TKR Shin pain a worry?

[Jamie]

Tnbelle.....I have merged your two recovery threads. We like to keep each member's questions, concerns and progress reports in a single thread. That way we can better respond to questions. Had they been merged when I first read your question about shin pain, I would have seen that you went back to a demanding job on your feet at two weeks out from your TKR. That makes your shin pain perfectly understandable. I hope you can find a way to slow things down in your recovery or you are likely to have a lot of extra pains and swelling. Your surgeon did you no favors at all by telling you that you could return to work that soon. Your body hasn't completed the healing process!!!

 

[kneeper]

Hi tnbelle--glad you joined us. I hope you can give the knee some rest even though you had to go back to work.

 

[Beachmomdk]

Is the shin pain where your incision was? Just make sure it doesn't get red or have drainage! If it does call your doctor ASAP.

 

[Tnbelle]

The shin pain is below the area where the tibial implant is. No drainage, though.

 

[bottomshollow]

Tnbelle, if you're on your feet too much this early post op, shin pain is fairly normal. tI may continue for a while if you can't manage to stay off your feet more and have a chance to elevate and ice. You badly needed to have 12 weeks off after surgery because of the job you have.

Hope you are able to get some relief before 9/15, but it may start right back up again once you go back to being on your feet 12 hours a day.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[Tnbelle]

Thanks, bottoms hollow.

 

[Tnbelle]

I mean bottomshollow.

 

[bottomshollow]

Tnbelle, wish I could blow some pixie dust your way and take the pain away; but alas, I'm only human and have no magical abilities.

I have developed an avatar that I thought you might like to use. It is already sized to fit perfectly as I have tested it. On a PC, 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. On an iPad, hold your finger on the image and you will be presented with the options to copy or save the image. Choose 'save the image' go to your user name, top of screen and select Avatar and then choose 'existing choice' and apply and bingo you have your new avatar.

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

 

[leejaa]

Any chance you can return PT instead of full 3-8hr shifts for a few weeks and then increase to either more days or more hours per shift--If not, try to take any time you have and ice and elevate even if just on a stool to take the swelling down as much as possible. I also work in health care and sometimes I think we are the worst to our own when they are injured especially since staffing is always so slim without any cushion.

Best to you.

 

[DebR]

Hi Tnbelle, I haven't been on bonesmartfor a while but have been reading all the posts again since having my 3rd right knee replacement in 4 years, on 8/1/13. Coming up on 6 weeks tomorrow and along with other issues, have also been having this terrible shin pain. I will update all my info as soon as I can but wanted to let you know what my OS just told me on Monday. I went in for my 1st post op appointment, app 6 weeks after this surgery and had x-rays. I told him that while my knee still huts and swells (of course), my biggest issue is this shin pain that began a couple of weeks after surgery. He explained that because of the size of the stems/rods they needed to use to stabilize the knee, this can create "bone stress". He did not see a stress fracture yet, but said that could happen if I didn't immediately go back to using my cane and staying off the leg as much as possible. Basically he said if it hurts, get off the leg! He said this could last for at least 2 weeks before I start to feel a difference, and up to a couple of months to heal. I had stopped using the cane a while ago. I had planned on going back to work this week, I am a surgical office manager and on my feet for 10-11 hours a day. He said to do nothing but elevate, ice, pain meds and maybe next week with the cane if I feel better . He said if I don't let the bone heal and become stronger it could lead to further problems. He recommended I start calcium citrate D, twice a day and increase my intake of vitamin D with food as well. Milk, yogurt, chese, ice cream etc. leg stretches to strengthen the muscles surrounding the bone. Nothing else! I understand how much this hurts, and now frustrating this is. I feel a little better, get up to do something small and within 10-15 min my shin hurts so much I need to sit down.
Just wanted to offer another possible answer. I had my surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and my surgeon is wonderful.
I really hope you can figure out what to do as far as work and maybe really scaling back for a while. When I saw the c-ray and the size of the stems I understood what he was talking about. Please take care, I am sitting on the bed now, icing the shin because it feels good and eating ice cream! My vitamin D a source for tonight . With all this shin stuff, my knee is taking a back seat, but all the issues with healing that are there as well. Take good care & I'd you want to talk, please know I'm here.

 

[Tnbelle]

Thanks Deb R, going back to work tomorrow, which I feel is about a month too early. But, in this economic climate, it is unfortunately necessary (oh the things you do for money!). I was worried about the stress fracture issue as I am over weight. Right now the shin pain is better, but I suspect it may return with more intensity. Sorry to hear that this is your third replacement. Wow, why are you having to have so many? I really feel badly for you.

