Sorry you had a rough night @funkymuse. Glad you have found a supportive PT. 
MUA Oct 2017 TKR - Hematoma - MUA - Finally past 90!<
- Thread starter funkymuse
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jboles
graduate
I sure hope I don’t ever have to have mine replaced either
Spex10
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Hi, no I didn't seem to. I was so overjoyed to be able to bend beyond 55! Actually, pain didn't ever seem to be a big problem for me at any point somehow. I only took paracetemol as I hated the opiate drugs. Very lucky i know. I was in such fear of an MUA that the reality was a wonderful relief.
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funkymuse
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Well.. I'm so happy for your journey with that @Spex10 - wish I could say the same BUT at the same time I must be on this particular path for a reason only God knows and so I have just surrendered and accepted it is what it is.
Last night yet another muscle freaked out. A muscle halfway up my quad. I think I was stretching - you know.. like when you are laying in bed and our body wants to lengthen out like a cat and so you reach and stretch long.. and at that point I felt something give in my thigh muscle and then extreme burning pain. So here I am again facing another muscle that won't cooperate right now. So it was a rough night of ice and elevation and trying to sleep. BUT one good thing I noticed when I got up this morning is that my knee itself does not feel so compacted with swelling.. It feels looser in there! That gives me hope! I have to have a bit of hope everyday or it becomes very hard and I know I'm preaching to the choir on this one. So I know that as soon as my thigh muscles begin heal up I will certainly be able to begin some gentle PT and I will slowly gain my ROM.
AND!!!! Yesterday I got my work to extend my return by 2 days.. so I don't have to be in Monday! But I have to be there Wed and I feel those two days will make all the difference. They had to have another letter from my Doctor stating the return date and so I spent a couple hours yesterday chasing that down since it was Friday but I got 'er done! Thank you God!
Last night yet another muscle freaked out. A muscle halfway up my quad. I think I was stretching - you know.. like when you are laying in bed and our body wants to lengthen out like a cat and so you reach and stretch long.. and at that point I felt something give in my thigh muscle and then extreme burning pain. So here I am again facing another muscle that won't cooperate right now. So it was a rough night of ice and elevation and trying to sleep. BUT one good thing I noticed when I got up this morning is that my knee itself does not feel so compacted with swelling.. It feels looser in there! That gives me hope! I have to have a bit of hope everyday or it becomes very hard and I know I'm preaching to the choir on this one. So I know that as soon as my thigh muscles begin heal up I will certainly be able to begin some gentle PT and I will slowly gain my ROM.
AND!!!! Yesterday I got my work to extend my return by 2 days.. so I don't have to be in Monday! But I have to be there Wed and I feel those two days will make all the difference. They had to have another letter from my Doctor stating the return date and so I spent a couple hours yesterday chasing that down since it was Friday but I got 'er done! Thank you God!
liam2015
post-grad
i know what you mean about that "cat stretch" ~ one can forget that they had a knee replacement and go a little too far. that's good you have another 2 days before going back to work. any little improvement is a blessing and keep up the hope.
Spex10
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@Funkymouse I can't say I had an easy time. ROM was elusive to say the least. It was actually getting worse not better. Knee very swollen for ages. Could only walk by hip hitching. Risked affecting whole lot of other joints. Now fine but other knee a big problem!
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funkymuse
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Thank you @liam2015!!!
Oh gosh @Spex10 - I certainly KNOW about the 'other knee,' but I just cannot fathom going through this again. It's been holding up mighty fine with all it's had to do to support the healing knee. Soon I will switch gears as the bionic knee begins to take over and support the other one. And I may just do that the rest of my life!
Oh gosh @Spex10 - I certainly KNOW about the 'other knee,' but I just cannot fathom going through this again. It's been holding up mighty fine with all it's had to do to support the healing knee. Soon I will switch gears as the bionic knee begins to take over and support the other one. And I may just do that the rest of my life!
It sounds like you are starting to turn that corner! And I agree that those 2 extra days will make a big difference in returning to work!
