TKR A new chapter begins - 16 Dec 2014

[Minnie's knees]

@lunula Sorry you are getting conflicting infirmation from PT. I would suggest to discuss with OS and follow your instinct. How did your appointment go with OS on Thursday?

I am 14 weeks and just hitting 100°-105° flexion. And that's after an mua at 9 weeks. Some of us have speed bumps or just take the scenic route in our recovery. We will all get there together!

 

[TexasTee]

Hope the meeting goes well tomorrow - my best advice is to decide what YOU think is important after that meeting and direct your PTs to work on that and tell them to hang their own agenda at the door, they work for you! None of this is helping you...unless you have a medical reason to worry, I'd just relax and let it happen.

 

[lunula]

Still no definitive answers and I grow more depressed every day. I absolutely knew recovery may take a very long time, but my OS says he will not do MUA after 8 weeks but he just didn't/couldn't tell me if my lack of flexion was because of scar tissue or swelling. He wanted to see my progress in PT, but in the last week I have gained a lousy 2 degrees - which is likely due to measurement discrepancies. So I go in tomorrow for that and to reevaluate my short term disability claim. I could be back to work on Thursday.

I am so frustrated and depressed that I can't think straight. I feel like nothing I do helps and I have literally done everything I have been told to do - from working harder to doing nothing but rest. Nothing helps. I honestly regret this surgery so much and feel like I have ruined my life.

Sorry to be a downer. Just feeling so alone.

 

[TexasTee]

I'm so sorry this is happening @lunula! I know you want it fixed NOW and I don't blame you in the least but I'm thinking/hoping your doctor is making a good call to hold off on the MUA. IF it COULD be swelling rather than adhesion's then you'd be doing more harm than good to do it, wouldn't you? I'm seriously asking as I do not know, it just seems like it makes sense. You and your doc make the call on extending your leave - what did he say? I'd think think more time off would be nothing but helpful. Hugs!!

 

[DogLoverx3]

I'm so sorry you're having such a rough time. I well know the feeling. Sorry for my confusion but was your surgeon saying that 8 weeks was too early for an MUA or that he won't perform one further out than 8 weeks? If he's saying that 8 weeks is too early for an MUA, he is right. It is. If it's the latter, he's in the wrong and you should get a 2nd opinion. It took me well into 15 weeks to 'turn the corner'. It teased me around week 6, then things got worse. I know you don't want to hear that and I know you want things to get better now, but sadly, that's just not how this works. I don't think you should be going back to work until you get this figured out though.

I did want to add, just because, that a LOT of my challenges were due to overdoing activity. I thought I was doing 'nothing' but my idea of 'nothing' is apparently a bit different than actually 'doing nothing'. I only write this to say that sometimes when we think of ourselves as doing nothing (compared to our usual routines), it's not really accurate.

I once posted one of my 'do nothing' days on here and it was kind of a lot. ;-)

Please keep posting here. You have lots of support and empathy from people who know the frustration levels associated with this recovery.

 

[maui]

@lunula...I've never read a post that is so close to how my recovery is going. I'm sorry you are having such a tough time. I am sailing your seas with you. I'm 10 weeks out today. Last Friday my ROM was 86. I'm continuing to get better .....remember the little victories. For me it's bringing my foot a little closer to my body when putting on my shoes or actually bending my leg just a little too get over the threshold and into the shower. My OS says as long as improvement is happening he will not do an MUA. I'm with you..."let's do this so I can get back to my workout"....that's my attitude. It's taking way longer than expected...I don't know if you and I will ever be okay with that time frame....but truly, these weeks are just a blip on the timeframe of our lives. Start a journal...it's helped me see where I was and where I am today.

 

[Wrangler]

Sorry you are feeling so down. I hope you start seeing some progress soon.

 

[Minnie's knees]

@lunula You are not alone!! So many of us have been exactly where you are and I am still working to gain the elusive ROM and getting back to normal. It can be very depressing and I speak from experience. Hang in there. Hope the evaluation goes well and they extend your time off. Do you have to stand inyour job or can you sit and ice if you need to? I have a desk job and at 10 weeks I was tired and achy but survived going back to work. If I had to stabd a lot it would have been much harder. Good luck and keep posting! We are here for you and we care.

 

[kneeper]

It can be slow going and some of the inflammation isn't always visible. Hang in there with the ice, elevation and gentle exercises. Getting even 2 degrees can be a good sign.

 

[DogLoverx3]

I don't remember if you're on Celebrex (or Naproxen), but I wasn't to start and although there is a lot of debate regarding pros and cons of anti inflammatories, they really helped me when I got 'stuck' with my ROM. I did and still do, have a lot of internal swelling (that really tight feeling inside) and taking it helped reduce that. Less inflammation = more bend. Although tour knee may not look swollen from the outside, there's a chance you may have internal swelling going on. If you're not already taking it, talk to your OS or PC about it. Just a thought. Hope you're having a good day!

 

[TexasTee]

Hi @lunula - just thinking of you and wanted to stop in and say hi. Hope all is well!

 

[lunula]

Day 64: I am still not convinced that my surgeon didn't replace my knee joint with a log, with a rock in lieu of my kneecap, all held in place with a metal vice.

Overall, doing well. As of this past Monday, my extension is 1 or 2, and my flexion is 117 unassisted (PT got it to 120 by pushing a little harder). I'd really like to get to between 128-132, as I've read that's pretty optimal for most patients.

