TKR RTKR on 12/17/12 need advice

[horse lover]

LOL ! Thanks Buddhabear !! I am quite frankly tired of my knee being the boss !! I know it will just be 10 weeks out tomorrow, but darn it what can I say, I am just a terrible patient !! LOL ! As long as I stay off my knee and rest a lot I feel better, but if I try to get out and do something active and enjoyable like I did today I suffer for it after. My doctor has pretty much discontinued anything but tylenol at this point. I had a few 5mg Lortabs left that I was saving for hard times, today being one of those times. I love my doctor, but he is not one to prescribe a lot of pain meds for any length of time. I see him again in a couple of weeks. At my 2 month check up, he cleared me to ride (with in reason) , told me I could go back to work ( need to find a job first), and pretty much any activity that I could tolerate. Most of the jobs that I am skilled to do would involve standing, which I could not do prolonged for an hour much less 8 hours !! My doctor did prescribe Cymbalta since I was so depressed and miserable, but it was so expensive even with insurance that I could not afford it, so I am just trying to deal with it best I can. I am hoping that in a few months I can look back on all of this and see where it was worth it !!

 

[referee54]

LOL ! Thanks Buddhabear !! I am quite frankly tired of my knee being the boss !! I know it will just be 10 weeks out tomorrow, but darn it what can I say, I am just a terrible patient !! LOL !

I returned to the classroom at eight weeks---and I was very excited---but little did I know that, at that time, I had such a long,long way to go---about another four months! It was actually the first week of April when I was finally released from PT and that I could walk out onto the baseball field to umpire.

It took me five months to lose a slight limp---one of my great friends and fellow educators nicknamed me "Festus" from the Gunsmoke TV show. My BTKR challenged every ounce of patience that I had---and I kept asking "When will this all settle down? how much longer must I endure this?"

I am hoping that in a few months I can look back on all of this and see where it was worth it !!

In the end, it was so very, very mcu worth it for me---and I certainly have now doubt taht, in the end, yo will find the same results to resonate, too.

 

[Lauramacky]

Hiya horse lover! I had mine on 12/11/12 and I still get depressed at times. This is definitely a marathon and not a sprint and I'm just like you....little patience for this! LOL. I'm wondering why your doc took away all pain meds though. Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong having them on hand just in case. I still take one every other day or so when I get miserable from maybe doing too much. I can't take anti-depressants because they keep me awake at night...even more than I already am! Haha. Hope you feel better very soon!

 

[RestAssured]

Well Howdy Horse Lover!

Let's see, Hmmm I am almost 10 months out, of course mine is a revision so it is expected to take longer, but patience is NOT my middle name either! LOL I have been challenging this knee for quite a while and it still wins as far as the kneecap slipping goes occasionally! Don't worry, in a couple of months you will start to feel like a million bucks! I am in PT 3 times a week and I am with my Personal Trainer 4 times a week! I am tired of "sitting on the sidelines, so I am getting back into the game!"

 

[horse lover]

Hey y'all ! Spring is right around the corner and the days get longer this coming weekend !! I am so excited !! I still am having some depression, but I come on here and realize how well I am doing. I came off the walker at wk 1, drove at wk 3, stopped pt at wk 6 (doing exercise at home), haven't used a cane since wk 7, got cleared to ride horses at wk 7. Now at wk 11 I still get stiff if I walk to much, my knee will still "give way" once in a while, and I will hurt more if I walk too much on uneven ground. I am guessing though that that is not bad. I do admit that I don't ice as much as I should, mostly if I am hurting after a long day. I do keep my leg elevated while watching tv in the evenings. I am being extremely cautious when seeing about the horses as the ground I am walking on is uneven. I am the world's worst patient and I have to remind myself that it is ok that I can't go 90 miles an hour and that it is ok if I have to sit and rest. Still waiting to feel "normal" again, but I know that it is coming !! Thanks to all of you great people who have been so understanding and encouraging !! I am so glad I found this site !!

 

[horse lover]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone out there can give me some insight on something. I had my RTKR on Dec. 17, 2012 and I have been doing ok until a couple of weeks ago. I have a popping feeling on the backside of my knee. It feels like something is catching and it has become really annoying and is not terribly painful, but it is keeping me from some of my activities. This is not the clunking noise, but a feeling that something is catching. Sorry my explanation is not very good, I am trying hard to explain it. Beginning to regret having this surgery !! Thanks for any insight !!
RTKR 12/17/12

 

[skigirl]

It is amazing to me sometimes the things that can catch, grind, clink, clunk, click etc in our knees. Most of the time, it does not mean too much. Have you called your OS? Perhaps they have a PA who can see it first thing Monday, if you are worried. I will tag Dhare63 as she had some issues with the back of her knee. I would not worry too much, at this stage--you are still early in your recovery.\

Remember the Bonesmart mantras.
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!

 

[horse lover]

Thank you. I actually went to see my OS yesterday and while he said it wasn't "normal", he didn't seem too concerned. Said it could be a piece of tissue or something getting caught. He did give me a brace to wear, which is useless, because it won't stay up on these thunder thighs. I go back to see him in a month. I am just really depressed again. I know everyone on here says that I am early in recovery, but 3 months just seems like it has been forever !! I admit that I am a horribly impatient patient !! It is nice weather finally and I really want to go out and play with my horses like I want too ! I guess I am having another emotional spell. This catching is just really bugging me. Also, is it normal to be stiff upon standing? It seems to take me a couple of steps to get going ! LOL !!

 

[skigirl]

I think that everyone is stiff upon standing for a while. Probably until 4or 5 months!! I know that the catching is irritating---but, it will go away too. There are lots of things to catch---swollen tissues, the synovial lining itself. Most of these things sort themselves out. three months is the beginning of the time when you will start to resume your "normal" life. But, you will still have to rest more and be careful not to over extend yourself.

