TKR Amberpep's Recovery Thread

[amberpep]

Well, I've taken all the quad exercises I could see myself doing, written them on cards with a stick person figure, and I'm going to go through them every day. I really appreciate everyone's advice on this. I have been rather a lazy bum since my surgery, except for walking my dog. Thanks all.
abby

 

[robynhood]

Abby youre back. So nice to have you back on the forum. Sorry tho youre having trouble with your quads. This is such a massive operation isnt it. I really didnt think recovery would be this long even tho you are told. I will keep up with your progress now. Take Care.

 

[amberpep]

Hi Pat ..... thanks for welcoming me back .... it's good to be back. I've got all my exercises on 3 x 5 cards and started them today. I'm taking it slow and easy as it does seem those quads are pretty weak. That would be great if that was the answer. Yes, this is a massive operation. I don't think I fully realized just how massive it was ..... or maybe I did in my head, but somehow it didn't really penetrate at the time. Wow.
I hope you're doing well, how's yours doing? I see you're having the left one done this year sometime. I'm pretty sure that's in the cards for me too someday, but not now. I may be moving nearer to where my girls live, but I've already decided to come back up here if and when I have to have the other one done. My surgeon is so good that I'm not taking a chance on someone new.
Wonderful to hear from you.
abby

 

[amberpep]

Hi all ..... I've only been doing the quad exercises for 5 days and I'm already noticing a difference. I am so delighted and appreciate all of you who put me onto this. I'm a bit surprised my P.T. didn't tell me this was a possibility, but I'm very grateful you all did. Thanks much. I'll keep in touch ....
abby

 

[amberpep]

Hi everyone .... well, since I've been doing the quad exercises, and wearing the orthotics in my shoes, that outside of my knee and down my leg is really feeling much better. Thank you all so very much for telling me that. The front of my knee still hurts when I start to walk or move .... it goes away after I'm walking, but is this normal? Of course, when it's going to rain and the barometric pressure goes way down, YEOWEE! I sure can tell we have wet weather coming! Otherwise it's just the front of my knee. It's been 2 years now and can I expect that this will continue indefinitely?
My left knee is acting up too .... but the doctor told me that's often the case .... for so long it's been taking a beating when the right one was sick, that now it too, is a very sad knee. I know someday that will need to be done, but it's not time yet. It doesn't hurt nearly like the other one did, at least not now.
I was starting each day with 2 Excedrin (half aspirin and half tylenol) to get me going. Tylenol alone doesn't seem to help at all. Anyhow, I've stopped that as I had a blood draw at my doctor's office the other day, she put the cotton ball on where it was and taped it down, and by the time I got to the door leaving her room, there was blood running down my arm and all over my shirt! Ye Gads! No more Excedrin. :rolleyes:
Any input from you all would be great.
abby

 

[Jaycey]

Hi Abby, I changed the color of your text in your post. Red is very hard to read and a bit "shouting".

Sounds like you are having a muscle issue if things ease off when you get moving. It may be early days so keep up those strengthening exercises and the walking and see if things settle.

 

[skigirl]

Abby, nice to see you back. I think it takes about 2 months to see improvement in quad strength. Hope it works, sounds like the beginning is good.

 

[amberpep]

Hi everyone. I'm sure there are not many of you that remember me, but I had my RTKR two years ago. I'm beginning to think that the way it is now is as good as it's going to get. Each morning when I get up, and throughout most of the day, the outside of the knee hurts when I move it. Some days it's better than others, but it's always there. There is one area, about the size of a 50 cent piece where I still have no sensation, and that area always hurts. But, usually it's more extensive than that. And when the barometric pressure drops, like when it's going to rain .... it really hurts. My question for you all is this ..... is this as good as it gets? Will there always be some pain? On the worst days I take Advil, but I don't like taking that every day ..... Tylenol doesn't touch it. Going down steps is not fun at all. I'm active, not sitting all day at all ..... I have a dog, 2 cats, volunteer at our local Humane Society, am involved in my church.
Thanks for any input you can give me.
abby

 

[Jaycey]

Hi Abby, welcome back but so sorry you are still hurting. I'm tagging Jo to see if she has any input. Josephine Meanwhile, have you changed your routine at all? Added a new activity or exercise?

 

[amberpep]

Hi Jaycey .... it's good to be back. No, I really have not changed anything except for the few exercises to strengthen my quads. Otherwise, everything is the same. This is the one piece of the surgery that has never left and continues, 2 years later, to be a problem. That 50 cent size piece area is also puffy ... not hugely, but puffy nonetheless.
Thanks again for your warm welcome.
abby

 

[Josephine]

Hi Amber - nice to see you again. Shame about your problem. It's funny, but just yesterday I was needing to get into the back of my car to put up the far split seat. I went in right knee first and found I couldn't even put any weight on it, it was so painful! It's at the front, painful to touch (or rather press on), if I bump it is excruciating and yet the pain is immediately gone once I get off it! It never hurts any other time. I'm guessing it's a soft tissue thing but as yet have reached no conclusion on any other reason. And the side of my knee is still numb and exquisitely tender too. So all I'm saying is, I think, that some of us are left with these issues and it's quite likely we'll never know the reason why.

