Guest viewing is limited

TKR Nine weeks out and still limited ROM

jmdearras said:
It's nothing I did, it's the OS and God.
Click to expand...
Amen, brother! But in my case, it was more something I DIDN'T do!

But you're right it being typical of all support fora. People who are newly diagnosed, awaiting surgery or having complications are the ones who post most frequently and the longest time. We do have a great number of members who sailed through their surgery and recovery but by default their threads will have long since sunk to the bottom of the pile due to not being posted in. If you go back many pages in this forum you will find some!

But when you compare the membership of BoneSmart - 17,810 to date - and the number of TKRs done globally each year (around 2.5 million) it actually makes the number of our members with problems rather insignificant, wouldn't you say?
 
Frankly if a PA had made an inapproprate comment to me, I would write down the incident--without emotion, which scares doctors----and mail it to your OS. I doubt very much that he would like to hear that you are leaving his service because of the PA. Remember that the PA operates under the aegis of the physician. I really would not let him get away with that remark as well as his other snarky behaviors.

Second, I am sure your physician is competent to handle your lysis. He is not willing to do it to your satisfaction---eg the cautery vs shaver. Are there other physicians in your town? It could be that another OS might be more willing to listen to you.
 
jmdearras said:
It's nothing I did, it's the OS and God.
Click to expand...
That's my result--except for the lack of bend. I guess since your good result was essentially "not in your control" then my marginal (from the ROM viewpoint) result was also nothing I did or did not do (except get really sick repeatedly--an issue I think I have finally figured out), but just bad luck, because I actually think the surgeon did a great job--at least I did not have one single bruise afterward. Yes, my situation could be worse (based on the problems some others have had), but I remain frustrated, esp. now that I wasn't able to move forward on the [apparently] recommended timetable. Gives me time to do more research.

@Josephine Question: what happens to the "scar tissue" after an MUA. Does the body resorb it after it is cut off from its blood supply or something? And in the lysis procedure, is the scar tissue actually removed from one's body--or just "disconnected"--and then left behind? I've downloaded some videos to do more research on both, and noticed the mention of the tissue filling the bursae and wondered if it is removed in the lysis procedure (to get it out of the way) and if so, then why would an MUA work. Basically, I got confused and need to do more research. Thanks for the info doctors. It will help me focus my search for a second opinion.

Gilina
 
skigirl said:
Frankly if a PA had made an inappropriate comment to me, I would write down the incident-
Click to expand...
Tempting, but I worked in the hospital long enough to know how it works--and it is always the patient's (or the lab's :-/) fault. Because my personal family situation results in my being unable to just "fall into line" with the normal way they do things, well, I'm sure they don't understand that limitation. With the shortage of medical professionals here and how badly the docs are overworked, they are probably burned out and don't want to have to deal with any personnel issues. I actually get that. The PA, is young with no room in his brain for variation--to him patients are toys on an assembly line. "We want patients to X...." Unfortunately, I don't care what he wants. Call me a rebel, but what I want for myself comes first. I am my own advocate. My boss once said to me "We have to pick our battles..." and that is where I am right now. I want to be able to walk normally again more than anything and so my energy is directed at finding a solution.

Actually, when I spoke with his other PA before the first surgery, she was quite dismissive of my concerns--and not particularity helpful.

My sister was pretty shocked when I told her what the male PA said. Oh well.

Gilina
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Gilina said:
Question: what happens to the "scar tissue" after an MUA. Does the body resorb it after it is cut off from its blood supply or something? And in the lysis procedure, is the scar tissue actually removed from one's body--or just "disconnected"--and then left behind?
Click to expand...
Think of it as being a bit like Velcro. Once you've torn it apart, the remnants just stay there, disconnected. It's not like pus after an infection which does get absorbed but the system - actually digested by the macrophages (a type of white blood cell) - but this tissue, being actually normal fibrous tissue that your ligaments and ligamentous sheets are made of, it just becomes part of that.

This is what it looks like at a microscopic level - the white strands, the pink things are muscle fibres.

[Bonesmart.org] Nine weeks out and still limited ROM


Gilina said:
noticed the mention of the tissue filling the bursae and wondered if it is removed in the lysis procedure (to get it out of the way) and if so, then why would an MUA work.
Click to expand...
Where ever did you read that? I cannot imagine it to be so. I've never known or even heard of bursae filling up with solid tissue. They are designed to contain fluid. Bursae are generally a closed circuit with a joint and adhesions don't tend to form inside joints, they form where there are muscles and ligaments/tendons.
Gilina said:
Basically, I got confused and need to do more research.
Click to expand...
Actually, petal, based upon that last gem I think you need to do less research! :eyebrows:
 
research works against your--and I speak from experience on that one!! This spring I had a lung infection--my doctor mentioned the word interstitial lung disease and I was off to the internet. I joined several Boop forums, talked ad nauseous to many people and the end result---my lung disease resolved rather easily with 4 weeks of steroids. I wasted an month of my life posting and worrying on the internet. Never again.