I've made it back to the gym, basically just replacing most of my PT appointments with the gym - so going slow on the bikes, doing a little leg & arm-work on the machines and using the equipment as I've learned in PT. Even got in the pool a couple of times just to walk and do some kicking.

I've gone a few days with no pain meds at all, but it isn't optimal yet. I can normally get by with taking my Duexis and in the evenings, I might still take an Oxycodone or Hydrocodone if I've pushed too much that day. I take a narcotic pain med 4-5x per week, I'd say. @DogLoverx3 - you mentioned Celebrex as an option, but I'm allergic to it - so it's Duexis for me. I'm trying to only take it once per day, and I keep experimenting with not taking it at all to see how I'll do!

Biggest issue now is stiffness and heaviness - been quite sore this week, I'm guessing due to our recent cold snap. I've been back to work for a couple weeks (work from home) and I make sure I get up at least once per hour, just to stay loose. Lots of tightness in my calf and hamstring - yikes! Trying to use a heating pad and gentle stretching, though I'm sure that will work itself out, in time.

Overall, this experience has forced me to become more patient. The new joint is clicking a lot now, especially when I'm on the recumbent bike at PT or the gym. I go very slowly, on a super low setting (no hills or anything) and it's still, "click, click, click!"

Hope you're all doing well.

 

[TexasTee]

@lunula - I know you've worked hard for it but those are great numbers!! I've seen the clicking mentioned on numerous threads about about this stage, sounds like once the muscles are more developed it stops or at least becomes less frequent. Congratulations!

 

[DogLoverx3]

I think you're doing great! I had the annoying clicking for a loooooong time. I was then gifted with a double click when I walked that used to drive me up the wall. I had just about resigned myself to dealing with it as a permanent reminder when it stopped. Not until around month 7 or 8 though. Keep up the great work! The hamstring and calf tightness and pain will work themselves out the more you walk with a normal gait (heal, toe). A heating pad on the back of your knee should help though.

 

[Minnie's knees]

@lunula great numbers! When I went back to work I had more issues with my hamstring. My PT said it was from sitting with my leg diwn. It did get better when I kept it elevated.

I started having some popping and clicking as the swelling went down and I increased my activity. When I asked my OS about it, his reply was " If you don't hear it get your ears checked as its normal for a lot of people."

Best wishes on your continued recovery.

 

[lunula]

@TexasTee and @DogLoverx3 - thanks so much! The last couple of days, I've had some weird pains in the new knee - I think I just plain over-did-it and I have to take it down a few notches. Easier said than done!

@Minnie's knees - that's interesting about having my leg down too much, I am now back full time so my leg is down all day. I have a little stool under my desk, I think I'll work harder at keeping it propped up. I think I've gone backwards over the past couple of days on my ROM - I have PT this afternoon and I'm going to ask to get official numbers, as I see my OS tomorrow for my 12-week follow up. I really think my extension is 0, but I'm thinking I'm still b/w 115-120 on my flexion. We shall see...

 

[treypops]

@lunula
Hey there....good to see you progressing.

I have the clicking and bumping sounds too. It's annoying. I also have the strange new pains. When I'm asked if my pain is getting better, my stock answer is usually, "It's evolving," because it doesn't really go away, it just moves around and comes out in other ways.

I've been going back to the gym for a little while. I've gotten to the point that I can comfortably do 45 minutes on the elliptical machine and a good 30 mins on the bike. I do a lot of icing afterwards, though. Swelling and insomnia are still my biggest struggles.

It's good to see you again.

 

[lunula]

Hi @treypops - nice to hear from you! You summed it up exactly - evolving pain, hah! I have days where I have very little pain - but I am still battling stiffness and that heavy feeling. I am slowly overcoming that feeling of having something "fake" in my body - it still feels mechanical, but it doesn't irk me as much!

At PT today, I was telling her about my painful weekend and she was gently feeling around the knee to make sure everything felt okay and she noticed a deep clicking in the knee joint when she moved my knee up & down. I guess she ordinarily expects the clicking to come from the kneecap (and mine does click a lot!), but she could feel/hear it deep in the joint. I dunno, she thought it could be from scar tissue? Who knows. I see the PA tomorrow, wish I was seeing my OS, but we'll see.

My extension is still stuck @ 1 - arg! But, my flexion was 123 - and she could actually see a bit of inflammation. Lots of icing tonight.

 

[Celle]

Your flexion is great and your extension will improve gradually. You have plenty of time and extension often takes longer than flexion.

 

[lunula]

Hi all, today is my 3-month anniversary! Overall, I see tiny improvements all the time, but still have mysterious aches and pains in the new knee. After reading so many recovery threads here, I don't worry too much anymore.

I have ongoing tightness/stiffness - that never goes away. I also get these odd acute pains now and then, but they normally last a few days and then fade away. Most recently, I have a very distinct pain above my knee. It seems like bone-pain in my femur, it begins exactly above where my scar starts and goes up my leg about 4-5 inches. It's really weird.

Last week it was sharp pain on the inside of my knee, right where the joint is and the week prior - it was in the exact same spot but on the outside of my knee. Every step I took felt like someone was stabbing me! I also had a click, deep in the joint, every time I bent my knee. I tried to ignore it, but since I am trying to get a little more active, it became quite sore after taking a walk or getting on the bike at the gym.

I see my surgeon next week to discuss my right knee and what can be done for it. I'm also going to have him take a look/feel at that clicking I have in my joint. The PT and the PA seem to think it's scar tissue across the implant. I was hoping it would break up, but it isn't. Hopefully he can do something to help!

Hope you're all doing well!