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TKR Getting my Life back on May 1

I have a hunch he will maybe switch me to tramadol when I see him on Tuesday for my post-op follow-up. I'm going to ask him anyway. I wish when they renewed my percocet that they'd have given me a few more than 30 because it needs to get me to Tuesday. But, if I pull back to only one percocet every 6 hours instead of 4 that still gives me a few extras to play with maybe before pt, etc. and I could take the occasional tylenol in between if I need to. The pain really is improving but it's not gone yet.
 
My IT band is feeling really tight and painful today. I have PT so I'll talk to the therapist about it. Is this typical and what can be done?

Thanks,
Roxie
 
Kansas Teacher said:
My IT band is feeling really tight and painful today. I have PT so I'll talk to the therapist about it. Is this typical and what can be done?

Thanks,
Roxie
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Yep, those IT Bands tend to get a little irritated and the irritate us! It is normal---I would bet that many of us had some IT band issues---and, honestly, they can take some time to go away. STretching and icing is normally the answer. Here are some stretches for you:
[Bonesmart.org] Getting my Life back on May 1
[Bonesmart.org] Getting my Life back on May 1
[Bonesmart.org] Getting my Life back on May 1


Something else that worked for me was ice massage---take a Dixie cup and fill it full of water---then freeze it. Then apply it to the painful area---as the ice melts, peel the paper away.
[Bonesmart.org] Getting my Life back on May 1
 
@referee54 , those are the identical stretches the pt showed me today along with one that can be done lying down.

Rom has improved a couple more degrees and stands at 107 now. Leg is straight and the PT seems to think I'm doing well. He did a lot of massage today to try to relax tight muscles. I'll see him again early Tuesday morning and then head to KC for my post-surgical appointment that afternoon. We'll get another rom reading before I go.
 
Hi Roxie! Just reading through your thread here and you've gotten some great advice and encouragement. I am in the KC area and had my BTKR done at St. Lukes South, two years ago. There is nothing I can add that hasn't already been said, and it sounds like you are doing great. A lot of my PT was manual manipulation which I thought, at the time, wasn't enough. But, I was doing so much work at home that those PT massages on my knees really helped tremendously. My new knees are great. Good luck with everything!!
 
@izzie Hi. Good to hear from someone fairly close. You are one of those brave souls who had a bilateral tkr. I don't think I could have done that! My knee is still pretty swollen and puffy which is inhibiting the bending process. I guess that's why I can't get past 107 rom. Still, the PT says I'm doing very well. Hopefully this tight feeling around my knee will ease up before too long. Like you, I am faithfully working on it at home and am glad to hear that you had a good outcome (x2)!


Roxie
 
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Hi @Kansas Teacher

You are doing great so early in your recovery! Patience is key to this. Your soft tissues and everything are still repairing themselves. Your rom is so good early on. You are doing all the right things by working at home. Just remember not to overdo it. Keep up your great work!

Love Nana moon 27 x
 
Hi Roxie ~ The reason I had BTKR is because I was bone on bone, both knees, and could barely walk. I was in pain all the time. The surgery, for me, was pretty much a breeze. I'm not downplaying that there was some pain involved, but, I'd been in pain for so many years that the pain after surgery was not a big deal. And, there was pain medication that helped early on. Honestly, I listened to all the advice here and used ice A LOT! Elevate and ice, my best friends. I should have had the surgery more than 10 years ago and regret that I waited so long. My knees were very swollen before the surgery and are still disfigured because I waited so long to have them replaced. I have seen others whose knees look great, they look completely normal. We are all different, as you know, and I'm sure your recovery will stay on track as long as you keep doing everything you're doing and take good care of yourself. This is so exciting! :egypdance:
 
Good to hear from you again, @izzie . I hear what you're saying about the horrible bone on bone pain because I had it also. As a matter of fact, my OS described my knee by saying, "It was as bad as it gets," after the surgery. My other knee isn't great either but not quite bone on bone yet although the OS feels it is just a matter of time. Like you, I've been icing and elevating as much as possible, interspersed with breaks to do a few exercises and walk around the house a bit. I wish I'd have done mine sooner too because now I am also having to overcome a tight IT band and shin splints all caused by limping and walking with a bent knee for so long. But, I will get there too and can't wait!

