TKR not feeling normal since TKR...

[Roy Gardiner]

Question>>>should my knee be really sore after PT

No. If PT hurts, or makes it hurt after, or makes it swell, it's too hard.

.if I am trying to strengthen the upper muscle, then why does my knee get so sore and not the muscle?

Because it is the weak link. Of all the times to do strength exercises on the quad just after knee replacement has to be the worst, by a long way.

Wait until the knee is recovered.

 

[Dianne]

Dianne, hope your feeling better!!

thank you so much!! hope you are doing well also..:doggieshmooze:

 

[Dianne]

Hi Di

You have had some excellent advice here, so not much more I can add but I will just throw one idea in. This is a very mentally challenging surgery and recovery and I know for me I was extremely stressed before and after the surgery that caused my appetite to disappear. I lost a lot of weight and sometimes felt I could not face food due to the anxiety - could you have this same feeling maybe. It's amazing how your body reacts with stress and anxiety - just a thought This lasted for about 5 weeks with me and then slowly I have got back to normal and I am now feeling really happy and chilled out.

I wish you all the best with your continued recovery.

Thank you!! Have just figured out how to reply:DOH:I appreciate your help and there are a great bunch of people here!!:cat-kittyandsmiley:

 

[Cynthia07]

I tend to agree with Frog Feathers. Go at your own speed! Try not
to compare too much or you'll lose your mind! Hang in there!

 

[Jamie]

Dianne...great job with the signature...thank you!

Roy is right. If you have discomfort after your PT, you are not ready for that level of exercise yet. Scale it back for a while. You are still very early in this recovery!!

 

[tashia]

How are you? I know from experience this is a hard time for me and some others. Now I find myself in a better spot. It took a while and that is what it is all about. The body decides when its ready. depression is also one of the things that happens.. I hope this finds you out of pain. Not so depressed and that you are feeling better. Please let us know how you are doing? We are a family and sure would like to hear from you. :doggieshmooze:Tashia

 

[Dianne]

Hey yall!! Thanks for all the nice replys....haven't been back lately because not much has changed as far as the knee..still pretty sore :sigh ..had rough time the past few weeks with a new anti-depressant,made me deathly sick after I went to bed..just found out that was the reason and stop taking it and feel much better. The sickly feeling has finally passed and now am left with my depression and anxiety of going back to work with this sore knee! Have 1 last PT appt. left Friday and will be finished...but have another question Is there anything else I can do to help get the soreness out besides ice and the exercise?? I have not seen anything anywhere else about this, so I am wondering if it is just something that comes time..am really worried about going back to work the 2nd week in May.Even though I will go back at 4 hours per day the first 2 weeks I am really stressing over standing up on this leg all day..any ideas on how to possibly make it better would be greatly appreciated!! Hope you are all doing well with your recovery and I so much appreciate you all and hope that you had a wonderful Easter!!
Thanks and blessings to you all,
Di

 

[Dianne]

How are you? I know from experience this is a hard time for me and some others. Now I find myself in a better spot. It took a while and that is what it all about. The body decides when its ready. depression is also one of the things that happens.. I hope this finds you out of pain. Not so depressed and that you are feeling better. Please let us know how you are doing? We are a family and sure would like to hear from you. :doggieshmooze:Tashia

Hey Tashia, I am feeling better.The sickly feeling is finally gone so that helps a lot. Hope you are doing well my friend!:cat-kittyandsmiley:

 

[maryo52]

Dianne, sometimes the shortest distance between two points is not a straight line . . . what I'm trying to say is that directly working on the knee sometimes doesn't get it to progress faster. The day I stopped doing PT and just living was a great day. I finally was able to stop taking narcotics.

Since you have fibro, you know yourself well and what works and doesn't work. But in knee replacement there is a lot of inflammation, and taking an NSAID can facilitate recovery and pain relief. Just a thought.

THe other thing is that whole thing about being compared to a 70 year old - ?? Well I don't know the facts, but my observation is that older people tend to recover better. They have less pain and have lower expectations. So I guess you have to deafen your ears to that stuff.

I understand your nervousness about returning to work. It's tough because it's so hard to tell how you'll feel then.

