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TKR My Journey as of 12/16/13 - Over 1 Year and Still Trying

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@DogLoverx3
This all sounds so positive, wouldn't it just be great if you can get an answer to your long term problem from this site? I do so hope so, you deserve to be out of pain after all this time. I'm sorry I can't help with advise on a TENS machine, but I do know I've had a few massage treatments on my TKR knee from a physiotherapist and felt good afterwards. I don't know about the acupressure massage, that's something else. I also use Voltarol gel at bedtime.
Does anyone else know, is Celebex available in the UK and if so what is it called? I can't take Naproxen, my GP doesn't want me on Diclofenac, but my cocktail of ibuprofen and paracetamol (Tylenol) just isn't coping with my left knee pain.
 
Hi @DogLoverx3 - oh boy, oh wow, I do so hope that this may be the answer that you are looking for. I have my fingers, eyes, arms and even my legs crossed!I find it incredibly promising that the circle on Josephine's drawing is exactly where your pain is.
The clinic where I lived did all my physio, used to loan out TENS machines to patients. Just wondered if there was a similar facility near you which would save the 'which one to buy' drama. If not, could you ring a physio practice and ask for a recommendation?
I have also used Voltarol gel, and also Nurofen gel on my *****Achilles tendon - seems to help a bit.

TENS, acupuncture, massage and gel are all things that you can organise yourself and see what works. It will be so good to do something positive, plus you now have a good idea of where the problem lies.

Lots of good health vibes headed your way, and hugs too!

XXXX (PS - Hope TJ's mouth is doing OK)
 
Hi Ellen - hope you find a good tens unit and keep us updated! I am interested in how it works and have thought of purchasing one for my back pain. My PT uses it for 15 mins each visit and I love it! Also remember the Celebrex coupon on celebrex.com. I printed it and gave to my pharmacist and my script with insurance came to a $4.00 copayment. I am loving the celebrex right now - first time it has been prescribed for me - also 200 mg per day is doing the trick. I also spoke with my GI doctor as I have severe GERD and he said it was safe taken with my Prevacid but not to ever take any other NSAID. Interesting. Chronic pain is horrible and tiring. I pray you find an answer soon!
 
Ellen, how about finding a "good" unit on Amazon, and looking to see if someone is selling it on eBay for cheap? There may be nothing wrong with it, they just don't use it any more. Can't send it back if it breaks, though.
 
I got my TENS off Ebay and it's a really good one. Do look in the article and see the best way of applying the electrodes plus advice about using the machine.

The acupressure is a 'do it yourself' treatment as you would know if you read the article!

Doglover, if left untreated and/or unresolved, inflammatory conditions can soon settle into chronic conditions (Pain - acute and chronic issues) which are difficult to treat. That's why I have a tendency to be so vocal about overdoing exercises after joint replacement. It's often worse in knees than hips but both are prey to this. I have seen cases in real life and trust me, I do know what I'm talking about.
 
Thanks everyone. As always, I SO appreciate the input.

I read the article you sent me when you suggested treatment options for me @Josephine. Actually I read it twice. I have been unknowingly already been doing the massage as it has helped to put pressure on the painful spot. I am terrified of ending up with a chronic condition and that's why I've been going to doctors, specialists, whoever (aside from accupuncture - can't quite wrap my head around that one) to help me identify and treat whatever is going on. No one has seemed interested in getting to the root or even identifying the problem for me and have just gone the route of referring me to pain specialists. As I stated before, I have no interest in just covering up the pain, but instead in trying to fix it, so I very much appreciate your actually being able to identify one of the issues I've been having.

I am hoping that while I try and treat this one issue, that it will end up helping with the seemingly constant swelling and pressure I have on the lateral side of my knee.

I'm very scared that all the overdoing I did early on has caused my extended issues and don't know what I'll do if it ends up that it never goes away. It's a miserable spot to be in 10 months out.

