TKR A Lefty for kneeper

[kneeper]

Well, it's my 4 month knee-versary. I have to say that though the knee gets stiff when I stand for a long time it does loosen up more quickly than it did a few weeks ago. I think it's getting more "normal" all the time. I'm still pacing myself, but less "lefty" than for the rest of my body.

 

[Pumpkin]

Sounds like you are doing great at 4 months!

 

[Celle]

Sounds like a good 4-month report @kneeper !

 

[kneeper]

I think it helps to have 2 good knees now sharing the load. In some ways my new knee is becoming the better knee b/c I have that pesky chronic quad tendinitis in the first knee. :(

My energy level is also getting more normal. Constantly low level fatigue is normal. Major fatigue and lack of stamina for daily activitiesis not. My latest blood work shows all the stuff like hemoglobin and hematocrit are in normal ranges.

 

[kneeper]

A little sore the last couple of days, but I think it's more in the muscles around the knee than the knee itself--which could be the fibro as well as the recovery. I rarely ice anymore, but have been icing a bit today while grading exams. I've got dinner in the slow cooker so an easy day that way.
I'm hoping to plant some bulbs before we get a hard freeze--I just need them to arrive in the mail. It will be interesting to see how well I do with that as I'm not sure I've increased bend--though I do feel like I'm more mobile than I was a few weeks ago.

Back to exams for me

 

[Minnie's knees]

@kneeper Your 4 month report is very encouraging. Glad your recovery is progressing well. I hope I do as well with my RA after surgery.

 

[jul]

Hi @kneeper I am now about 11 weeks our TKR and felt like you did no energy for daily things and find it hard to make myself do anything I have my days at feeling sore but not bad pain but enough to annoy you and just that can put you of doing anything.I don't ice much now or take a lot of meds just before i head out to work and maybe if i have done a bit at work one at work and maybe the bight.

I find i have more pain at night and can't get comfy so this wakes me all night and i toss and turn all night.

Whne you said that you were going to plant I can tend down like that yet and I still find it hard to go down stairs I can go up but not down.

Do you use any aid at all while walking?

I am also trying to get use to new orthotics and this is very hard my feet ache all day while wearing them but i have to keep going to train my feet and knees the new way of walking.

I do need the right one done it isn't happy at all with the new one and will not co operate with my new way of walking. LOL

Julie

 

[kneeper]

@jul Going down stairs took me a long time with the first knee which I learned was typical. Somehow it was quicker this time. I don't need any aids for walking--I feel pretty good actually. I do hold onto the railing on stairs.

Are you gradually increasing wear time with the orthotics? I know when I first got them they told me not to try to wear them all day at first.

 

[jul]

@kneeper Thast good to know as it hurts little still to try and go down the stairs.
No Im not i know I should have been but I sit a bit at work so I thouht I would wak and then rest.

My plan was to change into my work shoes but I have just left the orthotics on. My knees hurst a little but i fid my thigh is hurt a bit and my feet are sore but not killing me but if i stand for to long then hey hurt.

Funny thing is my podiastist told me to were them for 2 weeks in runners.

Julie

 

[kneeper]

Since I feel like I'm walking better, I changed my avatar to a "perkier" penguin. Ok, not too much change but, hey.

My main residual issue seems to be stiffness when I'm on my feet teaching and I get kind of sore by the end of the day. I'm thinking maybe I should be icing more.
I'm hoping this stiffness situation goes away for the new knee, especially since I still have a little bit of it for the older new knee. I'm thinking this could be something to do with the fibromyalgia and/or the RA affecting the surrounding tissues.
The good news is that Lefty feels just fine walking around campus and doing daily activities.

 

[1ELISEA]

@kneeper


Yes, I like your perky penguin!

Ice, ice....... where have I heard that about icing more..... hmmm.

 

[marmora]

Hello @kneeper

Your four month update sounds like you are going in the right direction.

And teaching and standing would be hard on the TKR and cause stiffness. I know I get stiffness in my knee just standing at the sink for a few months when washing up.

As you say, could be the fibromyalgia and/or the RA or maybe the weather is getting colder where you are living.

May "lefty" keep going well for for you.

Cathie

 

[jul]

@kneeper I have to say I have been one very lazy TKR recovery person I only had 2 phiso visits and that was to tell me what to do and also do a miner check on bend and things like that then I had to stop because i did make it all red and sore from the pool so I stopped everything but I have been back at work since 5 weeks.

