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@jakeleg ... you know what's helping me is reading @bertschb entire thread because there are many people there who chime in about their similar struggles! I think it will give you hope!
 
@rubyyarn Thank you. I was writing a long post and I lost it somehow. I'm going to chiropractor in a few minutes. I will come home and start the post over. I was kind of enjoying seeing my own thoughts in print. That may sound silly, but it helps me look at my attitude and how it affects my recovery. I do not like to admit that I am tired of this and can't stop worrying completely. That's when I go to Bonesmart
 
That's what these threads are for, a place to sort out feelings as well as to ask questions. And people who follow behind will know that what they are experiencing isn't so strange after all.
 
Physical therapy -- I tried it twice at 2 different places -- and I haven't been back to either one. I had to see my surgeon at 6 weeks for a patella issue and he said I am doing great and I don't need therapy. I can straighten my leg up to about 99%, whatever number that is. I can bend my knee more all the time. Again, I don't have a number. My surgeon just said I am doing great - no numbers. So knee is doing pretty well this week, hardly any pain, no swelling, some tightness, and some warmth. I am still icing once a day or so. While icing my knee, I am lying on a heating pad because my back is very painful, getting worse all the time.
 
jakeleg said:
Am I to conclude that at 8 weeks, I'm still going to be experiencing new things, new sensations, different kinds of pain?
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Yes. :snork:
You're exactly right that the roller coaster doesn't end at 8 weeks. New pains, lingering pains etc are pretty normal. The knee is sensitive to the least thing or nothing at all. But definitely it's easy to overdo.
 
I changed my title to reflect my concerns. I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for morning stiffness. I know I have to start moving slowly. Is there a waiting period before I start gentle exercises? I have used gel pack for 10 minutes and will be doing some simple ADLs. I think my knee is slightly less tight after heat. Everyday I wake thinking "Today someone will post the secret". Still hoping for magic I guess. Thanks to all the slow benders .
 
Morning stiffness is completely normal and will likely continue for a while yet. You are only two months out, and very few people have no stiffness in the morning at that stage. What your knee will do over the next few months is gradually become less stiff in the mornings and take less time to loosen up. Then it will become some mornings it’s stiff, and some mornings not. And then later it will be maybe stiff once in a while on waking up in bed, but not stiff when you get out of bed. That’s what my knees do right now. Maybe stiff on waking some days, but once I get out of bed they’re perfectly fine.

I will tell you the secret: Time. It takes time. All the little pockets of swelling in all the tiny spaces that make up the knee joint need to resolve, and that takes time. Months of time. The good news is that as time goes along, there is less and less stiffness until there is none.

If you trust your knee, and your recovery, it kind of happens like magic. Seriously, if you can make peace with the stiffness and not give it much thought, you will realize one morning that you don’t have it anymore. It’s kind of miraculous. :happydance:
 
First thing out of bed my knee is actually at its best because I elevate it all night. As I go through the day it gets tired.
 
I do a few heel slides, leg bends in the air and on the bed, ankle rolls, quad sets,etc. No one told me to do this, and nothing is strenuous; I have been doing this from the first couple of weeks, when I got some in-home exercises to do, and they showed me I could do them lying down, sitting in a chair, etc. When I get out of bed, there seems to be less stiffness. I sometimes also use my small pedal cycle for a few minutes right after I get up, which also helps. Heat can help, but you need to be careful about putting it directly on your knee for a while. I bet there's an article about it...
 
Went to PT. Have not been since last Thursday. Heat pack for few minutes with coffee before I started getting dressed. Decreased stiffness a bit, I think. 28 degrees when I got outside. It got cold get quickly here.

Did full revolutions on the bike. How did that happem? Because since last Thursday when I did too much for the next 4 days, I have been doing things the Bonesmart way. My extension is almost 0. I don't care about numbers now. I care about what I can do. I walk slowly so that I can make heel - toe automatic. I can get in and out of the car without pushing the seat back ( I'm short so seat is up close). Bike and car are good progress to me. My PT was very complimentary this morning. Scar looks very good.

I also did some different exercises for quads and squats and felt ok. My quads seem to be strong. Then some slides in a chair that I had to hold for 30 seconds. I have to confess I let my PT push my bend, but not too much. I guess I've trained them not to bring up numbers. I'll wait till I am about to go back to work. I'm sure the doctor will to know ROM. Then the heat and stimulation - always my favorite part.

