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Revision TKR from partial<

Ok, thanks for the advice. I’m doing SO much better with this surgery than I did with the partial, that I think I’m going to continue to do what I’m doing and see what happens. I’m actually looking forward to PT tomorrow instead of dreading it like I did with the previous surgery.
 
I’m 9 days post-op today. I had my 2nd outpatient PT session today and I was able to bend to 96 degrees on my own. My PT was very pleased and said this was much further than many are at this point. This is the best part—I was able to fully ride the bike and completely turn the pedal all the way around already. With my partial replacement, I couldn't even do that at 6 weeks and it was extremely painful. I’m feeling much more positive this time around.
 
Had my 2 weeks post-op appointment today and my staples were removed. Yay! No sign of infection and the incision looks really good. The surgeon said I could begin taking my rheumatoid arthritis drugs again. Thank goodness as I really have been hurting from not being able to take my RA meds. I also had my 3rd outpatient PT session yesterday. Bend on my own was 108, up from 97 last Thursday and straightening was a 4, down from 6 last Thursday. I rode the bike for 5 minutes too. Surgeon was very impressed with where I’m at for 2 weeks out. She also said many people at their 2 week post op look sick (pale, glazed over, etc.), and I didn’t look sick whatsoever. Compared to my partial replacement last year, I’m so much better off and farther ahead this time around. I do still have considerable pain right behind the knee and in the back of the calf which my PT thinks is bone pain. I wish I knew how to make it better. I also have restless legs that have been terrible since the surgery. The surgeon gave me a refill for a muscle relaxer, Tramadol, and Oxy and will submit more paperwork to extend my short-term disability from 4 to 6 weeks, so I think I’m set for awhile.
 
Good report! Glad you can go back on your #rheumatoidarthritis meds again. Pain behind the knee is, unfortunately, normal. When you ice, be sure to get back there. Also it may hang on for a while but that doesn't mean anything's wrong with your healing.
 
@kneeper - thanks so much for the reply. When I ice, I do make sure to cover the back as well as the front. It’s not just behind my knee, but really my lower leg in general. I don’t know why, but the shin, tibia, even the top of my ankle hurts and my restless legs have been out if control. I’m anemic and have been taking prescription iron because my Ferritin is so low, but so far, I don’t think it has increased my Ferritin level. The hematologist said it can take six months or more to go up, and I’ve only been taking it for2 months so far. I’ve been trying to let my leg hang off the end of the bed to try and stretch behind, but I can only manage to do it for about a minute before it becomes too painful.
 
Hello fellow kneesters, I was officially 4 weeks yesterday and I think I’m doing quite well. On Monday at PT I could bend to 123 and straighten to 2. I’m not using anything to maneuver around the house, but take a cane when I go out.

The one thing that is truly bothering me now is that my knee basically “clunks” every single time I move it. When I’m in walking, riding the bike, rolling over in bed, getting up and sitting down, etc. It does not matter what I’m doing, it “clunks”. It is not painful, but very uncomfortable. Does anyone else have this? Do you know what it might be? Scar tissue? If it wasn’t for that, I would be walking almost normally, but I tend to tighten up I suppose as a means of hopefully stopping it from clunking.

Before surgery, it was more of a grinding kind of clicking going on. Now I can only think of the word “clunking” to describe it. Any help is appreciated.
 
@Jockette -thanks so much for the reply and I just read the article. I had excessive clicking before the surgery, but this is different, it’s like a huge “clunk” with every movement and super uncomfortable. It even keeps me from sleeping and wakes me when I am. I’m going to mention it to my physical therapist tomorrow and see what he says and if he thinks I should mention it to my surgeon. I find myself tightening up with every move to try and prevent the clunking.
 
Sounds like it's subluxing to me. I think you should forget the therapist and see your surgeon.
 
@Josephine -thanks for the reply. I’m going to definitely call my surgeon’s office tomorrow. The clunking has just gotten so excessive the past 3 days.
 
Thought I would update everyone on how I’m doing. I’m officially 9 weeks post-op RTKR today and I couldn’t be more happier with where I’m at. I honestly can’t believe how good I’m doing after how I suffered after the partial replacement and then a CRPS diagnosis that followed it. I had my last PT session this morning and my PT guy was very pleased with where I’m at and actually said I’m doing better than most at this stage. I had 130 flexion and 0 extension. Lucky I know, as I’ve been on the other end too. With my partial at this stage I could barely function and had an MUA around this time and it still took a long time to get to where I could function half way normal, but still worse than before the partial. I rarely have any pain anymore and there are days that I don’t even think about the fact that I had a replacement just 2 months ago. I’m taking stairs almost completely normal and getting a decent nights sleep as well and I’ve begun to walk on the treadmill and do the elliptical and continue to work on strengthening my quad. The only thing that still bothers me sometimes is the clunking. It’s annoying, but not painful.
 
That is a very encouraging update, thank you!
 
Hello everyone, just thought I'd drop in and give another update being that I'm nearly 3 months out now. I honestly can't believe just how well I'm doing. Yesterday I took down all my Christmas stuff both on the main level and in the basement. I must have went up and down the stairs (like 14 of them) probably 30-40 times and I had no pain whatsoever!!! I can't hardly believe it. I also did a 45 minutes program on the elliptical that morning and some squats too. When I did finally lay down for good last night, my knee was a little achy, but I woke up this morning to no pain at all again. I don't know what was different this time around compared to when I had my partial replacement, but it has been like night and day for me. I do sometimes get a pulling sensation at the bottom of my knee, and I still have a lot of numbing/nerve stuff, but it's not painful! I'm so very glad I went ahead with the revision. I can't even remember the last time I had to ice and elevate, but I know I haven't done it since I returned to work at 6 weeks post-op in mid November. I can't wait to see how I'm doing at 6 months out!
 
Thanks for the inspirational report - it sure gives those of us behind you something to look forward to. You've had a long journey with the knee so it's nice to see you doing so well!:yay:
 
@SueWStrong, isn’t it just amazing how we don’t notice how well we are doing day to day until we do something out of the ordinary and suddenly realize we’ve given no thought to our knee until maybe the end of the day?

It’s so great to hear how well you are doing. Maybe the PKR didn’t work out because of issues elsewhere in your knee. I know in my case, my OS was very confident that PKR was the right approach since my issues were injury caused and not simply OA. Since none of the other compartments were affected, that was the direction we took.

I know you are looking forward to starting the New Year with your new knee.
 
@kmak81230 k, yes, I have had a long journey with this knee. Many years of chronic pain before the partial and then the chronic pain was even worse after the partial, so this is like a miracle to me. I wish you nothing but the best in your continued recovery and hope your knee becomes pain free in 2019.
 
@NavyGunns yes, yesterday I just had an aha moment on probably the 20th time down the stairs that I was having no pain and wasn't even thinking about it before making my way up and down.

You are probably correct about the damage elsewhere in the knee being that I not only have OA but RA as well. I'm so glad the partials worked for you! I am looking forward to my new knee in 2019 as I'm sure you are as well. I hope your knees in 2019 have little to no pain! Thanks!
 
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