TKR Am I on the right track?

[Diminuata]

Thank you. Saw the podiatrist to check in orthotics and see the Physio on Friday. Lots to think about. Been woken up by a sore hip which is a worry, ive been sleeping in a different bed so maybe that is it,!Wishful thinking! I do hope that's not disintegrating on me too. Sigh. Anyway, today's good note is that I'm going to the movies for the first time since January. The Liberace one. Saw him live when I was a kid, and that will be 2 hours sitting with the knee bent. You're right about retraining - I had a mid foot fusion five years ago and everything else went haywire. Hydro was a huge help.

 

[Knee pain]

It has been a great day, managed to give up 2 of my phisio appointments this week, and only went to Hydo on Wednesday, I cant believe today, how much better I feel for giving up Phisio. For the first time in 7 weeks I had little pain and swelling I could keep under control. For the first time I managed to sit on a chair and clean out 4 bags, for the op shop.
When I called and canceled my phisio, he did say, he wanted to see me Monday. The good feeling I had in my knee today, I do not want to go back, and have the pain start all over again. Im happy to go to hydro and do my sets of exercise with the phisio on Wednesdays, and do extra times on my own. I get a little pain from the hydro, but not as much as in the gym with phisio.
My phisio man on the phone said to me, you really have to do the phisio, it was really important part of my recovery. Pushey little man. Sending me on a guilt trip. And he does push me. I keep telling my self I can live with 120% bend, thats an ok bend isn't it ? It wouldn't matter if I couldn't bend it any further would it?
Well its almost bed time here, I would like to go to bed, but both my cats are fast asleep on my lap, hate disturbing them...LOL Night, night all, Have a great day. Regards Leonie.

 

[Diminuata]

Leonie, that's great! I wish I'd done that at 8 weeks. I was beating myself up. Bone smarties don't seem to be too worried by the bend- my Physio seems happy enough with mine of 110. I just want more to be able to push myself off a chair. And the loo! I'm never going to run a marathon! Scary wind out there- 117 km gusts!
Sleep well,
Diminuata

 

[robynhood]

Leonie, Hi. Its your knee and you know it best. I think 120 is a brilliant bend. Im at almost 10 months and not at 120 yet. Well I might be almost there. My ROM seems t have got better the last few weeks. I only had 3 appointments at physio and although its very different here in the UK that was minimal even for here. I had such a lot of swelling in the first few months it was very difficult. But now Im up and down stairs walking so much better and for longer lengths of time without getting pain. That's what I focus on. What I can do that I couldn't do before and without that awful pain. If youre happy not to go to physio then I would just leave it and concentrate on your hydro and normal day to day living. ROM is just a number and yours is pretty good already. Good Luck

 

[maryo52]

That 120 bend is the middle of the bell curve for what they expect after TKR. If you're 120 today, I bet you'll be 130 or beyond at one year. Good for you for saying no to the pushy little man. One has to wonder who he's serving. Our success without PT seems to bother some PTs who can't face the fact that they aren't actually essential to a normal post-TKR patient. Notice how your knee agrees!!

 

[kneeper]

Sounds like you're doing just fine and the break from PT was just what you needed.

 

[patient 99]

Knee pain Dabber Hi Ladies, You will see from my thread that I got the all clear from the OS today. So probably wont be around as much. I know what its like in the early stages of recovery, so please feel free to message me. I will check messages regularly. Anything I can do to help - even if its just a shoulder to cry on. Do let me know.

Leonie, I thought I was going to have lots to tell you about the tight band syndrome. But the OS didn't tell me anything we don't already know. He said it is very, very common and it goes in time, but it can take a year. So you will have to be patient.

My very best wishes. Carol

 

[Knee pain]

I use to get heaps of bad headaches before my surgery, I have been 8 weeks headache free, it's been wonderful, I just thought it was because of all the pain killers I have been on. Well today I have a ripper, feeling so blahhhhhh.

 

[tashia]

Hope that your headache is gone and that you are pain free. Take care and keep us posted. Tashia

 

[Knee pain]

I have read on some of the threads, some people ice and use heat bags. I ice all the time, when should you use heat on the knee? Lol I don't want to miss out on any pain relief.

 

[tashia]

Knee pain, as the knee gets better, heat bags sometimes work so much better than heat. I know mine did. Try it you have nothing to lose. Take care , I hope your headache is better. Tashia

 

[kneeper]

I used heat on the thigh muscle area at times.

