TKR From top of ridgetop, looking down to recovery

[ridgetop01]

Ok - biggest surprise - how easy it is to go from doing ok to crazy weeping in-pain MESS!
Last night fell apart at bedtime, started crying from pain and then started hyperventilating - I wonder how common that is? Happened to me in hospital and at rehab last go- round, about 6 times total. It seems like once you start taking things for granted, you need to stop and pull back? I had been resting and elevating and icing, but it all went crazy very quickly. I was glad I'd had experience before because I knew to breathe into my hands, otherwise I might have passed out -ugh.

 

[SuperSnapper]

Or breathe into a paper bag. Horrid when it happens.

 

[appaloosa girl]

Hi @ridgetop01
It's not unusual to have a meltdown. I had a mini one at the hospital called my husband to come back to the hospital. He did and I felt so much better. Hate those!!
Each day is a challenge for us. Then all of a sudden we start to feel better.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[dovemck]

*nods* It does happen to some of us. If you're having recurring anxiety attacks you should mention it to your doctor who may be able to prescribe something for it. I went on them for awhile and getting onto them, getting the dosage right and getting off again after a year was hellish. But once in the system and working they're a godsend.

 

[kneeper]

I hope you're feeling a bit better.

 

[ridgetop01]

Just checking in. I'm 9.5 weeks out, according to PT I'm doing great. The right front of the knee has a mild ache with each step and I'm still building strength on stair climbing/descending, but I get around well generally. I was kind of worried about the mild ache thing, but looking at other posts it seems this is pretty normal? Plus, the whole shebang aches in the evenings during that hour before bed - not terribly, but enough to make me uncomfortable. My surgeon was really stingy about pain meds, cut me off at 6 weeks when I went back to work, even though I can't take NSAIDs, but I was able to make an end-run around him and get his NP to give me a script for tramadol and some oxycodone, which I'm using only at bedtime. Sigh. The knee aches on and off during the night sometimes too, but I can definitely see it is improving (sloooooooowly). Does this sound about normal to you good folks? Thanks all, and hope everyone is doing well out there.

Judy

 

[kneeper]

Sounds normal to me. I think a lot of us took pain meds before bed for several weeks even when we stopped taking them during the day. I did.
Getting decent sleep is important to healing, so I wouldn't worry about it. I would guess over the next month or so you may start finding tylenol does the trick for you.

 

[Jamie]

@ridgetop01 ... how are you getting along these days? It's been a while since we heard from you.

 

[ridgetop01]

Hi folks - checking in with a question. I'm almost 6.5 months out now, saw surgeon on Friday and reported having persistent pain at bottom of thigh, just above the knee, going both up and down stairs. It really doesn't bother me any other times. The surgeon said he thinks it's quadriceps tendonitis, and ordered continued exercise, icing, an external anti-inflammatory (I can't take internal NSAIDs) and new walking shoes. I'm working on all those things, and am wondering if others have had this problem and how they dealt with it and came through it. Thanks!

 

[dovemck]

I had significant weakness in the VMO - Vastus Medialis Oblique - just above the knee, bottom of thigh but towards the center. Gave me continous pain doing stairs. Physio had me do some targeted exercises and it took months and suddenly one day, it was no longer painful. Magical moment. One of the first exercises was a very basic forward lunge (new knee forward). The lunge is NOT deep. Hands on hips and bend at the hip (back straight) whilst leaning forward onto new knee. This isolates the VMO quite effectively and reduced me to quivering muscles by the time I got to five of them!

I also had problems just below the knee - pes anserinus - became inflamed. Went back on anti-inflammatories for that episode.

I mentioned to the physios one time that when the two (VMO and pes) acted up at the same time, I had to concentrate on keeping my foot straight - not turned out - that they then deduced that the arch in my foot had become weak as well. The joys of picking a small towel up from the floor using my toes for exercise.

Defintely a case of 'the leg bone's connected to the hip bone' recovery for me, but at 10 months now, I only have some weakness and no pain.

 

[PolarBear60]

I had significant weakness in the VMO - Vastus Medialis Oblique - just above the knee, bottom of thigh but towards the center. Gave me continous pain doing stairs. Physio had me do some targeted exercises and it took months and suddenly one day, it was no longer painful. Magical moment. One of the first exercises was a very basic forward lunge (new knee forward). The lunge is NOT deep. Hands on hips and bend at the hip (back straight) whilst leaning forward onto new knee. This isolates the VMO quite effectively and reduced me to quivering muscles by the time I got to five of them!

This! I have this pain when trying to get up from a chair. Also with stairs. I'm going to carefully give this exercise a try (it may be a bit early for me, yet, but I won't do it if it hurts.)

 

[kneeper]

You might try what the doc says as far as rest, ice, NSAIDs for now--you are quite early on--but keep those exercises in mind for a bit later.
It can be hard to tell when you need to strengthen and when you need to back off. And I think it depends what shape you were in before the surgery too. I know for me, more exercise made this quad problem worse in knee #1.