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funkymuse
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Well.. I got so busy with some work yesterday (my new office is my bed - ha ha ha), that I forgot to get on and post about my 4 month anniversary!!!
Yes it's been an interesting journey full of ups and downs and the downs felt like hell and the little ups felt like glorious hope. However, even though I have had, and still am having challenges, I still have not faced some of the more intense struggles that many others have on this journey and so my gratefulness comes from that and also for the heart lessons I've learned having to be laid up on mind and emotion altering meds. Also my husband is now a full blown house MARM! HA!! He has trained well although he rebelled many times at the wrong moments like when I was really having a hard time with pain, he would grumpy about his duties. But believe me I'm going to take advantage of some of his new skills which means I don't have to be wonder woman anymore i.e. coming home from work and having to take care of all the house duties, shopping, etc., in addition to my job. NOW some of the load can be shifted to him! Yay!!!
Since I was forced to be 'down,' not able to work, and not get up and run around alot, I was able to partially put a new marketing strategy into place for my business which has taken hours of my time and for which I would not have had, or made the time to do otherwise.
I also have gained a new respect for not only people with disabilities and anyone who has to go through this journey but for cancer patients who sufferer horrendously at the hands of the chemo process that brings on nausea that feels like death. I suffered with that and I cried for those people during my nausea bouts.
And finally I have met wonderous people on this Bonesmart site and have had the support of strangers who have shown genuine care for me who I don't even know. That in itself is a gift from God who I know brought me to this site. Without this support and connection.. being left out in the ocean of no one to share the ups and downs of the journey with, I would feel totally insane and depressed and lost.
So the pluses of this journey may just outweigh the negatives although I think I will pass on having my other knee done!
I think it was two days ago, I wrote about my quad muscle rebelling and burning with alot of pain all night. I then babied it all the next day and yesterday it was not bothersome at all! I felt wow... this is going to be ok! Until last night when it did it again. So when you are laying down and you turn to the left or right, you end up using those quads to help assist. Well I suppose that's when it happens... my quad is not ready to help with all that yet and when I was just gently trying to turn to one side or the other, they got reangered. So I suffered with intense pain and burning again last night and the Dilaudid nor the Flexerile help at all with the pain. I am grateful that during the day I can walk somewhat and lay with it elevated - that all does not seem to bother it.. it's the laying down and trying to move about in that position when the muscle fires. So maybe tonight I'll sleep with my leg elevated and sitting up to help it continue to heal. And it does seem to like being wrapped when I do have to get up and walk about.
So that's my report in a nutshell... I can't believe it's only 4 months and yet it seems like a lifetime! I'm now day one heading toward the 5 month mark and I can only bend maybe 10 or 20%. Oh my.. but i'm not bothered. it will come. I know it will. I did the big evil MUA deed and now I can relax back and go easy and have faith.
And here's my disclaimer to this happy post!!!
I'm sure despite my optimistic mood I'll be back with some need for more support and love!!!
Thanks everyone.. I hope someone benefits from my journey as I have benefited from those that went before me. hugs and love and prayers for everyone.
Happy Sunday...Christina
Yes it's been an interesting journey full of ups and downs and the downs felt like hell and the little ups felt like glorious hope. However, even though I have had, and still am having challenges, I still have not faced some of the more intense struggles that many others have on this journey and so my gratefulness comes from that and also for the heart lessons I've learned having to be laid up on mind and emotion altering meds. Also my husband is now a full blown house MARM! HA!! He has trained well although he rebelled many times at the wrong moments like when I was really having a hard time with pain, he would grumpy about his duties. But believe me I'm going to take advantage of some of his new skills which means I don't have to be wonder woman anymore i.e. coming home from work and having to take care of all the house duties, shopping, etc., in addition to my job. NOW some of the load can be shifted to him! Yay!!!
Since I was forced to be 'down,' not able to work, and not get up and run around alot, I was able to partially put a new marketing strategy into place for my business which has taken hours of my time and for which I would not have had, or made the time to do otherwise.
