PKR My Drama Queen Patellofemoral Knee

[SusieShoes]

Your positive attitude is yielding results! Yay! Your chiropractor might just have given you a little push toward going around that corner. Improvements are seldom drastic in my experience. Recovery can be two steps forward and one back for quite some time, but in the end the increase in function -- and diminishment of pain -- is quite amazing.

My right knee doesn't like icing much anymore. After ten minutes, we're done. My left still likes it. I think it's true that at a certain point the knee is healed enough not to need icing, so you can stop. After all, if your knee ever seems to want it again, you can always slap ice on it.

 

[Josephine]

I saw my chiropractor yesterday and she did some kind of pressure point release around the back of my knee, and oh my, I walked out of her office a different person, my knee felt so much freer!

I'm so pleased for you! This is why I have great faith in chiros - well, I certainly do in my chiro!

 

[Jockette]

I have been seeing chiropractors for years, even as a kid, my parents put a lot of faith in them.

Different ones have different techniques which are not one size fits all. I used to live in Ohio and it took 3 different ones to find the one I loved. She was the best ever, very nurturing.

I moved to Delaware 2 years ago and it took 3 to find the one I go to now. She only touches me with an activator tool, nothing else. I was a little afraid to let her work on my knee area, but she just used that tool near the back of my knee.

 

[Jockette]

Well that tight muscle area that my chiropractor was able to alleviate the other day has snapped back into its tightness again, but I am still encouraged because, she made a difference with it once, she can do it again.

Another dip in the rollercoaster ride of recovery!

I don't see her again until Tuesday. I wonder if I should go more than once a week.

 

[Celle]

I don't see her again until Tuesday. I wonder if I should go more than once a week.

I think I'd ask her advice about that.
My chiropractor cured my neck pain, when the PTs had written me off as "we can't do anything more to help you".
I have great faith in him and I took his advice about the frequency of treatment.

 

[Jockette]

@Pheebs52 I am worried about my next appointment with my surgeon next month because I am sure I will not be where his agenda will want me to be. It will be my 7 month appointment.

I know that sounds very negative and it's month away and improvement can/will happen but I am still worried. I had quite a setback in July and then another one in August and my rom is not as good as before those setbacks.

According to his records my rom has been very good all along. But, I have never been measured for what I can do myself, it has always been measured by him moving my knee to a painful position. I don't want to allow him to do that to me next time and I am nervous about taking that stand. And what I can do on my own is not impressive.

He is a nice person with a pleasant personality but I still worry about what he will say. I will still do my own thing when not in his office, but I don't like any confrontation.

You can scroll back through my thread and read about my 4 month appointment if you want. I came home from that appointment so discouraged and a bit angry.

Josephine told me I should be assertive and not let him bully me. I hope I can do that. He does have a pleasant personality, I don't think he means to discourage me, but I am very sensitive and that's how I felt. He tells me to do things that Bonesmart says not to, and that makes me angry, so I hope I will be able to just calmly state my case as to my rom.

Bonesmart has taught me that my knee is in charge, not my surgeon.

I wish he would discharge me, I feel like the future appointments are always hanging over my head. I am hoping after this next one he won't want to see me until the year mark of the surgery.

 

[kmak81230]

Do we have the same surgeon?? Yours sounds exactly like mine - my appt is in 6 weeks and my bendiness (and also extension) is probably the same or only slightly better than it was when I saw him 6 weeks ago. I am trying to change my outlook about the impending visit: I am improving in all sorts of ways: stamina, walking, mentally, increased activity levels, etc., and bendiness is only one component of this journey. I would also like to be released so I can just "fuhgeddaboudit" and get on with recovery. But I suppose I can do that even if I'm not released. Your retirement community sounds awesome, by the way.

 

[sistersinhim]

If your appointment upsets you, then just cancel it. If you aren't having any problems, then it's no need to go. You are far enough along that you have already had your 'after surgery followup' exam. I think you're doing well and it's a shame to be discouraged unnecessarily.

 

[Jockette]

@kmak81230 At least you have activity accomplishments to prove you are "progressing". I don't do much activities, something I need to work on.

I am going to try walking more. I was so encouraged on Tuesday with the release my chiropractor was able to do for me. Maybe that and the bowling will make my surgeon happy.

I find I walk well in a store, but not in my neighborhood. I mentioned that to a friend the other night and she said, I bet it's the driveway. Our houses are all set a bit higher than the street, for water drainage purposes and walking downslope is very uncomfortable for me, which I know is "normal " but I never connected that to my neighborhood walking. Maybe I'm sabotaging my walk right away.

I'm going to a store later to take a walk, in a climate controlled environment!

 

[Jockette]

@sistersinhim I thought the same thing. I am seriously considering it. Do you think I should check in at the one year mark?

 

[sistersinhim]

That's what I did. If you don't have any problems, why go? Especially, if you'll get beat down again when you're actually doing so well.

 

[Pheebs52]

@Jockette, thanks for your explanation of your "White Coat Stress," an unfortunately common experience! I've been nervous before a few of my visits, but truthfully, I've no idea why since they've never been anything but pleasant. I have been slow in the flexion department, and worried that an MUA might be needed, but my surgeon has just advocated for patience and watchful waiting. Because of this issue, I do see him a bit more frequently than others might see theirs, but he just wants to be sure I am progressing in functional ways. He would tell you that anything over 120 flexion is *gravy*, so that just proves they all view knees and recovery differently.

