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Revised PKR to TKR +PKR - Redsta Recovery

Can you delegate some help at home? Your healing should be your number one job.
 
It has been a really hectic time as we have been moving house. Hubby is working full time. My Mum, Stepdad and Dad have been wonderful but there is always so much that needs doing. Also my recovery was going so well I think I just kept adding more and more without realizing it. Then I hit a wall and haven't really come back from it. We have moved now so hopefully things will calm down - I just need to ignore the boxes!!
 
Yes, ignore the boxes, or let someone else unpack them while you rest.
Your knee is the most important thing right now.

It's 15 months now since we moved house and some of our boxes still aren't unpacked. We have the essentials. The rest can be done in a leisurely fashion.
 
I got 2 more weeks off work (I only work 2 days a week) and my kids will be in school and daycare on those days so I should get some proper rest. I'm a bit worried about my pain levels at this point. My GP says my knee recovery is the best he has seen so maybe I am just expecting too much too soon.
 
I'm glad you have some more time off work.

At this stage, I think that your pain is possibly related to the amount of activity you do.
 
I am now 11 weeks post surgery and my pain levels are quite high. I have been resting as much as I can but feel my knee is not showing much improvement. Feeling frustrated. I am taking paracetamol and ibuprofen 4 hourly - still icing 2-3 times a day with a Game Ready machine. When I walk the first few steps are quite painful - I am getting a lot of pain similar to before surgery. Some steps it doesn't hurt - others it hurts a lot. I admit I overdid it weeks 6-9 but have backed off a lot upon advice from here. How much would that be still having an effect now?
 
I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?
 
Hi Joaephine - here are my current answers

1. Right now about a 2. It varies so much throughout the day - first few steps are usually quite painful each time I get up. My knee feels like it is so up and down some days it feels awful - yesterday it felt really good and there doesn't seem to be much correlation between when I have a good or bad day

2. I am taking 2 paracetamol and 2 ibuprofen about 4 hourly.

3. slight swelling

4. My flexion is 120 and extension I can get my knee flat so not concerned about this.

5. icing: have been icing 3 times a day using game ready machine - 15 minutes a time.

6. elevating not much now

7. I have been trying to modify this and do less
Looking after a 4 year old and 2 year old - still have a cleaner once a week and am due to go back to work 2 days a week as a teacher next week. Still doing washing and everyday chores.

8. I have not been doing any specific knee exercises since I got really sore at 6 weeks.
I have not been to PT.

Thanks so much for your time
 
1. Right now about a 2. It varies so much throughout the day - first few steps are usually quite painful each time I get up. My knee feels like it is so up and down some days it feels awful - yesterday it felt really good and there doesn't seem to be much correlation between when I have a good or bad day
That's usual.
2. I am taking 2 paracetamol and 2 ibuprofen about 4 hourly.
This is not a good routine. You should not be taking 2 paracetamol 4hourly. Only take them every 6hrs. That equates to the safe maximum per 24hrs of 4,000mg.
3. slight swelling
olay
4. My flexion is 120 and extension I can get my knee flat so not concerned about this.
okay
5. icing: have been icing 3 times a day using game ready machine - 15 minutes a time.
You accomplish little or nothing in 25 minutes. Ice for at least 40-60mins and more than 4 times a day.
6. elevating not much now
okay
7. I have been trying to modify this and do less
Looking after a 4 year old and 2 year old - still have a cleaner once a week and am due to go back to work 2 days a week as a teacher next week. Still doing washing and everyday chores.
Okay
8. I have not been doing any specific knee exercises since I got really sore at 6 weeks. I have not been to PT.
Good!
 
Thanks Josephine - sounds like all is normal and I'm stressing unnecessarily. Will up the icing again and drop paracetamol to 6 hourly. I very much appreciate all you do to help people.
 
Hi zab
I've got to say my recovery is very up and down. My flexion and extension are both great - has been from very early. I still get quite a lot of pain on and off. I started back at work last week - 2 back to back days of teaching on my feet all day both days. I was very sore by 11am the second day. I am trying really hard to walk "normally" as it always hurts a lit the first couple of steps which starts me limping but it doesn't hurt as much after that. How about you? How are you finding it? Very curious to hear :)
 
Hi zab
I've got to say my recovery is very up and down. My flexion and extension are both great - has been from very early. I still get quite a lot of pain on and off. I started back at work last week - 2 back to back days of teaching on my feet all day both days. I was very sore by 11am the second day. I am trying really hard to walk "normally" as it always hurts a lit the first couple of steps which starts me limping but it doesn't hurt as much after that. How about you? How are you finding it? Very curious to hear :)

I'm not doing to bad no real pain a bit of tenderness when I press areas of my knee and it still feels quite stiff most the time, but my ROM is not as good as yours still hoping to get a bit more as the soft tissue nears healing I acquire a bit of a limp the more the day goes on I've been back at work since week 3 fortunately a desk job also trying to concentrate on correct gait when walking. I'm not discouraged as such I just need to be patient I'm 8 years older than you but still relatively young compared to most that have this surgery, I think us younger ones are a bit more impatient than the older patients when it comes to healing. Stick with it.
 
