Knee replacement recovery - FRUSTRATION

[Teach4]

I'm in my 5th week of recovery from knee replacement and am frustrated that my recovery is going slow. I am a 53 year old woman in good health who had one knee replaced. I have been on a cane for 2 weeks and everyone says I'm walking great--but it's still so very hard to bend my knee. My knee is still swollen and my incision is still scabbed over. When I left the hospital my skin around the incision broke out in blisters from the steri strips. I still have one scab left from the blisters and the skin around my knee is very tight. I had at home PT for the first 4 weeks. My PT said I am doing well, but a little behind because of the blisters and scabbing. When I do my exercise I sometimes have a little bleeding around my incision. So, I push myself, but at the same time am careful. I will be going to outpatient PT next week. Am I normal? How long will this take?

 

[JenniferG]

Hey teach, morning and welcome. I think I had a few scab spots still around 5 weeks. As soon as the incision is all closed up try rubbing something called Aquaphor from Eucirin on it a couple times a day. that will help soften it and the touching will make it less sensitive. One of my 2 knees is still swollen, ice end elevate. The swelling will lessen in time but can stick around for up to a year, so I guess that makes you normal. I think being on a cane at 5 weeks sounds reasonable as well. You will find yourself using it less and less, I promise. One day you will put it down and then go a few steps only to realize you forgot to pick it back up.

 

[referee54]

Hey, Teach4, I have taught for 31 years---I too am 53---I had a bilateral done back in November of '07. You are doing fine. Keep in mind that you had cutting, drilling, sawing, and other neat stuff done to you; it is going to take some time to get over this trauma and to rehab your body. As has been said by Jennifer, the swelling will take quite some time to go down---my knees are still a tad puffy and my legs are still swollen, but I am getting around fine, umpiring baseball games and riding my bike---lots.

You are right on track it seems for out-patient PT, and you will see marked improvements there. Remember, your body didn't get this way overnight---arthritis is a stealthy booger, and it will take considerable time and effort to put your leg---and your life back in order. Be prepared to work aas hard as you possibly can in PT---my legs were really stiff for about four months and then magically the stifness went away. PT for this is grueling and onerous---but boy, is it worth it.

Hang in there and do not become frustrated---I know it is easy for me to say that now, but the dividends are waiting for you.

Tim C.

 

[Doug]

Teach, I'm at 5 months and have just gotten my leg back within the last couple of weeks. You had major surgery, and it's going to take two things. Time and Effort. I guess add a third, Patience. Ref and others had to coach me through the patience part. Work as hard as you can and you will reap the rewards.

 

[referee54]

PATIENCE? PATIENCE? I WANT PATIENCE, AND I WANT IT NOW!!!

There were times that I was very frustrated and was gimping around school---one day one leg would be stiff, the next day, the other leg would be stiff...then the stiffness began to melt away. I still get a little bit every now and then, but the hard work has paid off. As Captain Doug has said, Time, Effort, and Patience.

TSC

 

[Dsimpso]

I had knee surgery in April and am the same age you are. Swelling -- I still have swelling and stiffness, especially if I sit for too long, and was told by my physio that it is normal and total recovery takes up to a year in some people. Don't be discouraged. Remember, that surgery is major and the body needs time to heal.

Diana S

 

[val]

I am into my 5th week and after week 3 I have deep tendon and muscle pain. Had outer right knee replaced. Really frustrated because I was way ahead of the game but now have a set back. Any one experiences this and what does the future holdhttp://www.bonesmart.org/public_forum/images/icons/icon13.gif
Thumbs down

 

[Doug]

Val, I'm 5 months post op. I had trouble with the IlioTibial Band which runs down the outside of the leg and anchors in the knee area. The Dr. said it is because of the realignment of the leg with the new prosthesis.
Talk with your therapist about some of the passive stretches you can do.
For me, I lay on the floor inside a door way.(I know, odd picture). Take your leg and prop the heel up on the door frame, relax the leg and let it stretch. Adjust the tension by sliding forward or back. I've done this for the past month and it makes all the difference

 

[Josephine]

Seems like the 'ayes' have it! You're normal!

 

[Teach4]

To all you WONDERFUL people who replied to Teach4/Frustration I appreciate your words of encouragement. I feel better after reading your advice. I will continue to work hard on my exercises, and try to have patience and not get frustrated. This is the first time I have done a blog and it has been soooo helpful! I will keep in touch and let you all know how I'm progressing.

 

[Weezl]

Teach4, I just turned 60 and had one TKR on Jan 4th and like you I was in good shape and not overweight. I was very discouraged. The blisters as you were told will just heal away and will not effect your incision. When you are in good shape you are told by everyone how well you are doing and you can't believe they say that when to you doing well is being normal ASAP. Well it just doesn't work that way. Do your exercises and take it easy in between and keep the faith. You will have pain and stiffness. Pain especially at night. Pain will dissapaite slowly over 2 - 3 mos till it's ocassional then rare, and stiffness will linger getting better and better. My knee has gone down considerably and the knee gets less stiff w/less swelling. I strill have some swelling but that is normal and I am impatient. Hang in there, sounds like your on target....I too taught for about 8 yrs then moved on to something else.
Ms Weezl

 

[Teach4]

Thanks for your advice. Everyone has told me to be patient and I am trying. What's frustrating is no one--doctor, nurses, etc. never told me what to expect. Going on this site, has given me a lot of info. Hope you're doing well. Thanks again!

