2 wks out post -op help!

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Texas

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41 TKR- I have been online reading all of your posts for weeks now. I have to say w/o you knowing you have gotten me thru alot of bad days and nights, sometimes make me laugh at the conversations Great! this is long please bare w/ me. But my concern is (lil embarrising) i can only bend about 65 gegrees i try all day excercise etc but i have had 3 surgeries one dec 08 one jan 09 and this same knee..didnt even have time to heal...but i bend my leg its tight but i think i can do it more but in the inside of my knee cap almost by the bone it actually really hurts when i bend no where else at all (great) i asked the dr said normal but i am stuck i cant bend more because of the pain right there no where else it makes me mad does anyone know . is that something i just need to push thru or worry about ...thanks for your help in advance....lil nervous sorry you all really know alot ....and help people very very much..i know you have for me...thanks in advance
 
Tex,
Jo or Jamie are apt to be more help then me. And they will be on here soon.
But if I am ask why 2 surgery's so close together?? If I knew why then maybe
when Jo and James could answer faster. It helps to know everything about the knee
and the sugery's. Do you have a lot of swelling? Sometimes that can really
keep you from bending the knee. Oh dang sorry here I go asking you question
instead of just waiting for you to tell me in your own words. Sorry
^i^
 
well i was bone on bone but the one in dec was just clean up muniscus tear.then jan another tear so he removed the whole muniscus and it kept popping out of place so he cut the r side tendion to release pressure. then said i needed a TKR ..i was following his advice and did what he advised wish i woulnt have but cant go back now.not realyy any swelling a lil but not much it looks good actually..i want this to work so bad i try and try all day long..thanks for your reply...
 
Hi, Texas....I'm so glad the forum has helped you and that now you've decided to join in the discussions.

Calling is right that swelling can impact your ability to increase your ROM (range of motion). And depending on what your other surgeries were, the fact that you had them might be impacting ROM too....especially if you had a lot of scar tissue. Other factors can be how mobile you were before surgery, how strong your muscles were then, pain levels now (are you taking adequate pain meds to enable you to do your therapy), and probably other factors that I'm not thinking of right now.

Our forum nurse, Josephine, will check in here soon and she'll probably have lots more to say from a medical standpoint. Until then....I have a couple of questions for you....What meds are you on now and how often do you take them? Do you have swelling? Are you in therapy? What was your movement prior to the surgeries?

And don't worry about making long posts. Yours was NOT long and the more information you provide, the easier it is for everyone who wants to provide support to know how to respond.
 
Hello, Texas, and welcome to BoneSmart. I so glad we've been able to help you. That's what we're here for.

I'd like to know, when you say your doctor said it was normal, which doctor was it? Your OS, his assistant or your primary care doctor?

A flexion of 65 degrees is not normal. But who has measured your flexion? Your PT?
Knowing your age would help as well.

I am surprised your surgeon hasn't discussed a manipulation unless it's too soon. If your leg is very swollen then that will inhibit flexion but if that's not the case, many have had manipulations at 85 and 90 degrees.

If you'd be kind enough to carefull answer my questions I - and the other members who have past experience - will be able to give you more meaningful advice, ok?
 
yes i am 41 i had 3 surgeries yrs 03 & 05-all tears..my last surgery was 4-14-09 TKR I am on Norco and ib profen i do take it as told..i do use ice alot..not alot of swelling jusr when i bend it i feel i could go more but i get to a point where in the inside knee is real painful...i saw my os wed said it was normal the bend i had a PT at home she was ok with the 65 and i start OP ther on tuesday ...thanks for youe reply..
 
also when i got out of surgery that night a PT came put me in a chair never came back for 2 hrs then next day chair 2 hrs that was all the pt i had...i didnt know better till i was reading the post on here that it should have been different..kim
 
LOL! I should read the title of the thread!

