TKR Nanners adventure to the other side

[smokey]

I had knee replaced in june and the other knee 2 1/2 yrs. ago. since this last surgery they both ache. My doc. doesn't know why. This is very frustrating. The surgery went well and the physical therapy. I ride my stationary bike only 10 min. and do stretching. I can relate to you and I too wondered if anyone else experienced the same.Hopefully, the aching will diminish with time.

 

[tkrme]

I too have calf pain. The thigh is sore to touch but does not hurt during walking. My PT explained to me that I had bone on bone, no cartilige for years and my body's tissue, ligaments, muscles, tendons all adjusted to that. Now suddenly I have a piece of cartilage in there making space between my bones and now all that 'stuff' has to lenghthen and adjust. So, that is what I am feeling. It made sense to me as he showed me with a visual. He said just keep stretching and walking and it will in time go away.
It is discouraging though. I had what I felt was such a good walk at three weeks, then all of a sudden week four a new soreness pops up. What a journey we go through. It is good we have each other here to lean on.
A big THANK YOU to all of you.

 

[tkrme]

P.S. His other suggestions: warm compress, whirlpool, warm bath, walking in a heated pool.
I have only done the warm bath and it does help, but one can only take so many baths a day! I am going to start walking in a heated pool next week since pt gave me a month's use to do that. I am going to be busy today so I might try a warm compress.
You are right the pain meds do not touch the calf. I have found that 600mg of ibuprofen 3 times a day does. Josephine indicates you can do 800mg. So far the 600 helps.

 

[Nanners]

Tkrme, I so wish I could use Ibruprofen or Aleve. But I can't becuz I have Crohns Disease, and those meds could cause bleeding in my intestines. I so miss those meds, the work so much better than Tylenol. Sigh!

 

[Nanners]

You know I take Prilosec and have since before my surgery. I am starting to wonder if I need to change to a different med cuz I feel kinda acidy every morning. Later in the day I feel better, but mornings are always rough. Hmmpphh!

 

[karmigirl]

tkrme,
Sounds like your PT is suggesting moist heat. If you have a hot water bottle wrap it in a towel and try that while you are resting. I would put ice on the knee and the water bottle on the calf or thigh at the same time and that really helped for me.

 

[KathyH]

Gail, you are not a whintey pants at all. You've had a hard and rocky road to recovery. No wonder you are feeling weepy today and I really feel for you. Wish there was something I could do for you.

I have my check up this Thursday, a day before you. Like you, I'm not looking foward to it, as my flexion is not good at all and I know he will be disappointed with me. I too fear he will say I will need an MUA. But if the MUA helps me, then I welcome it. It's not as bad as the whole TKR surgery and most people have good results from having one. However, I can understand your dread of the pain meds again.

Yes, you DO need a break and I'm sure in time it will come. Some of us drew the short straw and take longer than other lucky ones.

 

[Campervan]

Hi, for moist heat I heat up my wheatpack in the microwave, then get a small moist towel and heat that up a little or moisten with hot water. Then wrap the moist towel round my knee and then wrap the wheatpack round. The heat from the wheatpack keeps the moist towel warm.

 

[tkrme]

Tkrme, I so wish I could use Ibruprofen or Aleve. But I can't becuz I have Crohns Disease, and those meds could cause bleeding in my intestines. I so miss those meds, the work so much better than Tylenol. Sigh!

I understand my child has Crohns.

 

[Nanners]

I will put an ice pack on my knee and the heating pad under my calf. My husband laughs becuz I use both. But hey it works

 

[Nanners]

KathyH you are such a love! I know you and I have had a rough go of it. I expected a bit of tummy trouble becuz of my Crohns, but this is horrible. I just don't even feel like doing anything. I so wish I could get in to see my family doc, but he has been out of the office. He is supposed to be back on Thursday, so I am hoping that I can at least talk to him on the phone. I am losing weight now, and thats not good. Becuz I can drop pounds too quickly sometimes. Luckily I had my added cushion weight before my TKR, so I had some leeway. My Crohns was in remission before the surgery, and I worry this is gonna stir things up.

I cry so easily now, I think its just becuz I have felt so bad for so long. My scar looks great, but like you KathyH, I have poor extension. I walk around the house, go up and down stairs without my walker. I have yet to walk outside, as I have been too sick. I know these blues are normal, but dang I hate being such a crybaby. And I feel so bad for my husband. He is just trapped here with me and having to do everything. He keeps assuring me its okay and he loves me, but I still feel bad for him. I just want my life back and I feel like I am never going to feel good again.