I also have gained a new respect for not only people with disabilities and anyone who has to go through this journey but for cancer patients who sufferer horrendously at the hands of the chemo process that brings on nausea that feels like death. I suffered with that and I cried for those people during my nausea bouts.
And finally I have met wonderous people on this Bonesmart site and have had the support of strangers who have shown genuine care for me who I don't even know. That in itself is a gift from God who I know brought me to this site. Without this support and connection.. being left out in the ocean of no one to share the ups and downs of the journey with, I would feel totally insane and depressed and lost.
So the pluses of this journey may just outweigh the negatives although I think I will pass on having my other knee done!
I think it was two days ago, I wrote about my quad muscle rebelling and burning with alot of pain all night. I then babied it all the next day and yesterday it was not bothersome at all! I felt wow... this is going to be ok! Until last night when it did it again. So when you are laying down and you turn to the left or right, you end up using those quads to help assist. Well I suppose that's when it happens... my quad is not ready to help with all that yet and when I was just gently trying to turn to one side or the other, they got reangered. So I suffered with intense pain and burning again last night and the Dilaudid nor the Flexerile help at all with the pain. I am grateful that during the day I can walk somewhat and lay with it elevated - that all does not seem to bother it.. it's the laying down and trying to move about in that position when the muscle fires. So maybe tonight I'll sleep with my leg elevated and sitting up to help it continue to heal. And it does seem to like being wrapped when I do have to get up and walk about.
So that's my report in a nutshell... I can't believe it's only 4 months and yet it seems like a lifetime! I'm now day one heading toward the 5 month mark and I can only bend maybe 10 or 20%. Oh my.. but i'm not bothered. it will come. I know it will. I did the big evil MUA deed and now I can relax back and go easy and have faith.
And here's my disclaimer to this happy post!!!
I'm sure despite my optimistic mood I'll be back with some need for more support and love!!!
Thanks everyone.. I hope someone benefits from my journey as I have benefited from those that went before me. hugs and love and prayers for everyone.
Happy Sunday...Christina
OP
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funkymuse
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Hello @sistersinhim - I'd like a thread name change to reflect my journey:
Oct 2017 TKR - Hematoma - MUA - Gratitude.
Oct 2017 TKR - Hematoma - MUA - Gratitude.
That is an awesome update and touched my heart. Even with the difficult and painful journey you are having you are able to see non physical positives. ( at Weight Watchers we called them “non scale victories “)
I am 11 months post op and I frequently have a pity party because I have not had any physical advantage to having my partial replacement. But you mention some very good positives that have nothing to do with the knee.
That’s great that you were able to work on a new aspect for your business because without being laid up you wouldn’t have had or taken the time for it.
More respect and compassion for others who have physical struggles is also something I have found.
And making the friends we have here on Bonesmart is priceless!
Thank you for reminding me that I do have advantages since my surgery. I get so wrapped up in my knee that demands my attention that I couldn’t see any positives.
I am 11 months post op and I frequently have a pity party because I have not had any physical advantage to having my partial replacement. But you mention some very good positives that have nothing to do with the knee.
That’s great that you were able to work on a new aspect for your business because without being laid up you wouldn’t have had or taken the time for it.
More respect and compassion for others who have physical struggles is also something I have found.
And making the friends we have here on Bonesmart is priceless!
Thank you for reminding me that I do have advantages since my surgery. I get so wrapped up in my knee that demands my attention that I couldn’t see any positives.
liam2015
post-grad
hi funkymuse ~ what a wonderful 4 month report, especially your optimism. you had time to think about that marketing strategy which will put you ahead back at work and you have more understanding and empathy for people with disabilities and others going through chemo side effects as you've suffered through your journey. don't you love silver linings?
i know what you mean turning from side to side in bed as i had the same difficulties. i tend to use my upper body to turn over, not sure if that's good or bad. i still use my lounge doctor for part of the night which seems to keep me comfortable in one position. i didn't use it recently on vacation and last night i didn't use it and i slept okay, but my legs don't like being on top of one another so i sometimes use a pillow if one is handy.
