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Bilateral TKR It's finally time!!

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Even with great ROM, you still have to make a conscious effort to bend it and use it. With my left knee, I was the Queen of ROM! For some reason, I had 120 the day after surgery, and got to 146 after 6 weeks! But I still tended to walk stiff legged. My physical therapist said "we just measured 146 degree ROM and you are walking out of here with your leg stiff. Bend that knee when you walk!"
 
Wow @ConnieJOS, that's amazing ROM from day 1. Hope your next knee is similar!!

It's true, just because we have it, we have to make an effort to use it. Sounds like me with my extension. If I work at it, I can get down to 0. But, I don't walk with my legs straightened, and am nowhere near that when I stand up. Even after I loosen up, I've found that I don't walk with my legs straightened (or as straight as I can get them) without concentrating on it. I will work to make sure I'm bending to my max as well.

I went to the gym this morning and walked and biked, plus did some stretching. So, I'm very stiff right now. I've been icing for awhile, and I think now I will need to stretch again. Seems like it's a never ending battle........... It was nice though to be back at the gym (especially because I also got a 20 min chair massage - mmmmmmm!)
 
11 Week update: How can I be at 11 weeks already?

This has been an interesting week, as I had several days which I would consider "good". It was wonderful. I felt like I had more energy, I felt I was moving better, and my ROM improved. I 've had bad days this week as well, where my knees have ached, swelled (probably from doing too much) and muscled spasmed. But, having a few good days was so needed, and gave me hope that things will keep improving.

The last time I was measured, my flexion was 118 and 110 - such an improvement from the 70's where I was when I started outpatient PT. My PT has been working a lot with me on my hamstrings, sore IT band and painful calves. I think the ultrasound and her massaging has helped. I am having pain now in both ankles, and when I try to walk down the stairs, I get very sharp pain in them, like I jammed both. I think they're not used to bending that far, I guess during my recovery I haven't been moving them and lost some ROM maybe? They were both very swollen the first few weeks too. So, I plan to talk to PT about this and get some stretching and strengthening exercises for my ankles as well. They often get very achey at night, along with my calves. It's amazing how this surgery triggers so many other aches and pains - all related of course.

I'm only taking my Tramadol now, and tend to take 3-4 a day. I get very achey and sore if I don't - it is bearable so on some days (especially if I have errands or have to drive my son somewhere) I won't take any until late afternoon and evening. I have tried both Tylenol and Ibuprofen instead, but don't get the relief I need without the Tramadol.

I am trying to walk one mile or go to the pool each day I don't have PT. I am lazy on some days, but am doing pretty well with moving more and trying to get my stamina up for when I return to work. This is a work in progress, but I gained 7 pounds with this surgery so I really need to be moving. I'm watching what I eat once again and have lost a few of those newly found pounds - now to get the rest off.
 
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Hi @ljrfrm - it sounds like you've had a taste of things to come with your good days! That is certainly a thing to cheer about :cheers:. I haven't been where you are - yet - but with anything in life it seems to be two steps forward and one step back. You're heading in the right direction. I can't even imagine walking a mile, so I'm totally impressed.

I've been distracted - which is probably a good thing what with our son surprise arrival from China and also having other planned company. Three weeks tomorrow for me :scare:
 
Hi, sorry haven't checked in a while but sounds like you are doing great. I totally agree with the muscle pain. I have it most of the day. Something I have been doing is rubbing tiger balm on the back of my legs. It has really helped. Especially at night. Love following your progress! Good luck.


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@Shmi47 Thanks so much!!! I need to head over to your thread and see how you are doing!! I hope your recovery is going well....... @Threads Enjoy your visits!!! What a fun surprise by your son :) Wow, three weeks!! You're almost there!!!!
 
Thanks for the tip @Shmi47 - I've now added Tiger Balm to my surgery Notebook on Evernote. I'm collecting tips that I think might be useful - otherwise I'll be yelling "help"!
 
