TKR I really didn't know what I was getting into!

[Red's Mom]

My OS has been AMAZING and I'm not an easy patient, no nurse ever is! He was the 3rd OS I had seen over the 10 year period prior to my replacements. He is patient, kind, thorough, organized and thoughtful. You NEVER feel like he is in a hurry. He does not have residents or fellows with him which was important to me. He is also highly competent. I don't think I could have found a better surgeon.

 

[Knees4Me]

@Red's Mom - Ah, you really lucked out! My surgeon was recommended to me by my regular (kind and gentle) long-time physiotherapist, as well as a woman in my book club whose Mom had a knee replaced by her with great success and said this doc was "wonderful." She came out smiling to talk to my husband after my surgery and said it went well. But she does always have a little entourage with her - "advanced care" PT, resident, student, etc., and she does usually seem a bit rushed. But, as you no doubt know, we do have a different health care system in Canada. I hope we all have first class knees when all is said and done. And I hope to walk those first class knees into the first class section (or maybe just business class - but still!) of an airplane to fly to Hawaii. Will have lots of questions for you in PMs - starting quite soon!!

 

[Spex10]

You all sound so miserable today. I wish I could guarantee that you won't always feel like this. The chances are, however, that you will feel much better in a couple of months. I wish someone had told me that in my dark days. I lived in awful fear of a MUA then, when the worst happened, it was not only absolutely fine, it was terrific. A massive improvement that has been easy to sustain. I didn't have to 'reset' my recovery or all the scary things I'd been told.
I'm not back to normal but I'm gradually taking up the reins of my old life. I'm a bit slow moving but that's OK. I don't leap up and downstairs but who cares? Not me. Improvement will come.

 

[Knees4Me]

@Spex10 - I do love your attitude. You don't leap up and down stairs and you're a bit slow. Who cares?! Exactly!! Improvement WILL come!! I'm going to be more like you from now on! Many thanks for the little lift! I sure needed that!!

 

[Spex10]

Oh @Knees4Me I was so sorry to hear of how things were with you. Those horrible physios! I'm so glad of my one who doesn't even want to see me any more. You'll be fine. In time.
I'm lucky as I have zero interest in mountain biking or outdoor sports (or indoor ones either come to that!). I haven't lost out in that way. I enjoy what I do. Can't ask more really.

 

[Arttie]

We just did Patagonia, Perito Moreno Glacier and Torres del Paine National Park, In the mid 60s F (18ish C (I know you are able to convert temp, I did it for my provincial self ))I was only able to do easy walks but the long daylight hours were enjoyable. You should put that on a January bucket list.

 

[KarriB]

@Knees4Me i understand the difficulty of being unable to go about your normal activities, however no matter what you do you can't hurry your body into healing. My OS told me it would be 12 weeks before I felt able to go back to work, which was my biggest normal activity. If you manage to get that elusive number you may not be healed enough to go about these activities you mentioned. Many many TKRs experience swelling into month 2 and 3 of recovery which means you can't go shopping, to the theater, etc. unless you're able to elevate that leg. I was able to go to restaurants at 2 months post op, but I propped my leg up in a booth or extra chair. The evening I went to dinner and a play at 2.5 months without elevating I had to peel my trousers off like a banana because my knee was so swollen. At that point I was able to up/down stairs and ride the bike, but my knee was still healing.

What I do think is if you weren't doing 2 hours of therapy your knee wouldn't be causing you such pain, you wouldn't have to spend so much time in bed elevating. You would be able to go about ADLs easily, not normal life activities because the surgery was a major one and caused great trauma to your body. An MUA often means going back to the beginning of recovery because again, soft tissue is traumatized and aggravated. Spex is recovering very well from her MUA because of how she has gone about recovery since her MUA.

As I said in an earlier post, it isn't just BoneSmart that says this is the way to rehab a TKR. Maybe @nancyjo who had her surgery at the Mayo Clinic, a world reknown hospital, could tell you what type of therapy was prescribed for her.

 

[Arttie]

I hope that no news is good news and you are finding progress in your recovery.

 

[Knees4Me]

@Arttie - Thanks for your concern! No news has been just that: no news! On Tuesday, I'll be six weeks "out," (as they say on this forum) from my LTKR...and I've been frustrated by my lack of progress. So I didn't want to come here with my "Debbie Downer" act. I see my surgeon this Wednesday for the first time since my op. But I''m sure she won't be pleased with my ROM (flexion) of only 113 or 114 degrees. She requires her patients to show up with 120 at their 6 week follow-up. I'm terrified she'll want to do a MUA! I'm getting cabin fever at home, so I really want to reach 115+ degrees so I can drive, go to restaurants and theatres again and exercise on the recumbent bike in our condo's gym. I did get around a couple of revolutions on the bike at rehab last Thursday. (I couldn't do much more because of the pain!) And I had to make the physiotherapist stop pushing my knee to get 115 - 120 degrees. It was just too agonizing!! I didn't expect this recovery process to be so terribly slow - and painful!! I'm still not sleeping at night,which doesn't improve my mood! And I can't concentrate enough to work, so I've had to turn down some freelance assignments. I still need my opioid painkillers, but my family doctor was reluctant to refill my Hydromorphone prescription this past week. She has summoned me to discuss my meds this coming Tuesday. I guess she fears I''m becoming addicted. But I'm motivated to get off them so I can get back to driving - and drinking wine! Both Valentine's Day and my husband's 70th birthday are coming up this month, but I won't be able to celebrate either with a proper toast! When will this ordeal end...and the next one for my RTKR begin??!! Sorry about the rant! I must have been bottling up my gripes until I saw your post! Maybe the news will be better the next time I post! Thanks for listening.

