TKR RTKR on 12/17/12 need advice

[skigirl]

Delaware, I am amazed that someone (a doc?) told you that you cannot horseback ride after a tkr. We have had several members who have gone back to riding. I think you need another opinion--hopefully from a doc who was trained in the 21st century.

 

[DelawareGirl57]

Delaware, I am amazed that someone (a doc?) told you that you cannot horseback ride after a tkr. We have had several members who have gone back to riding. I think you need another opinion--hopefully from a doc who was trained in the 21st century.

This was the awful doc that did my first TKR 6yrs. ago that said that. I don't know what planet he was trained on. I'm surprised that so many people on here are still riding after their surgery. When I'm fully recovered, I'll have to look into getting back to it.

 

[forevergimpy]

What a wonderful goal to look forward too!!

 

[horse lover]

Delawaregirl57 - You CAN ride !! If I could lose 100 pounds I would go back to English (hunter/jumper) in a heart beat !! I am still having some issues with my RTKR and am need of an injection in my left knee, so I am not riding as much as I want too. I have a friend who is 71 and he had his TKR several years ago, he was back barrel racing in 2 1/2 months !! I was a bad patient and snuck in a 2 minute ride around the yard 2 wks out from m TKR ! Dumb I know, but us horse people can be a hard headed bunch !!
Still having issues with my new knee. Upon standing I have to wait and step off very carefully ! Having shooting pains and very, very stiff after riding in the car, ect. I know I need to get a bunch of weight off, but when I try to even get active with yard work, grooming horses, ect I pay dearly for it. I feel like I am darned if I do and darned if I don't. I will keep trying though !! Still battling depression as I really thought I would be doing so much better by now. I have talked with several people who had their surgeries around the same time, by the same OS and they seem to be doing very well. On my last visit my dr prescribed a brace for me to wear, well it is sitting in the chair and has been because it won't stay up on my thunder thighs, so that was a lot of money wasted, and another bill to pay ($300 after insurance) ! Anyway, sorry to always be venting on here ! I really am not normally this negative and depressed. Just tired of feeling so old and worn out !!

 

[DelawareGirl57]

What a wonderful goal to look forward too!!

The patellar tracking surgeries I had back in the 70's were a piece of cake to recover from compared to TKR. I'm now 9 weeks out and I STILL have to think to bend my knee and I'm still married to my walker and quad cane.

 

[DelawareGirl57]

horse lover - It's amazing how some people(especially older ones)have smooth sailing through this. As I mentioned in the previous post, I'm still lagging far behind but I don't have any of the problems you're having. I don't know what the deal is with me anymore, I've plateaued. I go religiously to pt and do the exercises with no problems. I used to think positive but lately I've been falling into depression and now feel I've done all of this for nothing.
My jumping days are over, I'm thinking of maybe giving Dressage a try.

 

[horse lover]

CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH goes my knee, started a few days ago. Not the normal clunking and clicking, but a scrubbing sound/feel. Going to the OS on Thurs. I know a lot of my issues stems from my weight and I am really trying to eat better and get more exercise, but nothing is happening. Getting tired of trying to do things that I enjoy and then can't. Still not working, most of the jobs I can find are cashier jobs and I just don't think I can stand for 8 hrs. Heck, walking around Wal Mart just about does me in. Sorry y'all, it seems like all I ever do is gripe and complain. This is just a good place to vent. Thanks for letting me vent !!

 

[DelawareGirl57]

horselover-I'm miserable too. Over 10 weeks out and I still have to think about bending my knee when I go to take a step. I knock myself out exercising at home and at pt. I've got full ROM and can flatten my knee straight but can I walk(the most important thing)normally...hell no.

 

[horse lover]

DelawareGirl57 - I too have excellent range of motion and can flatten, but walking to much does me in !! I have the utmost faith in my OS as my whole family has used him for years and I have also talked to other TKR patients of his. I know it is a weight issue more than anything, but geez. I was hoping that after this surgery I would be able to be more active and get some of this weight off, but I don't think I can do as much now as before the surgery and it has been right at 20 weeks !!

 

[horse lover]

I've done it yet again !! Walking through the yard and felt that awful pop in my left knee followed by horrible pain !! Yep, I do believe I have torn my meniscus !! Now I am in a pickle, still having trouble with my TKR on my right knee and now this to the left. Can barely get out of a chair !! Appointment with my OS today, so we will see. I know that surgery isn't really an option right now, with me not being able to work and my husband retired, we are on such a fixed income that I can't pay the medical bills I have from the TKR surgery. So not sure what is going to happen. Hopefully, he will give me something for pain and with rest, ice, and elevation for a couple of days the left knee will ease off some. Just about at the end of my rope with all this. I thought life would get better after this surgery, but it hasn't. Can y'all tell I am really depressed. OS wanted to put me on Cymbalta, but even with insurance it is still $80 a month and I just can't do it. Can't get any help because we are the part of society that falls through the cracks, too much coming in to get help, but not enough to pay what we need to pay. I can't draw disability because I haven't worked enough in the last 10 yrs ( been battling this knee problem for about that long). Tried working and even went to school to hopefully be able to get a desk job, but no luck with that.
I am sorry that I always seem to be so negative and I realize that I am airing way too much info, but I have to vent somehow. I guess I just feel like I can do that here, because there seems to be less judgement here. So thank you for letting me vent at 3 am when I am in pain and can't sleep !!

 

[Jamie]

I'm so sorry to hear you are hurting. Of course there are no quick fixes and hopefully you can just focus on taking things one day at a time. Sometimes it helps if you keep a journal so you can see the progress you're making over the weeks and months. You can also use a journal to write down the things you are thankful for and that are positives in your life right now. Or goals ... things you want to be doing down the road as you're better. All these are good tools to keep you thinking about the good things in your life instead of what is going wrong right now.

