MUA Sleeping on my side, 5 weeks post TKR

[westiemom]

@beralc
It is frustrating to keep having pain and less bend. Also I'm stubborn and don't learn fast enough so it's like I'm deliberately taking steps back. I have no idea why my knee aches when doing nothing but sitting with legs up after nothing but walking with the walker. I have no idea why my leg is still so terribly bruised. I have an index card with questions for my next OS appointment. He is an hour away so I try to not go up there often. The ride with my leg down for an hour then sitting for an hour then driving home hurts my leg and the next day I swell up and am worthless.
I did drive for the first time yesterday. I've been scared to try because of the bend of my knee not being great. But we have one car that the footrest is perfect for me. I'm counting that as 2 steps ahead!

P.S. Haven't talked to that friend from above for about 2 weeks now. I think I was abrupt when I told her I am just a slow healer. Oh well, that's life.

 

[beralc]

Good luck for tomorrow @Andypandy hope you get your questions answered and a way forward your happy with

 

[beralc]

@Oldped well as has been said many times if they get put off by you saying something which is at the end of the day, a true statement,that’s most definitely their problem and not yours.

 

[westiemom]

@Andypandy
Can I ask you which side you sleep on? The one your surgery was on or the good leg? I have tried both ways but still my knee hurts so I'm still sleeping on my back. I already have problems with sleeping on my surgery side because my pacemaker gets squished and I can feel it under my clavicle. How long do you sleep on your side - all night or do you keep switching it up? Would love to get back to my "old normal" on my left side.

 

[Maulia]

Sending you positive vibes and calming energy for friday

 

[Andypandy]

@westiemom I switch sides when my knee gets too grumpy. I still get some pain whichever side, but it has got better than when I started at 5 weeks. Occasionally I end up on my back, soon as I awake turn onto side. Think it will be some time yet before it becomes pain free and we can get that " ah bliss" feeling. Same as some time before our knees stop all of the day to day problems we have to deal with. Xx

 

[beralc]

Good luck for today. Thinking of you x

 

[EalingGran]

Can I ask you which side you sleep on? The one your surgery was on or the good leg? I have tried both ways but still my knee hurts

The way I found best to sleep on my side was this: I put a thin pillow on the bed with the open sleeve of my Aircast Cryocuff on top ( the coolness was lovely). I then lay on my good side with my good leg straight and my operated knee gently bent and resting on the Aircast Cryocuff sleeve

 

[westiemom]

Good luck today Andypandy!

Thanks for info about sleeping on side. Think I'll stay on the couch recliner for a while. 3 dogs and a hubby in bed who wake up every time I turn isn't fun.

 

[beralc]

Hope everything went ok xx

 

[Layla]

Good Afternoon Andypandy,
Wishing you comfort and all the best if your MUA was yesterday, but in reading some of your content, it appears it may be on Friday, March 7th? Please clarify and we will add the procedure to your signature. Either way, I wish you a peaceful weekend!
@Andypandy

 

[Andypandy]

@Layla yes, March 7th. Had an in depth conversation with my surgeon and I have made the decision to follow him. Asked if he thought I could get to the required/comfortable flexion and maybe, who knows, but a chance he feels not to take. I will continue to take each day for my recovery and trek on through the jungle

 

[Layla]

Hi again Andypandy,
Will be thinking of you on Friday as you take this step toward better mobility and less stiffness. I hope the procedure is smooth and your recovery favorable. Will be cheering you on from the sidelines!
I'll add the procedure to your signature.
Hugs!
@Andypandy

 

[westiemom]

@Andypandy
Let us know how the MUA goes on Friday. I'm sorry it has to be done, but hopefully it will give you the mobility that is needed for normal life. How did your surgeon determine it's scar tissue and the MUA would help? Not questioning him or you, I just wonder how the surgeon KNOWS it's scar tissue versus something else (infection, very slow healing, etc.)?

 

[Andypandy]

@westiemom thank you, hope you're progressing. To start off, I have to admit I did virtually no exercises in the first 4 weeks. Problems with the swelling deterred me, I can't take anti inflammatories and only limited pain meds, and my state of mind was way off track. Looking back, wish I had done things differently. I should of contacted my doctor by week 2 to ask for help. Depression and frustration were with me constantly. Didn't want to be in the situation I was in, didn't want this leg on my body, didn't really care about anything. My hubby says he couldn't "reach" me and he also suffered. He has been a miracle. Cancelled pt appointments because of the horrendous swelling, just continued with ice, didn't even elevate enough in the first weeks. At week 7 saw my consultant and reality hit home, cried all night for what I had not done, next morning spoke with my GP who was a gem. Given a tablet which has helped me enormously and started a proper exercise regime. Looked at this sensibly and my knee needs attention. Exercises have been better but i have felt like i am at stale mate, last couple of weeks. After every movement the stiffness stays, swelling much better, my day is exercise, ice, walk ice, exercise etc. So, I am being guided by my consultant, he did get me to 85 but do I carry on and take a chance, he doesn't want to take that chance. If I had been moving about much better after the exercise and care I have used, I would have some faith but at the moment, ?????? Sorry this has been a "story" but I felt that I have to admit my faults in this journey. Didn't do this when I had my pkr 5 years ago, but this is nothing like I experienced. Hope all good your end xxxxx

 

[beralc]

@Andypandy I have so much sympathy with your story. I think you need to remember you didn’t choose any of the things that made your recovery so difficult. They aren’t “faults” when you were ignorant of the impact certain choices may/may not have had. Like you say this is nothing like you’ve experienced before.