 

[Tnbelle]

Leeway, you are right, we sometimes are the most stubborn as we tend to think we should be immune to all the shortcomings we think we see in our patients. Maybe we all need to re-evaluate. I don't know why we are like this, but we are.

 

[Tnbelle]

Bottomshollow, thanks for the great avatar!!

 

[leejaa]

Good luck with the return to work - I fully understand the job situations and need. It is unfortunately a necessity. Please try to take breaks as much as you can and ice and elevate.

 

[DebR]

Tnbelle , I have been waiting to see how you have been !! We are so close in surgery dates & i have needed a " partner" to get through this with ! I am a surgical office manager @ work and usually put in about 10-11 hours a day. I too, am going back to work on Monday & physically do not feel quite ready this is so very hard. Please be careful with the shin pain, is there a way to use a cane or crutch to help the stress on the shin? I have had a partial KR, the total & again a revision RTKR. So much pain, and so many tests ,opinions & so very disgusted. Apparently, the other 2 revisions basically fell apart in the surgeons hands. Obviously not want to ever hear ! Don't know why & not looking back. The knee is getting better every day, the stress fracture is iffy.i know, they say if the knee feels good, keep doing more. When you have a stress fracture, do less to let it heal, so trying to manage 2 problems. It's so nice to have someone to talk to, trying hard to keep positive, but days are tough. Please be careful when you go back to work ! As my therapist said, if it hurts, stop doing it! It's your leg telling I what to do. Healing the shin thing could take a few weeks. The rods they put in the calf & tibia are NOT tiny, drilled into the bone for stability, but therefore weakens the bone. I am back using a cane & crutch to alleviate day to day pressure , using the Percocet & Tylenol, as Josephine suggested and it seems to help some . Go slow at work & please check in on Monday so we can compare stories & chat while we are icing, haha!!

 

[Tnbelle]

DebR, Work was not as painful as I thought it would be. The problem was crushing fatigue accompanied by nausea and vomiting. I constantly walk 3 city blocks on 8 floors and must stand in one position for up to 2 hours during a PICC placement. My pain tolerance is very high, but the pain meds have decreased my endorphin levels which are the body's natural pain killers. It takes several weeks to build these back.
Hopefully I can make it until then. How was your first day back to work?

 

[DebR]

Hi Tnbelle
Well, I wasn't in but the end result was not pretty. I, like you am so incredibly exhausted will be heading in shortly and it's only 9 pm. If I could have afforded to it would have been wonderful to at least manage a couple more weeks before going back to work, but such is life. I don't know how you are able to do what you are doing, standing for 2 hours for pic placement and all that walking !! My pain tolerance is pretty high also, but man this surgery kicks your butt !! I am taking Percocet when I wake up, ( early) because sleeping is iffy, and them am trying to manage with extra strength Tylenol during the day. Percocet before bed definitely! To try and scale down because of work is tough, and I think come this weekend we are going to be shot )
Are you still taking something for pain ? We are still not very far out from surgery with a lot of healing to do & now although my swelling was getting better, after today, not so much. I try and ice while I'm at work, but there is no elevating going on, there's nowhere for me to do that. With you standing on your feet for so long at a time, and me up and down all day trying to help staff etc, we are going to swell.
Keep me posted often as to how you are doing, and I will do the same. Like I said, nice to have someone a day apart from me to share with.
I'm sorry Bout the nausea and vomiting, may be a sign from the pain and exhaustion. If felt good to get out and see people but at the same time I'm at work wishing I was home in the recliner or sitting on the bed, haha!! Just can't figure it out yet. How is the shin pain??
Think will take a while judging that I was resting and using the cane but today was as bad as last week. So hard!
Be careful tomorrow at work and sit when you can. Talk to you soon, Deb

 

[Beachmomdk]

To everyone having shin pain please keep an eye on it. Read Brownie51 thread what a nightmare on her 2nd knee replacement!

 

[Kolleen]

I had my surgery on July 30th. I can't believe you two are back to work so soon. I am only good for 20 minutes walking at this point. I spent all day with my daughter last saturday looking for her wedding dress and was passed out by 9:30 pm. I am not surprised you are vomiting and exhausted. Are you sleeping round the clock on days off?

 

[DebR]

Hi Kolleen, yea back to work and pretty sore ! I only did 4 days this week , and 4-5 hrs each day. That was more than enough
I am surprisingly not as tired as I thought I would be, even though still not sleeping great. I am sure it will hit in a couple of hours.
My knee is very sore as it should be, it's the shin pain that's awful. I contacted my OS today and asked him if I could wear a shin
Support/sleeve and I can, so ordered one from Amazon. Hoping that helps.
Sorry about the toothache , not fun to deal with at any time, let alone 2 months after replacement. Hope the antibiotic helps& let us know how you are.