TKR Hello from the UK!

[KathyH]

patient 99, I love your sense of humour

Mutley, hope your house moving goes smoothly

 

[patient 99]

Hi KathyH, First time we have talked so no nothing about you. Will read your thread to bring me up to date. Re. the humour. This TKR stuff has you on your knees (chuckle). Sometimes when things are so tough, and you are crying inside, laughter is a release. And as Mutley would no doubt say, a drink or two can help too. I think I said some where along the line that the outcome is going to be that we all have beautiful working knees, but we can't stand up straight because we've become alcoholics. My name is Pat and I am an ...............................

 

[KathyH]

Ha ha, you are so right Pat (?). Laughter is such a release and the best tonic ever, as is this forum. I've been known to be rather partial to a drink or two of the alcoholic kind - and why not

Oh and my son and his new wife live in Portslade, not far from you

 

[turtle68]

Yes, I think we all have our down times. At 4 months now and somedays (most) still wondering why I ever did it. But as they say, this too shall pass. Mutley, I think it's fantastic you sold your house so quickly. Do you now where you're goimg for sure yet. I It's kind of scarey here though because our new house hasto be built, and we have to find a mover, climate controlled storage for all our junk. We were going to get q corporate apt. but they are all so expensive we're going to stay with our daughter and her partner. Should be interesting, but the tine will go by quickly. patient 99, you asked where we were from. I was raised in Iowa, and left for CA soon afer I graduated from high school. Then moved to Houston 17 years ago for his job. Our daughter lives in the city, so we'll be 30minutes away from her, plus qll the city has to offer. Just will be glad when we're all settled again. Especially looking forward to our new life. Hope you feel better Pat ad Congratulations to you again Mutley on selling your house.

Dorothy

 

[patient 99]

If there is ANYTHING I can say or do to help then please SHOUT!

Well now I know your name. Jaki is so much better than Mutley. Hello Ms Jaki. I am Ms Carol so nice to meet you. Let me assure you, you are saying things ALL the time that help more than you will ever know eg, I have found a hydrotherapy pool and am going there tomorrow for an assessment - your suggestion.

having a TKR nearly caused me to kill myself on at least 2 occasions

Really? so I am not alone. I think its 2 things. First it goes on and on and on and second, the ups and downs play with your head. This is a short reply to your intuitive message - thanks again for getting it.

ps: thanks also for reminding me about Private Messaging. Asking for the loan of a Fiver in public is a tad embarrassing. But its hard to budget successfully when the price of outsized bras keeps going up.

 

[speccybecky]

My GP gave me an anti depressant when I was really down and miserable

 

[turtle68]

@Patient99, Carol, and Jaki Atter feeling ghastly for last few days with sinus infection, I woke up this morning feeling like I was really going offf the deep end (so did my husband) Slept all morning, woke up feeling sick, wasn't sure if it was mental, physical, or both. Went to the
ER, had chest x-ray,urinalysis and was diagnosed with UTI, small area of pneumonia. was given a booster shot to the antibiotic I was already on. What a relief to know I'm not totally crazy (just enough to still have fun) but there was a physical reason for feeling bad.
That's my story fo the day, and I'm so glad to know y'all, as they say in Texas.

 

[turtle68]

Gosh, I wish we could all get together in person and just say whatever we feel, have some laughs and cries, and feel better for it all. I met a lady last week where we''re moving to, and she was having he second knee done this week, and then I met another lady this week who had her's done in December last year. So I's seripisly going to pursue starting this group when we move in. We could have wonderful water therapy and then hang out in the Internet cafe for free coffee and tea. What do you think/

 

[Toothfairy]

Hi turtle68 sorry to hear you are feeling so rough. I hope the antibiotics sort it out quickly and you will soon feel much better.
I think your knee chat group sounds like an excellent idea.
Get well soon, Toothfairy x

 

[patient 99]

turtle68 Oh, my heart goes out to you. I want to scream and say STOP doing these things to Dorothy. You did the right thing by going to have it checked out. I wish we didn't tend to think that we are going crazy when something physical happens. Fortunately antibiotics still work very well. I will send you my very, very best get well vibes. Let me know how you are doing asap.

