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TKR So much harder than I expected

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I am post-op a left TKR 7 weeks tomorrow. Although I have made a decent amount of progress, I still have that tight band feeling as well as a stiff knee, even though I have good flexion and if I try to walk without the use of a cane, I limp and feel a little unsteady. Walking wears me out and although I had increased energy last week, this weekend, I am exhausted. I am going to make sure I use my cane even in the house, because I don't think it is good, to be limping. I am still taking Tramadol intermittently.

Gosh, it's been one of those days, it feels like this is never going to end.....
 
Sounds pretty normal to me. I'm six weeks post-op. Two weeks ago, I was doing better than I am today, but I believe I started doing more things, which pulled energy away from my recovery. I'm going to back off a little this week to let my body focus on my knee.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
It took me quite some time to walk normally---I went back to the classroom at eight weeks, and by the end of the day I was stiff, sore, and limping.

I also had gait issues and had PT folks give me special exercises and drills to help with that issue.

It was six months before I was 80%-85%, and it was eight months before I was at 90%-95%.

I kept asking the PT's when things would work out and normalize---and the PT's would smile and say that when my knees were ready to do so.

And, after you have read this, please remember that everybody recovers differently and on a different schedule. You will get there---but it will be on your knee's schedule, not yours.
MidwestTKR said:
Walking wears me out and although I had increased energy last week, this weekend, I am exhausted.
Click to expand...
And, as is the norm, a recovery will be much like a roller coaster ride---good times, some great times, some plateaus, and some times that are real stinkers, too.
[Bonesmart.org] So much harder than I expected
 
@MidwestTKR I merged your threads as per this request One thread for your recovery please?
Please don't keep starting new threads about your recovery.

The reasons for this are that it
1. makes it easier for guests to read the continuous story of a member's recovery - the most important reason
2. avoids people duplicating and repeating things like links to articles
3. helps us to refresh on what you've had done and when, plus what advice was given previously
5. keeps all advice previously given on hand for the poster
6. makes it unnecessary for the member to keep repeating surgery details
7. just makes it easier for everyone all round!

Thank you very much!
 
My surgery was in the same general time frame as yours and it sounds to me like you're right on schedule. I too struggle with that "It's never going to end" feeling and , even though it's a bit better, still have the stiffness and tight band feeling. I can walk relatively short distances unassisted but would limp if I tried to go further. I agree with you that it's better to use the cane to help you develop the habit of walking correctly rather than incorrectly. Hang in there -- I think you and I are both on schedule and this will get better.

Roxie
 
Thank you so much everyone! Every post is so helpful to me.

@Kansas Teacher , thank you for your encouragement. I feel badly that I sound like a downer, but I want to be honest with how I am feeling. I keep on hearing how long a recovery this is, so why do I have such a hard time accepting it?

@PolarBear60 , thank you. I think I did too much the days I did feel good! I woke up after only 4 hours of sleep this morning and then was able to take a nap for about 1 1/2 hours, but I am sure the inadequate sleep contributed to the exhaustion. I do find that post-op, I need more sleep than I ever did in general, so the decreased sleep last night must have just compounded the lethargy and achy feeling I have today.

@referee54 , that article you posted sounded just like me! Thank you! And boy, does this ever feel like a roller coaster ride!!

@Josephine , thank you for merging the threads.
 
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I also am still having pain in my knee if I am in a sitting position with my leg on the floor. I notice that it begins hurting and or aching when I am in that position for more than 10 or 15 minutes. Once I elevate my foot, the pain usually goes away. Do you all experience that as well?
 
Hi I am 3 months. And I do experience the pain to. It's different kind of pain before knee revision.

As Josephine said it's a roller coaster. Time and patience is worth waiting for. Xxxx best reguards.


FaithMitchmommy
PKR December.1,2014
TKREV MARCH.2,2015
 
MidwestTKR said:
I also am still having pain in my knee if I am in a sitting position with my leg on the floor. I notice that it begins hurting and or aching when I am in that position for more than 10 or 15 minutes. Once I elevate my foot, the pain usually goes away. Do you all experience that as well?
Click to expand...
I had all kinds of aches and pains and stiffness in my knees after my BTKR during my recovery. It was not really until about ten months or so for me that sitting for a while did not cause some type of ache or pain.
 
