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TKR Almost two years with tkr

@Newkneemelodee ~ I am so relieved that you have a supportive husband to help you. I have also since breaking my femur Dec. 19 and still recovering. hubby is also recovering from knee injury so we've had to have our son stay with us 3 times to help out and take me to hospital for my follow-ups; daughter has helped out too but I haven't seen my granddaughter in months.
I still think you are a strong and brave woman coming home from TKR the same day as the surgery and your anxiety is completely understandable but just know, you are healing fine, and you don't have to work so hard with exercising.
You mentioned your anxiety about scar tissue. Someone else can explain it, but my understanding is that scar tissue is necessary and normal for healing. There is an article on this site about the difference between scar tissue and adhesions which many get confused with.
Nice chatting to you also. It is helpful to come here and post and feel the support. It's also a good way to record your progress. Take care and stay safe.
 
Thank you so much for your kind words. My life is so boring due to covid and my inability to see my grandkids that reading this site is something I look forward to doing. I will go read the article about adhesions and scar tissue. When I had my xray at four weeks I wondered if they could tell if I had scar tissue or not. I was told the implant was in the right position. That is it. I just feel not enough information is given. Take care. I had the Astra Zeneca vaccine so now I will wonder what my second one will be..
 
My 2 sisters, their hubbies and my sister-in-law had first doses of Astra Zeneca vaccine as well. We'll have to wait and see what is approved for 2nd doses. Going to have my shower now while hubby has some time off from work calls and can help me out of tub when I'm finished.
I hope the weather in Sarnia is as nice today as it is here so you can go sit outside for some fresh air and sunshine. :SUNsmile:
 
I don't know if I am doing this correctly. Do I keep the same name for my thread and just keep writing in here?
I am going to be at nine weeks post RTKR on Monday May 18th. I have been going to physio three times a week. My knee seems swollen on the inside to the left of my knee cap area. I thought my knee felt looser, but I am stuck it seems close to 108. All this week I only gained one degree. I am at 109. When will I know if I have a problem? I feel like I might never be able to kneel to garden or to sit cross legged like my old knee allowed me to do. I just had severe pain from my old knee as it was bone and bone. I am having one of my weepy days. How can I tell the difference between swelling and fluid? Could I have fluid in there?
Thanks for helping me.
 
Just keep writing here, if you would like a different title, post it here, and a moderator will change your title.
ROM plateaus are normal, swelling is blocking your ROM, as your knee heals swelling goes down you ROM will reveal itself.
109 is great a 8 weeks, with patience it will increase.
 
New knee hang in there! The swelling takes a long time to resolve. Don’t worry so much about the numbers! Pumpkin is right - it will come eventually. Try to relax. You are not alone. We all feel a bit weepy at times after undergoing this major surgery. And if you’ve reached 108 or thereabouts, you have nothing to worry about.
 
I agree, your ROM is fine and will improve as you continue to heal. My ROM even improved in my second, and third, years post op, so don’t stress over your ROM. This healing takes a very long time and lots of patience is needed.
 
Newknee....I think the 8 wk mark is one of the worse times in the healing journey. I remember being angry and occasionally crying in frustration with my first knee. Also the pain just seemed to last forever, I recall just wanting one day pain free. With my first knee I overdid PT and paid for it, hell I still am almost two yrs later. Remember resting and recovery is a major part of healing. It's part of any training program and that's what PT is, re-training and strengthening your new knee. Hang in there you'll soon have good days.
 
Hi Newkneemelodee,
I’ve read through your thread and you are doing it right!

I just had my 2nd new baby knee “installed” 2 weeks ago and I’ve been down this road before so you are doing probably too much worrying snd exercise or PT/physio if you feel worse afterwards snd feel defeated!

There really is no need that as each knee heals in ITS own time, not because of a physio demanding it or a physician lecturing!

If you read some threads here you’ll see how often that
occurs and that it is YOUR knee and you can choose not to put up with unfair treatment.

I did not do that last time and my PT pushed my knee to “make” it bend more, causing sharp awful pain and three days of much worse pain and dysfunction. I canceled sessions for a full week to let my knee heal and when I went back I had found Bonesmart and insisted that no more pushing was happening! That I was okay with my knee taking longer than officially acceptable!

