Revision TKR How long is recovery???

[cjf1222]

Sounds like a good plan. God bless!

 

[referee54]

I would write down specific questions that you want answered---write them down ahead of time and take notes on the answers

Two people can then get a better grasp on the answers and can compare notes,(write everything down for the answers, too!)

I would not hesitate to ask for clarifications or have your husband ask for clarifications, too.

By having the questions and the answers written down, you leave no stone unturned, so to speak, and you will not walk out of the office thinking, "I forgot to ask him that..."

 

[Josephine]

This is an approximation of your pain sites, yes?

Well, the yellow is a perfectly normal outcome of knee surgery as you can read here Numb area after TKR: how long will it last?. But the numbness is purely superficial and you will be able to feel on pressure because that comes from the deeper tissues.

work 8+ hours every day

When did you return to work?

I got to PT twice a week

So what kind of exercises are you doing at PT? How much and how often? And what are you doing at home? (and detailed details would be appreciated, please! Reps, sets and session and all that)


Note:
If you're not familiar with this, it goes like so:
1 lift of a 500kg bell bar = 1 rep or repetition.
Doing 5 reps and then a brief rest = 1 set of 5.
And doing 5 sets and finishing = a session.

 

[sleenie]

Doctors are very used to patients getting a second opinion and I think you wouldn't need to leave the state, maybe a different hospital. Each doctor truly has their own opinion. I went to 3 different ones all within a 60 mile radius, they all knew one another and believe they had very different opinions. You have to chose the one you feel the best with. If they are afraid of offending the other doctor, it's probably not the right one for you.

Wish you serving luck in whatever you do.

 

[Josephine]

Each doctor truly has their own opinion.

Oh they do, they do! But that's the richness of medicine. How frustrating it they all had the same idea - no research, no improvements. Heck there'd be no hip or knee replacements!

 

[MButler12]

Thank you all. I have already wrote down all of my questions and experiences so I can go over them with the surgeon.

I understand that the surgery I had was no walk in the park, but the pain shouldn't be to the level that it is. It was so bad on Saturday that it felt like I just had my surgery. I couldn't lay in bed, I couldn't get comfortable and my meds didn't seem to be working. I have also been experiencing a pop in my knee (more tendon pop than a bone pop) that is on the medial part of my knee, which seems to make the pain worse.

I will also look into closer doctors, I just didn't want to not get a honest opinion due to a surgeon knowing my current surgeon. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow. I can't thank everyone for the help. Even it I get nothing out of this, the fact that I have had people to talk to that are educated with everything, has really helped make me not feel so alone.

My husband is VERY supportive but it's hard for me to not feel like I am burdening him with the constant "I'm hurting" and "I'm in so much pain" every day. I'm 5'10/5'11 and 155lbs. I have never been overweight. I have always played sports and been so very active. That is the person that he knows. Not this person who hurts every day, breaks down, is so tired from not sleeping and has mood swings from the chronic pain. To say that this has to affected every aspect of my life would be a lie.

So I thank you all for the sense of community that you have offered me.

 

[MButler12]

The area in the blue is the source of most of the pain.

In PT, I ride the bike, have ultra sound, stim and cold packs, I do cable pulls (attached around my waist as a rock on and off the my leg front to back and side to side), I get on a total gym and try to squat down and then straighten my legs and go up on my heels, I do the resistance band around my upper calf and then slightly bend my knees and then straighten my legs and flex my quad, I do hip exercises and straight leg raises.

I also have a e-stim until that I use multiple times a day and then ice multiple times throughout the day. I do one rep of 30 for each exercise. My PT also puts a weight around my ankle and works on my straight leg raise.

I get muscle spasms that go up and down my leg as well. I have a fit bit so I try to get 8,000 plus steps every day. I also go on evening walks with my husband and our two dogs (about 1-1.8 miles). I do everything but the total gym and cables at home (due to not having that equipment) so I do this all at least 3 times a week in PT and then every day that I don't have a pt. I have a resistance band that I use at home as well for some of the exercises.

 

[Josephine]

We all change during our lives, MButler. And don't the marriage vows say something about 'in sickness and in health'? I'm sure you would be just as supportive to him if the tables were turned.

 

[Josephine]

So I summarise your activities like so

30 reps 3 times a day
ride the bike,
do cable pulls (attached around my waist as a rock on and off the my leg front to back and side to side),
total gym
squat down and then straighten my legs and go up on my heels
resistance band around my upper calf and then slightly bend my knees and then straighten my legs and flex my quad,
hip exercises
straight leg raises
My PT also puts a weight around my ankle and works on my straight leg raise.
I try to get 8,000 plus steps every day
I also go on evening walks with my husband and our two dogs (about 1-1.8 miles)

I get muscle spasms that go up and down my leg as well.

I am not at all surprised! With this workout, I am just surprised you manage to still be on your feet! And you do all this on top of working 8 hours a day?

