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PKR My Drama Queen Patellofemoral Knee

Is there a supplement or something natural that will help with nerve damage/issues. I read about gabapenten but I’m afraid to try it and risk any more side effects.

I think my knee is having some major nerve issues and I also have nerve damage in my right foot (non operated leg) that no doctor knows what to do with. My foot doesn’t like anything touching it. It started out as a slight tingling in my second toe about 4 years ago and had gotten worse over time so that now almost my whole foot is affected.

The quilt at night really hurts it,I have to be able to stick my foot outside the quilt, which makes my foot cold, which it doesn’t like either, socks, shoes, etc. I can only buy shoes at The Walking Company because they carry a line with built in orthotics that help my foot. My foot is happiest in a sandal where nothing touches my toes. Winter weather is a challenge because I can’t wear just any shoe.

I hope my knee is not going the direction my foot has gone.
 
Hi, @Jockette, I’m certainly taking the scenic route along with you! Regarding the nerve sensitivity, gabapentin didn’t seem to do much for me. (It helped when I had carpal/ulnar tunnel surgery, though.). It’s certainly worth trying, because it does help a lot of people with nerve pain. Your doctor can help you ease into and out of a trial with it to minimize side effects, I believe.

I have had similar issues with socks and stockings. A couple of suggestions for finding knee-high “hose” for your dressy occasion:
  • Try Queen-size. The usual moderately-priced brands do come in Q-size and can be found in drugstores, discount department stores, etc, but you may have to go to several stores to find them. I like No Nonsense brand, but L’Eggs also makes some at a reasonable price. You can find either on Amazon.com.
  • Go to an upscale department store and ask about the higher-priced brands. The higher-priced stockings often have a more comfortable band around the top. These stores often have samples available. Ask to see them. They might even let you try on. Ask about returns, too. You should be able to get your $$ back if they don’t work.
Also, regarding your problem with bedding on your foot, have you seen this product? I haven’t tried it, but I know several people with plantar fasciitis who swear by it. https://www.top5reviewed.com/blanket-support-lifts/
 
I have never seen a blanket lift like that! Thank you!

I have worn No Nonsense queen size knee highs for years, more because I’m tall and the regular ones never came up high enough. That’s the brand I just bought and it seems that queen is no more, they are now called plus. But thanks for the suggestion! Maybe I can stretch the tops out a bit before the wedding.
 
On a good note I bowled better today:
126, 105 and 118. I like to get at least 100.

And I wore shorts! I was a little chilly outside but fine when I was inside.

My knee is sore tonight. I think it knows it has to wear pants tomorrow.
 
Congrats on the bowling scores. A hundred is always my daughter's goal. Funny that your knee knows it has to wear pants tomorrow. Sometimes I think my knee gets angry when it feels my bathing suit slide over it. It doesn't want me to stand on it long enough to pull the suit up. It says, "No! No! Don't take me to the pool again." Then it loves the warm water, but hates the soreness of the evening.
 
Bowling! Wow! I haven't had the courage to try that yet. If you can do it, I can do it. You gave me inspiration to try it!

You know the routine for a sore knee, so I have not need to tell you! Good job getting back to real life!
 
@sistersinhim I don’t do the approach to the line like I did before surgery, and I don’t bend my knee, I bend at the waist when I throw the ball. My average is down and my ball speed is slower, but yeah, I’m bowling!!!:wowspring:

I started back carefull and gradually at 12 weeks post op.
 
I'm still going to try it! Bowling is fun and I haven't been able to do it in probably 10 years. Now, is the time. You are killing your recovery! You go, girl!
 
Thanks for that vote of confidence. It doesn’t feel like I am killing my recovery. Yes I’m bowling but I can hardly wear any pants, stairs are not happening, I can only sit in certain chairs....

But I can bowl!!! And my bowling ball is only 8 pounds, which is very light. (That also is helpful for my knee. )

So I guess who cares about what I can’t do. I am having fun with our friends, we bowl twice a week. :spin:
 
Just have to say we went to our son’s today for Thanksgiving (had a very nice time!). But, my point is, I took my portable raised toilet seat with me and I was so glad I did, it was so helpful! I highly recommend it!

I made a denim tote bag for it, with a zippered top. No one could tell what was in the denim bag and no one asked any questions, so other than here on Bonesmart, I didn’t have any embarrassing explanations!

Success with a very helpful tool!
No more struggling with a too low toilet!
 
What a good suggestion, Jockette! I would never have thought of that.
 
Question about rating a post:

When I am reading Bonesmart I am always on my phone, which is fairly small. Sometimes I accidentally tap the wrong icon when rating a post, even though I try to be careful. I immediately undo the rating and more carefully tap the correct icon.

How quickly does the member get the rating? Do they get both that I did, or does it take several more seconds before the rating “stays” and then the member gets the notification?

