TKR Anxiety about TKR - now it's done!

[jenng2003]

Pt wanted more, but I couldn't do it. Instead of discomfort, it was turning to pain. I stopped her. I also almost got all the way around on the recumbent bike. Yay! I am really sore now, but it is muscle soreness, not knee pain. I'm assuming that's okay discomfort. It's primarily my calf and quad.


LTKR. October 27th 2014

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[referee54]

Pt wanted more, but I couldn't do it. Instead of discomfort, it was turning to pain. I stopped her.

Good for you!!! Way to take charge!!!

 

[jenng2003]

I'm having horrible bone pain today. Is this normal?


LTKR. October 27th 2014

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[kneeper]

You're probably just having one of those days. How's the pain med situation?

 

[jenng2003]

Nothing is helping the pain. Not even ice. I'm nauseous from the pain. I have been taking tylenol and nucynta (stronger tramadol). I can't take the Percocet or any of those because I'm allergic.


LTKR. October 27th 2014

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[jenng2003]

Thankfully I had a very gentle pt today. She allowed me to push myself as hard as I wanted. She didn't yank on my leg once. It was wonderful! I got to 89 degrees today almost there!!! Now to keep the progress for friday!!!

But it didn't help with the pain today. I called the OS again to find out if I can take Celebrex since tylenol does nothing. I was told no since I am still on aspirin. I have a pain level of 9, I said. Can I take it instead of aspirin since they "do the same thing" (her words). I was told no because otherwise I will develop blood clots. I can't take anything nsaid until after the 6 week mark. I am so over this pain. It shouldn't be like this. I should be able to get some relief. At this rate, I will never be able to return to work. I'm not asking for no pain. I am asking for a manageable level of pain. I ice 18-20 hours a day. I elevate about 15-20 hours a day. I cannot do anything else. I will never do this again. I don't care how much relief I get a year later...this is inhumane.


LTKR. October 27th 2014

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[Josephine]

I am very close to 90 after this weekend

And I'll say it too- for 3½ weeks out, 90 is pretty darned good!

 

[Josephine]

I was told no because otherwise I will develop blood clots.

Does she have a gift of forward vision then? She should have said 'may' not will!

Have you tried this? Night pain solutions using moist heat and clingfilm

 

[jenng2003]

I know she should've said "may". But I'm not gonna lie. I only take one a day of aspirin because it makes my stomach hurt so badly. I'm active at this point. I listened in the beginning, but I don't want to develop another stomach bleed. Celebrex doesn't upset my stomach like the other NSAIDs do.

Dr and pt said no heAt on joint yet. Dr said heat muscles since I have really tight ones (even before surgery and my good leg). Pt disagrees but oh well. It helps with the cramping and therefore the joint pain because things aren't spasming. I use moist heat. I use a heating pad that has that function. It feels so good.

Do you think it would be ill advised to see my chiropractor? I get hip and low back pain (probably from years of knee pain). I took a 5 week hiatus, but I really could use some relief in those areas. He won't touch my knee at this point. Pt and dr said do whatever I want (I wish they had this attitude with pt time).


LTKR. October 27th 2014

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[referee54]

Dr and pt said no heAt on joint yet

I agree with this---heat on the muscles causes the blood to flow there and will loosen them up and let the stretch a little more, which is a good thing.

Heat on a joint---this will cause more blood to flow there---and cause more swelling---something that you definitely do not want.

I use moist heat. I use a heating pad that has that function. It feels so good.

As long as you are using heat only on the muscles---I would believe that this would be helpful!

If you are still having issues with pain---I would contact your GP or perhaps talk to a pain-management specialist as you should not be in this kind of pain.

The other alternative is to raise a stink with you OS---I am wondering why he is not working harder to alleviate your pain situation.

 

[lunula]

@jenng2003 - I haven't had my surgery yet, so I have no advice about the pain you're experiencing. I just wanted to say I hope you find something that helps very soon. I've been reading your various updates and I have to say, your PT sounds particularly terrifying to me. I just can't even fathom being worked so hard, so quickly. I am definitely learning from your experience (I know, very little solace for you at this point) - but wanted you to know that your updates are valuable to many of us.

Just wish you weren't in so much pain and regretting your decision to have TKR.

I read that you've had many surgeries on this knee - I was wondering (I may have overlooked this) - what started your knee problems? Sounds like you had an accident of some sort?

