TKR 2 weeks, 2 days after LTKR, it's been tough

[Kolleen]

Well today I had my measurements again 115 and 0, so no real change from last week. That's ok though. I know I will hit plateaus. Still having trouble with my hamstring and the back of my leg in general. The front does fine. My limit is from the back of the knee not the stretching in the front.

 

[new knee in June]

Good morning Kolleen,
You are doing great...rom is wonderful the back of your leg will loosen up.it just takes time.
Remember to ice & elevate a few times a day
Maybe, you can use a heating pad on the back of your leg.
Thinking of you,
Diana

 

[Brithael]

I have hamstring and IT band problems. I do lots of hamstring stretches which help, and if it spasms, I have used a TENS unit which helped a lot. My IT and hamstring problems are caused by the the fact that my leg was crooked before surgery, and now it is straight. Both of those had shortened over the years and now need to lengthen. It's a process.

 

[Travlingirl04]

Wow Kolleen...you are doing great! I am a week ahead of you and didn't get to 115 until almost 5 weeks and I'm still at 7 degrees on straightening, which seems to be really hard for me, so I have a ways to go to 0 yet. I've had some pretty bad pain in my calf and quad along the way, but defiantly is getting better now. Lucky you having the cruise to look forward to. All the best...I know we're gonna make it.

 

[Kolleen]

Thought I would catch up on my recovery process. Last Saturday and Sunday were bad. My hamstring was hurting so badly that I pretty much couldn't sleep. I stopped all exercises Sunday, just elevated, iced, and stayed home (I like to get out of the house most days). Did this again Monday. Since then I have been slowly getting back up to speed on my exercises and supported my ham string with my hand when I can. Things are back on track and my hamstring is back to a very tolerable level.

If I didn't have Bonesmart relieving my anxiety about pushing PT, I don't know what I would do. We are currently trying to see if we can get more home visits through our insurance. We purchased an exercise bike which my home PT is going to give me exercises on.

 

[kneeper]

Sorry your hamstrings are being pesky.

 

[Kolleen]

I'm pretty happy today. I was given 6 more in home PT visits. With two per week, I still have 3 more weeks. That will put me at 2 months post surgery. Except for the hamstring, which I baby as much as I can, I am doing well.

 

[katie830]

Kolleen.......so glad you had a good day and have extra in home PT visits. I started my in home last week. I have the same group from my TRHR. They are great! Good luck with your recovery and enjoy the good days....Katie

 

[juniper]

Kolleen, you are doing so well. I think that getting on bonesmart pre-surgery probably helped a lot. You've had some setbacks, but seem to be handling them well, and I agree that your positive attitude seems to be making a huge difference. Your ROM is wonderful. Now just take it easy, keep icing and elevating, and learn from your P.T. I think you can get the information you need from her and then perhaps get one or two visits when you feel you are ready for new exercises. When I developed tendonitis, a new PT was so helpful. Glad you have a vacation to look forward to...What do you do for fun when you aren't exercising?

 

[Kolleen]

Hey Katie830 I hope your PT goes well. It makes so much difference if your PT is good.

I got my exercise bike. Now I am just waiting for my PT to show me what she wants me to do!

Had a bad night last night. Darn hamstring was really painful. I didn't get to sleep until 5am. It is really driving me nuts, because I feel like it is holding me back. I keep having to back off my exercises to stop it from really hurting.

Juniper, I am a computer nerd. I spend hours on my computer working and having fun. Today I have been looking at what we want to do on shore in Hawaii. My real love is travel. I was a travel agent for over 20 years. I lived in Europe during my high school years and try and get back every few years to visit. We also love to cruise. Last time I was in Europe it was on a cruise around the Med. My daughter was the Technical Entertainment Manager on a HAL ship at the time.

 

[juniper]

Kolleen, I am with you, I love to travel. I just remembered the summer that my school was going to pay for me to take a creativity course in Greece, and I backed out because I didn't think I could make it up and down streets in Athens with my knee so bad. I AM glad that I had it replaced, although it's taken a long time to feel that way. I do now. Maybe I'll go to Greece some day and actually be able to walk those streets. Our next trip will probably be to Italy and Spain. My husband's sister is married to a Spaniard and they have a house outside of Barcelona. Just reading your entry makes me want to travel more. Take care. It won't be long.

We just went to CA. My first great trip, post TKR. I'm in Lassen Park canoeing in my profile photo. Hiked, swam and kayaked also. What a treat.

 

[muddy paws]

Hey Kolleen,
You are doing great! I had my RTKR done on August 26th and like you I had massive muscle spasms. It really does feel like the knee has a mind of its own. My whole leg would tighten up and my thigh would pull my knee up. Ugh. Most uncomfortable! I ended up taking magnesium for the spasms - worked like a charm!

