TKR Finally found a new surgeon

[Mr Gary]

@Josephine
RF 1—C D
RF2—C D

RB1—D

 

[Mr Gary]

@Josephine
Yes you may ask me anything you like.

 

[Josephine]

So you pain is here?

Before I answer that, I'll post the questions

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how swollen is your leg compared to these?

4. what is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

5. are you icing your knee at all? If so, how often and for how long?

6. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

8. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

 

[Mr Gary]

@Josephine
1 4
2 I have been taking (4 a day) Hydrocodone 10-325 for a back injury for 6½ years , so can’t take anything else
3 slight
4 bend 80 degrees, extension is very good 0
5 icing YES, and it helps very much.
6 elevate yes
7 I do heel slides while I watch TV
8 never had PT
And BTW it click and clunks all the time

 

[Josephine]

I need a bit more detail which is

5 icing YES, and it helps very much.
6 elevate yes

for how long do you ice and elevate?

7 I do heel slides while I watch TV

How many of these do you do and how often?

 

[Mr Gary]

@Josephine
I ice once at the end of my day
I elevate 4-5 times a day
I do a couple of heel slides at the end of the day.

My schedule does not allow me to spend a lot of extra time for “PT”
I am very active, and as much as I do my knee should be a lot further along than it is.
I was told a long time ago here on bonesmart” by a lot of people,” not to worry about PT, that my ROM would come in time, however that had not been the case with me. I am exactly 11 months Post Op.

 

[Josephine]

1 4

Okay

2 I have been taking (4 a day) Hydrocodone 10-325 for a back injury for 6½ years, so can’t take anything else

Well you could. You could take some extra Tylenol. At the moment you are taking 1,300mg of it per day so you could take another 8 tablets in 2 tablet lots elsewhere in the day. Just as long as you don't exceed a total of 4,000mg per 24hrs.

3 slight

okay

4 bend 80 degrees, extension is very good 0

I can see why you are concerned, only 80 at almost a year out. But there is still time for it to improve. We've had members reporting continued increases for up to 2 years out.

5 icing once at the end of my day and YES, and it helps very much.

6 elevate 4-5 times a day

good

I do a couple of heel slides at the end of the day while I watch TV.

Only 2? What is the point of that?

Have you ever talked with your surgeon about having an MUA? It sounds to me like you could benefit from one. And don't let anyone tell you that it's too late now. You should read this thread by one of our members from way back ROM still improving after 8 months. She had an MUA and this was her report 8 months after the MUA.

 

[Mr Gary]

@Josephine
Thank you very much for your concern, and I am just so disappointed. Can’t understand why that at one time I could bend my knee past the 90 degrees point and now just barely 80 degrees, and why the pain and aching all other time.

 

[Josephine]

Because you really do need an MUA, my dear.

 

[Mr Gary]

@Josephine
I am going to my Dr on Thursday, I will see what he can do for me.

 

[phrog]

So sorry, Mr. Gary. I've not been checking in here much and was surprised that you are still in so much pain and have so much swelling. Hoping your appointment goes well later this week.

 

[ToKnee]

@Mr Gary - I am almost 12 weeks out and just a couple weeks ago had another pt person approach my therapy from a different angle - getting my quads and hips loosened. I have always had problems with tight quads and it band. Post surgery this has kept my leg from bending. Now in pt I get a lot of trigger point and other massage before there is stretching or exercising . It's a whole different experience.

Perhaps there are some simple body mechanics issues that you can work on with pt.

 

[Mr Gary]

@phrog
@ToKnee
Thank you, I will check in later this week after my Dr appointment on Thursday.

 

[sistersinhim]

Please do let us know what your doctor says. We care!

 

[Mr Gary]

@sistersinhim
I do feel you care and that means so much to this old guy.

 

[sistersinhim]

You and I are the same age, so you aren't old and neither am I!

 

[Josephine]

Good point, SIH!

 

[Mr Gary]

Well my friends, I will never return to my Orthopedic surgeon again. I went to see him today and expressed all my concerns about my knee. He made me feel like it was all my fault and that it was nonsense and that he has never seen anyone “go backwards”. They took several xrays and told me that they all looked great.

The Dr wants me to start PT. I have been told him that I am very active and I do heel slides while watching TV. Dr told me that I was too long after surgery to even do a MUA, he said if he were to do an MUA enough to help my stiffness that it would probably break my femur, “I don’t believe that.”

So I’m going to go to Planet Fitness. They said they will work with me to get me where I need to be ”The easy way.” I went to He PT centers that the Dr told me to go and none of them take my insurance. If I go to Planet Fitness it will not cost me anything at all, (SilverSneakers) and it is only 3 blocks from my home.

That Dr made me feel like I had done something wrong !!!

I’m going to go to bed and PRAY a while.

 

[Jockette]

I’m so sorry your appointment went that way. I don’t even know what else to say right now. I’ll pray instead.

 

[Mr Gary]

@Jockette
Thank you so much.
My Wife and I are leaving for a 2 day little trip for our 48th anniversary, and that is exact what we are going to do is “PRAY.” Prayer is a great part of our life. I really Feldman bad when I left the Dr office, but after I had a little talk with my Lord I feel so much better. I believe that I will be fine now, I really believe that going to Planet Fitness and getting on a good exercise program, that I will in tack get better.
I love all you guys on here for always being there for me, and for your prayers,