I still experience that @MidwestTKR . I have been trying to sit a little longer every day in that position and I think it's helped some but I still can't do it for too long. And I don't think you need to apologize for anything. If we can't be honest about how we are feeling after TKR on a TKR forum, when can we?

Sending hugs,
Roxie
 
I experienced pain in my knee in sitting for what seemed like a long time. While it no longer bothers me in sitting, it still likes to be up. :)
 
Back before TKR, 7 months after a failed kneecap realignment surgery, I sat for an hour lunch with feet down and suffered for a whole week after! I haven't timed how long I can sit feet down now but maybe since week 9 postTRK I can make it through dinner/lunch but we eat fast. So yes, it is very normal to have trouble keeping feet on the floor!
 
@MidwestTKR I am 7 wks this last Friday. Stiffness is constant . Gets alittle Better during the day but as soon as I'm down for awhile it stiffens bk up. This morn felt it like a block of cement .
I'm icing and elevating most of the day. I do a few stretches and walk alittle bit every hr so. But my energy level is very low. I've only been out for pt once a week and to get my nails done twice in the last 2 mos. i prefer to be home in my pjs Where I can rest. Sitting in a car is tough . 30 min before knee starts aching. When friends come to visit knee its always elevated. I walk with my cane but do walk short distances in the house. Still taking dilaudid every 4-6 hrs. My hubby was gone for 4 days and said my knee has gone down! Very encouraging ! I think we look at it so often we can't tell. My ROM Was 118 last week and does seen to be getting better. Someone on here told me feeling stiff and being stiff is a different thing. Meaning that even tho the knee feels tight to me it can stretch further than I think.,
12 wks seems to be the magic number when most seem to turn a corner so I'm hoping by the end of next month I start to feel alittle like myself . I hope U do too! I looked at the pics on here of what they do to our knee during surgery. Although it was nauseating I now know why this is such a hard recovery and will b easier on myself! All of U should b too!
 
@MidwestTKR do please remember that you are still only 7 weeks out which is slap bang in the middle of the 'angry tissue' phase. Are you still taking your pain meds regularly and not just now and again?
 
@Josephine, I am taking Tramadol as needed. Usually it is 1 or 2 times a day, sometimes less. I usually take before bedtime to help me sleep as well as before a formal PT session. Other than that, I take if I have pain. A great deal of the time, icing is sufficient to help alleviate pain.
 
Me to. I take Nucynta it seems to help. And gets me through Pt. it does relax my leg: Prayers and hugs for you. I'ce is good till its agervating.


FaithMitchmommy
PKR December.1,2014
TKREV MARCH.2,2015
 
Although I continue to wake up a few times during the night, to go to the bathroom or change position, (I did that pre-op too), I was able to sleep last night without needing pain med! :)

I just read the remainder of the articles that were posted on the first page of my thread for me. I think they are the same articles that are posted on everyone's page when they first join. I had read about half of them before. They are so helpful!

I do have a question about what most of your day is like for those of you that are still recuperating and are 6 plus weeks out post-op, or are recovered and remember what your days were like when you were home recuperating.

I am 7 weeks post-op TKR now.

My day consists of getting up, drinking a cup of coffee and then beginning my first set of PT exercises - first set on the couch, heel slides, etc, then chair exercises, knee bends/extensions and then the stand-up exercises I was given to do. After that, I ice and elevate and then get showered and dressed. I make a light lunch and then do my exercises again, followed by icing and elevation. (That is unless, I have outpatient PT session scheduled that day.) I do some light cleaning, unloading the dishwasher, etc if I feel up to it and then ice and elevate again and periodically thought the afternoon. I make dinner about 4 times a week and clean up. I meet a friend or my son for lunch or dinner a few times a week. I do the 3rd set of exercises in the evening. I do some grocery shopping about 1 times a week, but frankly, that exhausts me. I take a short walk outside occasionally but we have had a lot of rain here and I have only been walking outside on my block about 1 times a week, however when I go to outpatient PT 2 times a week, I have to take a short walk from where I park, so I think that counts too! ;) I get up and walk around the house periodically throughout the day. I live in a 2 story home and the bedrooms and shower are upstairs, so I try and limit my climbing of the stairs to 2 times a day whenever possible.

Am I doing enough? It feels like most of my days are very monotonous - I am doing my exercises and icing and elevating. I am supposed to return to work in 5 weeks as a nurse, which involves a lot of standing/walking and honestly, can't imagine I will be ready by then.

What does your day consist of?
 
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