@Threads and @Shmi47 I'm going to try the Tiger Balm - will Google it now. I've heard of it but never tried it before. I'm willing to try anything :) PT wasn't too hard yesterday - so not sure why I'm walking like Frankenstein today.......soooo stiff!

EDIT: I checked it out and just ordered some from Amazon - gotta love Amazon Prime, says it will be delivered tomorrow :)
 
@ljrfrm Ok, here I am, all caught up. It sounds like you are doing better and the increased ROM certainly helps, doesn't it? I cannot believe you walked a mile in your hall! LOL!!! I've yet to walk a mile anywhere but it's mostly because I can't get myself motivated. The past couple of weeks I've had a lot of pain and stiffness in my achilles (sp?) tendons. When I first stand up they feel so tight and it hurts down into the backs of my heels. Once I move around a bit it goes away. I suppose it's from being off my feet so much and not walking much. Sorry to hear you are still having muscle spasms. I haven't had but one or two in the longest time now. Mine tend to be in my quad muscle and it pulls my knee cap up but subsides quickly. Keep icing! I think that is the best inflammation fighter out there. Less inflammation = less swelling = less pain = increased ROM. For having bilats you are doing just fantastic IMO. Hang in there!
 
@gr82cu2 Thanks for catching up :) I think one of my biggest problems is that I don't ice as much as I used to. That must mean that I'm feeling better than before!!! I think if I didn't have the tight hamstrings, calves and now ankles, I'd be much better off and less stiff. I was prepared for pain in my knees, but didn't really expect so many other issues with leg muscles. It obviously makes sense though, as everything works to recover not just from the surgery and that different gait, etc. but also from what was probably years of compensation for sore knees. You are right though, we have no choice but to be patient. I guess we can all help each other with that quest!!

I'm glad you appreciated my 1 mile in my hallway - what makes it even more fun is I did it in my pj's, LOL. I just got back from the pool today, but had NO motivation to go. I forced myself and I'm glad I did. When I lost my weight before surgery and was working out with the trainer, I felt so much better. I really want to get back to feeling like that, and I know it starts with getting my rear to the gym. It's hard to find the motivation though, especially if I haven't slept well the night before.

I'm sitting here now back in my recliner, and hanging out with my ice machine for awhile. Hopefully I can find something on TV, if not, it will be back to HGTV.
 
I don't ice as often now either but I still do at least 3 times a day, most days and I fall asleep with ice wrapped around my knee. In the beginning there was ice on my knee almost constantly around the clock. It still feels so good to me, even if my knee isn't being particularly painful.

I need to join a gym or something once this is over. I'm terribly unmotivated to do anything on my own. But, if I'm paying and especially if I have an appointment I will go.

I'm watching Rehab Addict right now :)
 
@gr82cu2 I joined a gym and didn't go for 4 years. What helped me was moving to a gym closer to home and getting a contract for a personal trainer. It's expensive, but I decided I was worth it :) Since I paid for the trainer, I had no choice but to go. I think she did a good job of helping me get ready for the surgery. And, I will start back up with her again in a few weeks. She plans to talk to my PT and do her best to start at the same weights and with the same exercises as PT. So, as I progress out of PT, I will continue to work with the trainer.

I am very bad with icing and have been doing it at the most only once per day. I had been doing it around the clock. When I do it, I use my ice machine and it lasts quite awhile, but it's not enough. I will definitely make it a goal to ice more. On another thread, someone recommended Tiger Balm and I just used it for the first time on my calves. It seems to help, I really like the way it feels. I want to try it on my hamstrings too. But, boy does it smell, LOL.
 
It sounds like you have a good plan in the works to get back on track with your trainer. I keep seeing ads for Blue Emu and they boast it has no smell. I wonder if it works the same.
 
