TKR Should I still feel this pain after 11 weeks?

[Knee pain]

Sorry I have been so kong winded getting back to you. Yes the ice bag wraps around knee with Velcro. I will go and find another address for it. It took a little finding on the sight, I threw my receipt out, silly me. I have 10 days before the big shift,ahhhhh. Will be thinking of you sunbathing your knee scare in Queensland. When do you go?
Enjoy our beautiful weather. XO

 

[Diminuata]

Leonie, hope your move went well and your spa is working well.

We made it to Queensland and its wonderful to be warm. Travelling was not too bad- set all the alarms off at the airport and allowed lots of extra time so I didn't have to rush. Business class space helped too. No problem with the car. Have been exercising in the pool daily and walking late afternoon. Finally got the pedometer working and I walked non stop yesterday for 26 minutes. A bit staggery near the end. Wish we had another week as I'm just getting a routine going. Never mind, I feel like I'm getting my life back!

 

[Diminuata]

Possibly a silly question for an almost 5 monther, but I'm planning to go to the local hot springs tomorrow- they have lots of pools all starting at around 37c. I've been in pools around 34c recently with no problems but am wondering if anyone has any experience of high water temperature affecting the prosthesis? I guess I can simply get out if it feels uncomfortable but I'd rather not go at all if I was to cause myself some harm. Hope someone who knows reads this and can reply- I guess that feeling is caused by a big drop in temperature made me think of it. We've had gales with very high winds, lots of fallen trees and a return to winter. The good news is that we moved to an holiday apartment with two flights of seven stairs. I got to the top one day and realised I had done them one after the other instead of the two feet on the same step to be upwardly mobile. What a buzz that was!!! Hope all are doing well ...

 

[Diminuata]

Oh help! I thought I was doing well until today when my knee started creaking! I'm now 5 months into it and then this happens today. A week ago I did a really long drive ( 2 hrs with a short stop, 2 hours lunch, half a hour drive, short walk, then 2 hrs home) ( accelerator on driving knee) and the shin hurt badly in the last half hour. I tried to rest but my husband is in the throes of being tested for a stroke and is not allowed to drive. We live an hour each way from most of the tests. I've also had a viral dysentery for the last three days ( akin to that horrible preparation you take for a colonoscopy) and can still hardly face food. Maybe the dehydration is not helping, but it am swallowing heaps of electrolytes and clear fluids. The other thing I only just realised I was doing was putting my foot on my other knee to put shoes and socks on... How stupid is that? I don't know whether to stop going to my weekly hydro or what. I'm so angry at myself for the latter and of course will watch what I'm doing in future. I'm just hoping I haven't done any irreparable damage that might require further surgery as my husband really needs me now. All consoling words, helpful hints, explanations greeted with gratitude. Diminuata

 

[Josephine]

the shin hurt badly in the last half hour. The other thing I only just realised I was doing was putting my foot on my other knee to put shoes and socks on... How stupid is that? I'm just hoping I haven't done any irreparable damage that might require further surgery

Well, you're20 weeks out and should be managing things like that without to much of a problem, though I will admit that a 4hr round trip might have been a little much but hey, you've gotta do what you gotta do! I don't think you've done anything that's going to do more than stretch a few unwilling ligaments or muscles. They should settle in time. In the meantime, I suggest you take some prophylactic paracetamol during any future trips - two tablets every four hours.

I don't know whether to stop going to my weekly hydro or what.

as long as your need to get your husband to his treatments exists, I think that would be a jolly good idea! In fact, cut back as much as you can.

 

[Diminuata]

Well, you're20 weeks out and should be managing things like that without to much of a problem, though I will admit that a 4hr round trip might have been a little much but hey, you've gotta do what you gotta do! I don't think you've done anything that's going to do more than stretch a few unwilling ligaments or muscles. They should settle in time. In the meantime, I suggest you take some prophylactic paracetamol during any future trips - two tablets every four hours.
as long as your need to get your husband to his treatments exists, I think that would be a jolly good idea! In fact, cut back as much as you can.

