Close to 4 months & discouraged!

[referee54]

I'm a Newbie Blogger, so I don't know if I just jump in or knock politely. Jumping's not an option right now so.. Knock, knock! I don't think this is a new thread... is it? I'm post 2TKR Feb 19. I'm discouraged as well. I'd like the pain to stop, the stiffness and the all round discomfort. But considering the trauma of the replacement, I suppose I'm lucky to be able to walk at all. I have a few questions for recovery people. But I'll just ask one for now. I've developed a red bumpy rash on my lower shins. I had been taking oxycodone for pain and although the docs said it wouldn't cause a localized rash.... I stopped all topicals and contact dermatitis suspects and then stopped the oxy and the rash went away. I started percoset and the rash came back.. it's hard getting by on tylenol or advil alone. Did anyone have this reaction?

Come on, you have to be patient! I had a bilateral TKR on 11/08, and I am now umpiring HS baseball games behind the dish. I am commuting to and from school on my bike...but that didn't just happen. Remember, it took years and years for your knees to get this way, and the surgery was just the beginning of you adapting to a new way of life. There is no magic wand ivolved---just hard work---I went to the PT until 3/27/08. I still do PT work, and when they say it takes upward of a year to get used to your new knees, they mean it.

You cannot get discouraged---you are fighting a battle to get your life back, and you must win theat battle one day, one exercise, one step at a time.

Tim C.

 

[JenniferG]

Hi Ref, welcome back. Good to hear from you. Thank you for that reminder. I was just reflecting tonight about how the knees still hurt on stairs and up & down in chairs and They keep telling me the same thing you said in PT, up to a year to recover, muscles need strength and that takes time.

 

[referee54]

I still get stiff a few days of the week; however, riding a bike and umping loosens everything up. Osmetimes, after a ball game, When I get out of the truck my muscles are stiff. I do not worry about it or concern myslef with it---there is no fighting it---you just ride the rollercoaster and learn to enjoy the ride!

I still do PT and bike rides. It will take another six months I bet to return to "normal" (as if I ever was...)

Tim C.

 

[referee54]

I'm close to 4 months post-op and am starting to get discouraged. I've
finished all my PT a few weeks ago but my ROM doesn't seem to have
changed at all even though I walk and do exercises. When I bend it
back it is always the same. I'm able to do anything I want but I expected
after surgery and a recovery period, I would have all my ROM back. The
doctors don't tell you about the stiffness, lots of PT and all. My surgeon
said it could take up to a year, but I don't want to wait that long.

How long did it take for you knee to detriorate to the point that you had it sawed off? You had completely new "stuff" put into that joint, and you will have to learn to work through it day-byday...it is a battle that you must fight and that you must win. Instead of getting discouraged, savor the small vicoties that take place in your battles. You might not want to wait that long, but things got much better at about 4 1/2 to 5 months. I am still doing PT but I commute to school on my bike and I umpire four or five games a week in HS baseball. It can be frustrating, but you must keep the faith and fight the battle. Your war against the arthritis that tool away your lifestyle must be defeated.

Tim C.

 

[Jamie]

Well said, Ref. I was just whining to myself today about my 12-week old knee that hurts tonight big time after hauling and spreading about 15 bags of cypress mulch. Who am I kidding!!! It SHOULD hurt! That was a lot of work hauling heavy bags, bending over, and getting up and down from ground level for several hours this afternoon. I needed to read your post to remind myself where I was before surgery and where I am now. And where I am is still early in recovery!!! So thanks for popping online just when I needed you! Ice and Aleve tonight and hopefully it will not hurt so much tomorrow!