Bilateral TKR Second Year Progress

[mlwreader]

Thanks for the clarification @Jockette. I didn’t realize there was high altitude in South Africa.

 

[Jockette]

There is. She was there for 3 years and the third year my husband, other daughter and I went to visit for a week. I was so nauseous the first day we arrived and they told me it was the altitude change.

When she first got there she would take a walk and be out of breath. It was a while before she could jog.

 

[mlwreader]

@Jockette On a related matter, my son spent 6 years in Japan. I got to travel and visit several times and it was wonderful. He married a Japanese girl and they live in the states with three of my grandchildren. The kids have dual citizenship until they are 21 and can choose. They get to visit their Japanese grandparents every summer, and come back fairly bilingual. I left them behind in CA and miss them very much. I hope to get them to Denver this summer for a visit.

 

[kneeper]

For me that prickly sensation was numbness coming back slowly.

For me too. I have a small area that doesn't have full feeling but much of it came back.

 

[KarriB]

I don’t teach swimming now, although I have in the past. I was a first grade teacher for 38 years, so I swam in the summers because I don’t like the chlorinated water/air of indoor pools.

My OS said only freestyle or back stroke kicks for that first summer. He felt any other kick might have put too much pressure on the knee. To be honest it felt very weird at first because both knees made a clicking sound, but only my natural knee hurt when it clicked. I also did some water walking myself, just 5-10 minutes after I was done with laps.

As soon as the pool opens and the water gets warm I’ll be swimming again!

 

[SherrieT]

@mlwreader - I'm with all but one of my grandkids now. He is in Tucson but I hope to be going back there for a long visit before too long. He came back here to RI for some time a few summers but he's 16 now and has all of his friends there and all. It's more fun for him if I go and visit.

 

[mlwreader]

@SherrieT It's amazing that you get any time with your 16 year old at all. My 16 year old is heavily involved in sailing, and he's off at regattas every weekend. So I go months without even seeing him. This is one of the San Diego kids. His mother is determined to get him into a good college, and she pushes the sailing as a foot in the door, which just may work. His grades are good, but not outstanding. There is so much competition for college. I just hope she isn't pushing him too hard. He reminds me so much of his dad at that age, smart but not too motivated, and certainly not focused. We'll see what happens. How are your knees @SherrieT?

General question for anyone: My left knee tweaked this morning, just as I was getting ready to go out for a walk. I went anyway, and walked slowly and carefully. It didn't hurt while walking, only when I moved in a sort of sideways movement before the walk. I was moving around a couple of boxes on the floor when it happened. Is it possible that a baker's cyst can come back after knee surgery? Oh I don't even want an answer to that question - I am hoping its just tight hamstrings. (I do want an answer, just don't want a baker's cyst) No swelling or redness. I woke up with a cramp again last night. I'm going to take a magnesium pill today and see if that helps.

I don't have access to a recumbent bike at my new place, so my main source of movement is walking. And ADL's. I just keep thinking I shouldn't have so many twinges in my knees and calves and thighs as I do, especially after 6 months. But I know it is a year's journey, and I'm only halfway there.

I wonder if I should try to find a PT here in Denver to work out the kinks in my hamstrings, etc. Or just leave things alone and see how it goes over the next couple of weeks. BOTHER!!!!!!! Sick of knees (don't listen to me girls (my knees - I call them the girls) I love you, I'm just sick of thinking about you).

 

[katchmo]

Re high altitude, of course Montana is a high altitude state, like Colorado. My oldest son, who is a policeman, now lives in Memphis TN, which is about 400 feet above sea level. He and his wife want to move back here, so he came up in January to do the law enforcement testing. He is a fit young man who easily passes his regular PT tests, but after finishing the testing here, he nearly passed out! Scared this mama to death. It took him about four hours to recover. So the altitude really can make a huge difference!

 

[mlwreader]

So the altitude really can make a huge difference!

So true @katchmo. I am the same way with my sons, btw, in that I feel like a mama bear about them. Pretty funny as they are both 6'5", almost bald, and one is 44 and the other 50. I feel the same way about my grandkids too. I guess we are wired that way. I'm glad your son was able to recover in four hours. I have done some research on the adjustment to altitude, and I have a healthy respect for it now. The recommendation is to drink lots of water, use sunscreen, wear sunglasses, and give yourself 3 - 6 weeks to adjust.

 

[Celle]

My left knee tweaked this morning, just as I was getting ready to go out for a walk. I went anyway, and walked slowly and carefully. It didn't hurt while walking, only when I moved in a sort of sideways movement before the walk.

I suspect that you unwittingly twisted your knee a bit. TKRs don't like that.
Just treat it gently for a while. It should settle down again.

Is it possible that a baker's cyst can come back after knee surgery? Oh I don't even want an answer to that question

Yes, I'm afraid a Baker's cyst can return.
Baker's cysts and other knee bursae

I wonder if I should try to find a PT here in Denver to work out the kinks in my hamstrings, etc. Or just leave things alone and see how it goes over the next couple of weeks.

I'd be inclined to leave it for a while.
Your big move must have put extra stress on your knees and your entire legs.

 

[sistersinhim]

It sounds like as active as you are, you are getting plenty of exercise. All those little kinks will work out. Different ache and pains popping up is natural. You can have one, one day and it be gone the next. Then another one in another place the next day. It's like everybody wants to get their time in to hurt!

 

[mlwreader]

I will take your wise counsel Celle and Sistersinhim. I’ll just back off and give them some more time. Thanks for the link to the article.

 

[SherrieT]

@mlwreader It sounds like we might share the same grandson.

Realistically I know my knees are getting a little bit better almost every day but, like you, I'm tired of having to think about them all the time. If I'm like this at 7 weeks I'll probably going nuts by 6 months!!!

And the weather here is so ridiculous. Our 4th snow storm in 4 weeks. I'm sure I'll be in a much better mood when the weather gets just a bit better.

 

[mlwreader]

It took me well over a year for stiffness, weird sensations or just knowing daily that I had a TKR in my leg.

@KarriB Thank you for sharing this - it is so encouraging. (I took this quote from another thread) I have plenty of stiffness, weird sensations and awareness of two new knees, and am at 6 1/2 months. I just keep putting one foot in front of the other (literally and figuratively - lol) and taking strength and comfort from comments like yours.

 

[mlwreader]

I just read an article published by NPR about something called "onco-anxiety". This is a syndrome experienced by cancer patients who have been treated, and who attempt to interpret every nuanced feeling or symptom in their body - with the ongoing anxiety that they are experiencing something that signals a return of their cancer. It made me think of my knee recovery and the many posts I have written and others I have read.

Since my surgery I have been plagued with worries about what my various symptoms and physical feelings have meant. It all started with the skin infection I developed upon returning home from skilled nursing care. I became terrified that my implants would fail, and I worried that each twinge, numbness, or you name the symptom, was a sign of the failure. And it didn't help that my incision continued to develop problems, even after the initial infection was healed. I developed half a dozen abscesses on each knee that were signs of an allergic reaction to the underlying suture material. My thoughts relating to that were, if I am allergic to the suture material, is that a sign that I will eventually exhibit allergies to the material in the implants, resulting in a failure of the surgery and the need for revision.

To date, my incision has healed completely, but not without several lumpish and dark looking scars where the abscesses had been. My mind has settled down somewhat, although I still can conjure up the kind of anxiety described by the cancer patient in the article I read.

I am of a mind now that the symptoms I experience today, like twinges, numbness, itchiness etc., are all part of the healing process. I can see that the intensity of those symptoms is greatly reduced at my 6 1/2 month post surgery place in recovery. I am working on taking the recovery one day a time, and staying in that place with each experience, so that I don't jump to a larger conclusion as to the meaning of the symptom.

I am tired of living in fear. I may have had unrealistic expectations of what this surgery would do for me. It is not going to restore my youth, my energy, my physical fitness. It is going to allow me to navigate my daily life without a walker and without having to endlessly plan each everyday activity around the pain of bone on bone arthritis. And what a blessing that is. And for me it has to be enough.

Last night I slept for almost 10 hours. I was up a few times, and my allergies are creating some issues. But my knees allowed me to get some incredible rest. I think I am exhausted, although this morning I feel pretty darn great.

I have no idea where my journey of recovery is taking me with my new knees. I am just glad that I have the recovery that is mine at this point. BoneSmart has provided me with so much food for thought. Everyone's experiences are so valuable and impactful. I appreciate so much everyone's honesty and kindness.

Happy Monday everyone!

 

[SusieShoes]

Since my surgery I have been plagued with worries about what my various symptoms and physical feelings have meant.

That's going to sound so familiar to... well, just about all of us. This surgery is so major, and we know it's amazing but we also know that we don't understand everything surrounding it, so we both know that we can't interpret every signal that arises from it --and yet we feel that we must. Because... what if? What if this. What if that. It's easy to tie ourselves into terrible knots just thinking about it. We create quite a bit of our own stress.

Take me. Around four months after getting my new knees I developed hives. My neck, my shoulders, my arms. My upper body was covered with what looked and felt like bug bites. Itchy nasty things. My first thought... my KNEES! What if this meant I was developing a metal allergy? I'd been tested but had been very mildly reactive to nickel. What if I was just very mildly reactive enough for my whole body to develop hives? (It was just my upper body. No hives at all on my knees or lower body.) What if my new knees were doomed? (They were painless and doing great.) What if I needed revisions? Anxiety through the roof.

A trip to the dermatologist later, I had cortisone cream, a bottle of Benadryl, and an explanation. My knees would survive. So would I.

I am of a mind now that the symptoms I experience today, like twinges, numbness, itchiness etc., are all part of the healing process.

They are. Because everyone is unique, and therefore their recovery is unique, they will have a different set of symptoms than the next person. There's a basket of symptoms common to recovery and we all get to experience at least a few of them.

I may have had unrealistic expectations of what this surgery would do for me. It is not going to restore my youth, my energy, my physical fitness. It is going to allow me to navigate my daily life without a walker and without having to endlessly plan each everyday activity around the pain of bone on bone arthritis. And what a blessing that is.

That's the greatest blessing for those of us who had TKR for arthritis pain. It is gone! Banishing that terrible pain forever is worth the whole ordeal. You may well find that you will regain some of your youthfulness, at least, when you move normally again, and also some of your physical fitness because you can now walk and do things you could not do before.

Your next six months are going to be pretty amazing.

 

[Celle]

Since my surgery I have been plagued with worries about what my various symptoms and physical feelings have meant.

It's so true that , for quite a long while after a knee replacement, your every thought is that something could be wrong with The Knee. Everything you do commands a question - "How will this affect my knee?"

That feeling is naturally worrisome, but it does fade eventually.

The day will come when you do something and realise that you haven't thought about your knee at all.
It does take time for your body and your mind to get to that stage, though.

I've had my new knees for quite a while now - 6+ years and 3+ years - and I seldom think of them at all.
I even get a bit of a surprise when I see all that hardware on an X-Ray. I use my knees normally and I can do everything I want to with them.

 

[Kayaknlady]

I’m almost 6 months Post bilateral and started water aerobics at about 6 weeks . I’m 70 and go 3 times a week. I also swim, but I started just walking at first , and soon worked up to the entire class. However I was doing water aerobics 3 times a week prior to surgery. I’m 70. Altitude might have some effect, especially if you haven’t been really active for 6 months, so take it easy, but don’t skip it all together. I just started group hiking this week. Many of the folks were in their 30s,40’s and I’m huffing, puffing up those hills, but I made it. My new knees got me there. Water is very forgiving and a great way to excercise without pain, strain.

 

[SherrieT]

I am of a mind now that the symptoms I experience today, like twinges, numbness, itchiness etc., are all part of the healing process. I can see that the intensity of those symptoms is greatly reduced at my 6 1/2 month post surgery place in recovery. I am working on taking the recovery one day a time, and staying in that place with each experience, so that I don't jump to a larger conclusion as to the meaning of the symptom.

@mlwreader Great post!! I'm at almost 8 weeks now but it seems like forever!!! But it really help to read from other BTKR's that it does keep getting better.

 

[shelli22]

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