I thought I would chime in to both @gr82cu2 and @ljrfrm. I don't ice as often anymroe either, but mostly due to the fact that I cannot tolerate cold very well. Also, i am on my own to fill up my ice machines which are always upstairs. It seems more hassle than its worth. Have to set everything up get my pillows so Im elevated, get on the wraps, oh and plug in the heating pad so I don't freeze. Then once I am all set up?? The remote is on the other side of my bedroom. How does that happen? I also spend a majority of my time watching HGTV and feeling inspired to paint a room because of it. @ljrfrm I'm glad the tiger balm worked for you. I guess our muscles are just healing more hence the pain? I stopped the narcotics and just on the Tramadol now. I took with tylenol, but I am not sure I have much relief? At night, is the hardest for me.

Keep up the good work on the mile. I am no where near, and don't worry so much about the weight loss now, it will come- you need to get healed first. Eat lots of protein. So good for muscles and weightloss. However, as I am talking now- all I want is comfort food. I still miss rehab for the fact they brought me hot meals every couple of hours. But I also worked out twice a day there. Harder when we get home. I really want to get a recumbent bike. I think that would be great.
 
@Shmi47 How long do you feel the Tiger Balm working? I put it on about thirty minutes ago. I hear what you're saying about the comfort food - and that's exactly why I put on the weight after surgery.

I have done every diet in the book and am a liftetime member of both Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. I don't have too much to lose - but I learned that none of these diets work for me. I actually felt best this winter/spring when I wasn't dieting. My rheumatologist talked to me about eating clean, and how she thinks that will help me and all my ailments. I cut out all sodas (I haven't had any soda since last Jan), all preservatives, sugars and sugar substitutes, and cut out all breads (I did have some every once in awhile) and other starches, getting most of my carbs from fruits and vegetables. I worked to just "eat clean". I basically had lots of lean protein and vegetables, fruits and some other natural foods. It was so nice to not feel like I was dieting and I allowed for cheats every once in awhile. I felt wonderful, and had so much more energy (one of my biggest complaints). So that, mixed with exercising regularly led to a 15 pound weight loss but more importantly, feeling so much better. So sitting around now not doing much and eating everything that I previously cut out has led me to feel sluggish and just not well. So, I'm working to get back into my good habits, hoping that will give me more energy to get through this recovery.
 
Diets are interesting - my naturopath put me on an anti-inflamation diet about 3 1/2 years ago and that diet made it possible to put off my surgery for a few years. No dairy, no gluten and no nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc.). Now, if I give in to a bagel and smoked meat sandwich (a treat at our local market), then I do it knowing that I'll pay the price the next day. I'm hoping I can carefully reintroduce those foods after my surgery but I don't think I'll go back to pasta covered with tomato sauce (except on very rare occasions). You'd think I would have lost weight, but I haven't.

I dehydrate a lot of fresh organic fruit over the summer and we eat lots of veggies, salmon and chicken. I do need to start controlling portion size. No matter how healthy the food is on your plate - I know portions are the key :-( Right now, I don't feel energized that much but I'm not sleeping that well, so that can pull you down. I wish I was heading into this adventure with energy plus!
 
@Threads Portions is Always my problem! I am the mom that used to eat the scraps off my kids plates when they were little.
 
@lrfjtm it usually lasts me about 45 minutes. How about you. When I stop feeling tingling it still sometimes is working I just feel a little more numb to it. It doesn't clear pain but stops ache. If that makes any sense.

Nice job on clean eating. I agree. I gained 17 pounds right before surgery. :( but since have lost it. I think due to the meds. My weight has been an ongoing battle my whole life also contributing to knee pain and inability to join any exercise program. I would tell a trainer I couldn't do lunges. And he would say "yeah right". It was so humiliating.
There is a great book by Gary taubes about diets and sugar. I think you said best when you said I felt better when I didn't diet. Don't diet it's so bad for you. If you want a cookie bake it from scratch. I am not eating cookies very much bc I'm not baking.

Are you still a achey today?


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@ljrfrm - love you avatar! Is that taken near your home? I don't remember eating scraps off the boys plates - but that was a loooong time ago, they are all in their 40's now! I do know that I still can't cook for two - I still cook like I have a houseful of teenage boys :yes:
 
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