I wouldn’t want to offend anyone because I accidentally tapped “funny” when I meant “agree”.
 
I had a thought recently.

New member after new member posts for the first time about how agressive their PT is and how they feel like a failure because their ROM is not where someone else wants it to be.

I just don’t understand how surgeons and PT’s think forcing a swollen knee to bend can make it better.

I thought of a comparison. Think of a person’s height. As we are growing up what if we were told we had to be a certain height by a certain date. And to make sure that we get to that height, two people start pulling on us, one had our hands and one had our feet, and they try to stretch us to a certain height.

Does that work? Certainly not. Will it hurt? Absolutely. We have NO control over how tall we will grow. It is individually designed into each of us.

The same goes for regaining ROM and healing after knee replacement. Each of our bodies are designed with its own speed of healing. Force bending our knee doesn’t make the ROM any better.

As patients I think we have to stand up to PT’s, and a scarier thought, also stand up to our surgeons (which took me 7 months to do) and stop allowing them to hurt us, when our common sense tells us these hurtful things are doing more harm than good. Maybe if enough of us refuse to do this type of therapy they will rethink the system.

I’m going to have to design myself a special soapbox since I seem to be up on it a lot!:heehee:
 
I'm with you 100%! As an experienced 'no PTer', I knew back in the 80s, after my first knee surgery, that my knees didn't need PT. I refused therapy after a therapist in the hospital, the next day after my first surgery, took off all the wrappings and started bending my knee. It bled from the incision, then later on I had to have it drained. Now, talking about hurting!! No more PT ever again! I have survived 11 surgeries with no PT and am doing everything I want to do!
 
Some good things to report!

I bowled better today than I have in a while, 116, 128, and 112! I was able to pull my arm back further before I brought it forward to throw the ball.
(one throw I leaned forward from the waste a little too much and almost lost my balance :yikes: but caught myself just in time!)

I am able to stand quite a while now. I don’t stand still, I move around, but my knee feels strong enough to stand through a whole game of bowling. I read that you walk more than 1/2 a mile in the course of bowling 3 games. Yay me!

I did some sewing this morning. Again, I am able to stand much more comfortably while preparing my fabric to be sewn together. I’m getting up and down from my chair at the machine better and bending my knee better to get closer to the machine. (I am making a lovely fleece winter hooded cape)

And, last but not least, I spoke with a friend today at bowling. She had a TKR exactly 4 weeks after me, same hospital, same surgeon. I am not close friends with her but she lives in the same community as me so we attend some of the same functions. All I’ve heard from others in my community is, M is doing so well, she’s doing... You know, the stories we all hear.

So today I asked her if the cold air bothers her knee. She said no, but she’s not impressed with this whole replacement thing, she still hurts and feels like she still has an arthritic knee. I said, you’re not there yet. She said it’s been 6 months! I said it takes a year.

So, again, those stories of so and so. You get the real story when you actually speak to the person. I’ve felt so inadequate when I’ve heard reports about her. She’s doing well enough, but still has her struggles. Just like me. Just like you.

I did tell her about Bonesmart just before her surgery but she hasn’t mentioned it since.

And thanks for the cute extras!
 
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@Jockette Hello. It's been awhile. How are you doing?

You hit the nail on the head in your last post. I stressed myself out over folks comparing me to a coworker who just had TKR. Now I just stop talking about my progress. No matter what I say, my progress is my fault since xyz is doing good. But when I talk to xyz, I find out the true story. Have a good evening!
 
Hi, @MyTest Good to hear from you!

I’m doing well in some areas, but still have a fair amount of discomfort but I’m doing things anyway. Things are getting easier. If I sit with my feet up on an ottoman my knee recovers pretty quickly these days. I haven’t iced in about a month and I don’t seem to need it.

All in all I’m “on the scenic route to recovery. “ Sometimes the complete recovery still seems a long way off. But I had a good day today.

How are you doing?
 
Jockette said:
So, again, those stories of so and so. You get the real story when you actually speak to the person. I’ve felt so inadequate when I’ve heard reports about her. She’s doing well enough, but still has her struggles. Just like me. Just like you.
Click to expand...
I am so glad you actually got to talk to the real person and not just hear stories about her. I think people think they are encouraging us when they tell us about someone doing so well. But, it's the opposite. It is discouraging. We are told to never compare. Well, those people out there that have never had a tkr need to not compare us either!
 
Jockette said:
Hi, @MyTest Good to hear from you!

How are you doing?
Click to expand...
Some things are better but I still have that blob feeling. It sits right accross the center of my knee, which makes my knee motion awkward when I walk. However, I can tell my extension has gone down. It was a 10-12 when I was in PT but the Dr said it looks less then 5 now. He also thinks I am a slow healer.

So glad to know both of is are getting there.. @Jockette
:giggle:
 
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