So let me say this - you are 5 months from your surgery - you don't need to still be doing all this PT. You certainly shouldn't be doing any of it on your work days. I suggest you stop doing it all, including the PT and the walks, for at least 3 weeks and see if your pain doesn't abate some. If it does, then you will know for sure that it was the cause, but it may take more than 3 weeks to completely recover. More like 3 months. Oh yes, and stop using the FitBit too!

 

[MButler12]

I had my appointment today and I couldn't believe what that PA was saying to me. I am so happy that I took my husband with me so I had someone to advocate for me. The PA didn't want to listen to anything that I was saying and even began to argue with me and tell me that "I didn't understand". He told us that I would either get better or I would be on medication for the rest of my life and that they weren't going to do any more surgical options or any tests. Needless to say I began to cry out of frustration.

I then met with the surgeon who told me the complete opposite and that he wanted me to have an EMG done to look at the muscle and nerve function. I am currently looking up other surgeons in the area so I can get a second option. When I attempted to talk to the PA about how different people in the office have made me feel, and the lack of communication between the medical staff and their patients, the PA basically told me that neither he nor the surgeon made those comments or made me feel negatively and so it didn't matter.

I felt so broken when I left there. I know that I can't give up the fight though. Patient's shouldn't be bullied into thinking that a situation can't be made better. My husband was so upset with the appointment as well. He's had to idly sit back and watch me being in pain and know that there is nothing that he can do to help. When I talked to the PA about the depression that I have experienced (which I am a Psych Clinician so I know all about depressive symptoms and misdiagnosing), he explained to me that, "it's not like you have major depression... I mean it's not like you want to do this (indicates cutting wrists) or this (indicates shooting himself in the side of the head). I am not even joking... that's exactly how it plaid out. How can a PA or surgeon not validate what a patient is going through???? What a horrible appointment.

 

[cjf1222]

Horrible idiot!! I can't believe that lack of humaneness. Never see him again. Time to go elsewhere. And what would that jerk know about clinical depression?!

 

[Jozilla]

I would get far away from him and never go back. A neurologist can do an EMG and it might help to have a totally different viewpoint. (((Hugs)))

 

[MButler12]

apparently because I'm not "doing this or this" (i.e. cutting my wrists or putting a gun to my head) my depression is nothing to worry about because it's just associated with the surgery and it's not "major depression". I am going to report it to the medical board (if that is even possible). As a mental health specialist, the simple idea of him doing something like that to someone who is suffering depression (of any form) is so scary. I never thought about going to a neurologist. That is a good idea.

 

[MButler12]

Well the first few months of PT were spent doing nothing but modality type of stuff due to the severe pain after surgery. It wasn't until a month ago that I even was able to do much of anything other than (horrible) manipulation from the PT, ice and stim, ultrasound and my hip exercises. And yes, I have PT of a morning 2-3x a week and then I go to work. I am lucky that (as long as I am not seeing patients) I can stay seated in my office and only walk when I want to or need to (i.e. go to the bathroom, a meeting or down to the cafeteria). The pain has been pretty constant since after surgery. I fell on my surgical leg like 2-3 weeks post op and it seems like I've hit a wall ever since then and haven't been able to go around or over it. I'm finally getting muscle definition in my leg and the quad is getting stronger, but there is been no change is the pain. I saw the surgeon today (which was a horrible experience and you can see my other thread "How long is recovery" , but the surgeon now wants to do an EMG to look at the muscle and nerves in the leg. Thank you for all of your help!!!

 

[sleenie]

Are very what? @sleenie

I posted a response yesterday but guess it didn't post. I meant to say t I think doctors are used to patients getting a second opinion. If they don' t like it, it's time for a new doctor anyways

 

[Pumpkin]

That PA sounds like someone you want to stay away from.
Glad you are looking for a second opinion for your continuing pain.
Here is a list of documents you may need when you are seeking a second opinion.
-Current xrays taken within the last few months
-A copy of the operative note dictated by the surgeon
-A copy of the implant record (often called the "sticker sheet") from the hospital where the surgery was performed
-Copies of office notes from the surgeon's office

Sorry you had such an awful experience at your surgeons office, hope you find someone you like.

 

[ladymax]

Wow. So sorry you had that horrible experience with the PA. He was totally out of line. As for second opinions, I'm all for that, and have gotten them several times. Each time the second opinion Dr. was very understaning and professional and didn't show any weirdness about it. And I told them at the start of the appt that it was a second opinion. Please don't be afraid of getting one...or two or three if you need that!

 

[Josephine]

MBulter, did you read my post at #29?

 

[MButler12]

Yes, I responded at #34.

 

[kneeper]

It sounds like you could use a bit of a knee-cation --besides getting it checked out as you are going to have with more testing. I'm so sorry you're dealing with this much pain.