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TKR I can’t believe I’m still dealing with this darn Knee^

Hi @Danlovesmary my rom the last time it was measured was 115. I don't know what it is now. My issue is my leg is bent and will not straighten. They are hoping that this minor procedure will do the trick. I've stupidly pinned all of my hopes on this. If ever it doesn't work I'm going to be devastated!

I agree with @DogLoverx3 about rom it does come with time. Our recoveries are very slow and quite similar. She is right when she says about being a couple of months behind where everyone else is. I still can't drive due to my high level of pain meds! However, I'm working on the reduction now.

Actually it might pay you to read the information sent out by the moderators. There is one all about rom. I think if you read that again it might just reassure you a bit.

Love Nana moon 27 xxx
 
Hi @Nana moon 27 -
Thank you, I will go read that again, about ROM.
I just hung up the phone....yep...I finally called and made an appointment to see OS. I will see him next Thursday. I am going to practice all week saying, as soon as he walks in the room, "I'm in a lot of pain. Please don't hurt me!".

I got some GREAT news yesterday, from Disneyland. We live 20 minutes away and for my birthday last year my husband bought annual passes for us. He totally splurged and bought the premium passes, which means there are no blackout days. So we can go every day, and free parking. I LOVE everything Disney!

Bad news....my knee got so bad right after he bought passes we only went a handful of times, I had to use a wheelchair, and then I had my TKR and haven't been able to go. So we lost out on over 9 months of the passes. They cost well over $600 for each pass!

I called Disneyland and briefly explained what had happened, the very nice young man on the phone could see on their computer that we had not used the passes since November. So he extended the expiration dates on our passes! Wow! I was hoping....but didn't believe they would do it!

Hopefully I can start going again in September!!
 
Oh wow @Danlovesmary that's fantastic news. How kind of them to be so helpful. You'll enjoy that so much. I've always wanted to see it. My daughters been over three times with her partner and son. She said it's amazing xxxx
 
That is wonderful news. No doubt you will enjoy each trip you make. We have been several times..first times was 37 years ago and before bad knees. The last time was 12 years ago and I had to rent a scooter. Didnt realize its ben that long. .........So glad they are extending your tickets...
 
Good grief, I'm all over this forum! I apologize....I seem to be commenting on threads all over the place.
Question....does anyone else have to lay down after taking a shower because you are so dizzy and weak? I feel 100 yrs old!

Another question....I have OS appt in about 5 days. I don't have any pain medication left. I was taking Tramadol, just at night. I would have liked taking it during the day occasionally also, but OS would not prescribe enough to allow that. So I used them at night, two when I went to bed, hoping it would help me sleep. Not really sure they even helped all that much. So now all I have is Tylenol. I'm at 14 weeks, still hurting 90% of the time. To get a second opinion from a different OS would involve changing our whole primary care medical group...a lengthy hassle, and I do like our regular GP. He will not get involved in my knee business, though. He feels it's an orthopedic case beyond his experience.

Am I unreasonable to want to still have pain medication? Should I be passed "needing" it? I really don't believe there could be an addiction concern....I have been taking two every night, not two every four hours.

Rant over...
 
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I've had the same issues with my tummy and have lost 20 lbs in 3 weeks of a 6 week recovery. I finally bit the bullet and went to the ER at the insistence of my OS who took one look at me and sent me over. They got my nausea under control and now I'm eating a little bit again and not vomiting. The first set of anti-nausea drugs gave me a horrible reaction so now I have one that dissolves under my tongue (Zofran) and has given me no reaction. You need to get it under control, I also had super low potassium and other electrolytes due to vomiting and almost no food staying down for weeks that also made me really ill. As a result, I am trying to get some strength and stamina back; the good news was that even through all this my knee has done quite well, and I never let any PT cause anything more than a tiny bit of discomfort. I tell them all at the beginning that "NO PAIN EQUALS GAIN" and I follow that very closely and allow no PT to hurt me. Take care of yourself and go see or speak to your OS or PCP to see why all the nausea and get it under control.
 
...I also think that if I were able to take something stronger than Tylenol I would be able to push my exercises a little further, and walk further than half a block without breaking into a cold sweat

Okay...rant really over
 
Hi Mary, I'm currently 10 months into my recovery and It has certainly been a much longer process than I ever imagined. However, I have and am definitely making progress. I had an absolutely awesome PT whose philosophy was that PT should be uncomfortable, but not painful and she continually questioned me to make sure I was ok. The other really important thing she had to remind me of frequently was that the road to recovery is NOT a straight line. I did regularly scheduled PT for 5 months and just recently had to go back for a few weeks when my IT band up the outside of my knee got severely inflamed. You'll make it and by Fall you should once again be ready to enjoy all of the magic that Disney has to offer.
 
@lovetocookandsew - thank you! I did get the nausea under control...Zofran, also. I'm doing my own "therapy" at home now. I'm sure my OS is going to be quite opinionated about that. They just didn't respect the NO PAIN NO GAIN, and insurance doesn't pay for any other place.

I know most tkr-ers get to this point....I WISH I HADN'T HAD IT DONE!! I'm trusting you guys, however, who have gotten to the other side of recovery. I'm doing this!

I have never been a runner, still don't plan on it...but I was hoping to do a half marathon (power walking) in early February. My daughters, my sisters, maybe my husband....even my sons, are on board with it. It's called The Surf City Marathon...we have been planning on it since my surgery last February.
 
Oh I did have the many regrets a few times along the way...but the truth is the pain was pretty darn bad before, getting worse every day, and definitely interfering with my life. You will get past that. I believe you can make the half marathon....my goal is to hike Grand Canyon late this fall...something I have dreamed of doing for a long time. I did decide though that I would make it through that first full year before taking it on.
I think I can...I think I can....
 
