TKR 4 months out

[1delapisa]

Pt's!! Since you havent heard me complaining of pain lately I've been doing good. My PT is on vacation so had to have another on Tuesday. Pain after PT yesterday and more pain today!! Problem is that pain doesn't show up right away.

Makes it more painful to wakeup, go to my job, walk. WHY? Knee is doing good 115 flexion.

Main thing is waiting for the swelling to go away which I know might be 3 - 6 months. Why can't they just do a lot more massage!!

VENTING!
Lynn

 

[Josephine]

@1delapisa you will notice that I have merged your two threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if necessary

 

[Josephine]

You're 6½ weeks out, back at work and have pretty good ROM.

So my "WHY" is why are you still having PT?

In my opinion and experience on here, PT and exercising cause a lot more problems than improvements. I suspect, since this seems to happen a lot more in the US than elsewhere, that it is financially driven. As long as these places keep you on their books, the more they income they get. So it's not about you, it's about their accounts!

I would suggest therefore, that you STOP all your exercising and cancel your PT appointments forthwith. I guarantee that within 2-3 weeks you will begin to see a dramatic improvement!

And if you are fearful of doing this, read this Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?

 

[flyaway79]

The ups and downs of this recovery has been very frustrating. I look at this often and shared it with my husband so he understands when my emotions are all over the place. This has been the most frustrating recovery of any surgery I've had.

 

[SusieShoes]

Why not stop PT and see what happens? My OS had only one question when I said I wanted to stop PT, and that was "Are you happy with your progress so far?" He already had determined I had good ROM (not perfect) and was being physically active by walking longer distances on a daily basis. If I wanted to go back to PT, all I had to do was call him and he'd prescribe more. So I stopped... and improved even more rapidly doing my own thing.

The best way to not be in pain is to not do the things that cause the pain.

 

[1delapisa]

Everyone is right. I could go back if needed. I know too that everything im doing there i can do at home at MY PACE. Pretty sure what got me was lying on my stomach with weights on my ankles and doing 30 leg lifts ea side. Pretty sure i deserved this for not saying no Thank you!!!

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh my gosh, you should never have been using weights or doing side leg lifts. These PT are outrageous. And this is not your fault. They should have enough up-to-date training that they'd know this was very bad for a tkr! You do not need to go back. You can do everything yourself and you can stop when it hurts.

 

[1delapisa]

Thanks for that. I have been educated by the best group. I don't feel i need this form of pt. Hope i can help someone else down the road. Seriously, why aggravate a healing knee! As usual I will not share with my family. They will not understand. After a little help from our friends in this group, I know and I'm still learning what is best for me!
Lynn

 

[1delapisa]

A question please...I understand the tight band feeling in the thigh but whats up with it being in my foot???

 

[sistersinhim]

With your new knee, I bet you are walking differently and that effects your foot.

 

[1delapisa]

Hi Josephine
Was reading a reply you had with .Janice716
Tomorrow will be 8 weeks for me. Still healing, pain, swelling, numbness, those pesky electrical shocks, fatigue but im not complaining!! It will all be worth it. After 3 days last week of added pain from pt and ankle weights, i will be giving up pt. I know im getting exercise on my own.
I am interested in deep tissue massage with a pt- a different one - and would love your opinion!!
Thanks in advance ☺ Lynn

 

[1delapisa]

Sorry, this is for everyone to read!

 

[flyaway79]

I use a therapeutic massage therapist at my chiropractor's office and have found her to be extremely helpful. I started going about week 9 and go about twice a month. She really helps with keeping my muscles and tendons loose in my hamstrings and lower back area. Highly recommend it.

 

[Polkadot]

i get a 30-minute massage of the lower half of my body, concentrating of course on the new knee, once a week at my PT installation with a therapeutic masseuse on staff. I have never been a massage enthusiast; however, I am becoming a fan! I don't know if my massages are considered "deep tissue" or not, but my masseuse uses a goodly amount of pressure. He has loosened my IT bands and particularly works on my hamstrings and quads. I recommend trying it--however, speaking up if the masseuse goes at it with too much pressure. You want comfortable therapeutics, not more pain and torture!

 

[Celle]

Hi @1delapisa

You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. Josephine has also previously l asked you not to keep starting new threads. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:

• That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.
• Merging threads makes more work for staff who have to keep doing it.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here.
Don't be concerned that we won't see your new questions, because between us the staff read all new posts every day.

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.

I'm glad to hear that you're giving up PT, especially the ankle weights. Any weights used on a new knee before at least 4 months are a definite no-no.