So, we continued working together and she is still my main PT. This time I had to go to the surgery center PT group, as my PT is rafting through the Grand Canyon. I thus had to work out that agreement with the new PT, too, at our first session. I told her I would work as hard as I could but there was no pushing, forcing, or hands-on force permitted. She told me she was supposed to make sure I reached certain milestones, and I said I understood, but if we didn’t get there in exactly that timeline I was good with that!

Last time my doctor said I would need to have a MUA, manipulation under anesthesia, and I was really frightened of that! But here in Bonesmart I learned I could say no! I told him I was willing to wait longer for my knee to come around. And it did! Not on his timeline but that knee is rock solid now!
 
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Thank you so much. You have no idea how much better you have made me feel. My husband thinks I am going crazy. I worked outside a bit trying to garden, did 60 knee slides with my board and sat with ice and my leg elevated. This week I thought I had done well, because I feel like I can feel my knee cap area move a bit, but my rom had only improved by one degree. I am so afraid of a MUA but I will say no thank you. At 12 weeks I get a second xray and my surgeon expects me to be at 120. To know that your knee is good now makes me have hope and less anxiety. Thank you.
 
My old new knee is like a rock...a bendy one of course!! I think by around 6 months I would go for 4-6 hours and forget it was new, then I’d do some little goofy move and go, “Oh! Right! Sorry baby knee! I’ll take care of you!”

I didn’t do nearly all you are doing, but I chose to be gentler on my knee, and I did not get to their theoretical ideal perfect rom by 6 weeks (120 here) or even by 12 weeks! I didn’t go back to see the OS for 9 months though was supposed to go at 6 months! (I know: tsk! Tsk!!) By then, my knee was in great shape so there were no complaints!

It takes turning our brains around a bit and realizing that their theoretical goals are just that: theoretical! They are probably dictated by insurance companies, right!? None of them have had TKRs I’m betting!

My old new knee has borne the brunt of my walking, gardening, biking, moving, packing, schlepping boxes into and out of houses, everything for the past few years as my new baby knee worsened. So, your knee WILL get there, and I would heartily encourage you to read ALL you can here! There are some really helpful stories and inspiring people!!

Your new baby knee just needs your TLC for a few months while it recovers...

Now, this might not suit you, but I’m not squeamish at all, used to do scientific illustration so have studied gory stuff. But if anyone doubts that this is an operation that needs a careful gentle recovery I would encourage them to find one of the surgery videos! Not if you are squeamish though!! It can sometimes be helpful to spouses who have doubts...

Hang in there! We’re with you and here to encourage you!
 
8 years ago I had my RTKR done and did the route with PT. Let them try to force my knee to bend. Was religious with my exercises and I never got past 90 with flexion and -3 extension. My knee was swollen and angry. They did the MUA around 12 weeks and I still never went past 90 even though they got it further when I was under. It just got more swollen and angry. It was such a vicious cycle. Around 4 months I just decided I was not doing anymore exercising or PT. I was just going to get on just living my life. About another month went by I was sitting in the tub and realized my knee was flat. Probably 0 extension. My knee was bending without pain. I think the next time around 6 months when I was seen again I was 115. My knee never bothered me after that and I could do everything I needed to do. Just had my left done and I’ve decided to do this one differently. A few times I tried to push this one at PT but the pain and swelling brought me back to reality quickly. Now I’m no longer forcing anything. I’m hopeful this will be better. Not quite 3 wks out so I won’t know for awhile but am hopeful. I’m not in as much pain as last time. The MUA didn’t do anything for me but make it worse.
 
Starsfan22 said:
Newknee....I think the 8 wk mark is one of the worse times in the healing journey. I remember being angry and occasionally crying in frustration with my first knee. Also the pain just seemed to last forever, I recall just wanting one day pain free. With my first knee I overdid PT and paid for it, hell I still am almost two yrs later. Remember resting and recovery is a major part of healing. It's part of any training program and that's what PT is, re-training and strengthening your new knee. Hang in there you'll soon have good days.
Click to expand...
I agree on the 8 week prognosis, I have had a very good recovery and about this time I was over it all and thought I was on the down hill stretch only to over do it and temporarily go backwards. Patience.
 
Newkneemelodee, I noticed you live in a multi level home, it might sound bazaar, but my view is lots of stairs really help recovery.
I have both a L and RTKR, nine years apart and have had very good recoveries.
Using the stairs to support proper technique in walking really makes a difference, I am about 9 mths on RTKR and still have a little stiffness going down, maybe not as smooth as perfect.
As you heal I used the stairs as a constant technique challenge to expand my flexibility in ROM, sideways loading etc etc. Providing you have good handrails it's a completely safe routine as you can completely and safety manage a range of exercises.
As a footnote this time my quad recovery was more an issue than the knee capsule itself stairs really help here!
 
