TKR Now, back to the knee(s)

[amberpep]

I thought maybe I should start a new thread since it's been awhile since I've written to you all. It's been 2 years this month (May 24) since I had my RTKR, and I am glad I did it. But, that knee still hurts. If I sit for awhile, it hurts to walk, after I get out of bed in the AM, it hurts to walk. Once I take the first few steps, it's usually pretty good unless the barometric pressure is dropping .... then it's very unhappy. Also, the left one is really acting up too, seemingly to follow the same pattern as the right one. I know at some point the left one will need to be done, but I'm not in any hurry.
Is my situation with my RTKR normal? Does anyone else have this going on at 2 years out? Every morning I have to take something. I've used Advil and Tylenol, but the best thing I've found is good old Excedrin. I take it about 7 and it usually lasts for about 6-8 hours.
I'd love to have some input (and encouragement) from you all. Many thanks.
abby

 

[maryo52]

Well bummer. I too have a knee that is less than expected by a significant amount. But I've made my peace with it. I don't have pain but I have stiffness.

What I've heard is that you can have arthritis in a TKR joint (!). That's what your complaints make me think of. Have you mentioned this to your ortho, and if so, what were his thoughts?

 

[amberpep]

Hi .... no, I have not heard that before. I'm wondering how that could be. I saw my doctor a year ago and he said maybe 3 years to come back, unless I had trouble. I know this sounds stupid, but I don't know if this is what he'd consider "trouble" or not .... maybe it's typical.
abby

 

[1ELISEA]

What I've heard is that you can have arthritis in a TKR joint (!)

@Josephine
Can you talk a bit more about this; I'd hadn't heard of it before. What can be done if a person has arthritis in a replaced joint?

 

[maryo52]

Well scratch my comment. I thought I'd heard such a remark but apparently that was my imagination in overdrive.

Josephine, why would someone have arthritis-like complaints in TKRs 2 years post-TKR?

 

[amberpep]

I got up this morning and WOW, both knees about stopped me in my tracks. I could barely walk. The barometric pressure had dropped as we're to get some rain today or tomorrow. I know I'm not a young chick, at 68, but I'm in good health (internally) but seem to have inherited my Dad's "structural" difficulties. Up til now, I've been very active .... low impact aerobics, walks and hiking, and my favorite - whitewater rafting. So, this really puts a crimp in life for me. I bought a bicycle - love it - having been told by the Condo Board that they would install a bike rack ..... well, they decided not to do that, and we cannot store anything on our porches, including bikes. I just sold the bike. I don't know if doing low impact aerobics would help with this discomfort or not. I sure don't want to make it worse.
I'm not sure what to do.
abby

 

[Josephine]

What I've heard is that you can have arthritis in a TKR joint (!)

New one on me, Mary!

Amber, perhaps you would indicate the location of your pains using the grid references in this chart. Also please indicate if front or back of the knee.

 

[Campervan]

Hi Amber, at 18 months I still get stiff sometimes, have ROM just on 120, minor pain when I climb stairs, and minor pain to weight bear after periods of inactivity. But the pain does not send me running for the med's cabinet. I still get tight hamstrings sometimes and they sting. But I can go hiking for up to 3 hours with only minor discomfort when I get back and its gone by the next day. Like you my other knee is now degenerating and again like you I'm in no rush to go back under the knife.

 

[amberpep]

Hi Josephine .... Thank you for the pictures ... it makes it so much easier to explain.
Right knee (TKR knee) - C and D on lateral side (CD ... R-2)
Left knee - C and D in the center (CD ... L-3 and L-2)

I hope this helps. Thanks so much.

 

[amberpep]

Campervan ..... sounds like we're somewhat similar. One other piece of this is that my RTKR, where it hurts when I get up to walk, is the same area where I have no sensation when I rub my finger over the skin. The discomfort may just be something I have to live with. If so, then it is what it is.
abby

 

[Josephine]

Amber, I don't think you quite get how grid references work! You need to pinpoint ONE square and say which vertical and which horizontal numbers you get. So CD .... L3 and L2 don't really tell me anything.
Is it
C/L2 or C/L3.
D/L2 or D/L3?

The right knee looks to me like it's ITB (ilio-tibial band) issues and treatments.

 

[amberpep]

Josephine .... let me give this another try. Right knee C & D - R2.
Thanks much,
abby

 

[amberpep]

Josephine ..... I totally believe you're right. I just looked up the ilio tibial band problem and it sounds exactly like what is happening to my knee .... pain on going down steps and on getting up from sitting. Once I get going I'm fine. The article said that it usually happens to athletes, but I'm not that right now. Is there something I can do myself to help this or do I need to see my surgeon again? Thanks so much once again.
abby

 

[Josephine]

let me give this another try. Right knee C & D - R2.

Also ITB, I think. Glad it help with the other knee! You might want to give this a try - I use it all the time! (Yes, I have chronic ITB, specially when I'm driving!) Acupressure massage.

 

[amberpep]

Josephine .... something else I just realized, and I think this just may be pretty important. Before I had my knee done, I was fitted and given orthotics which I was to wear in my shoes as I have some pronation. Well, I have not been wearing them, at all. I have to get my shoes 1/2 size larger than normal with them, and since I love to wear sandals in summer and mules in the winter, they look funny (sounds vain, I know). When I read the information on the web about this, it said pronation can cause this problem. So, as of tomorrow, I'll start wearing them. I also usually wear no shoes at all in the house. I'm sure that doesn't help.
abbyhttp://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/hopefully-half-a-hopper-now.19484/

 

[Josephine]

It's highly likely that your replacement solved the pronation issue. I would check about that before you start using orthotics again.

 

[amberpep]

Hi Josephine. I was doing some close examination today, and when I stand on a hard surface I can see the slight pronation (of both feet/ankles). When I put shoes on with my orthotics in them, my ankles were straight. So, I think there may be some credence to it. I "tested" it today, and wore the orthotics this morning to church (3 hours), took them off for the afternoon, and then put them on this evening for another 3 hours. It may be my imagination, but I noticed a marked difference in how my knee felt when I got out of my lounge chair. I'm going to try this for just a few hours at a time each day, do the accupressure exercise you showed me on-line and see if it changes. I have not used the orthotics since I had my knee done, and they were made for me through his office. Only problem is that there are several pairs of shoes they don't fit into, particularly sandals. I'll keep you posted on what's happening. I won't push it, if it doesn't seem to be helping, I don't want to mess it up.
abby

 

[scaredinCA]

This will be interesting to follow. wishing you the best outcome.

 

[kneeper]

Yes, I'd say see how it goes. I had orthotics made after the tkr when I got plantar fasciitis in the other foot. (I have overpronation too). I use them religiously. You might need to get re-evaluated to see if you still need orthotics or if you need a slightly different mold.

 

[amberpep]

Gosh, I hope I don't need a different one .... I sure can't afford that. I've been wearing them for a few hours at a time to get started again, and I do notice a difference in my ankle position when I have them on. I'm checking all my shoes to see which ones they will go into and which they won't. I think Good Will is going to be getting some very nice shoes. I love wearing sandals and they do fit in my Birkenstocks, but they look rather "clunky." We'll see.
abby