that's a good sign you are walking without too much discomfort and able to lay with your leg elevated. i suspect, as i did, you still have a lot of swelling and inflammation. once that subsides, i'm sure things will improve, particularly your flexion; at least that is what i experienced. i still have a slight bit of swelling and a bit of stiffness now and then, but no intense pains or burning as you've been experiencing. i guess you have to find a way to move around in bed to avoid that burning and intense pain. i'm sorry the medications aren't helping.
keep up the optimism and try to be patient ~ remember it's still only just over a week since you had the m.u.a. keep up the walking, elevating and icing and i hope that helps with the swelling sooner than later. your experiences help others to know that they are doing okay in this long journey.
i know what you mean turning from side to side in bed as i had the same difficulties. i tend to use my upper body to turn over, not sure if that's good or bad. i still use my lounge doctor for part of the night which seems to keep me comfortable in one position. i didn't use it recently on vacation and last night i didn't use it and i slept okay, but my legs don't like being on top of one another so i sometimes use a pillow if one is handy.
that's a good sign you are walking without too much discomfort and able to lay with your leg elevated. i suspect, as i did, you still have a lot of swelling and inflammation. once that subsides, i'm sure things will improve, particularly your flexion; at least that is what i experienced. i still have a slight bit of swelling and a bit of stiffness now and then, but no intense pains or burning as you've been experiencing. i guess you have to find a way to move around in bed to avoid that burning and intense pain. i'm sorry the medications aren't helping.
keep up the optimism and try to be patient ~ remember it's still only just over a week since you had the m.u.a. keep up the walking, elevating and icing and i hope that helps with the swelling sooner than later. your experiences help others to know that they are doing okay in this long journey.
I've changed your thread title for you.
phrog
senior
Hello, Funkymuse. I loved reading your optimistic post about your four month anniversary.. Yes, you can expect to need more support and you may have more rough days, but your optimism and detailed account of how you are doing will help so many and the support will be there for you when you need it. The whole TKR experience is larger-than-life and more difficult that most of us were told. You've had a particularly tough time and I do so wish that you had relief from the pain you have at night. I am two weeks short of a year and sometimes still get up and sit up in the recliner with the footrest up and my leg elevated more on a pillow. It enables me to sleep more comfortably on the nights my leg is unhappy both stretched out or bent when I am prone on the bed. I hope the MUA you had and which has caused so much pain and swelling will soon help you bend more easily. My computer just ran out of battery and I switched to my phone so I am going to close quickly with a wish for frequent positive milestones that get you to the point where your legs let you do the things you want and need to do.
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funkymuse
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Oh my gosh.. horrible night. Here is the letter I sent to my doctor this morning and so he had one of this nurses call me back to make sure I was hooked up with a PT who does AGGRESSIVE THERAPY and said I was going to loose all my bend if I didn't do it! Does he not even know that I will damage my muscles further if they are spasaming and burning when I try to activate them? This scare tactic has me very un-nerved. I need some solace and re-assurning from my BS friends. Thank you so much.
Hello Tania and Dr. Picco:
There was a glitch with the Voltaren Gel and I need it ASAP... and I also need the Robaxin as the Flexeril makes me tired and I've got to start work on Wed and I'm still having horrific muscle burning and pain in a section of my quads that feel like they are torn or horribly strained.... and when I move ever so slightly when laying down to sleep at night they spasm again and the burning pain starts and nothing seem to help it. I was up all night last night trying to deal with this. It's frustrating and I'm sick of all the issues I'm having with this knee.
I cannot bend deeper to really work my flexion because of this muscle problem. It started on 2/13 when I was asleep.. I felt a sharp pull and horrible burning pain and that was the beginning of this quad muscle trouble. I went to PT and she massaged it gently trying to release the muscles but that night I was in horrid pain as the muscles did not like it and it angered them even more.
During the day I rest it, elevated and bend the knee as far as I can throughout the day without activating that muscle because if I use it... it pulls into pain and burns again and I set the healing progress of that muscle back. I've read all about muscle strains trying to figure out what to do and there is nothing except rest and ice/head and muscle relaxers that will help.
