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TKR Getting somewhere at last!

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Beachlily, 1/4 mile walks and no meds except for tylenolat two weeks post op? That sounds like very little medication. How is the pain? I am still taking 100mg acetominophen and 12 mg (3 times a day) tramadol at three months post op. I'm back to work and on my feet a lot, but still...

laying on my back right now as I type...leg elevated, ice on my knee. I agree that helps. How are you feeling?

Juniper
 
Speccybecky, You are my TKR twin...I had RTKR on Jan 23. Go for the final visit to my surgeon tomorrow, May 4. I am just beginning to feel as though I am turning a corner, although people who haven't seen me in a few weeks say I seem to be walking more easily. I still feel lots of stiffness, and have to think to myself, "Scrunch your toes, bend your knee" or I walk like I have a peg leg.

Still, if I balance the stretches and icing/elevating just right...and don't sit or stand for too long, my knee does seem to hurt less. You ROM is great. I think I'm still at 115. What's a day like for you at this point? Are you at work? How many times do you ice? stretch? How are you sleeping?
 
Hi twin! I would agree that people who see me now comment that I am walking better although I still feel that I have a peg leg . I find it difficult to change direction easily and am still quite slow. My knee is still pretty stiff and a bit swollen, it clicks a lot! I am still off work , signed off till end of May. Not sure how I'd get on if I had to go back. I try to walk 1 to 1 1/2 miles most days and exercise bike 2 x 10/15 mins. I don't do as many exercises as I did on the bed at first but my hamstrings waken me several times in the night when they tighten and is quite painful so am now doing specific stretching for that. Fingers crossed it helps. Am taking 8 paracetamol and 4 ibuprofen but sometimes miss a dose. I don't ice as much as I did . Some days I feel ok and the next it's tight and hot and out comes the ice again! My bend doesn't always get to 130, different times of the day are less and 130 was with a push! How about you, are you working? Good luck for tomorrow
 
I had a limp that slowly dissipated---but it took a tad over five months before I felt pretty good---and six months and beyond I was still improving---it was not until around eight months that I was close to 90%-95%. I understand your frustration, but I truly believe that you will see this thing through.
 
I 'm beginning to think I might make it too! ... The not sleeping gets me down and is pretty sore in the night but hopefully the stretches will not take too long to start improving that. Am thinking I might try a massage, see if that helps. At least it will be nice to get a pampering although my husband would say he's pampered me for months! And you have , darling!
 
Nancy--you are doing great! Awesome flexion/extension!
I would highly recommend massage. I am in week six and scheduled my massage therapist (who got me through the last six years of knee/hip/back pain) weekly for the next few weeks. I have had tight and painful ITB and she is working on the leg muscles as well as all around the knee for the tight and painful spots. I also have started using the sauna again and I think the combo of heat/massage and then ice after working the muscles is helping.
My PT helped with the ITB but massage adds a different dimension to it.
For insomnia I am taking melatonin and it is helping, and I also use some herbal sleep aids (passionflower/avena/skullcap blend) as I am off most of the other meds that might not interact with them well.
Good luck.
 
Speccybecky, massage sounds like a great idea. As soon as school is over, I plan to schedule some. I am back at work. Went back for two hours a day five weeks post op, then for six hours a day at six weeks and full time at seven weeks. I even went with my fifth grade class on an overnight trip to Washington DC. That was pretty brutal. I loved some of it, but after long walks my leg was screaming and it was hard to get ice,

Where did you get our surgery done. I live northwest of Phila. and drove to Phila. for minimally invasive surgery at Virtua. I was led to believe I could return to work at 3 weeks. No way. As it was, I returned too soon. Lots of pain and swelling. Still have to be careful about overdoing it.

My last visit to the surgeon was good. Met with the PA who said my ROM was good, my knee looked good. I can get out of a chair without holding on. The only problem she could SEE was that I wasn't bending my knee enough. Told me to exaggerate bending, as though I were trying to step over a log. I try. What she can't see is how stiff it gets and how much that hurts. Said that would take another nine months to resolve fully and would depend on how much I do, or overdo.

Hope you are sleeping better. Some nights I take a quarter of an Ambien for sleeping and it helps.
 
Juniper, I live in central Scotland , just west of Edinburgh. In order to comply with the Scottish govt waiting times policy I had my operation in golden jubilee hospital in Glasgow. This is a private hospital but is used by NHS when required. One GP said I'd be off 6 weeks, his partner said at least 12 weeks! Another one said it'll take as long as it takes. I am fortunate that my work pays me full pay for 26 weeks and then half pay for 26 weeks. My knee does stiffen up but now the worst bit is the pain behind the knee which wakens me in the night. Doc wouldn't give me any sleeping help .
 