 

[1ELISEA]

Sorry you are having issues.
While I didn't have that one, I certainly had some weird things that were unique to me.
Hope that it goes away and things improve soon!

 

[pdx]

Well I am not a doctor but I had this issue before surgery and for a bit after. My PT said it was my hamstrings, and by golly, she was right. I was spending a lot of time on quad strengthening and not enough on ham strength. I also did more hamstring stretches, which I hate. But I must say, the combo solved the problem.

 

[Dhare63]

HI Horselover and welcome to Bonesmart,

I had issues with adhesions behind my knee that were not allowing me full extension. It never interfered with my flexion but was an issue for extension, which had me stuck at 10-12 from being straight. I tried many things to overcome it that were non-surgical but ended up having to go back for extensive surgical work. In the end it is much better now. I think my case was extreme and not the norm.

You didn't mention what your range of motion is for your knee and if you are still experiencing swelling. Also are you going to pt and if so, how often and what type of activities are you doing? I think the others are right in that this is likely nothing more than a muscle or tendon that needs some attention, so perhaps massage might be something to consider.

I know you have heard this from the others, but these are early days. Even though it seems like an eternity since the surgery, its going to be much longer before you feel like yourself again. That includes getting up without that stiff feeling and needing a few steps to normalize your gait. after the original tkr, i used crutches and then a cane well into 5 months before i was able to set them aside.

I too was not a patient patient. I expected to be back at work in 3 weeks and fully recovered in 3 months only to be now 20 months post op and still having some lingering effects, though not interfering with my life now. This is a game of inches; you will see improvement but for some of us its just slow. Thats okay, its simply physiology and your unique body that drives the outcomes. Keep your chin up, it will get better.

I found that keeping a journal really helped me stay focused and helped build my perspective that I was getting better. I would go back and read where I was two weeks before and could see that I was making progress. Just a suggestion.

Please keep us posted and know that we are sympathetic to your feelings. We have all literally walked a mile in your moccasins!!

Be well and check in soon,

Dawn

 

[Josephine]

I know everyone on here says that I am early in recovery, but 3 months just seems like it has been forever !! I admit that I am a horribly impatient patient !!

They say it because it's true! And being impatient is neither unusual nor helpful. I know you are beginning to smell the roses but you have just got to rein yourself in and wait it out. It will all be worth it in the end.

Beginning to regret having this surgery !!

No you're not - you're just getting frustrated. Stop feeding yourself negative thoughts and be glad you're not in pain any more.

Also, is it normal to be stiff upon standing? It seems to take me a couple of steps to get going ! LOL !!

Very normal. And yes, I am going to say it again ... in fact, I'm going to shout it at you YOU'RE STILL VERY EARLY IN YOUR RECOVERY!! Okay?

 

[referee54]

. Also, is it normal to be stiff upon standing? It seems to take me a couple of steps to get going ! LOL !!

Judging by where you are in recovery, it is certainly to be expected to be stiff. I had stiffness for about four-five months. It does dissipate and you will feel fine. As you go on through the recovery process, the stiffness will slowly disappear.

 

[referee54]

Beginning to regret having this surgery !!

Tell you what---give yourself a few more months---recovery can take longer than we would like it to, and the surgical knee is in charge. However, if you are patient, you will be truly amazed at how great you feel when you have made it through recovery!

 

[60mom]

I have been having some pain in the back of my knee just the last four days after I attempted to ride my regular bike outside. It only hurts when I move a certain way. I also go from being thankful on good days and wishing I hadn't done it on bad days. I am 6 days ahead of you so maybe this is pretty typical at this stage. I am having more good days then bad so there is light at the end of the tunnel. I also think that like with my bike when we make attempts at things we haven't done and now start to try, we find we are not always ready yet. Unfortunately we can't know till we try. Or we accidentally move wrong. I suppose this is the later stage of healing until we get to the point we don't often have problems anymore. Prayers it is just the normal part of healing.

 

[horse lover]

Awww, you guys are awesome !! I am feeling much better about my knee, it is getting better day by day ! Still having that weird catching thing behind my knee, but it is not slowing me down. I am actually taking some steps without a limp, which is great.
I have no swelling and haven't for a while. I also haven't been to pt since 6 wks out and I was bending at 120 degrees then. I live in a rural area and the closest pt was almost 30 miles from me and it just got too expensive driving back and forth 3 times a week. Being unemployed right now doesn't help matters. Thankfully, I have a really dear friend who is a professor at a medical school and she teaches physical therapy. She is really good about answering my questions and giving me new things to try !!
Thank goodness spring has finally sprung here in GA and I am enjoying getting outside with my critters. I have not ridden much, but am enjoying grooming my horses. I hope everyone of you are doing well and Thank You so much for all the encouragement !!

 

[maryo52]

There are soft tissue structures close to the inside of the knee that can swell and get stuck in the joint. Happened to a friend who overdid it. If it persists see your ortho. Sometimes they give cortisone, though my ortho would never stick cortisone in a TKR for fear of infection, and sometimes they remove the offending tissue arthroscopically. I think time takes care of it in most cases. Just reporting what I've heard or read.

 

[forevergimpy]

Hope you enjoy your day with your critters! I am missing my horse something fierce right now. Maybe by the weekend I can sneak a quick visit for some treats and maybe a bit of grooming - he is quite fuzzy!

 

[DelawareGirl57]

I had a catching too with my LTKR six years ago. It turned out to be synovial impingement. For nine months I had to put up with NOBODY believing me that something was wrong. To make a very long story short, I found another OS that DID believe me. A few weeks after the outpatient surgery, I was good to go! I miss horseback riding too. I was always told I couldn't ride after having TKR...maybe cause I ride English?