I'm still reading reviews on TENS machines (and yes, I did see the diagram about the pad placements and also know from my pre TKR PT) and am anxious to get one and start going. I may just resort to ordering one of the cheaper ones just so I can get started while I continue to research 'better' ones....
 
DogLoverx3 said:
aside from accupuncture - can't quite wrap my head around that one
Click to expand...
Nor me. Hocus pocus to this old nurse!
DogLoverx3 said:
I may just resort to ordering one of the cheaper ones
Click to expand...
'resort to'? I paid the princely sum of £20 for my TENS on Ebay and there's nowt wrong with it at all! They're such simple devices, why pay silly money for one?

The one in the article is mine (as is the knee!). It has two channels and a 30 minute timer. Two channels is essential imo as you get to use two pairs of electrodes.
 
Hey Ellen , i did buy a tens unit. However my GF used it much more than i did and she used it on her lower back . My memory at this moment is shaky about when and why i purchased it. My quad was weak at the time according to my OPT and he applied it on my quad with ice. With much success, by the way. My flexion increased immediately and if memory serves me right i had taken a week off of therapy and therapist wasnt happy about my quad strength. I probably was at about week 5 or 6 . Very early on . Those tens unit are not very expensive and if you elevate and ice while using it , i cant see no harm in it. Im sorry to hear you are still having issues with the knee. Hopefully over the next couple of months it recedes. Best wishes, Iceman
 
Thanks everyone for the advice, encouragement and assistance! I just love this place! :roseshwr:I ordered what looks to be a 'good' TENS unit off of Amazon. It has 4 pad that can be set to 2 different settings simultaneously. There are several programs and intensities that you can choose from as well. Fingers crossed that it helps! I should have it next week (i'm hoping earlier, but wasn't excited about paying the extra money for next day delivery). Being on a budget sucks. ;-)

Thanks for weighing in @icep707 ! Good to hear from you! So glad you are doing well! I see you still pop around to threads to offer encouragement and I think that's awesome!

I had a past PT use a TENS machine on me and although it's a very weird sensation, I actually didn't mind it. Thanks for reminding me about the ice, Ice :heehee:. I had forgotten they often layed an ice pack on top of the little pad thingies while they did their thing.

I started back taking Celebrex today. I will start with just taking 1 200mg in the morning. I can already feel a bit of a difference. Crazy how fast it can work. I did get one of those $4 cards in the mail @Jozilla, so went ahead and activated it. I already had a $15 one, but $4 is better! :)

@Ellejay & @Phil75070 & @yiayia3 & @Ellejay & @Pumpkln & @Chihuahuan & @Jane B. & Josephine & Jamie (not tagging as I know they have a million people needing their help) & @hopefaith and everyone else; thank you so very much always checking in and caring. I know you're all rooting for me! As for @Celle & @Nana moon 27 , I'm SO happy you've both checked in and are doing well. xoxoxoxo
 
My PT always starts with the tens unit. I am very interested in how it helps your pain. I have severe osteo in the spine and may be interested in also getting one!! It definately feels like it loosens my muscles in PT. how is your puppy today? (((Hugs)))
 
@DogLoverx3
You sound so positive, I'm very pleased for you and hope that all these recent suggestions work for you. I did see Chris's post about the gel, I do use Voltarol gel at night. I started taking Meloxicam (Mobic) yesterday, apparently it takes a while to start working, so I'm still waiting to see if it works. I can combine it with Tylenol, so until it does start to have an effect at least I've got something to help with the pain.
Good luck with the TENS machine, I do hope it works for you
How is your puppy now, hope he is back to eating normally xxx
 
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I'll absolutely let you know how the TENS unit works @Jozilla . I just got a notice that it should be delivered tomorrow! Yey me! Perfect timing as well as I have a big breakfast to do in the morning and I always leave this one in a mars-bar-load of pain so hopefully it will arrive in the afternoon and I can strap it on straight away!