Did 2 quick errands. Leg fatigue came on fast. Have been on the bed with heat on my knee and on my shoulder. (Not too much and not too long). I never got to do strength training after rotator surgery because knee interrupted PT and everything else. Will continue going to chiropractor for neck , shoulder , back, whatever. I'm a chiropractic addict.

I am giving this detail because others have helped me so much. The bottom line is that it has taken me this long to know what works for me. Maybe it will help someone else. Speaking up at PT has made all the difference in my attitude. Will go to PT next week and not dread it. Right now my legs ache, probably normal. I'll wait to determine whether it was too much by how quickly I recover. Supposed to go to a meeting at 6 tonite. I told my PT I do a few slides when I'm in my meetings.

Last night a friend called who is considering seeing an OS. I told him about mine and didn't lie about there being pain. Then I sent him to Bonesmart. He wrote it down so I hope he'll follow up. Since he's had knee surgery before I think he will be very surprised at all he can learn.

Again thanks to all, especially advisors. I can remember when I cried at anything and everything and felt there was no hope. I got lots of reassurance and today I know I'm still just starting. I love @bertschb's ROM progression. Great relief seeing that!
 
Well, I'm goofy. I changed the name of my thread and forgot to post. PT wore me out. My pills were making me sick and I think I had developed a tolerance. They weren't helping with pain. Knee pain is none of occasional, but for some reason my low back is acting up. I took a Hydrocodone for that and it did nothing. Guess it's time to flush them.I was too tired to go to the chiropractor yesterday so I'll go
 
We are on the same track again, Jakeleg. My back is really really acting up. I asked my family doctor for a refferal to a spine specialist but I can't get in there until Jan. 3rd. I may have posted this somewhere else. I don't remember. Anyway, my chiropractor isn't really helping at all. My sciatica is awful and I am doing lots of stretches to try to keep it under control. I had to miss an annual Euchre Party last night because I knew I couldn't sit at a table for that long. Like 4 hours. My knee, on the other hand, is doing well. I am depressed and my poor daughter is depressed for me. She wants to help, but there is nothing to do.
 
Oops . again today. I wake up at 1 or 2 am almost every night. Finally go back to sleep and wake about at 7 or 8. I've got to get that straightened out by the time I go back to work.

The burning sensation comes after PT. It almost feels like I've scraped my knee. I seem to be walking well, less swelling. Very stiff and tight when I wake up. I am worried about bend. I try to hide the discouragement and can't quit comparing myself. A lot of my comparisons are to recoveries of people 10 years younger. Foolishly, I feel sorry for myself and wonder how did this happen to me? The answer comes: why not you? I have b to be reminded I'm not special and I have much to be grateful for. Went to a study group at church last night. I have missed for several weeks.2 people are planning for TKRs.....Now they know about Bonesmart. I am so happy to spread the word.

Does anyone have an answer for the burning sensation?

Good morning to all and thank you. I hit reply too soon by accident so my posts are disjointed. Sorry
 
Two things helped my burning which occurred about two weeks after surgery which was Vasoline and coconut oil. Lasted a couple of weeks, but got better each day. Slather it on.
 
It feels like right under the surface although sometimes my pants bother me and they are a very soft cotton. I think the burning comes after PT and doing too much. It's gone in the morning. Not really worth complaining about, just annoying. Some times when I feel good, I think what next? when something new appears -- like a discoloration or a new pain. I cannot ever forget about my left knee . That's why I say it's a full time job.
 
I had a lot of trouble with that burning sensation for a long time. It did feel like a scraped knee, or even a second-degree burn. Gabapentin didn’t help me. The best thing I did for it was to wear tight leggings to bed. That decreased the sensation by a lot! Look for leggings with as few seams as possible, and make sure they are tight to the skin.

Regarding the waking up in the night on a schedule, I think that may have something to do with narcotics. Even after I stopped using hydrocodone, I still had a variety of symptoms attributable to it for at least a month afterward—among them, poor sleep. It does get better! Hang in there. My iPad became my best friend for a while. I couldn’t fight the wakefulness, so I made the best of it.
 
jakeleg said:
The burning sensation comes after PT. Does anyone have an answer for the burning sensation?
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I probably do but first I need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?
 
Yes. It might take me a while if you ask all the questions I've read here, but I'm certainly willing. I went out for about 2 hours this morning and the burning started. I'm icing now. Thank you.
 
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