Revision TKR Every replacement appears to be totally different

[Annie N]

Thanks for your support ladies.

I'm off to see my physio and surgeon again later this week to review this stalled recovery, its not really improved in two weeks.

On the advice of my physio a couple of weeks ago I'm back on daytime painkillers which allows me more free movement although I'm not really in pain I'm just seized up a bit, particularly on one side of the knee. I'm also back on my walking cane, just for balance and a little support, it helps me walk in a less limpy fashion and a bit quicker.

However the physio did find some knotted tissues in the back of my knee and massaged them out so hopefully this is just short term.

I'm getting frustrated I really thought I'd be 90% there by three months but its not to be, sigh. There is so much that I had booked to do this summer based on being almost recovered and some of it is hard work to achieve like this. This set back has also flared up my other knee replacement issue, limping on both legs, lovely.

 

[Jockette]

I'm off to see my physio and surgeon again later this week to review this stalled recovery, its not really improved in two weeks.

I'm getting frustrated I really thought I'd be 90% there by three months but its not to be, sigh.

This recovery takes an average of a full year. Try not to be discouraged, where you are now is not where you will end up.

Recently I compared this recovery to baking cookies. My chocolate chip cookies take 12 minutes to completely bake. If I take them out earlier, at 2 minutes, 4, 8 or whatever, they will only be partially baked, and not all that tasty, because they’re not done yet.

The same is true of our knee at 2 months, or 3 months, etc. It needs time to finish healing.

 

[Annie N]

This recovery takes an average of a full year. Try not to be discouraged, where you are now is not where you will end up.

Thanks, I needed a bit of reassurance! Of course you are right, its still heating up every now and then although I've really had very little swelling so of course its still repairing, silly me.

Daft things you can try to do when you think you are getting better no 1:

Volunteer to take a disabled person swimming, yes I did that today!

I can swim well so this is something that I'm happy to do but I went there on my bike [its much easier to cycle than walk presently] and I found it very disconcerting that the new knee knocks badly when trying to swim, much worse than when walking or cycling. Oh err, another issue for the surgeon & physio lady to reassure me about.

 

[Josephine]

although I'm not really in pain I'm just seized up a bit,

People say these things but they really don't know what they are saying! You need to always bear in mind that there are other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness.

 

[Annie N]

Well today the physio and the surgeons registrar said the same thing in different fashions:

You will be able to cycle better than walk right now
You are on a plateau and it should improve in 3 more months [oh dear]
The issue described relates to the inner quad muscle attachment to the lower part of the inner knee - a very complex name that passed me by I'm afraid. Its been realigned [I was bow legged and am nowhere near so now]. Its possibly just complaining but if still an issue in 3 months then they could put in an injection to calm it down
Be careful which swimming stroke you do right now!

OK so its back to the painkillers and ice and taking it carefully to see if that helps. I've got some simple exercises changing directions walking, changing angles, relearning gait and practising stuff which should help

We are of course patients but its patience that I'm lacking right now, silly me

 

[Benay]

But all that is positive and encouraging!

 

[sistersinhim]

I hated that word 'patience' when I was recovering. I wanted to do the things I wanted to do and not wait on the knee to heal. It just doesn't work that way. If you try to do too much too soon you'll just set back your recovery. Slow and easy wins the race.