As you know I had plenty of things holding me back from actively working on my recovery, but unlike you I had the advantage of being able to tolerate all the medication I could get and this helped. Not sure how I’d have coped without. I don’t think lack of exercises necessarily mean an automatic difficulty with Flexion etc. As said I had no PT until I reached week 7, out of the 49 days (last Friday) since surgery, I spent about 30 days too unwell to follow any real regimen.

Yesterday evening I managed 100 degrees Flexion. So I’d suggest that sometimes there are just other factors that play a part and are out of our control. The only thing you can do is use what you’ve learned and prepare yourself as well as possible for Friday. Obviously if you struggle with medication then elevating and ice are going to be key and you’re bound to have picked up lots of useful advice since your original surgery.

So don’t be too hard on yourself. Wishing you all the best for Friday.

 

[EalingGran]

Yesterday evening I managed 100 degrees Flexion. So I’d suggest that sometimes there are just other factors that play a part and are out of our control. The only thing you can do is use what you’ve learned

Agree with @beralc that a lot of it is beyond our control. All the studies I have read suggest that that the biggest predictor of post op ROM is pre-op flexion.

 

[westiemom]

@Andypandy
Oh my word, your story almost exactly mirrors mine. Not doing exercises due to swelling and pain, cancelling PT appointments because of the same, being very depressed and just not seeming to give a darn. I was limited to my meds due to heart and the doctors in my group do not like to give enough pain pills that I could do exercises and then take pain meds to help with the resulting pain. So I didn't want to do the exercises due to extreme pain and swelling afterwards.
Right now I am swollen from basically just walking around the house and doing some housework for maybe 20 minutes at a time. I am still bruised badly and have a new purple bruise at the top of my knee. Have no idea where that came from. I still have a small scab that refuses to come off. The skin at the bottom of my knee is hard like an alligator. I have a small section of the middle of my knee that swells up at night and disappears the next day, but then will come back. I woke up from pain this morning cause the inside of my knee was like a drill boring into one spot.
I have my "final" follow up next Wednesday and I do not have a good feeling about my knee. My OS is an hour away and I didn't want to go see him more because of the pain of riding in the car for an hour each way and then the hour waiting/office visit. Just hurt too much.
I really hope this MUA works for you. I am pretty convinced that I will be stuck with a walker forever. My flexion is almost non-existent right now and walk with a pretty much straight leg. My OS is not very experienced and didn't think I should have a MUA at my 2 month followup. I wouldn't let him do the MUA anyway and the most experienced doctor in the group books out about 6-7 months. There is not really any other doctors unless I go the big city about 5 hours away.
I will be back to read about how you are doing after your MUA, but think I'm going to drop out. Just too depressed and have nothing happy to say and don't want to bring everyone down on here. It's been great "meeting" everyone here but I think my time has run out.
Good luck everyone who is having problems. I hope the Good Fairy helps each and every one of you out and you will be skipping and dancing around in a few months.

 

[Andypandy]

@westiemom please don't give up. I felt like that a few weeks ago but I just can't put up with pain and the stiffness. I haven't progressed beyond 85 flexion in just over a week and that's after doing my daily exercises. Which, I do not go over the top with. Like you, after a few little jobs, my knee is stiff, slightly swollen and painful. Walking I cannot get a bend, hence my decision. Have a good chat with your surgeon, I had my list of questions, and maybe he can get you back on the right track. Be honest with him, but I don't think you being on a walker is what you really want. Try to think positive about the next few weeks, it's so very hard I know. Please stay in touch with us and I am sending you hugs xx

 

[EalingGran]

@Andypandy
Oh my word,
I really hope this MUA works for you. I am pretty convinced that I will be stuck with a walker forever. My flexion is almost non-existent right now and walk with a pretty much straight leg. My OS is not very experienced and didn't think I should have a MUA at my 2 month followup. I wouldn't let him do the MUA anyway and the most experienced doctor in the group books out about 6-7 months. There is not really any other doctors unless I go the big city about 5 hours away.
I will be back to read about how you are doing after your MUA, but think I'm going to drop out. Just too depressed and have nothing happy to say and don't want to bring everyone down on here. It's been great "meeting" everyone here but I think my time has run out.
Good luck everyone who is having problems. I hope the Good Fairy helps each and every one of you out and you will be skipping and dancing around in a few months.

Please don't get discouraged or give up.
There will be answers somewhere- but all of us have different issues with our knees and some are more complex.
I am sorry you have to travel so far to see your surgeon- but I do wonder if you need to think about another opinion if your current surgeon can't give you a clear view on what is happening.