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TKR Almost two years with tkr

Mar, you'll be surprised how your knee will just suddenly one day, out of nowhere, not be as stiff or as unwilling to bend.... last time, and beginning this week this time, it has surprised me. It's not something I did or didn't do; it's not staying off of it or doing exercises. It just changes sometimes in spurts! So, have faith and hope in your new baby knee!

I stopped PT last time at about where you are now; I'm only going once a week now and will miss a week when I'm away next week. But, in reality, you or I could heal perfectly well without the PT time... I think one of the moderators might chime in with examples of participants here who have done recovery without PT.
 
BBCG said:
I think one of the moderators might chime in with examples of participants here who have done recovery without PT.
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Here it is:

This is what one of our members, TortiTabby, experienced:

(Just so you know, ADL means Activities of Daily Living.)

“At my six week appointment this is what my OS wrote in my visit summary: "She reads an online website called Bone Smart which states to not push through pain following knee replacement. If she were to follow this direction, she will have to learn to live with a knee that only reaches to 85 degrees of flexion. I believe this website is very misleading."
It has now been 20 weeks and all I do is ADL and this is what my ROM has done:
3.5 wks: 75
6 wks: 85
7 wks: 90
10.5 wks: 95
14 wks: 100
17 wks: 105
20 weeks (where I am today): 110
I am so thrilled it keeps improving and improving and I know now that I will get to my goal of 120 (or even better, dare I say!) :egypdance:
So, if a OS or PT bullies you into thinking your ROM will not improve over time they are wrong. By the way, I haven't been back to see the OS since that horrible appointment at 6 weeks, but I sure am going back when I reach 120 just to say, "Ha! You were wrong, BoneSmart was right!" :yes:“

And,

“Just an update for those who are apprehensive about gaining ROM:
It has now been 26 weeks and all I do is ADL and this is what my ROM has done:
3.5 wks: 75
6 wks: 85
7 wks: 90
10.5 wks: 95
14 wks: 100
17 wks: 105
20 weeks: 110
26 weeks (where I am today): 120!!!
I did it! My goal of 120! No "pushing through pain", no PT after the first 3 visits, and most importantly to me: No MUA! My surgeon who said I would never get beyond 85 ROM without pushing through pain was wrong, wrong, wrong. I'm excited to see if it gets even better. :happydance: “
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Thank you Jockette, Mar and FCBayern. I have been going to physiotherapy for so long, and now I am no longer covered so I am afraid. I went for a walk around the block after working in my house all day, and I was exhausted. It shocked me. Then I woke up in the night with pain in my upper butt cheek. I have stopped taking pain meds. I was taking coated naproxen, but it is hurting my system I believe. The pain was like sciatica. I have awoken with it a few nights. Then I wonder if If I should just continue with pain meds. All of this makes me feel weak and whiny. I have not done the physio exercises. Do you think I need to continue them daily? I have been walking on even ground but a friend said walking on uneven ground will strengthen the muscles around my knee.
I am so thankful that I can read on this site. It is so helpful and calming.
 
You are still early in recovery, in this year long, on average, journey. You are still feeling the energy drain, which exhausts you, and this is very normal.

On the days you work on your house all day, you don’t need to take a walk, your healing knee got enough mobility already. And, maybe at this point, your healing knee is not ready to work on your house all day, which is also very normal. Pick and choose which activities you do, and rest in between.
Newkneemelodee said:
I have been walking on even ground but a friend said walking on uneven ground will strengthen the muscles around my knee.
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Has your friend had a TKR? Even if she has, she is not you. I had a very hard time, for quite a while, walking on uneven surfaces. I needed my cane for that, way longer than I did when walking on a flat surface. Your knee will strengthen as you heal, and when you are much further into the healing process, then you can work on specific things to strengthen your knee even more, if you want to. But right now, you are in healing mode.
 
Agree with Jockette. Notice my dates of both TKR’s, the first earlier than yours. I still get exhausted very easily! I spent today cooking sauces for lasagna (yum), and it plum wore me out! Sitting here now with an ice pac on Left knee, trying to recoup my forces. It’s just a fact - this surgery takes it out of you. None of us is really prepared for it. Give yourself a break. Your normal activities will give you all the exercise you need right now.
 
Hi NewKneeMelodee, I wouldn't necessarily trust your friend to be the best advisor on things TKR-related, either, as SisterPat said... I have a great place to test uneven surfaces out: my very lumpy back yard! And I'm super cautious and only go out when I must! I do need to do so later to coverup a lupine plant I just planted and something is eating at night!

After my PT stopped in 2016, I did some of the exercises, sometimes, when it felt like a good idea...and some of the exercises felt good, so those I did ... when I felt like it... and I did just fine in the end. I am about 8 weeks out from my 2nd TKR and if I do house tasks all day, I'm beat that night!

We are still dealing with the energy drain that this surgery takes out of us, so be gentle with yourself... your new baby knee isn't yet a toddler and might even still need a nap on a busy day!

I had a really busy day this week and was really pooped that night, too! I'm right now assessing my energy because there is a gathering of friends at my daughter's house, because my granddaughter turns 10 tomorrow! Expected are lots of kids, two dogs, including a puppy, a contingent of 4 sets of parents, etc! I'm debating if I have energy to go... so I might, as I walked only a mile, and only did bit of house work, though I need to pack for a trip to the coast Monday... What I've come to realize I need to do is throw all of the energy needs out there to see how I think I'll do if I take on another thing... and sometimes I'm wrong! And I join the ODIC! But, when I'm right, it works, and I feel tired but not totally exhausted at least.

So, have an internal conversation with your knee, to see what it wants you to do...and maybe you'll get it right?! And if you don't, oh well! You tried and will learn for that day what it needed, if you end up joining the ODIC!
 