I also have some soreness around the knee not the knee itself. Sometimes the calf sometimes the thigh or little stings here and there and maybe some soreness on the out side of the knee.

I did relize the other day why I had sore thighs it was because I walked over a bridge when i got of the train and there was about 40 steps silly me.

My knee dose ache a lot at night I dont really get a full nights sleep I hope that gets better. I only take panadole with codine whne i need it and maybe an endone occasiolly and also a oxy 5mg if it gets to much at night.

My orthotics are making my legs and both knees real sore at the moment.

I do still use crutches on the way to work and home as I dont trust people but i do want to stop I do also to give my arthretis knee a rest and whie gettng use to the orthotics.

Julie

 

[chestnc]

Kneeper, I am glad to hear that you are moving right along. Seems like you are right on target for 4months now. Time flies.

 

[Ollie]

@kneeper I am just past my 4 month mark, too, and am having the exact issues that you are! My knee has been stiff at the end of my day from the standing and sitting and all in between. My stairs are so-so, especially at the end of the day, but not painful - just stiff and a little puffy. I've been icing and elevating this week quite a bit. My non surgical knee is not happy that the colder weather has got it aching now after it just calmed down from all the PT.

But - it is getting better, slowly, but better!

 

[kneeper]

I've had such a busy week with work that I didn't get out to exercise at all. (I try to do at least 1/2 hour 2-3 times per week
But we're having good weather this weekend and I'm happy to say I was able to do almost two hours of yard work--mostly raking and mowing over leaves without my knees screaming at me. And actually the new knee feels better than the older "new" one (due to the pesky quad tendonitis). I have more to do, but decided to play it safe and pace myself and save some of the "fun" for tomorrow.

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi @kneeper

I love the perky penguin. It's nice to read that your TKR has gone so well. How lovely to do yard work. I can't wait until I can do something like that.

At the mo mines hot and I'm elevating and icing. It's been like it since the physio tested the resistance and I nearly shot off the couch in pain. He said it's still healing that's why it hurt x thanks matey I needed that...not!

Anyway keep up the good work Kneeper you're doing great xxx

Love Nana moon 27.

 

[Celle]

At the mo mines hot and I'm elevating and icing. It's been like it since the physio tested the resistance and I nearly shot off the couch in pain. He said it's still healing that's why it hurt x thanks matey I needed that...not

I'm sorry to hear that the physio hurt you, Ann. Not fair! Do tell him not to do anything like that again.

Of course it's still healing! It can take a full year for all your soft tissues to be completely healed, so there's no need to rush.

I still haven't heard about an appointment for physio, and it will be 6 weeks tomorrow since I had my TKR. However, I think I am doing OK and I probably don't need the physio anyway. When I see him today, I'll make sure that my surgeon knows my PT referral somehow got lost in the system. While it doesn't matter for me, it could well matter for someone else, so he does need to be aware.

Hugs!
Caryl

 

[Celle]

@kneeper

Good to hear that you are still dong well! I'm looking forward to feeling that good in a couple of months' time.

 

[kneeper]

Well, I've hit 5 months! I am feeling more and more "normal." Yesterday I did over an hour of yard work with no ill effects to "lefty." (lawn mowing over leaves not snow blowing yet!) When I think back to before the surgery where I could only walk a few minutes at a time without the knee going out on me and the grinding etc and then where I am now, I'm very pleased and definitely believe I did not do this too soon.

Even with the fibro and RA I feel I'm able to do more than in the months and years before my tkrs. I think my bend is around 110-115, but it feels comfortable bending at that range. That's a bit of an improvement from where I started before the surgery. I will keep working on stretching and increasing my activities slowly and hopefully this will enable me to do more daily activities that require bend.

My energy is back to it's usual lousy level rather than the post op super lousy level.

I've tried cutting down my tylenol to twice a day (total 2,000 mg) but though I find the new knee would be ok with that , everything else needs an early evening dose too or I'm too uncomfortable to sleep. At least the RA has settled down for the most part so acetaminophen keeps me at a 2-4 pain level most of the time. If the shoulder starts hitting 5 or more again, I'll call the rheumy and see about getting it shot up with cortisone again.