In the meantime, don't hesitate to post here to us. We are here to listen to your good reports and your vents.

 

[60mom]

I can really understand where you are coming from as we have been in pretty much the same predicament. The only reason I did my knee in December was because of my husbands issues and we already paid in a lot of our medical deductible so I thought why not take advantage of that and do my knee. Never imagined I would have so many issues with the knee. If I had known I would have put it off a bit but that is hind sight now. Prayers your knee can wait till your finances are better.

 

[horse lover]

60mom- I too thought I would take advantage of the fact that our deductible was met and I too never thought I would have so many problems with it. My OS says he can't understand why I am having problems since I have excellent range of motion and can completely flatten my leg. The only thing they can find on the x rays is what he thinks is a tiny piece of cement that may have come loose. I guess we will wait and see if it gets better.
On another note, we are trying to paint our house and I am trying to help all I can. Found out today that climbing up and down on a ladder is not a good thing with a freshly torn menincus in my left knee and my new knee didn't do so well either !! LOL !! Thankfully, the OS prescribed some pain meds the other day ! Almost done with the house and a friend is coming over today to help, I think I will let him climb the ladder !!
I want to say that I love this forum. It is so nice to be able to write down my feelings, vents, ect and not be judged. Hopefully soon I will be able to have more positive posts !! I am normally a very positive, happy person.

 

[horse lover]

I really need some advice ! It has been 5 months since my right TKR and even though I have great extension and bend I am still not right. Having trouble getting out of chairs, still some pain, stairs are a nightmare ! Tearing the meniscus in my left knee last week hasn't helped at all !

Recent x rays show nothing but maybe a piece of cement has come loose. Other than that my OS says everything looks and feels fine. I am so miserable because I though by now I would be happily back to being active. I am trying to find a job, but scared I won't be able to stand etc. I love my OS, having been his patient for years, but now I am thinking of getting a second opinion if he can't get me better and soon.

 

[Campervan]

Hi, sorry to hear you're struggling at 5 months. I did too. The three things you mention - getting out of chairs, some pain and stairs are very common complaints from "slow recoverers". My recovery wasn't steady, it was erratic. Everything you say, I took months to feel comfortable doing. I still held the handrail on stairs until maybe 9 months. Even now at 18 months if I sit for too long, the first few steps will hurt - that's called start up pain and a heap of us report it.

Why do you say there maybe a piece of cement come loose? I think if that was he case you'd be in much more pain, but I'm no expert.

 

[tashia]

I agree about the cement but I too am not a expert either. It took me months before I could stairs without holding the rails. I now can do them without thinking but that is some time almost a full year. If I sit too long I also have trouble with the first step. Sometime two steps. I think you are doing fine but I do understand your frustation looking for a job and being concerned about standing and siting too long. If you feel you want a second opion by all means get one. Are you taking any pain pills for the pain? Welcome this side. Please keep us informed on how you are doing. Take care. Tashia

 

[Josephine]

Having trouble getting out of chairs, still some pain, stairs are a nightmare !

I'm so sorry to hear this. Would you indicate the precise point(s) of pain using this chart? Column and row numbers, you know the drill. And if you don't indicate otherwise, I shall assume it's the front!

Recent x rays show nothing but maybe a piece of cement has come loose.

Do you have a copy of that xray by any chance? I could take a look as see what's what. And a piece of loose cement won't necessarily cause pain because your knee is metal! It depends where it's lodged itself.

I love my OS, having been his patient for years, but now I am thinking of getting a second opinion if he can't get me better and soon.

I think you've been remarkably patient with him thus far!

 

[horse lover]

Josephine, C and D, R1 and R2 is where it hurts most. Sorry, no copy of the x rays, they are digital at his office. As far as my OS, it took me years to find one that didn't make me feel like a fat, lazy slob. I have to admit that I am not the perfect patient, but I have tried to be careful. I did quit PT after 6 weeks, just couldn't afford it anymore, and I can do most of those exercises at home. I am not in constant pain, just sitting here now the right knee is not hurting at all/ When I go to stand I will have to push myself up out of the recliner. I know that some people just don't heal like others do, but I have always done so well with any surgery I have had. I guess that is why this is so depressing. My OS has done surgery on my husband and daughter also for different things and we have always done great. This is the only problem I have ever had. Even though I thought I was mentally prepared for this TKR, I still think I was expecting a miracle fix. I just knew that 5 months out I would be happily riding my horses and doing all this stuff that had caused pain in the past.
Now I need to have a meniscus repair on my left knee, but I just can't stand another medical bill on us right now, so it will have to wait. They did prescribe me some Lortabs for the tear, but other than that I am taking tylenol ( might as well spit on it for all the good the tylenol does) for pain.
Oh, I have some good news, I think I may have a job. It is a job as a mortgage field inspector, involves lots of driving, getting out walking around houses, inspecting the interiors, ect. The only part I dread are the two story houses because of the stairs. At least it will be some income coming in and I wouldn't be on my feet all day. Plus, my dog can go with me !! Well, I am going to try to have a more positive day, I know I am always doom and gloom on here. Sorry Hope all of you have a good day !!

 

[bottomshollow]

horse lover, I have found an avatar that I thought you might like to use. It is already sized to fit perfectly as I have tested it. Just right click on the attached picture and "save image as" in your picture files. Then hover your mouse of your user name at the top of the page and from the drop down menu select "Avatar". The click the browse button and find the picture in your files and double click it. Then click "Okay"and you are done.

If you are not interested, my feelings will not be hurt. I just enjoy doing this when the opportunity presents itself.

 

[tashia]

bottomshollow that is so beautiful. We are so luck to have you. Keep up the work of cheering people up. Tashia