Hi @zab my knee is improving but it is slow...2nd week at work went better than the first which is a good sign - although I managed to find time to sit a bit more than my first week. I've been managing to take my kids to the park again most days which is a simple pleasure that we had all been missing out on. I'm going to try to start swimming this week and see how that goes.
I can't imagine what it must have been like going back to work week 3 even in a desk job. From all I have read your ROM just needs time - I was really lucky with mine. Glad that your pain is pretty good now - mine is up and down but on the whole improving....slowly :)
I am wide awake because I overdid it in the day so the leg is hurting and my 4 year is trying to lie on my head we will get there!!
 
HI @redsta

You haven't posted here since May 26, 2019, when everything seemed to be going well.

And now, I read that you're having your right PKR revised to a TKR next April. What went wrong?

You also say that you're going to have a left PKR on the same day. Have you thought about making that one a TKR from the start, to avoid the possibility of a second revision later on?

Since your first PKR failed so early, I wouldn't be having another one. I'd ask to go straight to a TKR. My PKR lasted for 11 years before it had to be revised. Even so, I asked to go direct to a TKR when my other knee needed replacing.

Best wishes anyway. Do keep us up to date with what's going on. We'll be here for you.
 
Hi there,
Yes I was concerned about the left pkr too - I've pushed my surgeon pretty hard on it and he is certain partial is the way to go and has a plan in place to ensure it goes better. My right Partial - I had excellent function but unfortunately at the three month mark the pain stayed the same and then continued to get worse. After further investigation my surgeon says the force going through the medial part of my knee is still too great for the bone underneath so he is replacing it with a TKR to so the weight will be distributed more evenly through the joint. He is one of the top surgeons in Western Australia and very highly respected (I've done a lot of research) so I choose to trust his plan. I understand your concerns Celle as they have been mine as well :) I am only 38 and I have 2 young kids I need this to work!
 
my surgeon says the force going through the medial part of my knee is still too great for the bone underneath so he is replacing it with a TKR
Can he assure you that this won't happen to your left knee with a partial? Why take the chance of having to have another revision when going to the total will eliminate that possibility? The recovery time for a partial and a total are nearly identical.

This is something only you can decide. I pray you make the decision that's right for you.
 
There are no guarantees - there never are - I have an appointment on the 26th of Feb and I will once again question the partial. I have decided not to opt for a second opinion at this point because at the end of the day they will either agree with him - happy days or disagree and then I still have to choose to trust one and he's the surgeon I'd choose to trust. Is there any research you can point me in the direction to read? I am overweight for my height (not massively so) but am trying to work on that as another way of easing force going through the knee - plus if both knees are working better -Id hope it would ease things for both of my knee joints. Thanks for taking the time to reply - I really appreciate it.
 
Hi all,
I had my surgery today - it was supposed to be 1st of April but got put back due to COVID - I got the call Tuesday and had surgery today (Thursday). I had a revision to my right knee (had a PKR Feb 2018) and a partial knee replacement done on my left knee. I am 38 - 39 tomorrow - Happy Bday to me,I have new knees....
Anyway my surgeon said my right PKR implant was loose - when I asked him how that happened he went on a rant about my weight (I'm 99kg and 163cm tall) so yes definitely carrying more weight than I should be which I am fine to acknowledge. He has not once focused on my weight in any of my previous appointments (I raised it with him because I know it is a problem- he even said at one point that the way the weight goes through my knees I probably would have ended up with problems no matter what my weight). So my question is what are the other possible causes of a loose implant? He seemed to be on the defensive and it was really not what I needed when I had literally just got back to the ward. Hope everyone is staying safe at this very strange and worrying time!
 
First of all, Happy Birthday! :flwrysmile: Not the best way to spend it, but next year should be great!

I’m sorry your surgeon got defensive there, you asked a reasonable question. I hope all goes well with both knees now.

Just to be clear on the date, please tell us again the date of the first partial, your signature says 2019 and you mentioned 2018 in the post above. And which type of partial did you get on the left knee, medial, Patellofemoral or lateral? Thanks!
 

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