Josephine, thank you for your reply and sorry for not answering sooner. In early November, my husband had a 'mild' stroke from which he has recovered very well after multiple tests and appointments in the city. It was discovered by his neuro ophthalmologist who banned him from driving, so to put it politely, all hell broke loose. Things have now settled down, he has his licence back. Then to top things off, I bumped my prednisolone riddled leg against something inconsequential and tore a large semi circle hole in my other shin. So I've been elevating for six weeks now and my tailbone is so sore. My bottom gets pins and needles. ( I have umpteen cushions with cut outs, memory foam, you name it) My knees both feel very hot and heavy and if it wasn't the same feeling in both knees I'd think I had an infection. I do ice them once a day in the afternoon when I'm over it and need to stop. I'm only doing housework and a bit of gardening, though we have had a heat wave which I don't think helps. My GP says its most likely that because both knees feel bad, that it's my underlying conditions ( mixed connective tissue disease, a medical term for lots of different things including Crohns, Raynauds, blah blah) . I'm coming up for eight months soon and just wondering if anyone out there has some advice. I'm also thinking that my old 'headline' might not be interesting enough. Is it worth trying to change it to anything else?
Thank you again from a Slightly Depressed Diminuata

 

[maryo52]

Oh my my. How awful. I was parked on the couch practically 24/7 for weeks with narco-brain while my husband did everything including tend to my elderly mom nearby. If something had happened to him, I cannot imagine what would've happened. Yet somehow you have prevailed. I think what it does is undermine our sense of security in the world, makes us have a nagging uncertainty, and, yes, leave us depressed. Even with all your challenges, I think your persistence will pay off. It sounds to me as if your days could use 3-4 good rests with icing and elevations.

 

[Diminuata]

Dear Mary,

you are so right!!

Vulnerable, out of control, useless, helpless - grrrrrr! Annoyance is there too. Feelings I haven't had in most of my adult life. He's looked after me for what seems forever- but the last 25 years have been full of ailments- cancer, foot fusion, general collapses while I got various diagnoses... But I have always been the organiser and the fixer. I've been on 300 mg of Lyrica for months now ( peripheral neuropathy) and that has caused brain fog too. I can see that I need to ice and rest more and be nicer to myself. Gotta say no more often. I knew it was going to be tough ( the foot fusion was about 6-8 months) so I shouldn't be surprised that 8 months isn't that long for a TKR.... Thank you for your comments- I will now get up, pick fresh vegies while it's early and come back in and ice!

Diminuata the slightly more cheerful now!

 

[maryo52]

I somehow managed to have a garden and keep the fresh veggies going after my TKR. Good for the soul!

My son is on lyrica for a rare neurological illness and has found it very helpful.

Reading your comments takes me back to a time when I thought I'd never be me again. It doesn't help to be in a stage of life that is, well, a little on the downhill side. We middle agers encounter lots of loss, and it didn't help my outlook to see so many of my friends struggle as well. Right this minute, most of my family and friends are doing very well, and I'm feeling very grateful for that. You will get there too. Yes, as women, being good to ourselves seems to be the last thing we think to do!!!

 

[Diminuata]

Very true! You are right about the garden- I have a very big vegetable garden ( we live on an acre) and I enjoy fiddling about in it. But I've always been used to doing what I wanted to and acceptance with grace is not one of my virtues!! I looked at my mortality 22 years ago with cancer but somehow you forget about it over time. Now it's back ( acceptance, not cancer as fas as I know) . My Physiotherapist gave me exercises for tendonitis and said ' you need to walk through it', so that's what I'm trying to do. Frustrating as I can't get my leg tear wet yet and I love hydrotherapy as an exercise. It's good talking to you and others on the forum. I'm 10 years older than you and 60 looking at 70 was t so bad, but 70 looking at 80 is another thing entirely! Anyway babysitting a 4 year old this afternoon and that always cheers me up!

 

[maryo52]

Where is your tendonitis? I haven't heard of the concept of "walking through" tendonitis. It's an inflammation in a tendon and needs ice and rest. All those "itis" conditions involve inflammation, and more activity only feeds the inflammation as far as I know.

 

[Bionic woman2]

May you walk "through it" with grace. Oh, and no running after the 4 yr old.I love kids too, I always say.. They keep you young and tired.

 

[kneeper]

I'm no doctor but I'd say from experience you have to be careful about how much you do with tendonitis or you can aggravate it.