Thanks so much @Travlingirl04 !

It's the unknown and wondering that is driving me to drink. Well...I don't drink...I guess it's driving me to Cheetos.

If I had a PT who I trusted, who wasn't more concerned about "her report card" to the surgeon...not knowing what kind of swelling, how much swelling is normal...how hot my knee gets...it gets so hot the ice melts in the ice pack really fast... WHINE WHINE WHINE.....:umm:
 
Whine and Cheetos...an excellent pairing:heehee:. Just sayin....you might want to make some calls and find a different PT....you do have a choice and it can make a HUGE difference. Ok...enough preachin from me. I do wish you all the past in you recovery.
 
Hi Mary. I agree wtih @Travlingirl04 about either looking for a new PT or just doing exercises at home on your own (there are some great descriptions and pictures/videos in the BS library for good exercises to do). As for pain meds.... there is NO 'should' or 'should not' still be on pain meds chart - if you are in pain, you need them. Period. Some people were lucky and didn't have to take them long. I am almost 6 months out and I still take Tylenol every single day and Tramadol on most days. Some recoveries are just longer than others and there's nothing wrong with that (aside from the fact that it kinda sucks for those of us on the bottom of the bell curve for recovery). I'm surprised your GP won't prescribe Tramadol for you and would rather have you be in pain. I would absolutely ask/insist that your OS refill your prescription. I think it's crazy that they are so stingy. Mine actually told me that I needed to be off ALL pain meds by 8 weeks and his PA made me feel guilty for asking for a single refill. We take the pain meds not because we want to, but because we need to. If neither doctor will prescribe Tramadol for you, I would look into finding a pain clinic in your area.
 
Thanks @DogLoverx3 !!
I am a 59 yr old Gramma with two Chihuahuas and a Golden retriever. I am SO far from being someone they need to worry about mis-using pain medication... thank you for your encouragement. I plan on being really firm when I get there on Thursday.

I have been doing exercises at home, that I found here on BoneSmart. I'm having a bad few days, so maybe I need to take one of those knee-cations. LOL! Last week I really felt I was making progress. This week it's swollen and so tight it's shiny. Does that make sense? The skin is actually shiny.

Anyone else ever have that?
 
My knee was hot, swollen and shiny over 4 months. I've still got pain and swelling, but the shiny factor has lessened.

I'm the same way, Mary. When my OS tried to make me feel bad for asking for pain med refills I just kinda looked at him like 'are you kidding me'? Luckily my GP, who I've gone to for 10+ years was more than happy to refill the Tramadol for me. He knows they're not 'recreational'.....

One suggestion for your appointment on Thursday: write down all of your concerns, requests & questions and take it with you to the appointment. I would make a copy as well and hand the sheet to your OS when he comes in the room - you can keep notes on your copy. I'm a pretty smart cookie, but sometimes when I get nervous I totally forget to ask important questions and frequently forget answers that I am given. I kinda think they removed my memory and ability to not be a total doof with my old knee. ;-)

Oh, and yes, I think a knee-cation is totally in order for you! I found that I made the most progress either during or directly after taking a total 'knee-cation'!
 
@DogLoverx3 - I so appreciate you taking the time and interest for me. I'm hitting one of those post-op blues and you are really helping me. I will take your excellent advise and write down questions and concerns for the OS.
I wish I had a long term relationship with GP but we just moved here a couple of years ago. I have only seen him a handful of times.


Mary
5, February, 2014
 
I'm only a few weeks behind you and also taking Tramadol and Tylenol. Each time I neared the end of my prescription, I had to call for a new one. Finally, the last time, I got one with three refills, and I doubt I'll use all three. Tramadol is not a highly addictive medication, which is one of the reasons it's often prescribed. There is no reason why you shouldn't have it.

I dropped PT two week ago even though I could have continued. I think my knees have benefited from doing things at my pace. You'll do fine without it.
 
Good morning Mary..I hope your knee blues have left you and gone back to bluesville. I think making a list and taking notes is a great idea. My sister is office manager for a group of doctors and she says doctors appreciate this. DO NOT be shy about telling him you are tired of dealing with the pain.....let him know he can check your chart and see that you are not asking for pain scripts every week nor are you taking more pills than prescribed..per dose....if he says no, then ask him to explain why then you explain that this pain is real and he needs to treat it or send you to some one that CAN... I think its so easy for doctors to not sign off on a request when the nurse puts the request in....not to mention sometimes the nurse may be following instruction to just say no when its a phone request. Just last month I had a nurse tell me my doctor would not prescribe me sleeping pills unless I made an appt to see the dr. Apparently she hadnt even pulled my chart . If she had, she would have noticed I had just been in the office a few days before. Needless to say I got the pills.....I am still taking pain pills...not as prescribed , because I dont need them as much.....sorry this is so long. I hope you have a wonderful day and dont over do:)
 
Hi Mary - so sorry that you are still having a bad time with things, my heart really goes out to you as your LTKR was exactly a week after mine.
DogloverX3's advice is absolutely spot on about making a list of points for your OS - and I do hope that you have a friend or your husband who can go in with you for some moral support and (if needs be) back up.
If you still feel weak and lightheaded after showering, then there must be a reason - weakness? pain? - do be sure to mention this to him.
ROM will come, as I think I said before, just try and get a tiny bit more bend each week. If you are not going to PT, use something else to measure, for example I used the difference between my good and operated leg, I also stuck bits of tape on my tiled floor to mark my progress.... There are some good exercises on here, but the book 'Total Knee Replacement and Rehabilitation: The Knee Owners Manual' - has loads, of all descriptions! You can get it on Amazon.
Hope things start to improve for you soon - but getting your pain under control is a vital step.

On a brighter note, great news about Disney. You'll have a great time there in the not too distant future.

XX
 
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