Sorry for whining again and venting, but this is getting too old. Then I read of folks say at 10 weeks and how they are still feeling rough, and I get even sadder thinking this misery still has so long to go. I am glad I have bonesmart, I would be lost without you. Thank you to those who always take time to offer comfort, you are very appreciated. Hugs!

 

[Nanners]

Debbie I have a massager like that. I will pull it out and see if it helps relax my the tight muscles. Thanks for the suggestion. Hugs!

 

[Knitter4444]

Nanners..been following you. Where I don't have the systemic disease that you have, I have GI issues and took 3 immodium a day which helped. Now, post operatively, I went off the Immodium because I am still on Dilaudid. ButI ended up with a UTI (from catheter) and needed to be treated even though I cannot take oral antibiotics. Since I could not get to urology office for daily injections I had to take pills. Not fun.

In no way am I comparing my GI issues with your very serious and painful issues but I just wanted you to know that you have another buddy here with some of these issues.
Crying..oh golly I know..I know..and when my daughter decided to cancel her 2nd cruise in 3 months because of my having to have a MUA shortly I lost it and have trouble keeping it together when I talk to her or see her. I am one of those who do not believe that children have a responsibility for parents but grateful that I have incredible support.

I think for many of us we still did "stuff" despite our joint pain. No one prepares you for the emotional part ( except here of course) of the combo of pain and feeling so miserable.

 

[Debbie_joints]

Nanners, glad you already have one of those massagers. Does it heat too? I love that with mine. Now sit in a recliner with your leg up on a pillow and stick that massager under your knee and let it vibrate, remember to relax as sometimes I found I was tensing too much, I would take a deep breath and relax and watch my knee go right down, more extension. So leave it there for a minute or so, then move it and keep doing that. I can't use it on the kneecap part of the knee or it rattles, and jumps and hurts when it hits it. But I try to put one of those knobs on my scar and it is helping flatten it. Just keep putting it in differents parts of your knee. Good luck with it and let me know how it feels.

 

[Nanners]

Hugs Merry!! And thank you for your support, it means alot. I am blessed with a wonderful husband, but I hate the burden that this puts on him. I am sure you are feeling the same with your daughter. But it sounds like you have a good girl there who wants to help Mom out. Big hugs to her too, for being there for you. I wish I had even a bit of support from my girls. Oh well! Big hugs!

 

[katydid3]

I've read about pain in the calf and thigh (and the info has been invaluable) but I've been having more and more pain (how to describe where...) in the area where my leg is attached - the fold when you sit - in there. It's not a bone pain but a bit like a cramp but more like sore, but more and more sore. Sitting here with a heating pad tucked into the fold there now. The pain just about brought me to tears about an hour ago. Way too high to be from the tourniquet. Any ideas? It seems to be getting worse as initially, it was just "there." Oh, if it makes a difference, I'm just finishing 6 weeks. Thank you!

 

[speccybecky]

I have pain in my calf still, at first it felt like it would cramp but didn't , now it aches and sometimes throbs. It doesn't seem to interfere with walking. When I curl up to sleep I feel it and sometimes stretch it out, feel a click, and then can curl up again. Don't know what causes it and am hoping it will go away eventually

 

[nysparkle]

"My PT explained to me that I had bone on bone, no cartilage for years and my body's tissue, ligaments, muscles, tendons all adjusted to that. Now suddenly I have a piece of cartilage in there making space between my bones and now all that 'stuff' has to lengthen and adjust."

Thank You for sharing this. It makes a lot of sense to me. I just had my second TKR and I am experiencing calf pain. I am finding icing it helps .

 

[speccybecky]

Makes sense

 

[ladyj]

I still have more pain in my "good" leg than my operated one. I went for a long walk this afternoon in an effort to strengthen things up as much as possible, and my new knee was perfect and never even gave me a twinge, however, my "good" leg aches gently from my hip to my toes. Nothing very severe, just an ache. It goes down my thigh, is most painful behind my knee, and ends up in my toes.
The surgeon and the physio, both seem to think this is caused by me walking so badly for so many years, and that it will recover. I had, in effect to get around with one leg longer than the other.
At first my operated leg wouldn't go flat to the ground, but everything must have stretched, because that soon went away, but presumably all of the muscles on the other side, and even my spine, now have to settle into their new positions and adjust.
I think when we go into a TKR we think that the only thing that will be affected is that knee, when in effect the whole body has to readjust to the new gait.