TKR Right TKR July 10...the start of something big!

[Deedles8]

Seriously disheartened today....three weeks out and I haven't gained any flexion in two weeks. I'm stuck at 85. Extension is at 0 but I feel like Im not getting anywhere and I can't stop crying because of this. I'm afraid of getting stuck.....I don't want to have a manipulation. I don't want to be a failure.... My PT said everything else was great...strength, mobility....but I am at a loss. It WON'T bend...and when I try to get it inch just a bit further Im in serious pain. God love my therapist, she was trying to be patient with me telling me now that Im relieved from home therapy and can do outpatient that they will help me gain ROM, but shouldn't I get a degree or two by now?

Maybe I'm being a baby, but I want this to work.

 

[My way]

Hi Deedles8 I'm sorry you see you feel so down and frustrated. I'm not an expert but I think it's possible you have been overdoing things. You are only 3 weeks out and you are far from healed. I'm at 5 weeks tomorrow and there is no way I would be able to attend a concert yet! My PT is minimal nothing painful and ROM is coming along. I still take meds for pain and at 3 weeks I still needed them quite often.
I know the feeling of not wanting to be a failure and you aren't. Try slowing down, rest the knee for a while and take the meds. I think you'll see a difference. Now take a deep breath and try to relax, You'll be fine.
Wanda

 

[Ready]

Wish we could convince you to relax both mind and knee! With my first knee, I was at 90 at 3 weeks, too. Nobody told me that was bad, as a matter of fact everyone kept saying how great that was. I started improving when I dropped to three sessions spread out over 2 weeks. At 8 weeks, I still wasn't at the magic 120, but getting closer. Then I had a huge improvement in ROM after taking it easy during my 2nd TKR--a true testimony to how swelling and ROM are connected. Please consider taking some time off and going easy for a little while!

 

[kneeper]

Hey, deedles--don't think of it as being you failing. Everyone heals at a different pace. You have lots of time to gain ROM and you're not doing badly now anyway.
How is your swelling? Are you still icing and elevating? Maybe you're overdoing a bit.

 

[Deedles8]

I do therapy three times a week...other than that Im icing and elevating probably 80% of the rest of the day. I work 'part time' from home but I'm still icing an elevating while I'm working...it's a desk job and its at home. I do know if Im up on it more than the time of therapy that I do swell so I try to not be up a lot during the day.

No one has said it's a bad number..it's all in my head. All my other knee surgeries I was healed and driving by three weeks....so I guess I'm putting more pressure on myself. I wish I could change that mind set. I know my other surgeries weren't like this and I've not experienced this type of surgery before, but I'm also a very impatient person! I want to be up and going. I don't like "resting"..... Lol

 

[daughter stalker]

Dee Dee,

You are putting too much pressure on yourself. Ease up some. With the other surgeries did they manhandle your bones the way they did with the TKR? I think not! Just think about all that they did in there. I'd be quite angry too if I had all that done to me. Oh, I did! I meant me personally not the knee. Never mind! It sure is hard trying to make a joke in writing when you can't us inflection so that others know that your are making a joke.

​

Join the club on being impatient. I am hard headed too! So I have to traits I wish I didn't have. I wish my extension was 0. I am at almost 7 weeks. We don't all mend at the same pace.​

​

Please take care and don't worry so much! We care! ​

 

[Deedles8]

Went to the out patient PT today but he has me on a start over regiment. He says I'm still very swollen (5cm difference in the knees) so he's wanting me to elevate higher....alternate between heat and ice....and work on quad strength more tha worrying about ROM. he seems quite confident that as long as I follow his instructions and work smarter not harder (where have I heard that before? Lol). That it WILL come. So...my leg is even higher....and I'm working more on quad strength over the next few days and we shall see where we go from there.

I am very hard on myself....I know this. I'm very competitive and I expect myself to be 'better than average' because that's so ingrained in me. The knee is showing me who's boss....and for now I will let it continue to think that....only because by doing so it will give me the freedom to be the boss of life again.

