Knee Infection* My L T K R Diary 2020

No, you haven't hit a brick wall. It's just taking longer than last time. It will come. :console2:
 
7 weeks when we think of it in relation to recovering from most surgeries seems a long time when progress is slow, but when you consider the minimum recovery time for TKR is 12 months and can be longer then 7 weeks is very early. It must be frustrating for you, but try not to be too disheartened this early on. It was 6 months before I thought I'd done the right thing with my first knee. You say there's a slight improvement so that's a start and hopefully you can build on it gradually.
 
I am beginning to wonder if this swelling is ever going.
Sure does feel like an eternity since my op 12th February
I still haven't got a knee cap.
If it wasn't for my knee which is stuck at 75 degrees I would be away as I have a straight leg and lift.
This is so frustrating and really beginning to knock my confidence that I am stuck like this.
 
It's really still early days, I'm almost at 6 months and still have swelling especially if I overdo things. It really is a patience tester this recovery but try and not worry too much - use plenty of ice and elevate as much as you can.
 
It's really still early days, I'm almost at 6 months and still have swelling especially if I overdo things. It really is a patience tester this recovery but try and not worry too much - use plenty of ice and elevate as much as you can.
Thanks Sara61
It's when I see most people at this stage are up to 90 degrees and many are far beyond that and I am stuck at 75 degrees at best
Yes my knee is still really swollen to the point of not even having a kneecap.
As we are on lock down and my consultant appointment was cancelled my surgeon called me to see how things are I told him it's still very swollen to which he replied that's quite normal and to keep pushing.
As I have found out and the advice given here that's not the answer.
My next appointment is in 4 months time depending on how the lock down situation is by then.
 
Ignore the "pushing part" that will only aggravate the swelling- a few gentle exercises each day just to keep the joint moving and lots of icing. Each knee is a different story some heal faster than others but with time and patience they all heal- importantly the swelling needs to go for you to get your bend - it will happen.
Stay safe x
 
It's when I see most people at this stage are up to 90 degrees and many are far beyond that and I am stuck at 75 degrees at best
Yes my knee is still really swollen to the point of not even having a kneecap.
@Defender - Try not to compare your knee with other people's knees. every knee is different and every recovery is different. Your knee might have needed more work during surgery than someone else's knee did, and that might be one reason why your knee is taking longer.

I think the main reason why your knee isn't bending further is that swelling. How can it bend better when its tissues are full of water? So you need to concentrate on trying to reduce the swelling. Cut right back on your exercises and spend as much time as you can resting, icing and elevating your leg.

You need to ice and elevate for at least 45 minutes each session, making sure that your skin is protected from frost bite. Re-read these articles, to make sure you'r doing that correctly:
Elevation: the do's and dont's
Ice to control pain and swelling

When I advise you to rest, I'm not telling you to lie like a log all day long. You still need to get up every hour or so and walk around a bit, do a few of your activities of daily living. Just don't do any of those aggressive PT exercises.
If you want to do a couple of gentle exercises, these are all you need - once a day:
Extension: how to estimate it and ways to improve it
Heel slides and how to do them properly
 
Just a thought as I was awake during both of my T K R and remember them both well.
During my first one which was badly damaged in a road traffic accident in 1975 I know it was cemented as apart from I could smell the strong chemical smell during the op I have found information in my online medical notes which says cemented.
There seemed to be a lot more hamering with this replacement and I didn't get that smell.
Sadly I can't find any notes referring to this one.
Why are some cemented and some not.
I remember the surgeon saying after my op ln 2018 that was horendous.
But this time he said I am very pleased with you whatever that meant.
What are the advantages cemented v/s not cemented.
 
I know very little about the difference in the two. I will ask those who know more about it for you.
 
I know very little about the difference in the two. I will ask those who know more about it for you.
Thanks as I am an engineer by trade i like to know things like this.
Only thing I can think is the surgeon decides which type to use depending on how much damage he finds.
 