Hi Nancy, I think I now the pain behind the knee at night. Is it only there when you try to straighten your knee? There's an article in the library Movie Sign I think its called and I think its the same as that. How lucky to have 26 weeks on full pay. Take care
 
speccybecky said:
... I asked gp about physio and she said 'it's not usual ' but she'll see what she can do. Last time she referred me for physio it took 12 weeks .
Click to expand...

OMG is that absurd or what?
Speccybecky you're saved.. and you're doing fine..
Take the advice from the people on this site.. There's no point seeing a physio unless they really know what they're doing..
Do the exercises.. especially the flexibility and quad ones... push gently through the discomfort.. stop if you get pain or a bad response... listen to Josephine. Sorted..
 
Margaret, yes it is when I straighten knee after sleeping with it bent. It's sore enough to make me groan out loud! I can't see the library article . Can anyone point me in right direction please.
 
What it doesn't say is if the pain will ever resolve in time?
 
Nancy, Orthodoc has indicated that "stiffness" , which it appears is causing your problem, often takes up to a year to resolve. So it appears that it will go away but not as soon as we'd all like.

I spend a lot of time at my computer, so when I get up, particularly in the evening, it is somewhat painful until I've walked several steps. So unlike the constant pain before TKR.
 
Nancy, you are so lucky to have 26 weeks full pay. I'm glad to be back with the kids--they are so funny and interesting and generous. Right at the age where they know how to do so many things and are willing to throw themselves into learning new things. The wonderful thing is that I get completely absorbed in working with them when I'm in the classroom; AND the biggest challenge is that I get so absorbed with them. I forget to take meds on time or to get out o my chair or to sit down in it. A blessing and a curse. Today I went to the gym and worked out for an hour. bicycle, treadmill (trying to walk over those imaginary logs) sit up machine, arm weights and gentle stretches with my leg on a chair. Icing and elevating now. Feel like I've taken care of myself. Love this site. People here get that this kind of self-care is essential, not selfish.
 
I am grateful to be getting paid. It is a catch 22 as staffing levels arent great so I'd like to go back and help but also because of that there will be no allowances and have to pull my weight 100%. Juniper, you're putting me to shame ..all that exercise! Well done!
 
juniper said:
Beachlily, 1/4 mile walks and no meds except for tylenolat two weeks post op? That sounds like very little medication. How is the pain? I am still taking 100mg acetominophen and 12 mg (3 times a day) tramadol at three months post op. I'm back to work and on my feet a lot, but still...

laying on my back right now as I type...leg elevated, ice on my knee. I agree that helps. How are you feeling?

Juniper
Click to expand...
Hi Juniper! Doing pretty good- very lucky I don't need stronger pain meds as I am allergic to everything (even tramadol)- I start outpatient PT tomorrow so we will see how it goes- I cannot imagine being back at work yet - I get so fatigued!!! Today we did 1/2 mile walk at a brisker (not snail- haha) pace and now ICE! I do have my highs and lows though especially when I see my friends biking or running... keeping positive... good luck!:yes 4:
 
Hi there,

Hang in there - Patience is the word ha ha! I am 8 months post op and still have some stiffness at the end of the day, but the change in my life post surgery is amazing!!!! I wish I had done it 2 years earlier!

In Canada I saw a physio in the hospital every day that I was in, and then sent home with exercises. At about 6 weeks I was assigned to a "knee class" that took place every day for a number of weeks. I only went once a week as I live out of town. The reason for the frequency was to insure that the exercises were being done correctly, and to measure progress. I read some of the horror stories posted, but never felt like I was pushed beyond what I should be doing - it hurt, but I was encouraged every step of the way. Also, they were very insistant on pain meds before and ice after.

Hang in there, listen to your body, and keep your eyes on the prize! Your body took a major hit, and will take time to fully recover (a year or more), but when the healing happens and you realize you have just done something that used to bring tears to your eyes and you are smiling it will all be worth it!!!!
 
Well I ventured to the local leisure pool today. I can only swim breast stroke and was a bit wary about kicking too hard so most of my progress was thanks to my arms! I walked in the water, kicked a bit and practised squatting. didn't want to overdo it first time in. Then I had a massage which may have been a mistake as I don't know which of them is causing the discomfort now!! Not pain, just aches. Still, it's a start.
 
The time in the pool sounds good and I bet it felt great to squat with no discomfort. I haven't ventured into a pool yet but come the summer I will have access to a pool on our holiday - can't wait!! The massage maybe the culprit for the aches - a good night sleep is in order!
 
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