TKR Bumps on the Recovery Road<

[Gimpy54]

Checking in again. I'm almost eight months out now, and still experiencing swelling and pain. I can get to 110 flexion, but it hurts really bad beyond that. I haven't had PT since August. My exercises consists of house work (we do have stairs), and walking my dog about .5 a mile every day. Still one-footing the stairs when I'm going down, going up is all good. I get sharp pains on the outside of the knee periodically. Knee is still very numb on the outside, feeling coming back on the inside. Scar looks amazing.

Met with the surgeon a few weeks ago and he said that swelling like this just happens sometimes. He told me to continue with my Celebrex, and Voltaren cream. Neither seems to help all that much.

An added complication is that I'm on my second round of antibiotics for a UTI. First course was 7-day, but the pain came back (positive UA & culture), now a 10-day course. Don't have a fever, and the knee doesn't feel warm. Although, I am very worried about infection.

I can definitely walk better/further than I could before the surgery. I would just like to be able to pull my knee up to put on my socks, and cut my toenails. I thought it would be so much better by now, and I'm very down.

 

[jmp65]

So sorry to hear you are down. We all recover at a different rate. As long as you are improving...even if slowly...that is what counts! Hang in there and remember a year or more for complete recovery. What is it they say...patience is a virtue! I have to remind myself of that all the time!

 

[Tabbycat]

Hi @Gimpy54 I can empathise with your recovery because mine is also going at a snails pace, with some major bumps in the road as well. My TKR was 6 weeks after yours. It's hard not to feel despondent when things are not going as well as you hoped. I hope things will improve for you even if slowly. You are not on your own on this journey.
Tabby xxx

 

[zzevi]

@Gimpy54 I was reading your postings, I've been struggling with socks also, there is a device called sock aid I found it thru Amazon, but you can buy it online thur Walmart and other stores also. It's a really simple device, but it helps you get your sock on. ( I also was struggling and often my husband is gone by the time I needed them on, some mornings it could be 5 mins or more a few mornings couldn't get it at all went sockless in my shoes, not comfortable.
As for cutting the toenails I have no advice there, if any one does have a answer or idea pass it on as I also would like to know what to use.
Also for the other members have you regained putting socks on, or is it and toenails always going to be a issues???

 

[Gimpy54]

Thanks for all the encouragement, guys. It's so frustrating to hear people say, "Well, my friend was back at work and running around in three weeks. What's going on with you?"

Thanks for the idea about socks, Zzevi. I don't know why I didn't think of looking for some kind of device earlier. I just found one at Amazon. Thanks!

 

[newlybionic]

Have you sought out a second opinion by a revision specialist? They can take a look with a fresh set of eyes to make sure your knee is functioning at it's best.

 

[KarriB]

My left knee now has less ROM than my TKR. So putting on socks and giving pedicures to myself can me challenging. For socks I am able to sit on the bed, leg is bent a bit and on the bed where I can pull socks on. For pedicures I try to sit in a lower chair so I can reach my foot easier. But during the month in the imbolizer I couldn't take care of my right foot at all, it was really dry and yucky. My wonderful sister came to my house one night, soaked my right foot, moisturized it and filed my toenails.

 

[Gimpy54]

Have you sought out a second opinion by a revision specialist?

I'm a military dependent, and my surgery was in a military hospital. I do believe I can request a second opinion, and I probably should at this point. I'm meeting with my surgeon in a few weeks, and I will definitely bring that up with him. At my last visit, he did say that my X-rays looked great, and he wasn't the doctor who did the surgery (that doc has moved on).

I'm just wondering about infection. Do you have to have a fever to have an infection? Is it possible to have a low-grade infection in the knee? Obviously these are questions I need to put to my doctor, but they have popped into my head in the last few days.

 

[KarriB]

I had a massive fever with my infection, but not everyone experiences that. I also had seeping from a closed incision and an exceptionally hot knee, not warm, hot.

 

[zzevi]

I had the incision (wound) that wouldn't heal I ran no fever, had slight drainage to begin with then later on it had a odor 1 culture ran showed no infection the culture ran by the wound care clinic showed steph and staph in the wound with no symptoms of a illness other than the wound not healing

 

[mamazipp]

I'm one week before you and my recovery has been slow. I do have good ROM but stairs have been an ongoing issue due to pain on the outer side of my knee, still. I have aching as well and I do use Voltaire extra strength even tho I'm not sure it helps, either. I think I'm just on a slow road, but many people say that it's a yearlong process. It's frustrating not to have bounced back, but you are not alone in this journey.
I used a sock aid for a while and it was great. I still have trouble cutting my toenails so I go and get pedicures.
If you treat your UTI it should not result in an infection in your knee.