Thank you friends.
Your words make me feel so much better.
I also had my appendix out two months before this TKR so I think I am physically drained.
When does the pain stop? I always seem pain free in the day but at night pain awakens me.
Right now I have ice on my knee. It looks great but it is numb on the side still and on top of my knee cap it feels puffy.
Thanks again for the words of wisdom.
Enjoy the weekend.
 
Newkneemelodee said:
When does the pain stop? I always seem pain free in the day but at night pain awakens me.
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Pain at night is often an indication of too much activity during the day, and/or being under medicated. Try to cut back what you do during the day. Are you still icing and elevating?
 
I will agree with your friend that said uneven ground will help strengthen the muscles around your knee @Newkneemelodee, but you still need to heal not strengthen. That will come later. I agree with Jockette, if you are having pain at night you are doing too much during the day. I was also still using my ice machine at night when I was at your stage of recovery, if you aren’t icing at night you might want to try it.
 
Newkneemelodee said:
I am in Sarnia. My husband is a wonderful help. We have both had one dose of the vaccine. I went into the hospital in the morning of March 8th and my hubby picked me up at the curb at 5:00 pm....same day.
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I am in Prince George, B.C,.my surgery was supposed to be overnight too....I couldn't imagine!!
 
I don’t know how all you super human people done this as a day surgery !!!!I am in complete awe of you to be honest. I spent 4 nights in hospital and I was still massively under prepared for how it was going to be.

I’m nearly 8 wks out,very little formal physio and doing very well, it’s like I turned a corner about 4 days ago with the knee and it seems to be behaving itself or maybe I am I’m not sure :heehee:

the other knee has now decided it’s it’s time to shine:groan:
 
Newknee, so you have had TWO major surgeries back to back! Yep, your energy isn’t coming back any time soon, so be kind to yourself. Night is usually the worst for any illness/ailment/indisposition. As has been said, you may well be doing too much during the day, but nighttime has its own challenges regardless.
Your body’s circadian clock helps manage your immune system, Michael Smolensky, a biological rhythm researcher and adjunct professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Texas, says
“When the immune system is activated” — like when you’re sick with the common cold — “its infection-fighting cells release a variety of chemicals, some of which induce inflammation in the infected tissues,” he explains.
According to Smolensky, the inflammation resulting from an immune system is not constant, but tied primarily to one's circadian rhythm. Thus, symptoms probably worsen during sleep hours, when our immune systems shift into overdrive.
The worsening of symptoms at night are made noticeable by the fact that during the day, your immune system tends to mellow out. It’s not unusual to feel a bit better around those times, but then see symptoms come back with a vengeance later at night.

So, this is yet another reason nighttime is such a challenge, even if you have behaved yourself during the day. When the inflammation tones down in that knee with time, decent sleep will return.
 
Cabu said:
I don’t know how all you super human people done this as a day surgery !!!!I am in complete awe of you to be honest. I spent 4 nights in hospital and I was still massively under prepared for how it was going to be.

I’m nearly 8 wks out,very little formal physio and doing very well, it’s like I turned a corner about 4 days ago with the knee and it seems to be behaving itself or maybe I am I’m not sure :heehee:

the other knee has now decided it’s it’s time to shine:groan:
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I had my appendix out as day surgery too, then my knee. My husband is retired, as am I , and he was a great nurse. I just feel so run down now, but I will try to rest more. You are so kind to help me. Thank you SisterPat for the explanation about pain during sleep! I hope you post the article!
I hope Covid ends soon. I get my second vaccine June 30th! Covid caused my knee replacement to be day surgery. My surgeon only did patients who had good help at home and who were otherwise healthy.
I think I am not icing my knee enough. I will get back to doing that before bed.
 
SisterPat, thank you for that interesting bit of information about night time being a time of increased inflammation! It does make far more sense when understanding that immune system/pain connection!
 
Well I am depressed lately. My physio has been finished for a few weeks, I stopped my naproxen, and my knee is still stiff. I am worried that I will never feel normal, even though I know it takes forever to heal. When I walk upstairs I feel Ibam swinging my operated right new knee to the right before I lift it up. I am doing strength exercises lifting weight with my new knee, although not every day. I was assuming regular walking and daily activities would be enough to heal. I still have numbness down the right side of my new knee. I guess I just need to talk. My husband tells me I am too focused on it and need to just act like it is healed. I know he us trying to help but it frustrates me. He thinks I am babying my knee.
 
Newkneemelodee said:
am worried that I will never feel normal, even though I know it takes forever to heal
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You DO know this, so try not to be depressed. The stiffness will persist well into a year. I would be wary of lifting weights even at your point in time. If you exacerbate that swelling, your knee will not bend correctly. You can always come here to vent. Your husband will have to undergo a complete replacement himself before he can understand!
 
It is so easy to get depressed in this recovery, it seems endless as we go through it. But everything you just mentioned is par for the course. It really will get better.

I was very focused on my knee, too, it just consumes us, but that’s because it doesn’t feel good for such a long time. It’s hard to pretend it’s fine when it’s not. And, you’re not babying your knee, you’re treating it gently while it’s healing. :console2:

By the way, I merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread, as we prefer that members in recovery have only one thread.

This benefits you because all your information is in one place, easy to find, and maintains a nice journal for you.

This also benefits our staff, as your information is all in one place, and we often go back through your thread for previous details, so we know what you‘ve been through which helps us advise you better.

So, please keep all your posts in this thread. If you’d like a new title, let us know what you want, and we’ll change it for you. You can always bookmark this thread so you can find it easily.

Best wishes on your continuing recovery! :flwrysmile:
 
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