I too would welcome a place where you and me and the rest of the gang could meet. BS helps enormously, but there will never be a substitute for face to face contact. Many of us feel the pain, boredom and loneliness of recovery. I wish I had access to a group like the one you suggest. I'm going to do a google search, just to see what comes up.

For a while now I've been thinking about getting some paid help. Somebody who would help around the house, but mainly somebody who would be there for me to chat to and support me when things get bad. Unfortunately my husband is against it. Mainly, I think he wouldn't be comfortable with a stranger in the house. He likes to think he can handle everything. He can't, but wont admit it. I am not up for an argument, so things drift on.

Dorothy, I've just reread my reply to you. It seems so weak when I know how hard it must be for you now. Remember your own words - in 8 months time things will be so much better. I believed you when you said that to me. You must believe it now that I am saying it to you. xx Carol

 

[Mutley]

Oh Dorothy Sorry to hear you've been feeling so awful but good news that you've been checked out & you now know what's wrong & hopefully you will be feeling much better very soon. Even Antibiotics can make you feel a bit horrible too. You just make sure you rest well & take advantage of any cups of tea, coffee or meals that are brought yo you! How is the sinus infection now? I had a sinus infection for 4 months once. Being a woman I bravely battled on, thinking it was " just" a lingering cold until I couldn't stand it any longer. Went to my Doctor who said, " Yes, badly blocked sinus's" told me to go to the pharmacy & buy a good nose spray/decongestant and with-in about 4 days it was completely gone! How stupid did I feel waiting all that time??!!!!
Anyway, wishing you a speedy recovery & a nice relaxing Sunday jaki x

 

[turtle68]

TOOTHFAIRY, JAKI, AND CAROL, Thanks from the bottom of my heart for your good wishes. I've bee sleeping almost-non-stop for the last two days, but I must be feeling better, no tears today, except for a few maybe when I read your good wishes, Thank God for friends like you, and for my wonderful husband who has been wonderfully handling the details of our move. Looking foward o that moment when everything goes into storage, and we'll be "homeless", not really, for about 3 months, as we watch our new home being built. Thanks again my frieends and wishing you a wonderful week.

Hugs, Dorothy

 

[Mutley]

Josephine, please can you look back a few of my posts & find the one where I referred to my pain using the grid? Over 7 months post op now & just walked the mutts early this morning & cried the whole way I cannot believe that I've been through all this plus the MUA & when most people are at the point of enjoying they're life again pain free I feel like I'm in a worse place than before the operation. Today's pain was mainly bone pain directly below the knee, inside of knee & lower outside thigh pain...with a bit of pain in the back of knee just to stick the knife in I still believe that there is NO PROBLEM with the replacement, however, the bone pain is so intense it's starting to make my mind think all sorts. No swelling but ice just to relieve the symptoms. Only take Ibuprofen & or Paracetamol but they don't do anything & allergic to pretty much anything else. Knee seems perfectly normal although when I drive it always feels burning hot for some reason? Definitely going to make an appt to see my GP tomorrow but if you could shed any light on this I'd be very grateful...

 

[Josephine]

Your post is dated June 4th.

As for the grid reference AR1,2 &3 DR3&4 ER3 CR1,2&3 back of knee

Is this still the general spread of your pain. (yellow is pain at the back)

A snapping in my groin, especially when turning over in bed at night
Pain anywhere down right hand side of thigh & front of right thigh
Back of knee, sometimes running down back of calf
Shin bone, sometimes running down into top of right foot
Inside of right knee where the worse of my bone on bone problem was.
I can rub this area & it's fine yet I can lay in bed & feel these deep intense waves of pain in that area.
Also pain to right hand out side of knee.
As I type this I have pain from my groin right down to my ankle even though I'm "resting".

Is this still the general pattern of your pain?

I ice whenever I feel it might help

And the ice helps?Doesn't cause any additional pain anywhere?

I'm actually wondering if you have a mild form of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. This is a recently identified syndrome where the nerves in a limb get completely out of whack and instead of firing off sequentially from the point of pain to the brain, they fire off randomly and with intensity. My clue has been that you say you 'waves of pain' and somewhere (can't just find it now) you referred to it as 'burning'. Anyway, have a read and let me know if you think it matched in anyway.