 

[Nyland]

Don't stop taking the meds because of your Mom for sure. She is not the expert on this. I am relatively new so I can't give you the voice of experience that some can here. My doctor used the multimodal pain management Jo talked about here and it is very effective for me at this time. I did have some nausea several times and he treated it right away with a med and I can't say what he gave me. I have had Restless Legs Syndrome for several years and worried it might get worse after the TKR since several mentioned it here. It is too early yet to say but I did notice that some of the nutritional supplements I added several weeks before the surgery seemed to tone it down---for one I had never taken iron supplements and when they helped, I did look it up and saw sometimes it can be related to low iron. I am not of course saying that is a cause for you, but sometimes after surgery you may have greater nutritional needs because of the stresses and losses during surgery. It might be hard to keep supplements down so go slow. I found liquid supplements easier to stomach and absorb than pills. Check with your doctor though if you consider that. You need to take it slow and like everyone says, rest, ice, elevate. I am doing that all day long except when I do my exercises! Like I said, I am new and don't have the experience of many but do not listen to people around you pressuring you who have no idea what you are going through. Come here for support anytime. It has helped me so much.

BINGO!!!!
Diane I have been reading your thread hoping that someone would mention low iron. Thanks, Plenair. Diane, you said that it is worse since your TKR. Please call your OS office and tell them that you know that RLS can be worse from low iron and yours is worse. Its an easy thing to check and treat. FEEL BETTER!!!!

 

[tashia]

I'm glad you are doing better. Remember if it hurts while you are exercise stop and don't do it. Remember you are not surpose to hurt. I hope your mood is also better. Take care and hang in there. :doggieshmooze:Tashia

 

[Dianne]

hey yall....well everything is pretty much the same for me. Knee still sore but am finished with my PT unless I have problems later. Stomach problems are a lot better but my anxiety and depression are trying to eat me alive:rolleyespink:.Going back to work is coming really fast. My Mom said today that I have already been out of work for 8 weeks, like I am doing something wrong:DOH:Again trying to compare me to someone else.Hope everyone is doing well!!!
Thanks so much,
Di

 

[Ditzzeechick]

Di-

Next Monday will be 8 weeks on my RK and 7 weeks on my LK. I am fortunate enough to not have to run back to a job. If I did go back to work I would certainly be looking to my OS to give me at least 4 more weeks. I went thru the blues and depression when I was on the hydrocodone (never going to take that stuff again if I can avoid it!) Have you spoken to your GP about the way you feel? Are you in a position to delay your return to work for a few more weeks? Will you mother rag on you if you don't return to work? ( no offense but Mom should find something to do outside of monitor your life) I figure with the slowness of my bend that I'm going to be in PT for another 4-8 weeks minimum. Don't compare, don't despair, talk to people who can provide solutions to existing issues and do what is necessary to alleviate some of your stress. Good luck with the doc...and MOM! :th_heehee:

 

[Nyland]

Hi Dianne,
Please let your PCP know about your anxiety and depression. Don't let it eat you.

 

[tashia]

Are you back at work? Hope you could take a longer break if you are. Anxiety and Depression is just now. Lean to take a deep breath and tell yourself everything is going to be ok. Hope your pain is under control that is when my anxiety takes off and also my depression. Could you read a book or watch a good movie ? I play music all the time to help me calm down. I hope that this too shall pass. take care and remember you can come here whenever you want and read or post. You are not alone. :doggieshmooze:tashia

 

[speccybecky]

Diane, I've been off work for 12 weeks. I thought I'd be itching to get back butnim not and that's how I know I'm not ready to go back even yet

 

[Lindawalms]

IMO, 8 weeks is not enough time to heal...Please don't let what your Mom says dictate how you live your life....please call your Dr. to have your depression and anxiety addressed...you may not need lifelong meds (like I do) but something temporary may help - I know you just tried something that made you sick but there are many different options out there! Please reach back out to your Drs again!!!
xoxoxo,
Linda.

 

[Dianne]

Hey yall......I know in my heart and kneethat I am not anywhere near ready to go back to work,but may as well suck it up! knee is still very sore especially to stand and I will have to stand at work, but I just don't have a choice, but to go back...as for my anxiety and depression it is nothing new for me as I have dealt with it forever I think, but it gets to me now because I live alone and am use to working a fulltime job and a p/t one. even though I am thankful I don't have to be sick and in pain and have to deal with others:yes 4: hope you all are doing well!!
Di

 

[highland pony]

Can you not fit a high stool in your work place so you can rest a bit, at least take the weight off your leg

 

[Dianne]

thanks highland pony!! I do have a what they call a perch in my work station due to my back problems. I try not to use it any more than needed because I am on a production job and have a high quota per hour to do and using the perch makes it hard to do...but I know certainly for sure that I will be using it a lot when I go back....thanks for your help and any other great ideas will be welcome!! hope you are well.....:cat-kittyandsmiley: