TKR I went through with the surgery!

[Jamie]

That's pretty typical. We just don't realize the energy expended to get ready for work, drive to and from, and do the job once we get there. On the days you work, don't plan any additional activity for a while...no errands, no therapy, no home chores. It will get easier with time and you can slowly add in some additional activity.

 

[ksmarvin]

That sounds like good advice. I guess I just feel guilty since my coworkers have been helping me out during my shift. I'm afraid they'll think of me as a wimp since none of them have had a replacement. Either that or I think of myself as a wimp...but dang it...it's hard!!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart®

 

[Jozilla]

I went back at 8 weeks to a desk job and it still was not easy. Jamie's advice is good. Don't do anything else on work days. Good news is it will get better!


RTKR - 9th December, 2013

 

[ksmarvin]

I haven't posted on here for a VERY long time, but I need advice. I'm 10 months out from having a LTKR and still having a lot of pain. It tends to travel, but the pain is sharp in the front of my knee and the calf muscle in the inner front part of my leg. The doctor has taken x-rays and said that they look fine. He aspirated fluid from the knee and there isn't an infection, but there is inflammation (no surprise there). I overdid it for 4 days in a row and that seemed to set me back. Now I'm having a problem recovering from it. I'm depressed and cranky because it seems that all I do is work and then try to recover from working so that I can go to work again. This isn't living! Have any of you experienced something like this? What's with the pain in the calf muscle??

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi @ksmarvin I think that you should tag Josephine in for advice about this. She may well be able to shed some light on it.

Out of sheer curiosity what is your OS suggesting doing next about your knee?

Sorry I couldn't be of more help!
Love Nana moon 27 xox

 

[Jamie]

It would help to know exactly what you did for the 4 days and when that was. My guess is that you've just overworked your knee and it's going to take a while to recover from that.

@Josephine

 

[Josephine]

Can you tell me the exact site of your pain using this chart?
Please note the instructions in the smaller image

In addition, I'm going to ask you some questions and it would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't compare this with the bone-on-bone pain you had before surgery!

) Also don't forget to include other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how often are you icing your knee and for how long?

4. are you elevating your leg, how often and for how long?

5. What is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

6. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

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

** If you're not familiar with this, it goes like so:
1 lift of your leg = 1 rep (repetition)
5 reps and then a brief rest = 1 set
5 sets and finishing = 1 session.

 

[ksmarvin]

The 4 days of "too much activity" started October 21st. On that Tuesday, I worked 8 hours (I'm on my feet a lot at work), Wednesday I worked 8 hours, Thursday I babysat my 3 grandchildren for 9 hours (they're 5, 3, and 2 yrs old), and then Friday I worked 8 hours and then went to a retirement dinner (a 12 hour day). On Saturday I needed my walker! To answer your questions:
The sharp pain occurs at DLF3. The calf pain occurs at the LF3 line at blocks F and G
#1 Pain levels when walking 9 When sitting 7
#2 I don't have any prescribed meds. I am taking 13,000mg tylenol 3x a day and 800mg ibuprofen 3x a day.
#3 I haven't been icing on a regular basis. Just when I'm in horrible pain. Icing at work or when watching the grandkids doesn't happen at all.
#4 I elevate my leg anytime that I'm at home. I would estimate about 4 to 6 hours off and on during the day. I work part time so if it's my day off I elevate it more often than that.
#5 I'm not sure what my flexion number is. I'd say that the bend is good. I can straighten my leg totally too.
#6 I'm ashamed to say that I do very little housework or cooking. I take care of our 4 animals and my husband does the rest. It seems each day that I'm not at work, I rest up at home trying to get ready for another work day. At work, I have to stand frequently, unpack boxes of books (I work at a library as a branch clerk...clerks don't sit!), wait on customers, process passports. I work there 3 to 4 days a week, 8 hours on 3 of those days.
#7 I'm not doing any PT at this point. At 10 months out and working at my place of employment...I can't imagine trying to make my knee work more.
Thank you for any advice you can give me!

 

[Josephine]

So the pain is here?

I think the green one may be Pes Anserine and MPFL pain and the calf one is either referred from the pes anserine or is the calf muscle.
Or it could be a loosening of the implant, mostly like the tibial component.

#1 Pain levels when walking 9 When sitting 7

That's high

#2 I don't have any prescribed meds. I am taking 13,000mg tylenol 3x a day and 800mg ibuprofen 3x a day.

13,000 3 times a day??? Are you sure? You should never take more than 4,000mg per 24hrs - you'll give yourself liver problems. If this is correct, I strongly urge you to get your GP to do a liver function test straight away. And you need to talk to him about pain management.

#3 I haven't been icing on a regular basis. Just when I'm in horrible pain. Icing at work or when watching the grandkids doesn't happen at all.

okay

#4 I elevate my leg any time that I'm at home. I would estimate about 4 to 6 hours off and on during the day. I work part time so if it's my day off I elevate it more often than that.

okay

#6 I'm ashamed to say that I do very little housework or cooking. I take care of our 4 animals and my husband does the rest. It seems each day that I'm not at work, I rest up at home trying to get ready for another work day. At work, I have to stand frequently, unpack boxes of books (I work at a library as a branch clerk...clerks don't sit!), wait on customers, process passports. I work there 3 to 4 days a week, 8 hours on 3 of those days.

Gotcha

#7 I'm not doing any PT at this point.

Good.

a) you need your OS to check out that leg, preferably with xrays
b) you need to get some medical advice about pain management
c) if all that checks out okay, I also suggest you see a chiropractor to get some treatment on that leg

 

[skigirl]

I also know that 13,000 mgs of Tylenol is way too much. Even 800 mg of Ibuprofen is a bit much three times a day. it would be better to ask for a pain reliever like Tramadol from your doc than to take so much Ibuprofen and Tylenol. Let us know what happens---your pain level is pretty high for your stage of rehab, you need to follow up with your doc and perhaps a second opinion.

 

[ksmarvin]

Oh boy, did I ever make a typo! No the tylenol med isn't 13,000! Make that 1,300mg a dose. That takes it to 3,900 a day. I have tried Tramadol...doesn't help either. I just had x-rays done on October 27th and the doc said it looks fine. He also aspirated fluid and said there is no infection but there are high levels of "acute phase reactants" (I think that's what he said) that indicate inflammation. I'm going back to him on Wednesday of this week to see if he can shed any more light on the situation. Thank you all for your help and advice! And yes, Josephine...that's exactly where the pain is. Sometimes there is sharp pain in the front of the knee cap too. The pain travels and changes it's location sometimes, but the calf pain is pretty consistent.