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TKR Michele's RTKR recovery journey

I have other issues, but my actual ROM is fine. It makes me mad that they make such a big deal about the ROM so early on, when it definitely continues to improve, and is not the only marker for recovery/success.
 
Michele, I say follow your gut. This is your body and so you are the most qualified to decide. You’ve done your research and you know your options. They may or may not not like your decision, but it is yours and only you can say what is right for you.
 
Thank you, @JusticeRider . After talking with friends and reading a lot on BoneSmart yesterday - I’m strongly leaning toward not going back to the OS next Thursday to follow up… not going back to him at all… He was so condescending, narcissistic and clearly didn’t like that I “knew things”. When I explained that I’d been researching MUAs he looked at me mockingly and said, “Why?!” When I declined the MUA he wanted to schedule for Monday, he got up and did a high five to me, and was going to end the appointment then (clearly as if to say, “ok, do what you want to do, dummy”). It was just shocking behavior. He has a god complex and didn’t like that I understand how the body heals and don’t believe talking about an MUA is necessary. It all just feels off… I’m going to ask my PT on Friday if I fire the OS can I still come to them. They massage, do cupping and really seem to help me AND I personally like them. I need prayer… I just don’t think I’m at the right OS based on the awful PA and now the OS acting as bad or worse than him. It’s just incredible service and after him firmly declaring there’s no way to confirm scar tissue and “maybe I’m wrong let me ask your PTs how you’re doing”… that, the high five, him rushing me through explaining why I felt like I didn’t need an MUA … this just isn’t behavior from someone I’d want to let do ANYTHING else to my body.
 
MichelePrevette said:
if I fire the OS can I still come to them
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Your original referral should still be good for xx visits or whatever. The surgeon is not going to take the trouble to retract his referral, if that is even possible.

You don't have to "fire" the surgeon out loud. Just don't go to any more appointments with him. Ghost him, in other words. If you need more visits, ask his office staff to arrange it. The surgeon himself doesn't trouble himself with such things. You can still pretend to be under his care, even if you never go to another appointment.

Your primary care physician should be able to give you a referral if your original one runs out or if there are other problems.

The only way I see there can be a problem is if the PT is still part of the same practice as the surgeon.
 
WFD said:
The only way I see there can be a problem is if the PT is still part of the same practice as the surgeon.
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Thank you @WFD. Physical therapy is right across the hall from my OS and is part of Novant Health hospital system, like my OS, but i don’t believe they’re part of the practice as they have a different phone number to call to schedule appointments etc. I will find out for sure Friday. I appreciate your insight very much!
 
@MichelePrevette You have every right to fire him, but you may not need to take such a dramatic step.

Not only can you say "no" to the MUA, you don't need to go back to see him again until you are happy with your flexion. Then, you can walk in and show him that you were right. Perhaps he'll learn something.

Sorry you are having to deal with this. Sending hugs. :console2:
 
Good luck, Michele! Let us know how it goes. That surgeon sounds very disrespectful, I’m sorry you were treated that way. High five and bye (!) Wow. I would be put off too! If you have a good PT and a PCP that you trust, maybe you don’t really need him anyway. Hopefully you won’t have any problem continuing with your PT.
 
MichelePrevette said:
I’m strongly leaning toward not going back to the OS next Thursday to follow up… not going back to him at all… He was so condescending, narcissistic and clearly didn’t like that I “knew things”. When I explained that I’d been researching MUAs he looked at me mockingly and said, “Why?!” When I declined the MUA he wanted to schedule for Monday, he got up and did a high five to me, and was going to end the appointment then (clearly as if to say, “ok, do what you want to do, dummy”). It was just shocking behavior.
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I think your OS must be related to my former primary physician, the one who told me I had back pain because I was getting older and/or was in menopause and/or needed to lose weight. I had back pain because of a stenosis that was getting worse with age and compressing my spinal cord but he would never have found that out. I changed doctors and got a laminectomy to remove the bone pressing on my spinal cord. Much better! There's a joke about what is the difference between God and a doctor? God doesn't think He's a doctor. I will be praying for you.
 