I can't swear I won't get down again....but I'm trying. This is hard!

 

[My way]

Let me tell you a story....After having 3 major surgeries that I rebounded from very quickly I figured this would be no big deal. get bad knees out, new knees in, let incisions heal (A few weeks ) and go! HA Ha Ha I found out who was boss and it wasn't impatient, over confident, tough me! I'm 5 weeks out from a BTKR today and still relaxin'
Take it slow and easy and you'll be fine
Wanda

 

[daughter stalker]

This TKR floored me, too! I can not lie to you about this. When I started this journey my thoughts were that I was going to have the procedure, stay in the hospital for three nights, begin therapy and get back to somewhat normal in 4 weeks. I was going to enjoy 2 weeks somewhat pain free then go back to work all refreshed! HAHAHA! That didn't happen!!! It is no where close! Boy, was my bubble popped!

I have had a few setbacks from thinking I can do more than I actually can (the hard headed thing), but pick myself back up, dust off and try again. I also kick myself when I do too much. I was depressed , cried , angry , frustrated , snapped at my family, used really bad words and even wanted to know "Why me?" I'm sure some if not all of those emotions will come back when I get too determined to be normal quicker than my knee will allow. When I have setbacks (you know, do stupid things to anger my knee) I rest, ice and elevate. I learned the ice and elevation thing 35 years ago. The resting thing is what I have trouble with, but I am getting better at it.

I am looking for the end of the tunnel and I will find it! You will too! We are all in this together. Don't ever think you are alone.

 

[Deedles8]

I'm glad I'm not alone in that thought!!! I'm at the point that I regret doing this. I hope my mind set changes.

 

[Deedles8]

Josephine or any of the mods.....I just notices a small blood blister (at least that's what to appears to be) forming on my scar. It's only about as wide as my scar, but to concerns me...

Any thoughts on what it might be please?

 

[Ready]

I'm at the point that I regret doing this. I hope my mind set changes

Dee Dee,
You will get to that point, but I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "mind set."
You, my dear, sure are hard on yourself! Unless my math is wrong, you are only 4 weeks out. I had to have the reality check after TKR surgery and was pretty tough on myself, too. 4 scopes on the knees, 1 open knee surgery, open ankle surgery, shoulder surgery--add all those together the recovery was not as long and difficult as this one--not even close! After knee scopes I was back to work in a few days--even coached VB the day after with one. I had told my principal I could be back teaching elementary Phy ed in 6 weeks. I mean, I was young, healthy, in good shape, and tough... I was so sure of myself, but soon realized that was not going to happen! I really needed to change my mind set, and when I did, my world looked brighter. Now, I just shake my head and say to myself "what was I thinking." Knee # 2: different mindset, recovery so much easier because I am not putting pressure on myself and just letting it happen--and it's happening way faster than #1. I am much happier and have had no depressing days this time. I have had to let go of my work ethic as far as my fitness routine and just postpone any "training." That has been a hard pill to swallow, but I am reminded of it every time I visit the ODIC. It's a mental challenge!

Sorry, I didn't mean to make this about me, but I bet we are very similar in our drive and competitiveness as well as how we thought recovery was going to go. I want to share how you, too, can do this. Again, I beg you to cut yourself some slack! Be Patient1 We are here for you, but I think most of your friends here are going to tell you the same thing. All of us can't be wrong, can we ? I will be thinking of you!

 

[Deedles8]

Yes I'm 4 weeks and one day post op. My home therapist was sure I was at 85 by her measurement but when I went to out patient I was only at 70. That was HARD to hear. Went for my second out patient PT today and he said its so tight that he thinks its from the knee being so protected prior to surgery that its going to take work but he'll get it back to as normal as possible. He did get It to work and got it to a little more than 85......so it can be done with time and patience.

KEY WORD PATIENCE. I was blessed with hips instead of patience!

Yes Im VERY competitive and VERY VERY hard on myself. I don't know how to fix that! I'm trying....really I am!

