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TKR Late Bloomer<

I am also an educator (newly retired), so I understand our need to be in control at all times. Clara is absolutely on point, relax, elevate that knee and know it may take a while to reboot your recovery. There's a book called Leo the Late Bloomer that says watched bloomers don't bloom, the same is true of our knees. It's a slow recovery, there's nothing we can do to hurry it along. Patience is the key. Busy yourself doing things while you're elevating and icing. Are you worried about being ready for the start of school? I know this can become all consuming! I had a very hard time while out for 12 weeks with my RTKR. If you can teach children, you can do this!
 
@zzevi - Welcome!

I'm two weeks today and had a PT appointment yesterday. Even being prepared with knowledge from these wonderful folks, I was stressed out from my ROM measurement and he went right to "you're going to need a MUA..." :yikes:

It's very easy to be stressed by PT, OS, and family expectations—never mind our own! I hope the responses and feedback will give you encouragement and hope.
 
You certainly can turn things around! The people here know what they are talking about! Everyone has been through it and, as I discovered three years ago, their advice is invaluable. Don't be discouraged! Although it may not seems like not to you, you are indeed in the early stages of recovery. You have plenty of time to get yourself back on track. You need to back off on the PT, take your pain meds on schedule, ice and elevate and let your body heal. I love what Josephine said about not being sent home from the hospital healed. You were sent home "to heal." Truer words were never spoken! Hang in there and let us know how you're doing!


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of course it is never too late to deal with the swelling. I found that support hose helped when I was up and about. And, I did visit a lymphatic massage specialist. She gave me a "wrap" that looked so silly I almost laughed. I really just put it on because she had been so nice and informative to me. I was dumbfounded in the morning to see the difference in the swelling. I wore that wrap every day for about 4 weeks.
 
After feeling so defeated the other day at p/t as my lack of ROM, I thought for sure the doctor would have plenty to say. He actually didn't think my swelling was to bad, I care to differ I can feel it up into my thigh and the tight band feeling. He thought I was on the hump where we could maybe see some real good progress in the next few wks. Asked if I had a stationary bike which I do and he mentioned just doing the back and forth motion. I dreaded going today, hated to hear any thing more negative, yet it wasn't at all and I felt relieved and like a wt had been lifted off my shoulders as the swelling and stiffness has stressed me out, but I've also felt much relief knowing I am not the only one out there experiencing these same problems. From reading many of the posts on here. Very thankful for finding this site.
 
@zzevi, this is the fourth time your threads have been merged. Please stop making new threads every time you post. That's not the way we like to do things here. You see, it's so much easier to be able to help you and give you the advice you need when we are able to easily see when your surgery was, what other issues you may have had, and what has been going on in your recovery just by looking at one thread instead of bouncing back and forth between two or more other threads.

We also have help articles here, you know! In here How To Use This Forum (it's in the "Help & Info" tab across the top of the page).
The article you want is this one How can I find my threads and posts?
 
@zzevi I'm glad you had a positive experience at the doctor's office...good luck in your recovery.

Don't forget, baby steps, don't over do it :)
 
@Josephine read thru your forum rules, sorry that I had been starting new threads all the time. I think I understand the workings of the site now that I read the info you suggested. Hadn't meant to be using the forum the wrong way. Thank you for making corrections.
 
@zzevi - I can totally relate - and also let you know that I was so happy to find this site! At two weeks I was a MESS! I had no clue - no real idea about real elevation and icing was just not on my agenda. I was going to PT 3x week. At my two week mark I was in severe pain and swelling was unreal!!! The PT was pushing me on the pedals and I could barely move. That is when she said I "might" have a blood clot (this on a Friday - 3 days before I went to see my DR). I started to cry - scared. Then she laid me on the table and measured my ROM (I had done nothing to loosen up at all). She said I "should be at 90 by now" which made me feel like a total failure. Well - I walked out of that place and never went back. I went to my Dr. - a sonogram ordered - no clot. I started resting, icing and elevating and the swelling decreased rapidly. My new PT's were the BEST! They never touched me - always encouraged, but never made me feel like a failure if I couldn't do it. Long story short - I have full range of motion. I am 14 weeks out - do I feel perfect - no - I still ice if I have had a long day and I am careful with my exercises. I do not go to PT anymore and am able to take my steps and walk half a mile (over and above my regular walking throughout the day). Of course, everyone is different, but you can turn it around! No worries - you have a knee to take care of!! :snork:
 