Get a diagnosis first---then worry. Find a doctor you can trust--one without a snarky PA and then follow his suggestions. Finding a doctor you can trust is not easy. I made an appt with my pulmonologist and spoke extremely frankly with him---here is what I am worried about. I told him straight up that I was a doctor's wife and would never sue anyone for malpractice. Now talk!! He answered me frankly, his nurse is available on email and I am really happy with my treatment. It can be done==-it is not easy.

But, if you want doctors to be human beings, not gods, you have to admit that a human being can make a mistake or misjudgement. We are all human and must do the best we can.
 
Josephine said:
Actually, petal, based upon that last gem I think you need to do less research!
Click to expand...
Maybe! :) Or watch the whole video even if my Internet is slow (which it always is where I live). I only research topics I know nothing about. Good to know about what happens to the adhesions.

skigirl said:
But, if you want doctors to be human beings, not gods
Click to expand...
Hah! I have never, ever, viewed docs as gods, partly because I used to teach them how to draw blood and watched a number of them faint, party because I've had to listen to them rant about policies I didn't make! I have met many who were wonderful and many thought of themselves as gods and treated those around them poorly.

Had a good GP doc who made sense and who listened--he retired. :-(

I recognize that they are just humans like the rest of us, which also makes them prejudiced, set in their ways, resistant to change, and all the other human foibles. The problem is, docs and all medical types need to keep up on new info. Makes it a hard job for sure. But docs (and their helpers) also have to listen to the patient's concerns. I have stories about how docs who didn't listen to me have changed/ruined my life. So, I always learn what I can. Same as when I taught myself about cars so the repair shops couldn't take advantage of me.

Gilina
 
I agree that it takes work and a certain degree of luck to find the right doc. I also know a lot about cars!!! I wrote my Physics paper on the internal combustion engine--and I was off from there. (art major, physics minor)

The mechanics at our Ford garage used to call me honey even after I asked them to stop being so familiar. I finally wrote a letter to Ford and all of that stopped in its tracks.
 
skigirl said:
The mechanics at our Ford garage used to call me honey
Click to expand...
That is so funny! And annoying for you. I often left the repair guys speechless when they tried to put one over on me and I would say "oh, you mean...." Knowledge is power...and protection.

Gilina
 
I agree with this article---that is why I recommend that if people are in pain and cannot take opioids, they can try using 1000 mgs of Tylenol three or four times a day for a limited period. Using Tylenol for a TKR is almost self limiting as eventually we don't need any pain meds.

I am appalled at folks who take ibuprofen every day---or Tylenol every day. If your work or life is so stressful that you have a headache every day---you almost need to look elsewhere. A less stressful life or meditation or yoga or something else.
 
I've read another report (but I can't remember where, unfortunately) that concludes that Acetaminophen is not particularly effective as long term treatment for pain in osteoarthritis. To me, that's one more reason for not waiting too long to have a knee replacement.

However, I found it very effective post-op (taking 1,000 mg 4 times a day). I think it is safe, if not taken long-term.

Since I have a medical condition that precludes me taking Aspirin or NSAIDs and all narcotics make me vomit, I am very thankful that Tylenol/Paracetamol works for me.

I know what NSAIDs did to me and I cringe when I read of people taking them long-term.
 
I think Josephine was joking. Look back at Post #171. You mis-spelled Josephine when you tried to tag her.
 
I have been fortunate in having fairly good PA's. One in particular will listen as long as I want to talk.

As to speed of recovery--I am at about 23 wks. ; I have excellent extension/ROM, and while I can go up and down stairs normally, I certainly am not running them! I can do most things I want to do and I don't need pain meds any more, but my knee definitely doesn't feel "well"--there is still stiffness and discomfort.
 
It's good to hear your knee is doing so well. :yay:
At 23 weeks, you're about half way into this year-long recovery. The other, minor things will pass, given time.
 
You make me want to go edit my OS update from today... I still need to hold on with one hand both up and down stairs and yes, the knee is still boss with a bit of stiffness and discomfort still there in the the background, for lack of a better way to describe it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 1,074 (members: 0, guests: 1,074)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom