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TKR On the other side!

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Hello-

Tight bands could last a while and are normal. Can't speak to your scar issue, mine felt tight and weird for months but never had discoloration or bruising. As for the nights, I think everyone here will agree that we all suffer from issues at night, aching, stiffness, etc. in time, it decreases and then disappears. I now sleep on my stomach with my knees face down pressed into the tempurpedic, it feels fantastic! :)

As for having anything touching your knees. That part haunted me until about 9 months. I was very thankful that I had my surgery in February. We had a mild winter/spring and I was living in capri pants and shorts. A year later, the nerves have regenerated or whatever (I'm sure Josephine can supply the correct medical terminology) and I no longer have that uncomfortable feeling when clothing, sheets, blankets, etc., are touching my knees.

It takes time, hang in there, it all disappears in time, one day you'll be sitting there trying to remember all of the things that occurred during your recovery. My OS likes to remind me that it takes a full 3yrs to be "normal" again.
 
After both my patellar realignment and an open foot surgeries I developed over sensitive scars. Both the OS and PTs told me the best thing to do is to touch them often and with as many different textures as possible. I absolutely hated it, but it honestly didn't take long to resolve. I would just use washcloths, towels, scarves, my hands and what ever else I could think of to gently rub over and around the sensitive area. At first it was almost pin prickling/burning pain but as soon as my nerves stopped over-firing it was just fine.

My foot surgery was 3 years go and that car is still occasionally over sensitive. But as soon as I go back to touching it often (instead of avoiding it as makes sense) it feels better.

I hope this helps.
 
It has been 7 wks since I had my manipulation. 11 wks since my RTKR. After my manipulation I got to 122 flexion after suddenly loosing flexion down to 85. A couple of days after the manipulation I swelled and dropped back to 90. It has slowly improved and today I got to 120, extension is 2. So I think I am doing pretty good. I can do just about anything now so I will be real happy if after 6-9 months from now I will be at least 125 if not better. I still have pain (which became much worse after the manipulation), some swelling after exercising but I am sure that won't resolve for some time still. Still not glad I had it done due to pain still but as soon as that calms down I'm sure I will be happy. My doctor diagnosed me with Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome but after talking with PT today she doesn't think I have it. My scar has become super sensitive all of a sudden and tight. Very red and angry looking. My daughter suggested I put some Vaseline on it and low and behold it is better today, go figure. My PT said that particular syndrome the patient has lots of heat from the skin and a terrible burning sensation. She says it is very uncomfortable to even try to touch them. Mine is no where near that bad. But he referred me to a pain clinic and I think I might just go and see if I can get them to prescribe something for pain. I just still need to take something stronger then Tylenol or Ibuprofen. Partly due to my back which has been so bad the last couple of weeks. Weird how my back didn't bother me when my walk was really bad, but started hurting me more as my walk improved. Maybe just a delayed reaction to everything.
 
Have you stopped a moment to congratulate yourself, celebrate your victory? You are doing great. The stuff you're experiencing is normal. We all have minor issues that crop up, and inevitably a back problem, sciatica, or hip problem gets its dander up. There's a bit of "putting out fires" involved in TKR recovery, and a lot of letting time work its magic. For three months, you are soaring!
 
Yes, that is true. It has just been very hard doing this for the most part without pain meds. My doctor takes you off very quickly. I did not expect to have so much pain after my MUA, the pain was much worse then after the surgery itself. I was told it wasn't going to hurt, lol. I know I will be thrilled once I am out of pain.
 
Great hint about the Vaseline; friction on new skin really can hurt. That's excellent news about your mobility, even with the pain issues, which will decrease as you get more mobile, etc. Honest. And just think: Spring's a-coming.
 
Hey 60mom! I am 12 weeks post MUA and today I finally got up to 112! I am sooo excited that it is finally starting to work. I was stuck at 105 for weeks and then finally got 110 and now 2 more degrees! My extension is only at 10 so my os put me in a Dynasplint, I have a thread about it. Before my mua my knee just wouldn't budge and PT was horrible, very painful. After the mua, even though it is slow going, my knee feels like it wants to bend, which gives me hope that one day I will get to 120. I am sorry that you are having so much pain. I was really sore afterwards but it was an over exercising type of soreness, nothing like the after surgery pain. My doc is stingy with the pain meds too. I still have a few left, I try to only use them on pt days. I have tried the bonesmart cocktail and it works pretty good. I still ice and elevate, and even moist heat and sometimes a good soak in the tub helps. I have to have help from hubby to get out of the tub though. Your rom and extension are fantastic! :thumb:
Hopefully the pain clinic will be able to help you.
 
That is a bummer that your doc will not prescribe pain meds...I still take one or two a day..teaching kindergarten after this surgery has been a challenging...I am having a lot of hip pain, but it comes and goes.would b very frustrated without pain meds...have u tried Advil pm at night? That may help. Also, my scar felt like a blister but I just rubbed it until the pain finally went away...
 
I massaged my scar all the time now I wonder if I did too much. But it was never sensitive to touch until now. Other then of course pain when I first had the surgery. Weird! I take a sleep aide and go between Tylenol and Ibuprofen. I really need something stronger when I get achy for longer then an hour or so. Is your hip bothering you more after the TKR?
 
60mom, you are doing fine with your ROM and extension. I am envious. I really do find it hard to understand why, in the USA, the docs take patients off their meds so damn early. It's preposterous and completely insane!

Oh by the way, you must lie about your age :heehee: There's no way you are 60, judging by your photo - more like 30.
 
I used Vitamin E oil on my scars and it helped a lot. When I was in PT, he taught me a great way to massage a scar- to rub outward from the middle of the scar and to just move down the scar doing that. It helped my scar feel a lot less stiff or tight. My scars healed really fast- and I was able to use the Vitamin E within 3 weeks of my surgeries.
It sounds like you are doing a good job overall. Keep up the good work!
 
I had my MUA February 28th. I went to therapy for 8:00 the next morning and I made it to 100. Before I had been stuck at 95. Now I have dropped back to 95. Therapy has been very bad. It's like the therapist has gotten very push happy with my knee. I am back to tears everytime I leave. :boohoo: I had to skip going today, my leg was so swollen from yesterdays round. The OS has me using a device called ermi (End of Motion Improvement). They delivered it today. It is similar to CPM except it is not electric and you pump till your knee bends. Suppose to use it 6 times a day 10 minutes per session. Also I have started taking muscle relaxers, Flexril 10 mg 3 times a day. I hope this helps, I feel like I am going backwards sometimes. I am back at work but only 1/2 days. Next week I start full. I don't know if this MUA has helped me any.
 
You say your doctor takes people off pain meds fast. Are you referring to your PCP or your ortho?

Many of us end up having our pain meds prescribed by our regular doctor. If you're not doing that, I would strongly recommend it. Ortho practices are simply not set up to monitor pain med use due. Although most people have no interest in taking a single pill they don't need to, doctors face "drug seekers" regularly.
 
Miss Kitty, It's always a dilemma when our docs and or PT say one thing and we get "nonprofessional" advice from a friend or a forum that differs from our doc/PT. So that's my preface to what I'm about to say:
You've heard of "A-B-C." We use that in the medical field to prioritize "airway, breathing, circulation." Well there's an A-B-C to TKR recovery. "A" would be swelling control. This is primary. Swelling involves fluid in and around cells, cells that exist close together. So that swelling pushes on them, and on the microcirculation, impairing circulation, and it's circulation that brings healing.

B is pain control. Doing "A" right minimizes pain.

C is gentleness. I strongly disagree with PTs that encourage us to do things that hurt more than 3 on the 1-10 pain scale. Many people with range-of-motion issues who have experienced painful PT will claim such PT worsened their range of motion, or even triggered more adhesions.

So you know what I did? I gave up working with physical therapists. I used what I learned on this forum and some material on arthrofibrosis and designed my own program. For the first month I did stretches only, 3 times a day, 10 long slow stretches each time. I bought an exercise ball at Walmart. I'd sit on that ball and roll slowly forward to stretch my quad, then held for 30-60 seconds, backing off if the pain > 3. It took more than a month for me to get past 90 degrees. Once I was comfortably around 110, I stopped. I just moved on and starting living life, and you know what? The ROM continued to improve without PT or any effort on my part. Once I stopped these efforts, my pain went away.

I believe the Flexeril is an attempt to give you more stretch, but it cannot give you more stretch if your tissues are angry and swollen. I'd toss the PT and the Flexeril and adopt the gentle approach. You should not hurt and certainly should not be in tears. That PT should be ashamed. But it's up to you to make choices that are pro-Miss Kitty.

I don't know about the end of motion device. I think you should decide if it's beneficial. But six times a day for 10 minutes each? Too much!!!! I looked into DynaSplint and even called to set up an appointment. But I put it off and ended up not needing it.
 
Miss Kitty if I were you I would switch PT's. I had too, my first one was too aggressive and I think that is why I ended up needing the MUA. I switched. She spends time massaging my knee and scar and then she works on my knee very gently. I also have found for me I need my knees dangling over a table verses having it manipulated laying down. If your leg is dangling it opens up the knee more and it flexes easier. What a difference it has made. She never hurts me!

Maryo52, my OS took me off around 3 1/2 wks. then I got some more after my manipulation for 10 days and I have been in pain since. My OS is referring me to a pain clinic. I am needing to find a new GP so I don't have one presently.
 
60mom, well if there was a perfect world, it'd be that we were in with a good PCP before TKR. But it doesn't always happen that way. Funny story: my OS is very wary of percocet because of its track record for addiction. He prescribes vicodin. I gave the vicodin a try but it made me nauseous. When I went to leave the hospital after my TKR, I asked for percocet and he sent me home with an Rx for 40 percocet (which were gone in less than a week). The nurse was surprised he would even do that. So I went to my PCP, who gave me whatever I needed -- 80 at a time. Well last Fall I had another arthroscopic procedure to remove scar tissue, and my OS sent me home with an Rx for 60 percocet!!! My worst pain wasn't the knee but the four stab holes from the spinal needle! And then my sciatica acted up so I would take 1/2 percocet at night for sciatica and finally didn't need any. But a funny time for him to loosen up!!
 
Miss Kitty, if you can, change PT! I had decided to change therapists right before my mua. I went to talk to my new tharapist a week before my mua to make sure he understood I wasn't going to put up with being tortured like with my previous therapist. He agreed with me that pushing to the point of extreme pain does no good. While he does "push" me, he knows when to stop before I have to say something. I had gotten so aprehensive with my previous therapist that I would tense up and "guard" as they call it every time she touched me. It took me a few sessions to really trust my current therapist, but once I knew that he really was not going to hurt me ,therapy has been much better. It might be taking me longer to get where I want to be but at least I am getting there and am not being tortured in the process.
 
I'm getting quite an education reading your stories and finding mine similar, though I haven't had the med up and downs. The PT I went to right after my MUA tried mercilessly to push down on my knee. I screamed. I decided I had to quit that there were others nearby, so I just closed my eyes, bit my tongue and wept silently. I was asleep as soon as my husband got me in the car. Didn't ever use that PT again. Wish I knew then what I do now from all of you.
 
Today was a great day. I photographed a 5 year old and I did what I did before TKR and no problems. I was able to get down onto a 4 inch stool and easily get back up without grabbing anything to pull up with. I do finally feel like I am getting my life back. Amazingly just putting Vaseline on my scar has helped. It's color is getting better and I don't feel as much pain. I also started back on Gabapentin. It had caused me anxiety so I stopped it. So I started it again but this time taking anxiety medication with it and no problems. I do seem to have less pain in my knee and back. So maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel. :happydance:
 
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