 

[Weezy]

Thanks for your advice. Everyone has told me to be patient and I am trying. What's frustrating is no one--doctor, nurses, etc. never told me what to expect. Going on this site, has given me a lot of info. Hope you're doing well. Thanks again!

Hey Teach--I'm a teacher too! Seems like there's a lot of us here.

Just a couple of comments: Everyone else said it so well--you're right on target and it is SO frustrating trying to be patient and work through everything. I'm at 7.5 weeks now, and I've noticed the biggest improvement in the past week. It's kind of "jumped" into better/less pain all of a sudden.

And I'm with you on no one really tells us what to expect! I even went to the hospital's "class" for joint replacement, and while it was very informative, it didn't really talk about the stuff we go through during recovery. I'd be really frustrated without this group here, because somehow I kinda thought that I'd be pretty much "normal" again by about 3-4 weeks. Yeah. silly, eh? Now I laugh at that idea!

I think the bottom line is really that most (none?) of the medical people who help us have been through the surgery themselves. And if they really did tell us the truth, I wonder how many would have backed out? (Probably none cuz we all hurt so bad.) I also wonder if people who have been through it tend to minimize it afterwards....in order to make us feel better before we do it or because they simply forget how tough recovery is?

Weezy

 

[Josephine]

Steristrips are not as innocuous as Ethicon claims them to be. I have to constantly remind people treating me that I am ALLERGIC to them as I am to a lot of adhesive dressings and tapes. My skin will tolerate a BandAid for about 48hrs but after that I get blisters and sometimes even severe excoriation. I had SteriStrips on a wound once and it ended up in ever such a mess. Took a long time to heal up too as such skin damage often does.

 

[Nursepair]

Steristrips are not as innocuous as Ethicon claims them to be. I have to constantly remind people treating me that I am ALLERGIC to them as I am to a lot of adhesive dressings and tapes. My skin will tolerate a BandAid for about 48hrs but after that I get blisters and sometimes even severe excoriation. I had SteriStrips on a wound once and it ended up in ever such a mess. Took a long time to heal up too as such skin damage often does.

Hey Jo, Have the same problem as you with dressings. I seemed fine with the staples I had though, my scar healed really well early on, it was the swelling which took the time to go down, got a lot less at 5 months, but still some.

 

[Marilynbilateral]

Hello, This is my first time writing in. I will be 5 wks post surgery tomorrow. I had both knees replaced and I am 57 years of age. I am amazed at how well I can actually get around - up and down stairs, in and out of bed and off the couch. I have been doing my excersizes daily and have just started out patient rehab yesterday. But, I totally can relate to your frustration. I do get stiffness more in my left knee and sometimes pains in my patella. I have tried to wean of the pain medication, but have had a very bad reaction - feeling hot and cold, weak, more pain and stiffness and nauseated. I am guessing that I tried to wean off too quickly. I am taking hydromorphine, tramacet and a half of a gravol every 6 hours and it keeps me happy and out of pain. Can anyone tell me how long it takes before you can safely go off the pain meds and not have pain. Any suggestions on how to wean off slowly so that you do not get a reaction? You help will be much appreciated. Marilyn

 

[Josephine]

Hello, Marylin. Welcome to the forum.

As for how long - try 5 months? You certainly need some form of analgesia for that amount of time though it varies greatly from one individual to another. Sorry!

 

[Nursepair]

Marilyn, welcome, I too live in Canada, Ontario. As Jo says, you need the pain killers at the moment. As soon as you have no pain, I was about 4 months, start cutting your pills down, I am weaning myself off at the moment. It is a long process, (1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 etc.)but will work in the end. I too have a lot of the withdrawal symptons when I am close to taking my next piece of pill. Itchy on ther inside, like ants crawling through your blood stream, irritability, sweating, shivering, stomach pains, nausea, crying easily, hard to breathe (panis attacks I think) and getting suddenly tired. I am down to a quarter of a Paercocet 4.5 hourly from 2 pills 4 hourly in the early days. So I am getting there, but slowly. Some people do it cold turkey, but not me!!! Sue

 

[pokeyd]

Hi, I'm new on this site and your problem kinda sounds like me, not sure though. Dec.20th 2007 had tkr on left and then manipulation Feb. 14th 2008. On the lower outside quarter of knee no swelling but warm to touch, the quarter part above is like muscle is big and bulky. Sharp shooting pain but still do walking and ride bike, other leg bending so I don't get stiff. Was at 120 degrees but probably not that high right now. Does what you had sound like myself? Trying to figure it out. I truly don't believe it's all in my head. I'm 49 female. thanks

 

[Josephine]

Hello, Pokeyd. Welcome to the forum.

Do you ice your knee still? I think it would help.