 

[Knee pain]

Good morning all, used heat bag for the first time last night for bed. Unbelievable went to sleep at 11pm woke up at 4pm, went straight back to sleep and woke again at 9.30pm.....OMG the best sleep in my 8 weeks, cant believe how well I feel. It has been very cold in Australia, and icing has been cold. I think the heat bag relaxed me and made me all cosy under the doona. When I did wake up it was incredibly hard to walk, the knee was all seized up, took quite a while to get it moving....LOL hard when your busting to go to the toilet. The sleep was so worth the stiff sore knee. Had a shower and got moving walking a little better.
I was hoping for a nice sunny day, but its not going to happen. Well we are in our winter why should the sun shine. Hope every ones day is going well. For those who are feeling down (HUGS) XO

 

[Josephine]

Of course, you're in the depths of winter, aren't you? Well, that's wonderful you had such a good night's sleep. You do pay a price but it's not insurmountable. Just expect it and it won't take you by surprise again.

 

[Bionic woman2]

7 WEEKS AND 3 DAYS.......Whos counting....LOL. I am sure I am the most impatient person on earth, why didn't I ever learn to be patient much earlier in my life, Its been difficult learning it now. It might make me a better person when my TKR heals, I know now I will be much more sympathetic to others having TKR. I find it really difficult to sit around for so long, I even think that may be I am one of those lazy people, who dont do their exercises then wonder why they are not healing. The reason I have said this, is because I feel I am icing and elevating all the time.

Leonie, I feel you 100% My knee is about the same age as yours and I second guess my recovery every other day. I have stopped going to P/T because I couldn't afford it and the last time I went my P/T held my foot down w/his so it wouldn't move, to measure my ROM. That was painful experience. I hope to go back to him with enough ROM to his liking that he can keep both feet on the ground. I'm still doing my exercises throughout the day and walking. Plain walking can be too much at times, so I follow the Bonesmart mantra. I can only hope that we're on the right track. Some days it seems like a big yes! and some-days... not so much.

 

[Knee pain]

I still keep thinking all the time about my meds, I hate that I am on my morning and evenings of 10mg of OxyContin, and my evening sleep tablet of 2X Temazepam 10mgs.
Thursday will be 9 weeks since my LTKR. I am a little confused, the meds I am having, means I'm not getting any pain, yes I get get stiffness and the dreaded band, but not really any pain. I elevate and ice regularly.
What my thoughts are, if I'm on the meds how do I go off them? Do I stop the morning tablet or the evening? maybe I can go off the OxContin, and just go on to Panadol every 4 hours? I have read to stay on meds for pain, I'm just not sure if I need them now. I don't want to go off them and find myself in a mess with pain again. And I don't like to think I'm taking something, and I don't need anymore... I'm so confused on what to do. Does any of this make any sense?

 

[Bionic woman2]

Hi Leonie, Jamie shared the link below on your page. it was directed at me at the time. https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/weaning-off-prescription-pain-medication.19226/

I started doing it, but my OS changed my meds to just Tramadol, which I'm use to from my arthritis so I won't need to wean off of it. I didn't find it hard at all to switch form Oxy, to Hydrocodone to Tramadol. I still have a few Oxy and Hydro pills left and WILL take them if I feel that I need them. I think if you're concerned about your amount of meds, try and go without a dose and see how you feel. Like you said our "tight band/bond" will always be there. I know it's "considered pain" but there is a difference between the pain we feel when we do too much and our morning "Rubber-band Man" issue. That's song which will be quite humorous to you in the future. Right now.... not so much.

Hang in there, and experiment with what works for you.

 

[Knee pain]

OMG......Its now 9 weeks, I cant express enough, how grateful I am to Bone Smart. I can remember ever so clearly the cry baby and ignorant person I was 4 weeks ago, I was doing every thing wrong.My meds are now regular, I ice and elevate regular, and I do not exercise to a high pain level, I can now say no to the phisio.
They are simple things to do, but they work so well.
I still do manage to over do things, I still get swollen knee, I still hate the tight band around my knee.
But I have learnt to listen to my knee, and learnt to be PATIENT.
I have learnt to be positive. Positive thoughts are so much better. Its so easy to et the mind be negative.
THANKS ALL, FOR YOUR HELP

 

[Bionic woman2]

YAY! and Ditto! Isn't it great to just... "Let it Be, Let it Be-e..." Sing along, EVERYBODY Now!

 

[Dabber]

I'm 12 weeks today and ditto! My first short break away, yes I overdid it a little but in hotel room now icing and elevating with disposable cool packs. It feels great to get some vestige of normality back.
I was a Liverpool girl in the 60s