Thank you @Ellejay , as I'm sort of grasping at straws at this point, to even have a 'diagnosis' of sorts is a big deal for me. Having been told for months that 'nothing was wrong' and not being given any options other that lumbar blocks, I'm hoping that my little TENS machine will help. I'm hoping even harder that it will help the pain and swelling that I've had from day 1 on the outside of my knee. I think if I put the electrodes on in an 'x' pattern, like in Josephine's pic in the library, that will help my entire knee. Fingers crossed!

Is your Meloxicam a liquid? I thought that name sounded familiar and, I hope you don't take this wrong way, but it's what I'm giving TJ for his pain med! He seems to enjoy it, so I hope it works great for you! I think it's good to switch up pain meds (although it would be better not to have to take them at all) as I do think your body gets accustomed to them after a bit. That's why I've always hated that Ann has been kept on morphine for so long.

Teej is still eating soft food, but his once a pain meds in the morning seem to be doing the trick. He was pretty pathetic the 1st 2 days, but seems better now! :-)

Here's a request for everyone @dogwheels, @Chihuahuan , @Ellejay , @Phil75070 , @hopefaith , @kneeper , @Pumpkln, @Jozilla and every other kind soul who is more than a few months out from surgery and nice enough to come check in on me and offer support. Although I know you should never compare knees or recoveries, I am convinced that my implant is a size too large for me and I don't think my knee looks like anyone else's I've seen. I know there is a thread for posting scars, but if anyone is up to it and would like to participate in my uber non-medical survey, I'd love to see pictures of everyone's TKR knees when they're bent - taken from the side view as well as either the top view or front view. My knee looks like a mongoloid forehead (i hope that's not offensive to anyone) from the side when it's bent and I just don't think that's right. If anyone would like to post their pics for me (who doesn't love a good knee photo shoot), I would very much appreciate it! :-)

xoxoxoxoxoo
 
[Bonesmart.org] My Journey as of 12/16/13 - Over 1 Year and Still Trying
[Bonesmart.org] My Journey as of 12/16/13 - Over 1 Year and Still Trying
[Bonesmart.org] My Journey as of 12/16/13 - Over 1 Year and Still Trying

Here is my eight month knee, hope these pics help your research.
I think Meloxicam is known as Mobic in USA, it's in tablet form, just one a day, so far I haven't noticed any difference, but in gather I have to give it time.
 
@DogLoverx3 -- I just found your thread and really appreciate your positive attitude - haven't gotten through all of it, but just read your last post about thinking your implant is too large. I was wondering, did they do any measurement at all before your surgery? I've read that some surgeons do MRIs beforehand, but that most choose a size once you're "opened up" -- is this the case? I just got my surgery date for December and it is one of my (albeit minor) concerns. I meet with my OS on Oct 7 to discuss everything and, of course, I have 100 questions for him - but it's kind of scary to think of having an implant that is too large, or too small. :unsure:
 
Nice looking knee @Ellejay ! Yeah, mine doesn't look like that :gaah:

Hi @lunula , please don't worry about your surgery. I went into mine VERY uninformed and having no clue what was involved or what I should have been asking/preparing for. I researched my surgeon very well, but after that, just sort of left it up to him to do his job. I was sent for an MRI prior to surgery as well as having x-rays taken. I had no idea there were different sizes, shapes, whatevers. As you'll find, from my thread if you make it through it all, is that I've had a difficult recovery. I am absolutely NOT the norm for this surgery so please don't take my issues/concerns as common - they're not. It's good that you have questions for your surgeon prior. Make sure to write them down and take 2 copies with you to the appointment. 1 for you and 1 for your surgeon. That way you won't forget what you want to ask and you can take notes on your sheet as he goes through everything with you. Surgeons do what they do because they're good at it. I'm sure all will go great for you! xoxo
 
I'm going to try to post pics of my knee, but as we all know, I'm not the most tech savvy person in the world. ;-) You can see how , er, 'defined' my mongoloid knee is from the side and also how much larger it is than my other knee from above (and assume from the front when sitting). Please ignore my messy room and lack of tan ;-)
 
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