This is a non-medical opinion, just based on what I remember my surgeon telling me and what I've read.

Both my knees are uncemented and I've been happy so far--going on 9 years. My surgeon liked uncemented for younger patients. (not sure if he still does) He said the bone grows in around the implant without cement so if you should need a revision in 20+ years, there's less bone loss because they don't have to clean out the cement and lose some bone in the process. (Some OS will say that loss is tiny so not a problem.)
My OS put a few screws in, which was supposed to keep the implant stable while the bone was growing in--so I could be weight bearing right away. For my 2nd knee he also used some bone graft material for extra insurance, I guess you'd say. They've been good and stable. I think the OS needs to decide if your bone density makes you a good candidate as well.

On the other hand, most OS will say the cemented is the tried and true. There is always a chance you won't get good bone ingrowth with uncemented.
 
This is a non-medical opinion, just based on what I remember my surgeon telling me and what I've read.

Both my knees are uncemented and I've been happy so far--going on 9 years. My surgeon liked uncemented for younger patients. (not sure if he still does) He said the bone grows in around the implant without cement so if you should need a revision in 20+ years, there's less bone loss because they don't have to clean out the cement and lose some bone in the process. (Some OS will say that loss is tiny so not a problem.)
My OS put a few screws in, which was supposed to keep the implant stable while the bone was growing in--so I could be weight bearing right away. For my 2nd knee he also used some bone graft material for extra insurance, I guess you'd say. They've been good and stable. I think the OS needs to decide if your bone density makes you a good candidate as well.

On the other hand, most OS will say the cemented is the tried and true. There is always a chance you won't get good bone ingrowth with uncemented.
Thanks I can see a lot of sense in what you say.
And could some people be alergic to the cement.
Looks like I have one of each which is why I was interested.
 
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Not having a good day today
Getting a lot of pain this afternoon have had to go and lay down
It's throbbing with the occasional sharp pain at the moment which sometimes goes up to my hip.
Still very swollen this is really getting me down now.
Ohh what I would give at the moment to gave my old knee back.
 
Did you do anything different yesterday? Could you have moved wrong while sleeping? These days pop up for no known reason sometimes and we just have to stop and baby it until the temper tantrum is over with. :console2:
 
Did you do anything different yesterday? Could you have moved wrong while sleeping? These days pop up for no known reason sometimes and we just have to stop and baby it until the temper tantrum is over with. :console2:
Hi.
No I didn't do anything different just walking as necessary and no excercises as the knee is still very swollen.
I am worried.
This couldn't have happened at a worse time with this virus going around.
 
I’m sorry that your knee is still so swollen and that you are not able to see your consultant. I know it’s hard not to worry.

The only thing you can do is to continue to ice and elevate, and rest it in between short walks around the house. Are you taking any pain medication?

I do know that when I was stressed, my healing knee hurt worse. I think stress must make us tighten up everywhere. Between your unrelenting swelling and the current world events, you have plenty of stress.

Try really hard to believe that it will work out well in time.
 
Thanks Jockette
I am prone for sciatica in that leg and this knee pain seems to have woken that up.
.
At the moment I have all sorts if things going on in my head and my worst fear is a failure of the joint.

But I have done nothing to have made that happen

And as things are with the virus I dread to think.
As I am typing this I am hoping that one day I will look back on this thread and it will be a bad memory.
 
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Sciatica is nasty, I had a recent flare up, for the first time, and wow! I could hardly walk! It was in my operated leg so I did feel it go right through my knee, and my knee was 2.5 years old at the time!
 
I honestly think something has gone seriously wrong.
This pain is unbelievable.
This just couldn't have happened at a worse time.
I don't think I can even get in a car I have no bend whatsoever.
I will have to call the hostpital in the morning.
 
I hope you can get them to see you. You’ve been through this before and know what to expect, and this isn’t it. Tell them that.

I’m sorry you’re going through this, and you’re right, the timing is bad. Please let us know how things go.
 

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