So glad you ROM is super after such a short period of time and you are getting out and about. What kind of scooter do you have? Maybe I need one of those! My range of motion is like yours. It's 0 -120 but like yours it still gives me grief, as it should since we are just babes in the woods when it comes to healing.

I can't believe you have been doing this on just Advil and tylenol. YIKES! Thats AMAZING! You go Girl! I want you to go have the best time on your vacation in Hawaii. You deserve it!

 

[Kolleen]

So, after more sleepless and pain filled nights from my hamstring, my PT has sent me to her Chiropractor. I went today. He said my right leg was an inch different than my LTKR leg. He was pretty sure I went into the surgery that way. He adjusted my lower back. It didn't hurt at all. I go again on Friday. I am interested to see if this is going to alleviate my hamstring problem. He said my lower back was out of adjustment, but that the hamstring could also be inflamed do to the surgery. He said if it was inflamed it would not heal easily without having my back adjusted first. He explained everything very carefully and answered all my questions. We will see how it goes. So far so good.

 

[new knee in June]

Good morning Kolleen,
I hope you are feeling well today your rom is unbelievable for 2 weeks. Maybe you should get some
Stronger pain meds. For your ham string problem, I hope the chiropractor works for you, many folks
On the forum have this problem, maybe someone will chime in with a solution. You can also tag
Josephine or Jaime with any questions you may have
Take care,
Diana....june sunbeams ......

 

[Kolleen]

Hey Juniper, I'm glad you enjoyed your trip to California. I have always loved it here. We have been living in the mountains above San Bernardino at 7000' for the last 12 years, but are moving back to the flat lands as soon as our house sells to be closer to our daughter. She is finally settling down next March and getting married. We want to be close to her and our future grand kids.

Hi Muddypaws, I have a GoGo Elite scooter. I have used it here and in Europe. It comes apart in 5 pieces, so it fits in the trunk of a car easily. I have been putting off surgery for years now. I cried the first time I took it to Disneyland. It gave me such a sense of freedom. I will still use it until my other knee is done for extended walking. I am already at the point where my right knee is swelling from the walking I am doing for my LTKR. The right knee hurts, the LTKR (except for the hamstring) doesn't after a 20 minute walk.
Hello New knee in June, I am actually doing fine on just the Advil and Tylenol. I think how much I ice has been a huge help. I really don't have a pain problem except the hamstring, and I think the chiropractor may be taking care of that issue for me. I have to admit I was very skeptical and reluctant to go to one. However, I am lucky because the chiropractor my PT recommended is really good. He said it is not uncommon for people to feel how I felt, because there are many "voodoo" practitioners who give the chiropractic field a bad name. Also my husband massages my hamstring every night before I go to sleep.

So, last Friday I was at -120 and 0. Today I go to the chiropractor again and see my PT later. My hamstring has seemed a little better since my first visit. I am now on bike exercises. I got an exercise bike at a garage sale, so my in home PT can have me do those exercises. I also bought a goniometer off Amazon. My PT taught my husband how to use it. After my next two weeks of PT, I am going to continue the exercises she gives me on my own. This is part of the plan I made with my PTs support.

 

[Kolleen]

I forgot. I slept 8 hours straight last night. Yay!

 

[kneeper]

Awesome!

 

[Kolleen]

Thanks Kneeper!
Saturday I went shopping with my daughter for her wedding dress. It took pretty much all day, plus a four hour round trip drive. I had a great time, but I was exhausted. I fell into bed as soon as I walked in at 9pm.

 

[Kolleen]

Argh, Now I have a toothache, and my doctor usually likes patients to wait 4-6 months, and it is only 2 months since my LTKR. I'm worried I will get an infection.

 

[Kolleen]

Well, It's been interesting lately. After my visit to my chiropractor, I thought I should try some of those exercises I couldn't do because of my hamstring pain. Dumb. I did them and screwed up my back again, and the hamstring pain came back. My PT crossed them off my list of exercises when I told her. So went to my chiropractor two days earlier for him to fix me again. He did. Felt better again. He told me he didn't want me doing any PT exercises besides my exercise bike for stretch, my stairs only when I have to use them, and walk! I'm good with that. Seems walking is more the British model anyway. He also fixed my neck pain I had had for two years. I guess a good chiropractor is worth their weight in gold.

About my toothache, I called my surgeon. He doesn't like dental work done until 4-6 months (I'm at 2 months), but figured I didn't have a choice with the toothache. He gave me Keflex to take before going to the dentist. Went to the dentist today. I have an infection. He put me on strong antibiotics for a week. Then I have to have my tooth pulled. I am going to wait to have it replaced until it is later. I am only doing what I have to now.

I appreciate everyone's support here on the board. Thank you for helping.