Roxie
 
I know exactly what you mean. The limping caused me to have terrible hip pain. When I saw my shadow and my limping, I just cried. I hope you won't wait too long to have the other knee done. My surgeon was Dr. Robert Gardiner, who had no problem doing both at the same time. Other surgeons kept saying they would only do one at a time. Dr. Gardiner was magnificent! I believe my recovery and subsequent mobility is due to his skill as a surgeon. The tightness may last a while, the shin splints should get better with time, after you are more mobile. I can't stress enough how those simple little exercises given to me right after the surgery really helped. You were probably given the same ones. You're going to do great! I'm so thrilled that I'm able to walk and bend and climb the stairs! It's truly a transformation. You will definitely get there, just be patient. Before you know it, you won't even remember what it was like before the surgery.
 
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@izzie Ah, patience. I keep hearing that word over and over again and I don't like that word! But I do understand it and am being as patient as is possible for me to be -- at least I sure think so! Dr. Wingerter -- my surgeon from Dickson-Diveley -- would have done both at the same time too but my other one is still functional. We don't know how long it will last so we'll see. I am doing the simple little exercises faithfully and agree that they help a lot. And, I'm getting out and walking with my cane for around 5-10 minutes at a time with ice and elevation afterwards. Good to hear that all these little annoyances that I basically did to myself by putting this off so long will eventually go away. I had been working with an OS in Wichita who just kept doing one thing after another -- arthroscopy, cortisone injections (multiple), lubricating injections, removal of fluid, PT, etc., etc. -- but nothing helped even remotely. My daughter is a physician and knows Dr. Wingerter and wanted me to go and see him. He took one x-ray and said, "You have no cartilage left -- at all. No wonder you're in pain." That's when we scheduled the surgery and the rest is history but I'm still frustrated with my OS in Wichita who should have been able to come to the same conclusion. I know what you mean about seeing your shadow and crying. That, and seeing my reflection in a glass door or something did the same thing to me. And it just encompassed all of my life and even made going somewhere such a challenge. How far am I going to have to walk? Is there going to be a place to sit down and rest my knee, etc., etc.? We took a trip to Chicago to watch our Wichita State Shockers play and walked everywhere we went. I was in such horrendous pain I could barely function and it sure took the fun out of a good win.
 
Hi I was told by one hospital that my other non TKR knee was able to be saved. I went to a different hospital where I'd had my revision and they showed us the x rays. There was nothing to save!!! Hence my surgery on 29th May. So I totally get what you mean about being messed about xxx patience is hard very hard x x. However, you are doing wonderfully x x x
 
Thank you @Nana moon 27 . You are so encouraging and I really do appreciate it. I know that I am doing fine. and I had myself prepared for a long haul recovery, at least I thought I did! But I still find myself wanting to hurry things along and I know that I have got to let my knee heal in its own time. I am glad to hear that you're getting your other knee taken care of. It seems absurd for us to be in such pain when it really just needs to be fixed.

Roxie
 
ROM takes time, at the point you are now I was at 20/70. It took time and patience to get that leg to straighten and start bending decent. By week 6 I made it to 0/120. We are all different, just keep making progress and it will improve. If you feel like a kid, do the sit in the swing and swing your legs up and and back under you, well as far as you can go comfortably. Its both fun and gives gentle stretch. Just personal experience advice.
 
wberry said:
ROM takes time, at the point you are now I was at 20/70. It took time and patience to get that leg to straighten and start bending decent. By week 6 I made it to 0/120. We are all different, just keep making progress and it will improve. If you feel like a kid, do the sit in the swing and swing your legs up and and back under you, well as far as you can go comfortably. Its both fun and gives gentle stretch. Just personal experience advice.
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Thanks @wberry . I love the swing idea. Maybe I'll go over to my grandkids house and swing on their playset. Might get some funny looks if I go to the park!

I retired as a school administrator at semester this year but one of the teachers who worked for me came by and visited and brought some flowers. It was nice to have someone to visit with plus I felt good enough to take a couple short walks down the street and got some fresh air.



Roxie
 
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