Icing and elevating and have seen a improvement this week. I noticed this morning my pain and swelling I believe is actually more above my knee joint now then the knee joint. Don't get me wrong there is swelling, better than it was, and soreness, but my biggest complaint is that tight band feeling above the knee. That area is actually a little more tender to touch, I've been doing some deep massage rubbing and it actually makes it feel a little better for a bit. How long can I expect this feeling to last? Really tired the past few days, sleep is good when it happens, but is a hr or so at a time then a wake and back and forth all night. Mornings seem to be productive and afternoon and evenings go down hill as the day goes on. Over all feeling ok, swelling, stiffness, walking like a peg leg pirate are my biggest issues currently.
 
I'm very glad that icing and elevating your knee has begun to help you. That tight band feeling is very common. Continuing to ice and elevate will help with that too. For me it just slowly seemed to get better. I hope yours does too.
 
The tight band feeling is normal. It will fade gradually, but it can take some time:
"Tight band" feeling across the front of my knee

Since it's only just over a month since you had this major surgery, you will still feel tired for some time. That's because most of your body's energy is going towards healing your knee and there isn't much left for anything else:
Energy drain for TKRs

Give yourself time to heal and recuperate and don't try to rush things. Being patient now will pay off big time later.
Activity progression for TKRs

Finally, having problems sleeping is to be expected. It will improve but, for now, sleep where you can, when you can, and how you can:
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?
 
I'll ditto what Celle and Marian said, the tight band feeling and lack of energy are typical. Silly me, thought I could build up my stamina, of course my stamina returned in its on good time, but not for a months after the surgery. Sleep whenever you can, day or night. This was my first surgery ever and I (silly again) thought I wasn't sleeping at night because I was sleeping through the day. After 24 hours of depriving myself of sleep just so I'd sleep at night (NOT) I gave in and slept whenever I dozed off.

Keep on icing, resting and elevating, if you've seen a small difference in these few days, think of what you'll see in another week or so.
 
Progress, feeling so good about these little steps. Walked this morning with out the cane and I didn't feel like a peg leg pirate. Tight band across the leg currently doesn't feel as tight, noticed the other day I actually without thinking about it went up steps in a more natural fashion. Still can't make a full rotation on the stationary bike, heel sides are improving, still not great ROM but improving, swelling down, stiffness down. I am one happy camper. :)
 
You are doing fantastic! Slow and easy is the way to get ahead in this journey of ours!
 
Had a good P/T session, now back home icing and elevating. Hoping I am starting to move forward and if I am it is because I started to slow down a bit and spend more time icing, elevating and gentle stretches.
Have another issue, my IV at the hospital was put into the side ( not the top ) of my right hand. And although it worked wonderful and never had a issue with it, that area has been tender every since the removal of the IV, feels like it's deeply bruised. I've had my share of IV's but never had one that ached 5 wks after the removal. ( the good thing is I am left handed, so it's not on my dominate hand.)
 
You can try ice or warmth over the IV site to help with the ache you have there. It should feel better as time goes by. I'm happy your knee is coming along nicely. Just remember slow and steady wins the race!
 
Don't think I have a cause to be alarmed but I am going to put it out there anyways, I've been extremely tired lately, restless nights, but getting a good average number of hrs of sleep. Getting up early because I am sore and need to more and am restless, but by mid-day I am looking for a nap that can be a couple hrs. Mornings seem to be my best time right now that consist of 3-4 good hrs and then I am zapped. ( going to bed around 9 but getting up around 7, but usually a wake a bit on and off, nap time is usual a good sound sleep of a couple hrs.) Have had trouble with being anemic in the past, not sure if it's something I should have checked.
 
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