 

[jenng2003]

@lunula I played basketball and volleyball in middle school. I stepped wrong and tore the meniscus. I had two surgeries to fix that tear (that OS did not do it correctly). The thought is that due to autoimmune issues, my current OS and rheumatologist think my body just kept attacking the joint. I had 5 more surgeries to help with the falling and cleaning up the arthritis (including a meniscal transplant). I fell at the end of July this year and the knee never recovered. So that led to the decision to have the surgery.

Today, the PT pretty much said she doesn't think it will bend much more. She wants me to have the MUA. I don't want to. I've had 15 degree progress since last Friday (I hit 91 with her "help" today). She said it wasn't moving more than that though. It wasn't a stretch issue she said. There is something stopping it. In my head thinking "hmmm...like swelling!" I am comfortable that I am making progress. I won't do any procedures as long as I am making gains.


LTKR. October 27th 2014

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[referee54]

Today, the PT pretty much said she doesn't think it will bend much more. She wants me to have the MUA. I don't want to.

It is much too early to be even considering an MUA at this point in time.

Remember---it is your knee, your recovery, and nobody can do anything to you without your permission.

Again, you are much too early in your recovery---do not let the PT push you or punish you---or make you feel guilty. You are making progress, and to be around 90* at this point in time is great.

You cannot rush this recovery!

 

[jenng2003]

I agree. I would rather wait so I can focus on getting stronger so I can return to work. I also would rather give it time and let it come slowly. As long as I lose the stiffness, I could live with the range I have currently. It's better than pre-surgery. I will just keep stretching and icing and elevating and hopefully the knee will play nice eventually. I don't like the idea of someone forcing it. It seems counterproductive. In surgery, they couldn't bend it more than 120 degrees according to the OS. He will be happy with 105 degrees.


LTKR. October 27th 2014

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[referee54]

In surgery, they couldn't bend it more than 120 degrees according to the OS. He will be happy with 105 degrees.

It is not all about the numbers with your new knee---it is what you can do with your new knee.

Numbers do not mean anything---but what is important is that you can get the aspects of your life back that you miss so much.

 

[jenng2003]

I couldn't go upstairs "normally". I couldn't squat enough to put on my shoes or pick something up off the floor. I couldn't walk a block without pain (other than stiffness). I can do these things now.


LTKR. October 27th 2014

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[kneeper]

I know there are some good PTs out there, but some just do not realize that time is as important or more important than anything they do. If you have been gaining the ROM you describe, I'd say you are not "stuck." We sometimes hit plateaus. I had the "scare talk" from my PT but in a week or so I had made more gains all on my own. In some ways I'd say *despite* the PT b/c I didn't "work" super hard. I pushed myself a little more than I had been, but I also spent a heck of a lot of time icing and elevating.

 

[jenng2003]

I am not stuck currently. She said when she tried to push a little more rom outta my knee it was a stuck feeling...not a stretching like it should be. I still don't want to do any procedure that will set me all the way back to the beginning. It has been very rough to get to this point. At some point, I have to just say it is better than what it was beforehand and move on.


LTKR. October 27th 2014

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[kneeper]

Also remember you are not even a month out--a mere moment in tkr time.

 

[Josephine]

I only take one a day of aspirin because it makes my stomach hurt so badly. I'm active at this point.

Then I'd say you a) should not be taking aspirin and b) could well be perfectly safe without it.

Dr and pt said no heat on joint yet.

And I'm not suggesting you apply lots of heat to the knee. Using moist heat is a fairly brief thing.

Do you think it would be ill advised to see my chiropractor? I get hip and low back pain

Not at all. As long as he doesn't ask you to get face down!

Pt and Dr said do whatever I want (I wish they had this attitude with pt time).

And you can do what you want. It's your knee, your body and your life. Trust your instincts and do 'whatever you want'!

She wants me to have the MUA. I don't want to. It wasn't a stretch issue she said. There is something stopping it. In my head thinking "hmmm...like swelling!" I am comfortable that I am making progress. I won't do any procedures as long as I am making gains. She said when she tried to push a little more rom outta my knee it was a stuck feeling...not a stretching like it should be.

That's such a subjective thing. What 'feels' to one person might be quite different to another. Like I said before, trust your instincts. You seem to have good ones! You're only 4 weeks out anyway which is still very early and you have plenty of time to get things going yet.