 

[Celle]

As I said in an earlier post, it isn't just BoneSmart that says this is the way to rehab a TKR.

She's right, you know.

My surgeon and the other surgeons in his group all forbid any sort of PT therapy for the first month after a knee replacement - just getting out of bed and back in again, and walking to and from the bathroom and kitchen.

After 4 weeks, we start PT, but only go once every two weeks, for a little, gentle therapy. We do a few easy exercises at home, just once a day.

All my surgeon's patients do well, as I did, and he hasn't had to do a MUA to help with ROM for the last 4 years.

My knees are strong and reliable. They straighten fully and bend to over 125 degrees.

You see, it's not exercising that gets you your ROM, it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen so it can show itself.

Your knee is wounded, not lazy. It needs time to heal. It's only just over a month since your surgery. You have plenty of time. There's no need to rush to get ROM.

And, good grief! I see that your ROM is about 114. At 6 weeks, that is terrific! Nothing wrong with that at all. If your surgeon isn't happy, too bad - because your knee is doing just fine.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Aaah @Knees4Me , I'm sorry you seem to be struggling. Personally I'm going to try and give some support because personally I don't think you're all that bad for six weeks out.
yep, totally understand the sleep deprivation issues. I'm 11 weeks out and just now getting back into my bed and I still wake up once a night. i use to be up almost every 2-3 hours. Sleep when you can, no matter what time of day. try the couch, chair, whatever.
I'm on oxycotin, yep still pop one before bed time.
Last week I set myself back, Tuesday I was feeling great so of course I hightail it to the gym. BIG, HUGE mistake!! Thursday my leg swelled up to the size of a tree truck and the pain was hellish. took me almost a week to get the swelling down and I did absolutely nothing, no p/t, no exercise nothing. just rest , ice and elevate.
I think it's insane that the doctor would even suggest anything after only six weeks. Can you possible tell him that you simply heal a bit slower than others and you'd like to keep on this path??

My physical therapist is much better after I stop the extreme pushing. in fact now I think it is a bit of my fault because I did not take part in my own recovery. Now I do other exercises to help strengthen. yes, some still are tough but I stop at the point of pain

lastly, you sound like a great person, why do I think your hubby would rather have you pain free than whether or not you can drink the fermented grapes

Believe me , I feel you're pain and frustration. We will get through this.

 

[Celle]

I think it's insane that the doctor would even suggest anything after only six weeks. Can you possible tell him that you simply heal a bit slower than others and you'd like to keep on this path??

But you're not healing slower than others. What you have at 6 weeks is actually very good. My surgeon only expects 90 degrees at 6 weeks and you are way past that.
In any case, most surgeons won't even consider an MUA once you are past 90 degrees. Even if you surgeon suggests one, you would still have to give your consent. So just say that you want to wait a little longer.

Who has been telling you that you are behind? I bet it's because you're not meeting some target set by your PT therapist. There's no need to rush, no deadline to meet. ROM can continue to improve for a year, or even longer, after a knee replacement.
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

 

[Arttie]

@Knees4Me In Norwegian uff da. May you get some answers from the surgeon Wed.

 

[Spex10]

You are absolutely doing fine! Only 6 weeks and you've got that much flexion. I began to sleep much better at about 7/8 weeks I think. It was a turning point in how I felt. However, my range was only 50 degrees and reducing. That's why I had a MUA. You are at more than double that. STOP worrying!!

 

[agarrett]

You are absolutely doing fine! Only 6 weeks and you've got that much flexion. I began to sleep much better at about 7/8 weeks I think. It was a turning point in how I felt. However, my range was only 50 degrees and reducing. That's why I had a MUA. You are at more than double that. STOP worrying!!

Once you get to say 105 degrees has anyone then started to go backwards and be limited at less than that. Wondering if that is something to worry about if you overdue it. Or is it just sometimes you have bad days that there is more limitation than others.


Right TKR 27 December 2016

 

[Spex10]

I think its a matter of good days and bad days. Its nothing like how bad it was when I was slowly losing ROM.
Sometimes I have good and bad TIMES of day rather than across a week. I'm 16 weeks out now. Sometimes feels like a lifetime but its really not a long time. Its a matter of expectations. I'm much better than I was but I certainly won't be going in for any sport in the future. Aquafit and daily life walking will be the extent of my exertions.

 

[agarrett]

@Spex10 what do you mean you were slowly losing rom?


Right TKR 27 December 2016

 

[Celle]

@agarrett - Spex10 had a genuine reason for losing ROM. You don't, so please stop worrying about it. Your knee is doing just fine.

 

[Spex10]

@agarrett my OS said I had arthrofibrosis. He said it was a genetically modified thing. As @Celle says - don't worry!

 

[anderly]

@kayjay I'm up now in the middle of the night with excruciating back (sciatic?) and knee pain, which often come at night.

Sorry to hear about your painful night @Knees4Me and yet glad to read someone else is dealing with this. I was up in the night, very painful with hip and sciatic pain. I had this pain prior to surgery and realized I may struggle with it after LTKR on February 7. Any suggestions on how to manage... especially in the middle of the night? I'm taking ultram and tylenol and using ice, elevation, position changes.

I think my sciatic pain (L5 nerve compression) is a result of my gait being so off because of my knee problems (had a meniscectomy). Is that the case with you, too? I'm wondering if anyone else has back and knee issues and they have any thoughts on the connection between the two. I have hopes that sciatica will improve as gait improves. I know that only time will tell and I'm trying to not get discouraged. Being able to sleep would sure help!