Why not try about 3 weeks of no exercises, but additional rest, ice and elevation - give your knee a holiday - before considering the massage? My own opinion is that gentle massage could be helpful, but deep tissue massage at this stage is not advisable. Your knee is wounded and your whole leg needs gentle treatment.

 

[flyaway79]

BTW my massages are not the relaxation massages. At some points during the massage it is uncomfortable when she hits just the right spots but I always feel better afterwards. I have a choice of a one hour or 30 minute targeted and I always go with the one hour and she spends most of the time on my problem areas. And then there are a few minutes of pure relaxation ahhhhhhhh!

 

[Majic]

Hi, I have had a lot of massage, and am having it at the moment for tight muscles. I think it is doing me a lot of good. I would recommend it.

 

[kneeper]

BTW my massages are not the relaxation massages. At some points during the massage it is uncomfortable when she hits just the right spots but I always feel better afterwards. I have a choice of a one hour or 30 minute targeted and I always go with the one hour and she spends most of the time on my problem areas. And then there are a few minutes of pure relaxation ahhhhhhhh!

Same thing for me. My health system has therapeutic massage in their complementary medicine area. With my fibromyalgia my muscles are always tight and the massage helps a bit. If only I could afford to have it more often.
I went a couple of months into my knee recoveries and even if it didn't help with the bend, it did relax the muscles.

 

[1delapisa]

If this post can be changed to lynns knee, MAYBE I'll quit messing up!!
After enough reading i think im finally understanding my problems. Doing too much, not enough ice and elevation!! Wasn't a very good patient for 3 previous surgeries on my knees either.
My progress is I am going to a new pt office. Quit the other, good for me. Im going to try being assertive and tell them numbness in thigh, front leg and foot are areas i want help with. Massages hopefully. If not, I do not see any reason to go. Im also going to internal dr to get fasting bloodwork maybe talk about all the other issues i seem to be having. Being hot, sweating, brain fog, pain going up and down stairs - which is new, sharp pain in knee. I was told a few weeks ago i no longer needed pain medicine. I was taking tramadol. Seems too soon as the pain hasn't gone away.Wanting to know what other vitamins i might need. I was told to take acetyl L-carnitine for the nerve pain. Sometimes i think ive gone crazy...
Went back to work a few weeks ago, ive been pretty busy. They put me on Etodolac so maybe it will help inflammation. If only this healing could go in a straight line for a while...
My birthday is this week and my adult kids are taking me to john mayer concert, hahaha. Hopefully my handicap sticker will be ready. Thinking I might have to break out the cane. Its going to be a bit of a challenge but music is healing...

 

[Celle]

If this post can be changed to lynns knee, MAYBE I'll quit messing up!!

Lynn, I've changed the title of your thread to "Lynn's Knee", so I hope you don't have any more trouble finding it.

Did you read this article that I left you? How can I find my threads and posts?
You have realised that if you click on the blue text it will take you to more information, haven't you?
I always bookmark my thread, so I don't lose it. Can you do that?

Im also going to internal dr to get fasting bloodwork maybe talk about all the other issues i seem to be having. Being hot, sweating, brain fog, pain going up and down stairs - which is new, sharp pain in knee. I was told a few weeks ago i no longer needed pain medicine. I was taking tramadol. Seems too soon as the pain hasn't gone away.Wanting to know what other vitamins i might need. I was told to take acetyl L-carnitine for the nerve pain. Sometimes i think ive gone crazy...
Went back to work a few weeks ago, ive been pretty busy.

I'm glad you're going to consult your doctor about these things that are worrying you. However, I do think you're trying to rush this recovery a bit. It's not yet 2 months and complete recovery takes a full year. You're back at work and that's pretty taxing for such a new knee - in fact, for all your body.

Brain fog is a common (and normal) part of recovery - it's yet another reason why we recommend not going back to work too early. Pain going up and down a stairs is also normal - and probably partly the result of asking too much of your new knee.

Many people are still needing pain medication for as long as 4 months and some of them still take Tramadol. If your doctor will no longer prescribe that, have you tried taking Tylenol 1,000 mg four times a day, (4-6 hourly) to a total of no more than 4,000 mg in 24 hours. You do need to take it regularly, to keep up the levels in your bloodstream. If you're taking any other medications that contain Tylenol factor those into your calculation of your daily total.

If you're eating a good diet, I don't think you need extra vitamins.

And no, you're not going crazy - you're just trying to do too much, too soon.

Enjoy your concert - and yes, do take your cane - and try to give your knee some extra rest the following day, to make up for the extra outing.