Starsfan22 said:
Newknee....I think the 8 wk mark is one of the worse times in the healing journey. I remember being angry and occasionally crying in frustration with my first knee. Also the pain just seemed to last forever, I recall just wanting one day pain free.
Click to expand...

Don’t sugar-coat it for me…I am 12 days out from my surgery. Are you saying that the pain is going to continue to be as bad as it is right now for at least another six weeks?
:bawl:

My pain is at a 2 on a good hour. Sometimes even less if I don’t move at all. Otherwise, it’s at a 4 to 6 most of the time. 8 or 9 when doing any kind of activity or walking.

I can feel a very slight improvement over the past few days, but it’s nothing at all like I expected.

I think of myself as having a high pain tolerance, but this experience has definitely challenged that perception
 
LateRainNYC,
After the event I found it helpful to look at pain thru a do nothing lens. Not have the TKR and you could be assured a level 8 pain was only going to get worse.
After a TKR you can be assured a level 8 pain is only going to get better.
I am at 9 mths and I reflect talking to my wife today and commenting for the first time in many months I had a tiny bit of pain. Spent Sat watching grandsons play soccer and rugby and it was -5C in Canberra today!
Seriously I recollect at about 4 months with zero pain in both knees, first time in forty years!!
 
Geoffa, you are SO right! If we just remember that this post-op pain is limited whereas the pre-op arthritic pain would only have gotten worse and worse! I had an aunt who suffered 2 bad knees but was so frightened of surgery she never got them replaced. She started falling and ended up in a nursing home and died shortly thereafter. Though I put off surgery longer than I should have, I vowed I would never let myself become disabled like that! So now I have 2 new knees and I will never regret it, despite the long rehab, the pain, the sleepless nights, etc. BECAUSE THIS IS ALL LIMITED!
LateRain, no sugar coating - the pain will last a while! But I am only 6 weeks out of my 2nd knee and the pain is MUCH less than the 1st few weeks. So hang in there!
Thank you everyone for your inspiring stories and support. BoneSmart is the BEST!
 
Hi Newknee ~ 60 knee slides seems like a lot in one day and 3 times a week to physio seems a lot ~ would once a week be better, so you can use the extra time to garden now that we are having such nice weather? what is done at physio? I think your flexion of 109 degrees is just fine for 8 weeks post op and it will get better without having to work so hard. It took me a lot longer to get to where I could ride my bike (7 months) but I didn't suffer with a lot of pain after the first few weeks. Up until my recent accident where I broke my femur, I forgot I had a knee replacement ~ I could do anything that I did before.

Being able to kneel on both knees may always be difficult but I find it helps to put a pillow under operated knee. I don't think I've tried sitting cross-legged, but maybe you will after a few months. Oh and btw, I did refuse an MUA when my surgeon suggested it and you can too if your surgeon isn't happy that you have reached HIS goal of 120 degrees flexion.
 
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@Newkneemelodee, I was 6 weeks post op last week and missed "the goal" of 120º ROM. I'm disappointed because I wanted to be ahead of schedule, but I'm also not worried as I know I'll get there. You will too. This is tough for sure.

LateRain, you will not feel like you do now in 6 weeks, or even 2 weeks. It gets better every few weeks. It is also possible to regress, and no matter what it seems that progress is slower than we want or expect. I'm just past 6 weeks and no longer take pain meds at all unless I'm having a bad day. Does my leg feel normal or work like I want it to? Not even close. But at least that early pain has changed into something much less painful. It does get better.
 
Mar said:
The MUA didn’t do anything for me but make it worse.
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What an awful experience! I waited 5 years to do the second, my first time was so negative! And I did find Bonesmart in time to develop enough feistiness to refuse the Nasty MUA!
The other day at 2 weeks I was at 89 not 90 as desired by my PT, but I told her that was as much as the knee could do so I was happy with that.

My pain levels are way down now! So much better than 5 years ago, but the Oxycodone did NOT help my pain last time! It simply did not work and I felt so much more pain than this time! But, it did not help me to be doing too many sets of exercises, either!

I see others are suggesting to relax and do less exercises and I would tend to agree. You are harassing your poor baby knee. It needs rest, time and gentle movement to get to where it can do all you need it to do!
 
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