "turn the corner" where you feel you are glad you had the surgery. As you now know, it can compound things when you have had other surgeries and possibly years of your body compensating for your pre-surgery pain and poor alignment.

But....you will get there. It is important that you not give up. You just need to accept that your recovery may be slower than some. But even small steps forward and little successes are to be celebrated. We'll help here on BoneSmart. There are lots of folks here in various stages of recovery who understand exactly what you're feeling and going through. We'll always be here to support you when you need it....and to answer specific questions you might have.

Please post whenever you need our help...or just to say hi and talk for a bit. We care about you!!!
 
Hey Wrinkle and welcome Boy can I relate I had no idea how hard it was I wish I would have found this site before my sugery .......lol.........I didnt but I did see a difference at my 3 mth.But yea i guess everyone is different Im like you I wanted to go go go but couldnt got very depressing sit outside or talk with neighbors keep your mind busy.My 2 mths were hard as well........hang in there..Talk with us we have all been thru it.....There is a guy on here that was a yes out still gaining ROM so it came be done........Just do you best...Please dont give up believe me I think alot of us were there but didnt and dont you......You can spill your guts on here anytime we will all help you thru it. my heart goes out to you becasue i know the feeling..............Really 3 mths I hope you see a difference..........)
 
wrinklepooh,
I am at 7 months on Right knee and 5 months on Left knee and yes I have been where you are!!! And I wanted to quit it all!! Life just seemed so unfair!!! But I would have only been hurting myself. And I am not a QUITER I do not give up just because the road get ruff and I am having a hard time getting where I need to be. It is up to you how far you want to push. No one can do it for you. And it is going to hurt and swell up like a big basketball!!! So you take something for the pain and then you ice up!!! Your friends did you no favor's telling you that this surgery was a walk in the park!! But unless you want me to come and help you beat them-up you are just going to have to let that go.
You need to get yourself better. And you said a 4 inch scar is what you have?? I now have 2 - 6 inch scar's!!! And you have one knee that is good?? Or is it bad ??
I do not know your Doctor but maybe a 2nd opinion is what you need if you really feel that your Doctor is wrong about your knee??
Please let us know what it is we can help you with. I just had one knee scoped. and I will have the other done soon. I also had MUA's done on both in June and it did not help because Doctor could not break up the adhesions. But I feel a difference in my right knee since He did the scope Wen. Can hardly wait to get to PT and have the ROM measured!!!!! So see I am still working on getting more ROM every day. And I won't give up untill I get my knees to be where I need them to be to live a normal life.
 
Hey wrinklepooh welcome
I am at 5 months out (on 8/27/09)

I had PT for 4 months maybe a couple weeks more. The best PT
you can have if you are having IT band (as I do) problems, get
a therapist that will massage that IT band. You can also do the
massage to the IT Band. I still have problems, esp. if I do not do
my exercises. Ride a bike even if for a few mins.

I don't know about those friends of yours. Did they ever have
complete knee surgery? It is not a piece of cake. You are going to
have to put some energy into the knee recovery for several months.
You will get there, I would say have patience but I don't have any either.

Are you able to just ice for a few minutes during the day and elevate? For break or lunch. It will help.

You are going to get there but it does take a while. I get up set
also, because I just did not think it would take this long, but as
they say "it is what it is" I am just going to have to work at it
for a little longer but I know in the end, it will be worth it.
 
Well, as others have said, two months is in the peak of your recovery problems! I am amazed you are back at work already. When did you return and what kind of work do you do?

You need to still be taking pain meds and icing. Remember that pain causes swelling and swelling is painful! Nice vicious circle! I suggest that, since you are at work, you make a point of spending a goodish amount of your evening with your leg elevated with ice on it!
 
Thanks so much for all the encouragement...my right knee also needs to be replaced...don't want to think about that now...one day at a time. the scar for my LTKR is about 8" and the scars from previous surgeries are also about 8" so together they form a giant number 4! That's ok...I don't care about scars, I just want it to settle in and get better...the pain needs to go away...the good news is that I am at 3* for extension after years with a 35* bend...now my operated knee is straighter that my other. Any suggestions for the heel pain?
 
Hi Wrinkle and welcome!

I hit a rough patch at about 8 or 9 weeks. I was tired of coping, tired of going to PT, tired of not being able to cut my own toenails! I got past it and you will too. This just takes much, much too long to get better and we all get frustrated. I know that next year I won't even remember all the frustration--I'll be too happy enjoying life.

A thought about the heel pain--are you wearing shoes that you wore prior to surgery? Some time back someone suggested that old shoes have wear patterns that are not compatible with our new knees. I took that as a direct order to go out and buy several pairs of new shoes--That is why the economy has improved--LOL!

Blessings,
Irene
 
I actually spent almost 6 months is PT to get to 110 of flexion. Just hang on and it should get better. I too was so discouraged but the forum and PT kept me going!:thmb:
 
I am the queen of impatience---people also told me that this was apiece of cake--wrong. The heel pain could be the shoes---get new, supportive ones or a heel spur. Iwould try ice and new shoes.

I also swell at work--I work in a store. So, I wear a compression stocking--like ted hose, but not white!!--got them at footcare.com. I have a men's small in black that is okay--they are thigh high.

Also, on my way home from work I stop by the gym and "run" in the pool with a buoyancy belt for 30 min or I bike for 30 minutes. I don't feel like going sometimes---but I feel better if I go. It make s a big difference to move that knee around.

You will loose some of your Rom if your knee is swollen--it will come back when the swelling is down. Swelling comes from weak muscles--quads and hamstrings---you need to complete your pt and work in the gym. When your muscles are stronger and support the joint more that the joint supporting itself---there will be less swelling.

So, antiinflammatories are good--I use Aleve, stockings are good, biking, pool stuff are good. Ice is good.

this is the thing that I struggled with---I simply had to start taking care of myself. So, I put on the stupid hose, I stop by the pool and take the time for myself---I take the pills, I think about what I am doing--8 hours was too much at work, so now I work 5 hours per day at the store---they want me to work, so are willing to work with me.

Face the fact that there is no magic wand here--YOU are going to have to help yourself and figure out what works and then take the time to do it. Don't worry, 8 weeks is hard--you want to do stuff, but your knee is still weak. It will get better. Kelly
 
Any suggestions for the heel pain?

I think it may be pressure sores from laying on your back more than you are accustomed to. To alleviate it, use a small pillow or a rolled up towel under your Achilles tendon so the pressure is lifted off them. And massage them as well with some hand cream. If you can't reach them yet, have you someone would do that for you once or twice a day?

 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Staff online

  • Jamie
    Staff member since Feb, 2009
  • Layla
    Staff member since November 20, 2017
  • Jockette
    Staff member since March 18, 2018
Back
Top Bottom