Become an Insider

TKR Ellejay's recovery threads, first and second

Ellejay said:
My problem is my left knee. It is going to be replaced but the pain meds I'm taking for my right knee are not touching it. I used to take Diclofenac when my right knee was in the same condition (naproxen brought me out in mouth ulcers and ibubrofen didn't touch it), but I'm sure I can't mix these meds.
Click to expand...
Diclofenac, ibuprofen and naproxen are all NSAIDs so should not be taken at the same time. I am afraid there is no use mincing matters, there isn't a pain med yet invented that will do more than take the edge of arthritic/bone-on/bone pain. However, if you do have a torn cartilage, it might well be a good idea to have it trimmed. It could resolve the pain temporarily and give you a number of extra months before you need that second replacement.

As an example, I had exactly the same scenario after my right TKR. My left knee developed a lot of pain and an MRI revealed a shredded meniscus, all part of the arthritic process. So I had it dealt with a few months after my TKR (you can see the dates in my signature). And it was a great success! I also had fresh xrays in November 2011 when he said he was ready to do it any time as I had no joint space left but it's still going strong - and relatively pain free! Not everyone will be so lucky of course, but it's a fairly regularly recurring story in the knee world.
Ellejay said:
In theory I'm booked for an ultrasound guided injection into this left knee in a couple of weeks time, but do you think that will have any effect on a torn cartilage?
Click to expand...
The cortisone injection will be effective for a short time but if I were you, I'd ask to get the knee scanned and see what's what and if you are right, then have the cartilage trimmed. But emphasise to the surgeon NO bone debridement (smoothing). All that does is make the arthritis damage worse.


Nana moon 27 said:
left knee. Mine is now troublesome too. Yesterday it let me down during lunges by doing that bone on bone, clunky, grinding sensation and it gave way three times. I mentioned it to the PT who suggested I do more exercises.
Click to expand...
It never ceases to amaze me how often I hear/see this - how often it is recommended to try and resolve such a situation, caused by doing too much PT, by doing MORE PT! Ridiculous!
 
My suggestion is: Listen to The Great BoneSmartie Mother Hen Josephine - she has overseen so many of us, I bet she has lost count. I didnt start feeling better about my knee until I found The BoneSmarties. My knee feels so much better. I would listen to Josephine.....
 
@Josephine, :thankyou:thank you SO much for your advice, I now feel so much more confident about my appointment next week, and have things to say/ ask which will have a bearing on my situation now. You are just such a wonderful person to look after us all on here. I wish I could give these to you in reality, but virtual will have to do:

[Bonesmart.org] Ellejay's recovery threads, first and second
 
Hi Lyn ... thought I would visit you for a change. It seems there are quite a number of us having trouble with the non-TKR knee. I always knew mine needed doing but thought I might have a couple of years. You will feel better in your own mind when you see the OS and get an idea of what can be done for the other knee. It would be great to have some photos of it (x-ray, CT-scan, MRI) and see exactly what the lie of the land is. Then you can formulate your plan for it. Maybe you will need to bring up the surgical date for it, but I am sure you will cope with that as you have with this one.

Your sunflowers for Josephine were beautiful. It was lovely of you to think of that.

Take Care Lyn and thank you so much for your support on my thread ..

Hugs ... Ellen
 
Good morning (well it's morning here, not too sure about good),
@yiayia3, I'm so sorry you are having a rough time at the moment, I do remember week 4 being my worst week emotionally. I order our shopping online, and I remember that week, my husband told me the things that had run out, I ordered the regular basics, and then I added lots of chocolate to the order, something I never do, but I really needed those chocolate buttons, malteesers and others. He was really surprised when he unpacked the delivery. I do hope things improve for you.
@Nana moon 27, hope those antibiotics are kicking in soon and you can enjoy some time with your friends.
I am supposed to be having lunch with my daughter and sister in law today, but I really didn't sleep well last night and I'm so tired now. I'm about to wash my hair, that will exhaust me so maybe I can have a nap before I'm picked up.
We had a phone call from very good friends that live in a different part of the country who would like to stay with us over the coming weekend. My husband is delighted, he knows he will still be doing all the cooking, bed making and washing but I think the poor man is so bored with just caring for me he will love having company. We are still in separate beds (in 35 years of marriage we've never slept apart for so long) and it would mean a big sort out of rooms. I said I wouldn't be able to do much, but my husband seems to think that as I'll be at the 'magic' 6 week date then suddenly I'll be able to do things again - he even said he was going to start taking me out every day to increase my exercise from next week - suddenly he's in charge of my recovery?
I'm sure it will be a really good weekend, but at the moment I can't work up any enthusiasm at all, for lunch today or friends for the weekend. I just want to be left alone to my 'nest' at night time (my large bed with numerous pillows and lots of ice, books and my iPad), my chair in the afternoons where I can elevate and ice, and my exercises in the mornings. I know I'm being a sad, grumpy old woman but that's just how I feel.
Have a good day everyone, let's try to tick off another day on this exceedingly slow recovery journey, chat later, xx
 
Hello @Ellejay. What you are experiencing is perfectly normal at this stage of your recovery. At one stage I thought I was in danger of losing myself but to be honest now I'm okish. I'm still in a separate bed from my husband which like yourself was unheard of even after the worst of all rows!!! However, like you I love this little oasis of my stuff and space!!!!

Warn your husband that there is no such thing as the magic 6 week date! I'm there and still struggling in a lot of ways and it's very frustrating for me!!! It is suggested that eight weeks is the real turnaround point even Josephine suggests that too!!! Just please don't overdo it. These men want us back to normal ASAP I know!!!!!
 