 

[Mutley]

Thank you for taking the time to answer my post Josephine. I have read up on CRPS but didn't think it applied to me reading the symptoms. At this moment even though I'm resting & icing on the sofa the inside knee pain DR4 is a continuous throbbing, deep ache. This morning while walking the below knee bone pain DR2/R3 felt what I would describe as walking with a fractured leg or as though someone had shot me just below the knee! It's very hard to describe pain. The thigh pain seems to swap areas, so can be the whole outside of the thigh or today one area BR1. This can also be right across the top of the knee CR2/3. Again, a very deep, nagging muscular pain. The back of the knee pain travels downwards & feels like something is overly tight. These symptoms seem to have been getting worse over the last few weeks but before if I was relaxing on the sofa I could say I was pretty much pain free, therefore not being reminded about the TKR. Now my leg rules my mind pretty much 24/7. The last 10 days I've had to take the dogs out twice a day for walks as husband away, but I've been sensible & if my leg has felt too sore I've cut the walk short from say an hour to 35 minutes. I've also found that sitting properly causes discomfort as does doing heel slides on lunges on the stairs. The ice doesn't really do anything except the coldness initially gives my brain something else to think about! Generally I feel totally miserable & really feel I've done most things by the book & want there to be an end to this. I also hate " making a fuss" when I know there are other people so much worse off than myself. Against my better judgement I've taken an Oxynorm...If I don't hear from you until later than I know Murray will have had you on the edge of your seat Thanks again.....
Just had to mention something else that's a bit strange? Since getting back behind the wheel of the car i've noticed that I get a terrible ache in the back of my OTHER thigh. I'm driving & have to keep shuffling about in my seat & trying to rub the back of my thigh. I've noticed this starts after I've been sitting on a chair for a while almost a bit like a trapped nerve? It's extremely uncomfortable & I'm now thinking have these problems anything to do with having had a spinal anaesetic when I had the TKR? Just a random thought...

#CRPS

 

[Josephine]

I have read up on CRPS but didn't think it applied to me reading the symptom

Well, I do ...... remember that CRPS is a very recently identified condition and there is still a lot to learn about it. Symptoms are many and various so there is no standard 'common picture' of it.
And this below is even more suspicious of it

inside knee pain DR4 is a continuous throbbing, deep ache. This morning while walking the below knee bone pain DR2/R3 felt what I would describe as walking with a fractured leg or as though someone had shot me just below the knee! It's very hard to describe pain. The thigh pain seems to swap areas, so can be the whole outside of the thigh or today one area BR1. This can also be right across the top of the knee CR2/3. Again, a very deep, nagging muscular pain. The back of the knee pain travels downwards & feels like something is overly tight. i've noticed that I get a terrible ache in the back of my OTHER thigh

You do really need to bring this up with someone, your GP would be the best bet, and get referred to a pain management consultant, just to make sure.

If I don't hear from you until later than I know Murray will have had you on the edge of your seat

Not me!

I'd even forgotten it was on! I spent the afternoon doing a serious declutter in my spare bedroom and am now watching Judge Judy!

 

[Mutley]

UPDATE: Rang the Doctors surgery to get an appointment. Apparently you need to KNOW your going to be ill at least a good week in advance as I can't see my Doctor until NEXT MONDAY :-(

 

[speccybecky]

I'm pretty sure you can insist, you can at our practice but can't pck and choose and have to take whoever is free

 

[patient 99]

Hi Jaki, its just not good enough. My surgery has a system where you can get to see a doctor on the day, but you have to phone early in the morning to be sure to get a slot, and, as mentioned above you can't always get the doctor you want. But you have put up with it for a long time, so I suppose a few more days is manageable. How you going to play it. Are you going to mention CRPS. From what I know of you I suspect you will tell the doctor the symptoms and see what they come up with. I think not knowing what something actually is is worth than anything. Hang on in there. At least if the doctor refers you its a start. x Carol

 

[Mutley]

Normally you have to start ringing the surgery at 8.30am until you get through. It was engaged until 9.15 Again, NORMALLY you can get an appointment on the day but I think they are short staffed & my Dr now only works 2 or 3 days a week. Like you say Carol, in the grand scheme of things what's ANOTHER week !!! I think the alcohol helped last night! Slept all night & not as bad today! How are you today Carol?