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TKR 4th week major backslide?<

Big old bubble of swelling this morning for some reason. Usually waking up is the least. I am supposed to go in to surgeon for a follow up, not looking forward to the 25 minute drive one way.
 
Once you're over the "hump" (so to speak), it can be surprising how much improvement you might see week to week. You'll only know you've conquered your hump once you're over it, though, and everyone's hump happens at a different point in recovery. Our knees are each a totally unique recovery.

At one month out you're still in that stage where the new knee can be easily aggravated, so you'll have good days followed by less good days. That stage can last for a while and is very frustrating. :bored: Forgive your surgeon his spiel: he really believes in his technique. My OS shook his head at that claim of "less-invasive." "It's all invasive," said he. "I do the same operation." What do I know? It worked. I had a normal recovery and at five weeks I was doing great, but not climbing mountains.

Hope you have a good follow-up visit!
 
Surgeon didn't like how it looked compared to 2 weeks ago. He decided to aspirate some fluid out of the suprapatellar bursa which ended up being 60cc of blood red but thinner fluid.

He thought things would also feel better afterwards, but other than a bit less stuffed feeling it really didn't.
 
Oh, I hope the fluid comes back as unremarkable. Usually taking out fluid will result in less pressure inside the knee capsule, and therefore less pain. I’m sorry that didn’t happen for you. Have you been icing? Also, keep elevating your leg to reduce the swelling. Your poor knee is probably unhappy right now.
 
I'm home alone this week, so have to do more, but still trying to keep it up as much as I can.

It was pretty achy, and walking felt more awkward after it was drawn out. Maybe I was used to the pressure hah!

What gets agitated walking is the outside side, a bit lower. Surgeon thought that might be due to tight IT band, and suggested a gentle stretch on it a few times a day.
 
@plaidwndr, that area is the same area I’ve had issues with, especially going down steps and sitting (even at 5 months). ITband tendinitis is what I suspect. It has slowly gotten better by stretching and just being careful not to aggravate it. Sounds like you are doing the right things. Hopefully it will improve quickly.
 
plaidwndr said:
He decided to aspirate some fluid out of the suprapatellar bursa which ended up being 60cc of blood red but thinner fluid.
Click to expand...
@plaidwndr I edited the word 'suck' as that's not correct. The word is aspirate.

As for the fluid, it will be bloody because the bursa had to be inflamed so that's why the fluid will be blood-stained. It actually has no relevance to your condition at all other than it confirms you have suprapatellar bursitis!

Here's a picture of all the bursae in the knee and an explanatory article Baker's cysts and other knee bursae

[Bonesmart.org] 4th week major backslide?<
 
It does not seem to have had a lasting effect. I'm at least 90% as swollen there I was yesterday right before the aspirate. I've had a few extra in house few minute walks to let dog out and such, but nothing else to aggravate it.
 
Just putting a needle into your leg can upset it. I had a shot of lidocaine in my replacement knee at 15 months on a Friday afternoon and it took until Sunday morning to start to feel better. That was a very painful shot!
 
well the fluid came back normal, so they just said activity as tolerated and rest/elevate otherwise

I just don't seem to tolerate much! I needed to cook a bit and a few minutes of other clean up, and I'm still sore on it today. Weight bearing and motion. Moving there's a clunk(since day 1), that I've been told repeatedly is noise that will go away, but it's not just noise it doesn't feel good.

Starting to be a little irritated at the information given beforehand. I was told this robotic method is so much better that people go back to desk jobs in 2 weeks sometimes. That's still totally out of the question(maybe if it was on my couch hah!)
 
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plaidwndr said:
I was told this robotic method is so much better that people go back to desk jobs in 2 weeks sometimes. That's still totally out of the question
Click to expand...
This problem is nothing to do with your having had robotic surgery. That was just a co-incidence.
 
The not being able to do much of anything problem? No probably not, but the irritation is definitely due to the recovery expectations given!

I'm irritable with about having to do this at all though, but that's a whole different issue haha!
 
I wish everyone had come to Bonesmart before their surgeries so they would know the truth of this recovery. This recovery is not like any other and it takes a long time. At least a year. Some even take up to 2 years. I was a slower one, but I had different circumstances. Everyone's recovery is unique to their own knee. So many of us were given unreal recovery expectations. We when get into this, we find out it takes a whole lot longer than we were told. Please be patient and treat your knee like a newborn, because it is.
 
Ok so I haven't tried stationary bicycle for a week - since they surgeon's office first recommended 30 minutes of that and it went badly

Do you guys think it is a good idea to try again starting with less time?
 
Much less time than 30 minutes is suggested. Why not try 5 minutes and see how you feel that night and the next day. If good, then increase time in little increments. Always wait and see how your knee reacts each time you increase. Too much, too fast sets back your recovery.
 
Well I'm still quite swollen, what the pic shows as moderate all around the knee. It's never gone down at all. So it would be hard to tell if it was going to make it swollen since it already is!
 
Personally, if I had that much swelling, I would wait on the bike. You have lots of time to improve and ride the bike. First order of business is to get the swelling down. Doing anything that will increase your current swelling is not in your best interest right now.
 
yeouch! I unexpectedly needed to pick my wife up from a work event last night which ended up involving massive traffic, detours, and driving way longer than I wanted to be at this point. The knee was a bit extra irritated in the moment, but settled right down with an ice pack at home.

I woke up at 4am with the muscles on the side of my hip howling. I guess those things haven't gotten much use lately and now they are having a little rebellion.
 
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