 

[daughter stalker]

Hey Deedles8! Sounds like you have a good PT. He seems to work well with you if he can get you from 70 to more than 85. That is great!!! 4 weeks is very early in the game. I remember what it was like at 4 weeks. I didn't think I could do the things I am doing today which is 3 weeks later.

You are doing a great job. Keep it up. I care and hope I am helping.

 

[Josephine]

I'm at the point that I regret doing this.

That's just because you weren't properly prepared for this. I know my surgeon told me up front that between weeks 1 and 8, I would hate his guts! As a result, he chooses not to see his patients until week 12 at earliest. He says they're always so full of moans and groans and want a quick fix for them, not to be told "it will take time". So getting them back for their first post-op at12 weeks means they come in full of smiles and gleefully showing off what they can do!

I just notices a small blood blister (at least that's what to appears to be) forming on my scar. It's only about as wide as my scar, but to concerns me...

Dee, a photo would help. But if it's only the width of your scar, it can't be anything untoward.

 

[Deedles8]

I wound up calling my doctor this morning because it turned into a bit of puss. I went to the urgent care per my docs office instructions. There is a stitch trying to work its way loose but hasn't given way yet so I'm on antibiotics and will follow up with an appointment on Monday.

As far as my regret - I'm just impatient and I know it. I was thinking that because I'm younger and all my other surgeries I've bounced back fairly quickly.

I'd like to hope when I look back Ill appreciate the work to get better and will be glad I did this.

 

[kneeper]

So many people think that, but no matter how young you are the trauma to your bones & soft tissue is the same--as you're learning. hang in there.

 

[Lexismom]

So sorry you have to be going through this; even though I have not had mine done yet, I hope it is comforting for you to read about all the other people who were so discouraged and ended up loving their new knee. Hopefully at the end you will love your new knee and learn to be less hard on yourself; I will keep you in my prayers.

 

[Deedles8]

I haven't posted on a few days because the frustration is beyond me. I read article on here where they had surgery around the same time I did but they're so much more advanced than I am. I CANNOT bend my knee past 85. I went to out patient PT and he physically assaulted me...I literally was screaming and crying in pain (people in the rest of the building could hear me and I could hear their comments of is he killing her inside the room....) and he refused to stop. He kept saying you're behind schedule and you don't want adhesions...you're 4 weeks and should be 90 or better so you're going to have to deal with pain to get back on track. Immediately I called my insurance to find out what I needed to do to change therapists because I wasn't going through that ever again.

I do realize that discomfort is going to happen and Im not afraid of having to push to get through some discomfort on this journey, but I WILL NOT be treated with such blantent disrespect. I will be going to my new therapist on Friday, but am apprehensive. I'm doing some of the exercises from this site while I'm waiting, I still can't get the knee to bend as willingly as it should, but I do a little bit of work moderately through the day.

I found out today that I will be weaning off the pain pills this week, which is fine during the day most of the time, but overnight I'm still waking every 4 hours. They are finally asking me to start taking Aleve (or some type of NSAID) -which I didn't understand why it hadn't been ordered before now....but it's all good. I've been icing and elevating religiously. It's getting a little better....but I'll be happier when I have more bend in my knee.

Patience is a virtue that is one of life's hardest lessons to learn. I will NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER ask to learn patience again....(I didn't ask for it this time but sometimes you have lessons given to you wether you want it or not!

 

[DWhit]

Hi Dee Dee; my TKR was a week after yours so I can relate to so much of what you've said. The frustration of not being able to "go" right away, ugh. An apple with breakfast did the trick for me finally. And the impatience, the wanting to be at a certain number for flex ... I am blessed with an outstanding PT who told me that as long as there is still swelling, the numbers just aren't going to get there, and that it's not a contest and there's no deadline. The depression, crying, etc. ... I was glad someone warned me that that was normal.

I see you're in Atlanta; I'm a HUGE baseball fan. Aren't you lucky that the Braves are on such a tear! Red Sox fan here; maybe it will be mine vs. yours in the World Series?? Could be!!

Hang in there. It WILL get better!