 

[Timetolive]

@Gimpy54, I am sorry you are healing slower than some. I am two weeks away from my one year anniversary and I hate to tell you, I have had all the same issues you are having. I still have swelling with overuse, sharp pains, soft tissue pain now and then, although I do not have the bone on bone pain I used to. PT and my ortho all tell me the swelling, etc., lasts longer for some of us. Going down the stairs feels like I am ripping something in two at times, but I know that is just tightness in the knee. Before getting out of bed each day, I bring my TKR to my chest (as much as I can) and pull it to stretch it. Makes a world of difference in my day. I think you are doing great! Your knee will get stronger and these pains will lessen. As far as socks, have you tried to sit on a chair and just bend at the waist to put them on? I don't bring my knee up on the bed. I can also bend my knee and put my foot (of the TKR leg) on the other knee and put on things that way. I have issues with my weight, so I have to find creative ways to do things anyway. For the pedicure, I do as Karri does and sit in a lower chair. I can also now put my foot on the closed toilet and clip my toenails from that position. Never stop stretching that knee and keeping the fluid in it moving. You are in my prayers for healing of your UTI.

 

[Gimpy54]

Thanks for all the advice and your experiences. I'm plugging along.

Yes, I can bend over at the waist and put on my socks and shoes, but it's difficult. The thing with this knee is that it seems to swell with even light use, not just over use. I'm going to get there, it's just going to be a slow haul. Thanks for listening, guys. I do appreciate it very much.

 

[Gimpy54]

Checking in. Almost a year out now. Still dealing with pain and swelling. Haven't been to PT since August. Just doing light housework, errands, short walks with the dog. Still one footing it down the stairs. When I try and walk down normally, knee swells something awful. I can feel a faint clicking in my knee when I bend it. I think I'm at about 110 bend easily. Can't get much past that though.

My scar looks amazing. The only good thing about my pasty Irish complexion, is that I do scar well. Still taking 200 mg Celebrex every day, and when I miss it, the knee lets me know.

Spent the Christmas break with my family down south. They don't have stairs. It did seem better when I was down there.

Have an appointment on my year date, March 7. Saw my doc at the end of Oct. He said, wait until a year out. Well, I'm no better now than I was then. Trying not to be too depressed about this situation, but I am down. I had such high hopes. In hindsight, maybe they weren't very realistic.

 

[zzevi]

I keeping hoping for myself that yr marker shows great improvement. I am 7 months out and I've seen slow progress the past few months. It's not earth shaking but little improvements along the way.
What kind of pain are you having yet?
As for steps, it's getting better, but it's weird when you've done something different for a while it becomes routine, I still seem to go down often 1 foot at a time. I also walk with my tkr leg turned out, it's the most comfortable that way, and p/t did ask me to work at walking with it turned in, So I've now began trying to be more aware and change my walking pattern. When I sit with my leg up or in bed on my back that leg is turned out, think it's a habit more than anything I've developed.
I still have the swelling also, seems a little worse lately, but haven't been icing.
Continue to keep us in formed, I thought a yr out would be a good marker of final success, but maybe
it will take longer than that.

 

[Grammy211]

Hi @Gimpy54! I had my first tkr 3.5 years ago and I can remember after a year thinking I still couldn't say I was glad I had it done! However, as my other knee got worse and I ended up having the other knee replaced 3 weeks ago, I realized just how much my already replaced knee (left) had helped me! I depended on that left knee a lot and it didn't let me down! I realized just how important and strong it was and I was finally extremely appreciative of that new knee. Perhaps I was expecting too much from it, I'm not sure!

I do not like the long recovery process in this procedure and I also get discouraged easily but I do know now what a blessing these bionic knees are to me!! I too went through 6 months of PT, gained decent ROM, then had a set back I never fully recovered from. But I am trying to stay optimistic with my recent knee replacement and look forward to getting my life back!

Keep it up and don't give up! I've read many testimonies on here where people have continued to gain ROM and a decrease in pain even after a year. You'll do great!!


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[Gimpy54]

Yeah, that's what I'm hoping, more improvement, even after my one year anniversary date. I just wish this darn swelling would go down. It's so stiff.

I've been doing research into inflammation. Wondering about the effects of diet on it? Anyone else here had any experience with that? Everything I've read says cut down on sugar. I am a bit of sweets fan. Think I'm going to give it a try. To cut out all of my sweet treats, see if that helps any.

 

[Pumpkin]

Gimpy54,
Sorry to hear you are still having difficulty with your knee.
You are still less than a year out from your surgery, you are still healing, hoping the year mark sees you feeling better.
Recommend you start looking for a second opinion, search for an OS that specializes in revisions, they have the background and experience to determine what is going on with your knee.

When you cut out sugar, be sure to check labels, most breads have added sugar.
I have a friend who cut out all sugar, they said it helped with knee pain.

 

[zzevi]

I've have to keep the sugar thing in mind, I also love my sweets. Will have to be careful if it causes inflammation

 

[Grammy211]

Turmeric is good for inflammation. I make a drink with it everyday which includes lemon juice, MCT oil, turmeric, salt, sweetener, collagen & water. I think it is helping or maybe I just want to think it's helping! I like the taste and makes me feel like I'm putting something good in my body to promote healing.


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