So if I could get the Robaxin and the Voltaren Gel asap so that I will have some relief before I head back to work, I feel like maybe I could make it through work. This has been BEYOND STRESSFUL for me having to try and heal tramatized muscles with the threat of losing my job hanging over my head. I was hoping to have made good progress so I could function properly at work but as of today, walking is still very painful due to those quad muscles. It needs to heal and I feel the Gel and the Robaxin will help. Again the Flexeril makes me tired and out of it and I can't work on that. A fellow MUA patient I know said that Robaxin helped her tremendously and she could work and function throughout the day.
Thank you for helping me with this. I hope to hear from someone asap.
Christina James
Hello Tania and Dr. Picco:
There was a glitch with the Voltaren Gel and I need it ASAP... and I also need the Robaxin as the Flexeril makes me tired and I've got to start work on Wed and I'm still having horrific muscle burning and pain in a section of my quads that feel like they are torn or horribly strained.... and when I move ever so slightly when laying down to sleep at night they spasm again and the burning pain starts and nothing seem to help it. I was up all night last night trying to deal with this. It's frustrating and I'm sick of all the issues I'm having with this knee.
I cannot bend deeper to really work my flexion because of this muscle problem. It started on 2/13 when I was asleep.. I felt a sharp pull and horrible burning pain and that was the beginning of this quad muscle trouble. I went to PT and she massaged it gently trying to release the muscles but that night I was in horrid pain as the muscles did not like it and it angered them even more.
During the day I rest it, elevated and bend the knee as far as I can throughout the day without activating that muscle because if I use it... it pulls into pain and burns again and I set the healing progress of that muscle back. I've read all about muscle strains trying to figure out what to do and there is nothing except rest and ice/head and muscle relaxers that will help.
So if I could get the Robaxin and the Voltaren Gel asap so that I will have some relief before I head back to work, I feel like maybe I could make it through work. This has been BEYOND STRESSFUL for me having to try and heal tramatized muscles with the threat of losing my job hanging over my head. I was hoping to have made good progress so I could function properly at work but as of today, walking is still very painful due to those quad muscles. It needs to heal and I feel the Gel and the Robaxin will help. Again the Flexeril makes me tired and out of it and I can't work on that. A fellow MUA patient I know said that Robaxin helped her tremendously and she could work and function throughout the day.
Thank you for helping me with this. I hope to hear from someone asap.
Christina James
Oh, Christina, I’m so sorry this is your doctor’s approach. You know it is just one approach of many. You have to do what is right for YOU. This recovery is not a one size fits all.
He cannot force you to do aggressive therapy. He can’t even force you to go to any PT.
I would be very upset with this response, too. I would dread the obvious upcoming discussion with him but I would still choose to rehab the way I want to.
Hugs and prayers for you.
He cannot force you to do aggressive therapy. He can’t even force you to go to any PT.
I would be very upset with this response, too. I would dread the obvious upcoming discussion with him but I would still choose to rehab the way I want to.
Hugs and prayers for you.
liam2015
post-grad
oh funkymuse ~ i don't understand why they can't see that aggressive therapy does not help. it's pretty simple and I am not trained in the medical field, but i learned here that aggressive physio = pain = swelling = limited flexion. i'm sorry i can't remember if you've actually experimented by taking a week or 2 of only activities of daily life, short walks, rest/ice/elevate, etc.? i've read here that one would likely need more than a couple weeks of rest, ice and elevate to make a difference.
instead of your medical team encouraging you to continue with aggressive physio that is hurting you, maybe they could consider that there may be something else going on that is causing so much pain. i sure hope there isn't but how can they not try to help you by at least offering better pain control or further assessment?
i am so sorry you are in so much pain with inadequate support from your medical team, causing stress. i wish i could help.
instead of your medical team encouraging you to continue with aggressive physio that is hurting you, maybe they could consider that there may be something else going on that is causing so much pain. i sure hope there isn't but how can they not try to help you by at least offering better pain control or further assessment?
i am so sorry you are in so much pain with inadequate support from your medical team, causing stress. i wish i could help.