So you're only 2 weeks out - don't worry about this.
You'll have plenty of time to make up the ground and it is much to early to be worrying about manipulations or anything like. Sorry I mentioned it! Many people don't even start PT until 3 or 4 weeks. And don't push your knee just yet. You have to let the wound heal first. You don't want to end up with the wound breaking open, do you? You'll be fine. Just rest, ice and take it easy. Do what your PT is tells you and no more, okay? She'll know a lot more about this than you do and will give you the right instructions.
 
oh ok i see you on all the time...i love your and everyones advice its ok about the 2 wks..i will still keep trying i stare at it like ok im ready lets go and it sits there but i will hang in there ...thanks for your quick responses..kim from what i have seen i have never seen such caring people...really
 
Well, we like new members! You just keep reading and posting. But leave that leg alone for the next few days! You've a lot of healing to do.

Take me for example - I had my knee done 4½ weeks ago and I still slept for most of this day! Therefore I never got around to much in the way of PT!
 
Hey Texas, also be aware that you are likely to go through a number of mood swings with your recovery. To me the first couple of months were the hardest..Stay with our forum, and you'll pick up a little advise on everything..Nothing is out of bounds.
Make sure and take your pain meds. Don't worry about becoming a drug addict. My crew took our pain meds for the better part of three months post op.
I'm at 16 months post op and still find myself improving.
Keep your leg elevated, ice and do your exercises.
You might want to write some questions down for the next time you visit your O.S. for a follow up.
 
Texas.....you have a lot of recovery yet to go. As Jo says, two weeks is just barely beginning. I'm glad to hear that you are getting PT and taking regular pain meds. Try to relax and listen to your therapist and surgeon. And.....don't hesitate to post here ANY TIME you have a question or concern....or just to pop in and tell us how your day is going. We DO care and will be here to support you. Things will get better for you!
 
thank you guys so much i showed my husband your replies and he was wow theyt reponded that fast and i know all of you have been thru it so thank you i was just getting scared. i know about those mood things wow those are biggies sometimes...i hope you all have great recoveries you deserve them. :)
 
Texas

I went through some of the same problems you are having. I am now 4.5 weeks post op for a LTKR. I had 4 surgereis prior to my replacement though they were longer before then yours. I also had a considerable amount of scar tissue which hurt my ROM. I was 62 in the hospital and still 62 week one. I am now 95. I had that same pain on the inside of the knee. It was like there were two seperate pains to deal with. One right across the knee cap which hurt but it felt like I could work with it. The one on the inside was miserable. It felt like if I put pressure on it my knee would explode. For me this second pain just went away at about 3 weeks. Not sure why but it helped a great deal.

I started PT day two post op and have been doing it twice a day every day since. I am not going to lie it is excruciatingly painfull. And yes I am taking my pain meds but they only do so much. There have been many times where I was screaming trying to get through the exercises. So I understand what you are going through. You do have to guard against mood swings, especially when you see otheres who walked out of the hospital with 90 ROM and are zipping along in recovery. Just try and stay strong, rest when you need it and keep pushing through the PT. Good luck

Don Green
 
Very well put, Don. Your post accurately illustrates why it is so difficult to describe an "average" recovery. There is no such thing as each of us is different physically and mentally, we bring different issues to the operating table, and a whole host of other reasons why one person's healing takes longer than another's. You have the right attitude, though.....listen to your body and take it slow. If it takes a little longer to get there, just think of the complete and quality healing taking place in your body! You'll still get there just the same!!!
 
Thank you Maum. and Jamie wow what you decribded is exactly what i am feeling in the inside sometimes i think it is going to burst all over the place it does hurt i try tp push thru it but just cant get past but what is great is all the pain from before is gone didnt think poosible but it is, yet again i will keep trying...but thank you atleast i know i not crazy.maybe a lil :) ..but yeah i think i can go further but it really wont let but as you said i will give it time do you think the PT will understand or just really put it to me?
 
and good luck to you , well sounds like you are well on your way keep posting and the best to you all....
 
i will give it time do you think the PT will understand or just really put it to me?
Remember your PT is supposed to be a collaborative effort, not a dictatorship! Discuss it with him/her and reach an agreement between what he/she wants you to achieve and what you think you can.
 
Texas.....are you from the Lone Star State or just a Texas lover? It's my home state and there are also a couple of other Texans here on the forum. I was just curious where you were located.
 
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