Zanza said:
MichelePrevette said:
I’m strongly leaning toward not going back to the OS next Thursday to follow up… not going back to him at all… He was so condescending, narcissistic and clearly didn’t like that I “knew things”. When I explained that I’d been researching MUAs he looked at me mockingly and said, “Why?!” When I declined the MUA he wanted to schedule for Monday, he got up and did a high five to me, and was going to end the appointment then (clearly as if to say, “ok, do what you want to do, dummy”). It was just shocking behavior.
Click to expand...
I think your OS must be related to my former primary physician, the one who told me I had back pain because I was getting older and/or was in menopause and/or needed to lose weight. I had back pain because of a stenosis that was getting worse with age and compressing my spinal cord but he would never have found that out. I changed doctors and got a laminectomy to remove the bone pressing on my spinal cord. Much better! There's a joke about what is the difference between God and a doctor? God doesn't think He's a doctor. I will be praying for you.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! @Zanza
 
Dry needling… Do any of you have experience or knowledge of this procedure and it’s effectiveness for helping tight muscles? My PT is going to try it tomorrow to help my quad that is so tight. We’ve been massaging it but it’s still so tight.

Also, just an update that I made an appointment with an OS who is on the BoneSmart recommended list. I poked around online too and he has good reviews AND a YouTube video he made about TKR surgery and said a trigger statement, “This recovery is about over all well being, not just the joint we operate on.” Ding ding ding. I’m not going back to my OS this week as scheduled.
 
We have had some members get dry needling, you can use the search feature in the upper right corner to find them. Personally, when I was recovering, I wanted the least physical interference to my healing leg, but then I’d been hurt in PT at one week post op, so I was very reluctant to let anyone touch me, or use something like this.

As far as this tightness goes, keep in mind it is a normal occurrence after this kind of major surgery. Your surgeon did major carpentry work and disturbed every millimeter of soft tissue in this area. You aren't tight because your muscle is underused and needs to be stretched and rehabbed. You're tight because your tissue has been disturbed is healing...and full healing takes a full year or more.
 
By the way, when you want to reply, rather than quoting the whole message, just go down to the reply box and type your reply. No need to quote if you are replying to the post directly above your reply. You can also mention the member you want to address by using the @ sign in front of their username (no space) and type your reply. Not quoting whole messages saves a lot of space on the page, and also saves duplicate reading.

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Happy Posting! :flwrysmile:
 
Cheleigh said:
Dry needling… Do any of you have experience or knowledge of this procedure and it’s effectiveness for helping tight muscles?
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I'm not sure if you noticed this article in the BoneSmart Library. It's rather short, giving a brief explanation.
Dry Needling
Let us know how it goes for you tomorrow, I'll be curious to hear. Best Wishes the tightness eases soon.
A great week to you!
@Cheleigh
 
Thank you @Layla for the article.. Aghhh now I’m not sure. I’m going to search Bonesmart and hopefully find some testimonies that help me decide for sure.

Thanks @Jockette, any idea when the tightness starts easing up? I’d love to get a great stretch in but with my limited range of motion I can barely get any sort of stretch in that gives relief.
 
That tightness can last a long time, I’m sorry to say, and it varies for everyone. But it does ease up. :console2:
 
And Range of motion…I can’t remember… does this just start improving more with time? I’m having a discouraging morning and am just tired of being slow at everything and just lame (not mocking lame of course, but literally feel slow and lame). My ROM improves a tiny bit every week but it seems like it got stuck over the weekend and is worse today. I put all my weight on my right leg and stepped over my dog and my knee buckled when I did that. Very scary feeling. Buckling happens, but not with all my weight in that leg at the same time. I’ll be 8 eeeks post op Wednesday.
 
Yes, ROM does improve with as your swelling goes down and you continue to heal. After a very slow first year, my ROM continued to improve well into my second year and even more in my third year!

Regaining our ROM does not require forceful bending or painful exercises.
Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.
 
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