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PKR Left Knee in

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I'm really glad I came back to the office this week. I'm able to spend most of my time here sitting, leg on an ottoman cube under my desk. I ice on and off. And when I start to slow down, I go home. My flexion is greatly improved, I can walk a bit now without aids, stairs are easier. I really needed to get moving to see improvement.


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@JennyLynne Sounds as though you are sorted at work and being sensible. Good stuff with walking without aids a little, each day a little bit more flexion means a whole lot more movement. It's amazing how much different it makes to stairs!
@SuperSnapper Hi! Yes things seem to be going well thanks, had a fall in the week and although it hurt like hell at the time no lasting damage and knee improving hugely in terms of flexion, walking and bike.

Still get a muscle collapse, but my quad is still weak...sure it will come in time. How things with you?
 
Hi. How's the knee been since your shopping trip? Three hours is pretty impressive just a month out! Hope the plants survived the rain on Friday?
 
@jacs65 and @JennyLynne I've been reading your recovery story and finally decided to jump in. I recently found this forum. I had a left pattelofemoral replacement on May 18th. My recovery has been been very similar. Right down the watching orange is the new black in bed on the tablet. Funny! I returned to work pt after 2 weeks. I am walking without aid but use a cane just i case i feel weak. Just a few days ado weaned meds down to Tylenol 2x a day and tramadol at night to sleep. Trying to ice and elevate 2x a day or more. I have been overdoing it for sure. Yesterday I drove a total of 3 hours walked 6 flights of stairs. Good leg up bad leg down, made dinner enterained guests and walked a lot. Today after home pt and awalk around yard i was so tired! Went to a graduation party for 2 hours and came home to sleep for 2 hours. I was freezing when I got home and its a beautiful sunny 80 day here today. @jacs65 you mentioned cold. Ive had that frequently. Its good to know what I feel is normal and I'm not alone. Thank you!
 
@overeast how crazy all three of us in the same week! Glad you commented, hope you start a thread.

It's clear this surgery is becoming more common, especially in the 40s and 50s. sounds like you are almost back to regular activity! I'm still quite slow, only today switched from one crutch to a cane. Love hearing about you and @jacs65, it motivates me!


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@overeast Hey there, so good you found us! You will benefit hugely from the forum, I know @JennyLynne and myself have plus many others. Everyone is really friendly, helpful and wise.

I'm finding out daily what the body goes through after major surgery, it is a real eyeopener. The coldness is not so bad now, but if I do get episodes it tends to be in the mornings.
You have certainly been very busy recently. This week I have decided to work from home every morning which is so good and already (after day one) feeling back in the loop a little. Not allowed to return to work as consultant has not signed me back to work (no letter received regarding a follow up) and cannot drive for another week.

Keep in touch @overeast and let us know how you are progressing. As @JennyLynne definitely start your own thread too.
 
@Raffs Looking back it was kind of immense shopping trip and actually that is quite long for someone without knee surgery. But yes fully recovered thanks and do you know we had absolutely no rain, so been watering and feeding like mad and hoping the cold nights pass so things can start growing.

How are you and your knee, not long to go now :thumb:
 
@SuperSnapper Hi there, thanks. Yes all OK really, I am managing to walk 2Km a day now and cycling 3 x 10mins per day BUT these are not always full revolution. My train of thought is any movement is good movement.

How is your knee now, does it give you any problems?
 
@overeast I'm 2 weeks and 1 day away from my PKR and cannot stress enough how helpful and reassuring it has been to read about the other "partials" on here @jacs65, @JennyLynne, @SuperSnapper and @Hopper to name a few. I know I'd be in a terrible state if I hadn't found this site. Bravo, ladies, way to go!

@jacs65 great news that the knee held up to the shopping trip. Also fab re the walking and cycling and working.
 
@jacs65 Thanks for the message. My knee is great! We just spent a week in Switzerland, walking 5 miles a day up and down hills and lower mountain slopes and swimming every day for about an hour and it coped well with it all. I had absolutely no issues with it and actually each day it felt stronger.

You are doing really well! That amount of exercise at 1 month out is very good - just don't push too far at this stage but what great progress. I think the secret is to keep moving and go slowly. You can pick up the pace when your knee is more comfortable. Your quads are probably still a bit weak too and will take a while yet to get back to normal. Are you still icing a lot? I did it for weeks but it was such a good pain reliever. I still ice now and again but only when I need to now.

I was a bit concerned to hear you had a fall but happy to hear that all is well now. I think the implants are pretty tough. I've banged mine a few times but it recovers.

Most days now, I don't even think about my knee and the really good bit is that my other knee, which will need doing eventually, has behaved impeccably too.

Best wishes for your continued recovery
 
@Raffs Hi there, good so far thanks. Although I have had two poor nights sleep where knee was paining me all night. Nothing huge but enough to keep me awake and too much for painkillers to deal with completely. Think it was a stretch the physio recommended that perhaps I am not ready for. Did not do the stretch yesterday and low and behold a better nights sleep.

Walking going well, about 1 1/2 miles a day and some biking on the static bike.

Is it next week you go for you op? How are you feeling about it all?
 
Sorry to hear about the sleep issues but sounds like you may have figured out the reason. Walking 1.5 miles a day is fantastic. You must feel pretty pleased?

So.....my next question is...would you say your recovery has been easier or harder than you expected before the surgery or about the same?

You're not on any prescription meds still are you? And you've been walking without your sticks for quite a while?

Surgery is in 12 days - June 30th. I'm pretty calm with moments of sheer terror!! Thanks for asking.
 
@Raffs Hi there, sleeping improved now. Guess it is just one of those things.

Recovery; in terms of pain control in the early weeks was a lot easier than I ever imagined. I have been told I have high pain threshold but it is very subjective. I read on here that nights were worse so prepared for that and I think treating the day as 24hrs long helped. I do not take any painkillers regularly now and only when needed, be it anti-inflammatory drug (Ibruprofen) or pain killers (paracetamol)

What I have found harder than I imagined is the frustrating levels of how major knee surgery takes it out of you of and the rest of the body. For example, after 5 weeks post surgery, going out for a few hours and feeling utterly exhausted (shopping trip) that took me by surprise for sure.

My own GP will not sign me back into work, it has to be made by my consultant but I still have not received the letter for the appointment. But I am being kept very busy at home, I work from home and potter in the garden :)

Yes I have been walking without any sticks for a number of weeks, used one stick from the start pretty much and then discarded both after two weeks. Think this is quite unusual though (?)

Hope all that helps
 
That is really helpful, thank you. From the outside, your recovery appears to be going pretty smoothly which is why I asked. I was interested to hear if your answer matched what I thought you would say - it does! I am keeping my fingers crossed that my recovery goes as well as yours. Are you due to see the consultant at 6 weeks? I'll be interested to hear when you feel your energy levels are returning. I'm due to attend a conference at about 11 weeks post-op but am wondering if I'll be up to it. One more question - dried or canned prunes!!? Thanks and have a lovely weekend.
 
I had great success with dried prunes, up to 10 a day I think I had over the course of a week. Worked a treat.

Waiting for a letter from my consultant, so hoping to hear soon about an appointment.

Have a good weekend too.
 
@Hopper driving has been good so far thanks. Just had very local trips over the last couple of days and due a local journey this afternoon, but it is mainly motorway driving to clutch leg (operated knee) will not be used much. I am avoiding keeping my foot depressed on clutch until I change gear rather than keeling it there at lights etc.
 
I have a question;

Is it normal for my knee to knock when I am moisturising or applying coconut oil to the scar area? It is really quite audible....
 
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