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TKR LTKR April 1 - bending knee hurts

Celle said:
@SkiBikeHikeDude , I don't know what those reddened areas are either, but I think an allergic rash would be more generalized, rather than in separate patches.

You didn't by any chance apply heat or cold to your thigh, did you?
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Celle, I have not used any heat at all. I do "ice" my knee a lot, and at least some of these areas would get some of the cold therapy. I am using a Cold Rush cold therapy machine that uses ice cold water run through hoses to a pad and I alway put a dish towel between my leg and the ice machine pad to keep it from being too cold (the cold pad is never directly on my skin).

The red spots feel a bit swollen and are very tender to the touch, almost like bruises. I will continue to monitor them and have cut my activities even more (I get up to go to the bathroom and not much else) to try to reduce any stress on my leg for now.

Thanks all for your thoughts and suggestions.
 
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Hey there friend- I just found your recovery thread and read it all. Sounds like you've been on a good trajectory until this concerning rash. I'm totally curious what it ends up being. Hope it's nothing serious. Anyway I'll keep checking in, and you're doing great so far.
 
Hmmm... those red blotchy areas are a concern and I’m hoping you were able to get hold of some Benadryl or such... please keep us posted!
 
My red spots changed as the day went on yesterday, becoming less distinct as the day went on. I was able to get Benadryl lotion in the afternoon and used it repeatedly, but couldn't tell if it helped or not. I waited to take a Benadryl tablet until bedtime because they really make me sleepy and I had some important calls last night I needed to be awake for.

My knee woke me up aching at 4 am (which is unusual), so I took some Tylenol and tried to go back to sleep. The pain was in the joint, also unusual, and seemed to get worse not better after it woke me up. I slept on and off until 6 when I gave up and got up.

My knee joint feels more swollen, stiff, and painful today than it has been in a long time. I'm not sure what is going on, but this doesn't seem right. I skipped most stretches yesterday because it felt off and kept movement and time on my feet to a minimum, but still my knee got worse. Maybe I should have done more? I'm not sure if I should just monitor it or what.

Attached is a photo of my knee today. Whenever I get up it turns red all over - my family have all commented "your knee is really red."

But it doesn't feel really bad. Not sure if I wait this out or try to see someone today.
08A1F85D-5029-460C-B202-1436FB437244.jpeg
 
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Hi ~ I'm sorry you're having that pain at night along with stiffness and inflammation/swelling, not to mention the rash. I had a rash similar to that before my TKR which lasted a year ~ it was self limiting and resolved. My family dr. gave me a cream (didn't work), sent me to dermatologist that gave the same diagnosis, a cream (also didn't work), Pityriasis Rosea. There were these circles, first one (the mother) started on my thigh and spread all over my trunk area. At first I thought it was heat from my laptop, but I don't know and yours seems to be connected to your TKR and in one location.

As far as the pain you've been having, remember you rode your bike for 15 minutes outdoors, just 5 days ago, and that may have set you back. I remember being set back 2 weeks doing an exercise where I had to stand on the TKR leg for 30 seconds. Hopefully it's nothing more serious, but obviously you're monitoring it, along with the rash. Feel better soon.:SUNsmile:
 
liam2015 said:
Hi ~ I'm sorry you're having that pain at night along with stiffness and inflammation/swelling, not to mention the rash. I had a rash similar to that before my TKR which lasted a year ~ it was self limiting and resolved. My family dr. gave me a cream (didn't work), sent me to dermatologist that gave the same diagnosis, a cream (also didn't work), Pityriasis Rosea. There were these circles, first one (the mother) started on my thigh and spread all over my trunk area. At first I thought it was heat from my laptop, but I don't know and yours seems to be connected to your TKR and in one location.

As far as the pain you've been having, remember you rode your bike for 15 minutes outdoors, just 5 days ago, and that may have set you back. I remember being set back 2 weeks doing an exercise where I had to stand on the TKR leg for 30 seconds. Hopefully it's nothing more serious, but obviously you're monitoring it, along with the rash. Feel better soon.:SUNsmile:
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Thanks,

I do think this is probably a rash, although my muscles under it hurt. It is strange. It does seem connected my TKR somehow, but since it isn't getting worse I'm just going to see what happens and hope it gets better.

I talked with both my surgeon and my PT (both of whom are pretty cautious and stress not overdoing it) and they both think riding very slowly like I did outside should be fine and shouldn't set me back. Clearly it did a little, so I'll keep monitoring that. I see my PT again this afternoon and I'm anxious to get his thoughts on what is going on.

Wednesday was a hard day as these red spots appeared and my knee was more swollen and was stiffer, making me realize that I would have to cancel my rafting trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho in July. Going on that trip has been my goal since before surgery, but I'm just not progressing as I had hoped, and Mother Nature also isn't cooperating as the river will be near record low water levels, meaning I'd most likely have to get out and push the heavy raft off rocks while standing in moving current. I'm an old raft guide and really want to go (permits are very hard to get too), but it isn't going to happen.
 
I'd be interested to hear what your p.t. has to say. I just realized you're a male and that explains a lot lol. (just kidding). My hubby had a relapse of an old high school football knee injury that landed him in the hospital the 2nd time it happened. The first time it happened just before I broke my femur on Dec. 19 and that's why I was doing all the dog walks and slipped on ice so that he could rest. He had yet another relapse after I got home from hospital, screaming in pain and luckily I had some hydromorphone that I never used and the pain settled (the ambulance wouldn't come that time).

We have been going to physio together but he has been very conscientious in doing the home exercises and he's gone on 2 outdoor 20 minute bike rides, which I did not approve of. he's been riding his bike downstairs on a trainer. I've been so scared that if he injures himself again, while I'm still recovering, we'll be up a creek. We already have my niece walking our dog, but hubby has taken over some of that again also. He is threatening to go golfing this weekend since golf courses are going to re-open since the pandemic. I wish he would be more patient as he's also working full-time and looking after me although I've taken over meals. I do respect your effort at recovery ~ I can see you are working diligently.

Good luck and feel better.
 
liam2015 said:
I'd be interested to hear what your p.t. has to say. I just realized you're a male and that explains a lot lol. (just kidding).
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LOL!! Yes, it's true. We aren't alway the most patient or the smartest when it comes to recovery. My entire family (mother, siblings, wife, kids) are all just waiting for me to do something stupid before I'm ready and hurt myself. But I'm being mellow and a good patient, I swear!
 
The PT didn't like the look of my knee and sent me directly to see the surgeon instead of doing PT. My knee is more swollen and redder than Wednesday (which was worse than Monday) and he was pretty worried it may be infected.

I saw the surgeon and he agreed something wasn't right. He ended up draining my knee to get fluid to send to the lab to check for infection. He easily drained more than 45 ml (2 large syringes) of fluid from my knee. The good news was that the fluid looked like normal fluid and did not show signs of obvious infection. He was clear that this was not conclusive, but it at least leaves more hope than if it it had shown signs of obvious infection.

The fluid now goes to the lab and the surgeon will get daily reports. If I don't hear from him it is is good news, at least for that day although it could take a while for the culture to show infection.

I really really hope it isn't infected.
 
Here is my knee after being drained. This is the most normal it has looked since surgery. [Bonesmart.org] LTKR April 1 - bending knee hurts .
 
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Oh, SkiBike, prayers coming your way that no infection is present! You sound like you’re in good hands. Keep us posted. And take this time to relax, elevate, ice and medicate. This probably isn’t the time to get too active until You find out what’s going on.
 
Oh my goodness ~ what a wise p.t. you have to send you to surgeon. My hubby had his knee drained of a lot of blood (called it hemorrhaging in his knee) after he was taken to hospital. he had been walking the dog and all of a sudden, his knee stiffened and he couldn't walk anymore. Luckily no infection. Did your surgeon recommend what you should do, ie. ice, elevate, heat or what you shouldn't do?

Fingers crossed that there is no infection. I wonder what caused it? Take good care of yourself and it won't be long you'll be better than before the TKR.:console2:
 
Sisterpat said:
Oh, SkiBike, prayers coming your way that no infection is present! You sound like you’re in good hands. Keep us posted. And take this time to relax, elevate, ice and medicate. This probably isn’t the time to get too active until You find out what’s going on.
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Thank you so much Sisterpat! I will definitely not be doing anything this weekend except elevating and icing!
 
liam2015 said:
Oh my goodness ~ what a wise p.t. you have to send you to surgeon. My hubby had his knee drained of a lot of blood (called it hemorrhaging in his knee) after he was taken to hospital. he had been walking the dog and all of a sudden, his knee stiffened and he couldn't walk anymore. Luckily no infection. Did your surgeon recommend what you should do, ie. ice, elevate, heat or what you shouldn't do?

Fingers crossed that there is no infection. I wonder what caused it? Take good care of yourself and it won't be long you'll be better than before the TKR.:console2:
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Thank you liam! Wow, you and your husband have been through so much. I hope he takes care of himself and that you both feel better.

The surgeon said to continue to take it easy and ice and elevate. He said I may feel much better because of all the fluid he drained, but of course I should just take it easy this weekend. He asked me to text him every day with updates as he wants to know how I'm feeling.

I am very lucky to have such caring medical professionals here.

We did talk about what is next if it is infected, and I'll just say I hope it isn't!
 
My knee feels better today after being drained yesterday, and doesn't seem to have swollen again so far. It is not as hot and not as red.

I received this report from my surgeon:

"Hello. After 12 hours no growth in the cultures. There was also no organisms seen under the microscope from the sample. I’ll Post you immediately if I learn something concerning from lab. "

So, so far so good. I'm a couch potato again today with my leg elevated and on ice. This has been my norm for many weeks now. Hopefully I am not infected (yesterday I was pretty sure I was, and today I think I'm not based on how I feel), and getting the fluid out of my knee will help me start to move forward towards a normal life again.
 
Good news, SkiBike! How is the rash doing?
 
Sisterpat said:
Good news, SkiBike! How is the rash doing?
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My knee seems to be improving and it allowed me to sleep through the night last night! Then when I woke up I immediately realized that lying there my knee didn't hurt at all for the first time in a long time. It is not swelling up again and the redness clearly is skin related and not coming from something deeper in my knee. The rash is about the same, but at least not worse.

So, it appears so far that the joint probably isn't infected!!! I still need to wait for lab results, but all signs point to no. The doctor says to keep doing what I'm doing, which means more of nothing but lying around elevating and icing.

Next is to figure out what this rash is about and why my knee was so swollen last week.
 
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