Hi @Ellejay It looks like week 4 is a bad time for lots of people I feel real really wimpy and weepy and just hope it will soon pass, enjoy your lunch and the weekend but try not to do too much. Have a nice day Terri
 
So true ,I'm 4 weeks on Friday and when I woke up at silly I clock 4am I started thinking about my dad who passed away 19 yrs ago and started crying - I seem to have a good day ( crying wise) then a bad day xxxx
 
The thing is @Yorkshiregal54 this is pArt of the recovery for whatever reason. If you look at mine and @DogLoverx3 posts in the pasts you'll see at your stage we were the same. It's horrible but it will pass honestly. Thank goodness we can talk about it on this site and know we are normal x x x x x
 
Hi again @NuNe4Me, well, having forced myself to go out earlier today, of course I really enjoyed my outing. I was feeling very sorry for myself, just wanted to be left alone, but thinking about it I was being really selfish. I have been incredibly lucky, I've had so many good friends want to visit, and to take me out, and there's me saying (luckily, to myself) "leave me alone"! I think we have bad days, when we just have to force ourselves to be more positive about life, and then we realise it was worth making the effort for, but I must admit it would be very easy not to make that effort and slide into depression. Mind you, when you are in pain, or ill, you are excused from making any effort at all, just getting through the day is effort enough.
You are just about 3 weeks ahead of me Annie, how are you doing now? I share your personal goal, I too just want to ride my bike again, but at the moment I still can't do a full circuit on a static bike, just the pedal exerciser as long as I am laying right back!
Thanks for your replies @yiayia3, @Nana moon 27 & @Yorkshiregal54, I hope you've all had a good day? Are you continuing to improve Nana moon?
Lyn xxx
 
Hiya @Ellejay - just been catching up on lots of posts as I was wiped out yesterday and have had a catalogue of minor household disasters today!
Sorry to hear that you have been feeling a bit down recently - I am somewhat fearful that this is all par for the course and I therefore I have got this particular aspect of gruesomeness to come..... If so, it will be weird as I am usually always really upbeat. I suppose this stuff just really wears you down: pain, frustration and boredom being the key culprits.
Most of my friends are too far away to visit - so I have been quite happy here in my snug nest emailing them to my heart's content, without the need to actually entertain and interact. Ha ha - your bedroom set up sounds almost identical to mine.
Like you Lynn, my daughter is 100% there for me, visits most evenings on her way home from work and texts me everyday. Like your daughter, she keeps her Dad on his toes and checks I am being looked after properly. She really is a star. What would we do without them?
Yesterdays physio half killed me - I did about 12 full rotations on the recumbent bike - and my knee did not like it! It is still protesting today. There is no way I want to ride a bike ..... ever .... but she thought the stretch would be good for me. Urrrggh.....
However, I must be feeling a bit more with it, as I have ordered some fabric to start some Hawaiian patchwork - a project I have been promising myself since we visited Hawaii a mere 16 years ago! It will make a change from playing games on my phone, watching repeats of repeats of auction programmes on the TV and trading rude limericks with @Nana moon 27 on this site!
Well time for pre-supper tablets and a cheeky slurp out of my husbands pre-prandial glass of wine.
Take care Lynn and hope tomorrow is a better one for you.
Talk soon
ChrisX
 
Weeks 4 & 5 were probably my worst. Lots of crying and feeling sorry for myself. Everything just seems to pile up and it's very hard to see the progress that we're all making when it comes in such tiny increments. It's there though. I bet you can list 5 things that you can do now that yweren't able to do a few short weeks ago!! Awwww, what a sweet silly man your husband is. ;) While I am quite certain that will be better at 6 weeks than at 4, you will be FAR from running around playing hostess. I think it will be nice for you to have company but PLEASE don't feel the need to do anything other than chat, take a couple very short outings and take care of you!!. 1

I hope that your day has improved and you are feeling better! ((Hugs))
 
Thank you so much for your lovely comments and support, we are truly blessed being part of this community. I'm feeling much happier now, I really don't know where these dark clouds come from, I too am usually really upbeat and jolly. I had a lovely lunch out, hopefully I will sleep tonight as I have my last free PT session tomorrow. I may pay to have more, maybe I will try some hydrotherapy, I will wait until I've seen my OS on Monday, to see what he recommends.
Thank you again friends, have a good evening everyone and sleep well.
Lyn
xx
 
Hi @Ellejay you are not being selfish when you are suffering for these blues. The emotions you feel is real at that time even if you think differently upon reflection of the situation!!! I have a saying "you can only cry for so long!" It's true, you do stop crying after a while, your body forces this to happen!!!!

Hi @Yorkshiregal54 , if you want to cry over someone you love why not? It is this blues thing. You are allowed to cry, there is no law that says no crying allowed! It is a necessary part Of our lives, it is our safety relief valve when things get tough. It is not a weakness to cry!

@yiayia3 the same to you if you need to cry go for it, get it out Of your system. The worst thing is to bottle it up. I know we have our families and should be grateful which we are but we all still have lonely moments more due to the total change in our lives and the impact that this has had since the surgery. None of us were expecting any if what we are going through!!!!

Ladies I promise it will ease up. I went to hell and back like many others who are honest enough to admit it. You will come through the other side truly you will. Anyway always remember you are never alone on Bonesmart!!!!!!!!! Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
 
I know it's only a little thing in the grand scheme of things, but, ........I slept through the night!!!!!!!
I feel amazing, A WHOLE NIGHTS SLEEP, the first since the operation. My knee feels a bit sore as I didn't take any painkillers in the night, and it is very stiff as it hasn't moved all night, but I can live with that. The pile of pillows, ready to raise my knee when I wake has been undisturbed, the cool bag with lots of ice packs is unopened, and I feel ready to face anything. Hopefully that includes the PT session I have later today.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

Total: 1,693 (members: 1, guests: 1,692)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom