TKR Jane B.'s New Knee

[MotownGirl66]

Jane @Jane B.

Interesting article, like many of us the TKR was a choice over pain & limited mobility.
At times, I wonder when I'll be truly thankful that I had it done. Still not at that stage.

Cathie

I, too, wonder when the gratitude will kick in. I'll be 10 weeks tomorrow and find myself still having to take prescription painkillers randomly throughout the day. But, in my knee's defense, I have spent the last 3 weeks in a home with less than ideal furniture (too low), too many stairs at this home we've rented, as well as lots of walking on an up grade and down hills as well as walking on uneven ground.

 

[MotownGirl66]

I agree with you Cathie, about when we'll feel truly thankful this surgery was done. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but not in the middle of the night when I am wide awake and in pain.

I read the article, too. I found it vague and the comments much better like you did.

 

[Djbrund]

As you know, I'm also 9 weeks. Still experiencing pain in my knee, calf and thigh. Still taking narcotics most days, especially in the evenings. I also find my mood is much better when running errands or going for walks/PT. I need progress to make me feel I may eventually see the benefits of this surgery. Thursday I'm going to work all morning in my Grandson's kindergarten class. Lots of standing and bending down. I find it almost impossible to stand still, I need to be moving, too. I may not make it through the whole morning... -- Joni

 

[MotownGirl66]

@Djbrund Good luck on Thursday! Bending down? Like bending your knees? I am too afraid to do that. Maybe if my other knee was replaced I might attempt it, but I can't even kneel on either knee anymore. I, too, find myself taking RX painkillers again. I tried to go without them when I found an RX for 800mg. Ibuprofen and I was doing well on the Ibuprofen 3x a day. But the RX ran out, I am out of state, and the swelling has returned so back to leftover RX painkillers again, especially at night. What is it about the night that requires us to need painkillers to rest comfortably and/or sleep? Why are nights the worst?

My mood is okay. Not afraid to go to the grocery store or Joann Fabrics. I am working on a quilt again. Today I had to cut quite a bit of fabric standing up. I was good for about 20 minutes before I noticed my knee talking to me. I took a 30 min. break and laid on the couch w/ my knee elevated. When the timer went off, I resumed cutting fabric. This takes some getting used to.

Robyn

 

[Jane B.]

Robyn, standing still does me in. Can you set up a rolling stool for cutting fabric?

You can take over the counter Advil, each pill has 200 mg, so take four to equal 800 mg. When I worked at the clinic, the nurses gave 800 mg of Advil or generic ibuprofen, twice daily. This is important, it was 800 mg every twelve hours. I would eat something with it and maybe take an antacid. Advil doesn't bother my stomach, but it does some people. I've really tried to work the BS way by taking Tylenol, and I usually do, once a day, but it doesn't work as well for me as 600 of ibuprofen. (Remember, I'm not a medical provider of any sort.)

Here's my ten week report:

I'm pretty miserable.

I'm sore in new muscles and tendons. My flexion has regressed. I have not slept well since around four weeks, which I think goes along with reduced narcotics at night. Although I slept better last night, my husband said I was moaning in my sleep. This is new. I've been wearing a soft velcro knee brace to settle things down at night.

I take maybe one narcotic pill in the evening, sometimes one more, sometimes none at all.

Late last week I went to see my sister and her new house. I drove three hours each way, mostly highway with cruise control, across the state of Florida. The house wasn't coming to me! I slept on an air mattress, and drove back the next day. The air mattress was a disaster.

And I gardened again on Sunday. This time my husband helped. I clipped, he dragged the branches out. I had to clear brush/jungle where our little dachshund was hunting in the night. I couldn't get to her. I can't even guess what she was after.

I walk the dogs each afternoon for a block or two. We take it easy.

So now what? I had been doing really well. Now I am not. I have been mostly flat for two days, and I'm flying north again on Sunday. I'm worried that I'll begin to feel better, over do it, and end up in a world of pain. It's my own doing, and I should know better. But you hope it won't happen, at least this time.

I could make an appointment with the OS for his Tuesday clinic. I may, but it's not likely. I should maybe book an appointment with the physical therapist next week.

But for now, I'll just get in the hot tub, ice, (not at the same time), rest and elevate....

 

[referee54]

@Jane B. Looking at when you had your TKR, you are about nine weeks removed from your surgery, and it is still rather early yet. Stiffness, soreness, and such are to be expected, especially when you are doing all that you are. You are doing things correctly by icing and elevating. The hot tub may help your muscles to loosen up a little bit, but it may also impact your surgical knee by allowing it, at this stage, to sell a little more. Remember, heat brings fluids and blood to a site, so the heat may help to warm up the muscles, but it may casue your surgical knee to stiffen up some.

While you are feeling that you are pretty far removed from the surgery, in truth, six months is usually the magic mark when people can say, "Now, that's more like it!" Some get it sooner, I got it later, but it is usually around the six-month mark that we can begin to see about how few issues that we have.

I'm sore in new muscles and tendons.

You are using muscles and tendons correctly now---and, for the most part, there may have been some dysfunctionallity in these before. Remember---"Mechanics is muscle memory"---and your muscles and tendons now have to "relearn" what is actually correct now.

Hang in there---while you are on your way, it is still a little early in your journey!

 

[Jane B.]

Thanks, Tim. I admit to getting a tad discouraged. Everything had been going pretty well. I'll try to be more patient, and call my landscaper for help!

 

[marmora]

@Jane B.

Hello Jane,

Your post was very honest and expressed how you are feeling.
They say "misery" loves company, so I'm here for a bit to keep you company.

Important to recognise and acknowledge the times when we are feeling disappointed or frustrated or just plain 'blah'.

That's the beauty of BoneSmart , it is where we can express the highs as well as the lows that we feel on this unexpected and uncharted recovery journey.

You are where you are today and maybe for a few more days. That's to be expected.
I respect your honesty in expressing how you are feeling.

Remember what Scarlett O'Hara said, "Tomorrow is another day".

Cathie

 

[Djbrund]

@Jane B. And @marmora ,

I think this is a tough time in our recovery. We are well enough to do/attempt things that we've done before surgery, but it still hurts when we do. We've cut way back on pain meds, but are still in pain. I think it is expectations. I, personally have decided that I'm going to up my rehab. I'll baby the knee some but not the muscles and tendons. I did not sleep well last night...it seems every third night I get a good nights sleep.

It's all about patience. My biggest character defect is a lack of patience. -- Joni

 

[referee54]

I'll try to be more patient,

Admittedly, it is tough. At two months, we all want to break free, but the journey is a while longer.

I understand how you feel---at eight weeks, I went back to teaching, and I was beginning to re-assemble my life. The stiffness, and soreness, though, stayed with me for quite some time---it took me about five months to lose a slight, pesky, little limp.

Keep on using life as PT---but understand that icing, elevating, and resting are still the norm de rigueur at this time, and may be for some time to come, as well

 

[referee54]

. We are well enough to do/attempt things that we've done before surgery, but it still hurts when we do.

BINGO!!! Yes---we are beginning to venture "into the real world"---and reclaim our lives.

We are hunting for something that we missed for so long---normalcy!

This normalcy is there, but at this stage of the game, it will take a little payment---usually a little bit of pain, stiffness, or discomfort.

Eventually, these will all dissipate, and normalcy will be free of charge!

 

[MotownGirl66]

@Jane B. Since we are surgery buddies, I know exactly how you feel. I am taking Naproxen 500 mg. two times a day, but I still have to elevate my knee a few times a day. I also take prescription painkillers either once or twice a day, as needed. I wouldn't use the term "miserable" to describe how I feel, but I can say I am way past ready for this recovery to be completed. Hang in there, and take a painkiller about 45 minutes before your flight home. I don't know how you got up and down from that air mattress! If seating is too low, I can barely pull myself off of it.

We are in a vacation rental home still so a rolling stool is a "no-go" for now. I just take my time ironing and cutting the fabric.

@referee54 I cannot wait for the 6 month mark. I still need to have knee #2 done, but there's no way in heck I am ready for it. No way, no sir, no go!

Robyn

 

[Celle]

I, too, wonder when the gratitude will kick in

Give it 6 months! It's still early days for you.

 

[MotownGirl66]

@Celle Thank you! That's what someone else just said, too. Maybe at the 6th month mark, my memories will have faded and I will consider having knee #2 done.

 

[referee54]

The six-month mark for me meant that I was around 80%-85%---and that I was truly beginning to return to normal. At eight months, 90%-95%---and the rest of the year I gained even more ROM and normalcy in tiny increments.

 

[Djbrund]

@referee54 , My OS says at 3 months I can expect to be 75% recovered. At 6 months 90-95%. It takes a year to be 100%. When telling this to my PT, he says I'm already more than 75%. What??!! I guess I'm supposed to be thankful for my ROM. But it still hurts! AND. I am certainly not back to doing 75% of what I could do before!! Sigh -- Joni

 

[kneeper]

I've found that taking it a bit gradually has paid off big time. I'd do a little bit more and see how that felt. If good,then I'd try a little bit more. If that seemed to cause more pain, I'd wait a few days or a week to try more.
For example, once I was back at work I decided to try to ease back into exercising. I really did what most people would consider hardly anything--but I listened to the knee and stopped when the knee began to mildly protest. But then the next week I could do a few minutes more and so on.
It seems glacial at first, but you do arrive.
I'm at 5+ months and though I still get a little stiff and twingy at times, I'd say I'm nearly there.

 

[Jane B.]

Thanks, Everyone. I'm doing a little better.

I realized that this was the time to take painkillers at night. Duh. I had been caught up in trying not taking any at all, and it was a bit crazy.

I'm absolutely determined not to do any more hard gardening until next year. I need to save my knee for the little things that make life better.

 

[PrincessTia]

I need to save my knee for the little things that make life better.

Sounds like a very wise decision! Or what are we doing this surgery for? Good for you.

 

[Jane B.]

11 Weeks:

I can walk and walk. In two days, I went to Target, Home Depot, a plant nursery, the grocery store, a cafe, picked up my grandson at school, and didn't think twice about it. Before the surgery, I'd sit in a store parking lot, and plan my steps in order to do the least amount possible.

I've relearned stairs, the State of Florida doesn't have many. When I go back, I may have to drive to an office building, and "borrow" their stairs.

I even ironed a new linen table cloth. I only iron if I absolutely have to. I wasn't even sure we had an iron. It was OK, despite not being a fan of standing still.

The flight from Florida to Boston was absolutely fine. My friends and family haven't seen me for a month and they all have commented on how much better my knee works.

I'm sore at night, and in the middle of the night I can wake myself rolling over, or stretching. I am sleeping a little better.

I've given myself permission to take pain meds. Night time is the problem, and it's dumb to lie awake and be uncomfortable. Yes, it's not the terrible pain it was in the beginning, but it is not great.

As long as I stay away from gardening, or moving heavy things, I think I'll be good.

To my friends in the US, have a good Turkey Day. To my friends outside of the country, be happy you won't be gaining 15 pounds in one day!