TKR christeen's knee journey 8/11

[Poz222]

So it's been a couple of days... After a few days with No PT and resting the pain in the pes anserine and the swelling in back of the knee has gone down and I am not hurting nearly as bad.... Hmmmmm. Coniencidence?

I went to see my rheumatologist and I got my humira and he advised me to take prednisone for a few days along with a weekly Humira injection as a loading dose to try to get my RA flare under control... He noted that sometimes the PT does not always fully understand or take into consideration the effect of what they do on people with RA and how the body sometimes triggers flares in reaction to the manipulation.

I go to the OS on Tuesday to see his thoughts on the PT and how I am doing. But I am seriously doubting I will return. I did my stretching and went swimming in the pool today and am feeling better than I have in weeks (since just returning from my trip and before I started back with PT).

I just don't think me and PT are a good mix!! I will continue to be gentle and let everything heal! I have my big Halloween party tomorrow night so I will rest up today.

 

[Slainte]

Not a coincidence at all, I am sure. Great that your knee is feeling so much better and you will really enjoy that party. I know it is hard intellectually to give up PT, but the proof is in the pudding. I have spent the last week doing almost nothing and my knee is happier. Happy Halloween!

 

[kneeper]

Just catching up on your thread. I agree with your conclusion that this PT is not helping and probably aggravated your #rheumatoidarthritis. I'm glad your rheumy is a good one. Hopefully the pred will help with the inflammation and with the humira will calm things down for you. I'd steer clear of PT (and this one in particular) and see how things go with a break. Dealing with the RA flare is most important right now, imho.

 

[Poz222]

So I went to my OS and I explained to him what was going on. I have been just over a week without PT and some of my ROM has returned and the calf swelling is down. My OS said that he was happy with my progress and since this is not my first rodeo with joint replacement, he is confident I will continue stretching and using it and it will heal nicely. He agrees they were pushing me too much and probably created some tendinitis. He felt the knee and is not convinced that there is any major adhesions and through use and stretching and doing the exercises it will all work out. Needless to say I will not be returning to PT and go back to doing things on my own.

On the positive side, I was able to be on my feet over the Halloween weekend and was able to get around very well. My RA is still flaring but I am doing weekly loading dose injections of the Humira to see if I can't get the swelling down. Also some low doses of prednisone to hopefully tamp it down... I am just sooooo tired all the time.. Energy drain from the knee and RA.

 

[Kssii]

All I can say is--good luck with the RA. I agree that doing PT on your own is often the best choice.

 

[cairistiona60]

Glad to here you are doing better. PT on your own is way better for you than having someone push, pull, bend and stretch your knee when they can't feel the pain.

 

[Kssii]

It seems to me that stretching is often more beneficial than "muscling up" exercises. My shoulder PT guy is doing manual therapy only (my choice!) As he puts it--we are not going to give you a good working shoulder by bulking you up! (I have bone on bone so it is just matter of time before I have to see an OS.) He also checked out my knee and told me that I need muscle--the kind that comes with using the knee, not just doing exercises. So I went to the zoo last week--lasted 5 1/2 hrs.--energy long gone and feet hurt, but knee was in good shape.

 

[bdink21]

Hey girl!! Just checking in to see how you are doing. Hope all is well and your knee is behaving. I really haven't been on BS in a while, life is just too busy. I put off having my other knee replaced but am rethinking that decision, the pain is getting horrible even after cortisone injection. My new knee is coming along. Still feels a little swollen but doesn't look it, still aches a bit but the bone on bone pain is thankfully gone.

 

[Poz222]

Me too!! Life getting back to normal. I still don't have the ROM I had envisioned but it is still coming along. The pain is gone, I can up/down stairs etc... so functionality pretty good. Sometimes I go to bend it and it is only at that moment I fell it and sm like "oh forgot. .. stiff". I kniw it is better because I too am noticing much more pain in the "good" knee. But I am soooo no ready to do this again. I survived 3 photography jobs from big holiday events where there was a lot of walking and on my feet for 6 hours high energy.. so that's all I can ask for I guess.

Glad ur doing OK... I totally understand the hesitation in getting the other one done.. I know I'm not there yet. But we all need to listen to our bones and when we're ready, I believe you just "know". But I will certainly never underestimate this procedure as compared with my 2 hips and even my shoulder replacements. . This one was tough! Good luck!

Sent from my SM-G900H using Tapatalk

 

[bdink21]

Glad your knee is getting there and that life is getting back to normal. I totally agree, this was much harder than I thought but definitely worth it. I struggle with getting the other knee done but really am starting to feel that I just need to do it. I follow up with my OS in January and I think I will schedule the other one for the end of March...ugh.

 

[hepi22]

I had my right knee replaced July 1, 2015. Before that, I was on crutches from the pain and at home I did my cooking and cleaning on a wheelchair. My first knee replacement went very well, so I had my left knee done October 21. My knee pain is gone. I am walking without a cane or anything. Still have a little limp but that should be corrected with therapy. After all, that second knee is only two months old. I'm sooo glad I did both in such a short time.