I'm not sure why it's so important to your guy that you get well beyond 120? I've no idea just how much one can actually expect, but I'm sure it's quite variable with each individual. It seems to me that 120's should allow you to do most anything you'd want to do? Heck, I can do most of what I'd like to do at 105, so I'm a very functional laggard. As such, if you go for this visit, just ask him why he makes such an issue of it; I would.

However, in the end, I'm with @sistersinhim. If this upcoming appointment is just some sort of progress check and you're not experiencing any particular problems, why go at all since the idea is so stressful for you right now? People cancel these types of visits all the time, ya know? In 3 months or another 6 months when your swelling is gone and you're feeling much better, you can return for a wellness check and x-rays stress-free. Sound like a plan?

 

[sistersinhim]

Since my tkr was my right knee, I couldn't drive. I had a friend from church take me for my 1 month check up with my OS. I never went back until July of this year, over 13 months later. I see no reason to go back to see them unless their a problem with the knee.

 

[Jockette]

@sistersinhim This is my first knee surgery so I don't know what is normal and what is not. Thankfully Bonesmart has helped me a lot with that.

But since I am not really bending great, thus my anxiety about the appointment, and the fact that I had a patellofemoral replacement which technically does not have a good track record, (not that my surgeon told me that) I would like to have it X-rayed for peace of mind that it's ok.

Sometimes it just doesn't feel right. I worry that something really is wrong and that I'm going to need a revision, and that that is why I'm not bending well.

My new knee has never been happy with my foot on the floor and at a 90 degree bend while sitting in a chair. Is that still par for the course at 6 months? I still take my cane on the rare occasion that I go to a restaurant so that I can use it to prop my foot up on it under the table. And I don't go to activities at our community's club house because I'd have to sit at a table there, and to be honest, I'm embarrassed that I still need to prop my foot up while others who have had tkr's after me are there and sitting fine. I know I shouldn't be so self conscious but I am. I live in a 55+ community and there are many here who've had knee replacements and I find even they don't understand what I'm going through.

 

[sistersinhim]

I think if you have an doubts, then you should go see your OS. Of course, you could always ask on here. But, never not go to the doctor if you have concerns that aren't alleviated. We would never want to steer you wrong!

 

[Jockette]

I truly trust Bonesmart way more than my surgeon, and have for a long time. I am just shocked at the different things that surgeons have told their patients, and the patient comes here, and are told that is wrong, when what Bonesmart says makes so much sense. Especially in the area of swelling and MUA's. I don't understand how surgeons don't take swelling into account.

So the only reason I'd go to this next appointment is for the X-ray. And if I do feel a lot better by then, maybe I will cancel.

I feel like he's seen me a lot, at 2, 6, 10, and 18 weeks. The next will be at 7 months. I'm hoping that will be it until the year mark.

But, maybe he knows more about my partial than he's telling me and that's why he wants to see me so much and take X-rays every time.

I can't wait to be healed enough to not need dr appointments and not think about my knee almost every moment. I am still a bit shocked that even at 6 months post op I feel like I do, only halfway to full healing and so limited in things I can do. I still am sorry I had this done. I'm not even close to feeling as good as before the surgery, even with the pain I had, which was only when I sat down, got up, or did stairs. It did not hurt to walk, unless I walked really fast, and I could bend my knee just fine. Oh well, no where to go but forward.

 

[Fire wolf]

I am so sorry that you are struggling right now with so many different things. It's not easy to cope when it seems as if so much is against you! Have you tried making a list of every little thing that you can do right now? Maybe you will find that you have made more progress tjan you think? Perhaps there are things that you can do now that weren't as easy to do before? We do have a tendency to *find what we are looking for*, so maybe it would help to look for more of the plusses?

I truly believe that you will continue to improve as long as you pay attention to and listen to what your knee tells you it wants and needs. That ROM is in there, just need the right set if circumstances to bring it out, the priority of which is eliminating of swelling.

Please try to keep your chin up and a smile on your face. It does make a big difference! And you always have us to help pick you up when you are down!

Btw, Spence really wants to attack your OS on your behalf!!

 

[Jockette]

Thanks, @Fire wolf, I realize I don't have the best attitude. I was so unprepared for the length and difficulty of this recovery.

You are right, I need to put a smile on my face and just get on with things. I am probably over thinking things as usual.

A few months ago my daughter suggested I google "highly sensitive people" and oh my goodness, I had 18 of the 22 things that define the highly sensitive person! What an eye opener!

Thanks for the pep talk!!!

 

[newlybionic]

Some of us are just on a little bit longer road to recovery. As long as you're moving forward, no matter how slowly, you're still moving. I hope your X-ray is okay and you continue to make progress.

 

[Fire wolf]

. I was so unprepared for the length and difficulty of this recovery.

I wasn't prepared either! Believe me, I had many, many and did I say many? days of being down in the dumps, only seeing what I couldn't do, etc., and still do at times. We are all wired differently, so we all handle things differently. There us no 1 right way. There is only the *right* way for each of us, and that is determined by us alone. I wasn't trying to say that there is something wrong with how you are handling your recovery, so I hope that didn't come across as implied. Just offering some things that have helped me when I had those darker times.