Anyway, I'll try and have a stab (pardon the expression!)

So can you tell the the exact location of your pain using this chart? Each square needs the number for the row (horizontal) and the column (vertical) to identify it, plus let me know if it's front or back.

 

[amberpep]

Hi Josephine .... oh gosh, it's so good to hear from you. And, while I'm sorry you had this difficulty, I must admit, it makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one who still has difficulty. I do think you're right ... it's a soft tissue problem probably related to that numbness. The area on the chart where it is is: R2, C and D, on the outside. The puffyness is in the C area. Thank you again so very much. I appreciate you're taking the time to respond.
Hugz,
abby

 

[amberpep]

CORRECTION: The puffyness is primarily in the D area with some in the lower part of the C.
abby

 

[danceragainsoon]

Wow there are some funny people on this thread. Amber I'm 9 weeks and still very numb. I would be pretty nervous to get on my knees, but It's mostly my anxiety more then anything. I still walk funny and keep with the pt because mine took a week off and I swear I regressed. I found out if I go pool jogging, it really gave me a work out. Yes, there is such a thing. Good Luck

 

[amberpep]

I'm wondering if, in addition to the pain I still have in my right knee, does anyone else notice they have a slight balance problem?
There have been several times over the passed 2 years that I've had to catch myself due to a balance problem. A few times I landed on my fanny! I know it could be medications I take daily, but it only started after the RTKR.
abby

 

[skigirl]

amberpep, I think you have issues with your IT Band! You have the classis symptoms. Here is the library article:

ITB (ilio-tibial band) issues and treatments

You can go back to pt for a few weeks and I am sure they can help you get past this pain. I have to roll on a foam roller, which hurts, but is effective. Some people use a rolling pin and roll up and down between knee and hip.

 

[Jaycey]

Hi Abby, funny you should mention balance problems. I have had balance problems since my THR - and I am not taking any heavy duty pain meds anymore. I do have a leg length difference but wear a lift. But since my THR I sometimes feel very off. Even had to buy a second ticket for a recent event because I got vertigo in the higher seat!

 

[Brownie51]

HI Abby
Great post..."is this as good as it gets?" Lets hope the knees will continue to improve in time but your being 2 years out is concerning. I guess we can't compare our knees to the day when they were healthy but to when they were so bad we could hardly walk. Sad huh?

 

[amberpep]

Hi Brownie .... good to hear from you .... I need to interject something here about my meds. I have not taken any of the heavy duty pain meds. since 4 weeks afterwards. When I mentioned meds. I meant the other medications I take daily ... allergy, thyroid, psychotropics.
Yea, I'm figuring that this is probably the way it will be. I'm to go back to see him in another 6 months - at the 2-1/2 year mark and I'll mention it then. But, it's over and I'm glad. If and when the other needs to be done, I know what to expect. Not fun, but certainly not what I thought ... thankfully.
Off the topic of our knees, I now have that parasite they've been talking about on the news ..... cyclospores .... nice. You get it by ingesting contaminated food or water .... YUK! The doctor has me on med. and as much water as I can possibly ingest, plus Pedialyte! UGH! Gives me the creeps wondering where I got it ..... I scrub all the fruits and vegs. I eat. Oh well, it's nice to have company .... sort of "little friends" in my intestines.
Take care,
abby

 

[amberpep]

Well, I'm back again. I'm getting worried now. My RTKR knee has really never stopped totally giving me some discomfort, and it was 2 years in May. I guess I thought I would be totally pain free. Guess I was wrong. When I stand up it hurts, if I sit too long it hurts, some days I find myself going down the steps like I did early on, with my right foot and leg pointing to the right instead of straight ahead. It is considerably fatter than my left knee and there are a few areas where when I press on it, it seems like there could be fluid in there, but I don't really know. Of course, the barometric pressure always causes it to hurt, but I think that's normal. Well, the passed several weeks it was particularly painful. Today when I was at the grocery store, it was really hurting, and then all of a sudden it started to hurt right above my kneecap. It hurt so bad I thought I couldn't walk, but I made it out of there and home. I took 2 Aleve, rubbed it with Bio-Freeze (for what that's worth) and wrapped it up. I hate the thought of this being as good as it gets, and yet, it sort of scares me to call my doctor. I also forgot to mention besides there being several areas that are puffy, my knee is much warmer than my left knee. I have orthotics to wear in my shoes, but this summer I have not been very good about wearing them as I've worn sandals and they don't fit in them. I have a few pairs of shoes in which they fit, one of them my Asic sneakers. I have some Orthoheel sandals which seem to help. I can put my orthotics in my Birkis, so I guess between them and my sneakers, I'll have to try wearing them all the time and see if that helps. Just a very unhappy knee.
I'd appreciate any thoughts you all have. Thanks so much for being there.
abby