TKR Sounds

[cairistiona60]

That's wonderful news, 2 days of no pain, you must be over the moon. I miss going to the movies but maybe I'll be able to go soon. When I think about it, going to the movies would be much the same as going to a ball game or going to a concert. We are going to see Craig Ferguson on Sunday night. If I can sit through those then I should be able to sit through a movie.

I read your post very quickly and for a second I thought you had taken your schnauzer for a pedicure. I was going to ask what colour his/her nails were but then I read it again. Silly Christine!

 

[theresav]

Day 2 of no pain, swelling below the knee so movement is MUCH better! We even went to the movies this afternoon and I totally forgot about "Buddy"! I am so very thankful that he has settled down and become a respectable member of the family! I'm icing and elevating to reduce the swelling, but that is minor in comparison to where we were just a week ago!

Remind me of your surgery date?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Thesoutherncook]

@cairistiona60 LOL! No pedicure for Murphy, the schnauzer! But it sure made ME feel better! It was nice to go to the movie like a " normal" person and not think about the knee. It makes me think those of you who are working are lucky to have another focus. So, today I will get back to painting as I have a big project waiting on me.
Hope your weekend is equally as pain free!

@theresav My surgery was July 20, so I am almost 11 weeks. Hang in there.... It gets better every week! I was a doubter for a while, but it has finally smoothed out! Listen to and heed the advice from these folks. They will steer you in the right direction.

 

[Thesoutherncook]

Bummer day! My old knee ( not the TKR ) has decided he is not getting enough attention and is very Angry! It will barely bend, hurts behind, on top all across inside and outside. Grrrrrr! I was sooooo in hopes of putting off TKR #2 for a long time. Then I fell off a stool backwards, caught myself with my left hand, bent my old angry knee under me and slightly twisted my RTKR! AND had to get up off the floor most unladylike! Did I mention I was in the print shop when I fell?? Talk about hurt pride!!! I dare not tell DH. He would go ballistic!
SIGH..............is Monday over yet?????

 

[Celle]

I'm so sorry about your fall.
Can you spend today resting, icing and elevating - and generally pampering yourself?

 

[SarahJane]

So sorry! Please take it easy on both knees for a while. You want Buddy to rest and you want not-Buddy to recover. Hope your wrist is not sprained. Gotta promise that you won't wring out your washing by hand for the next week or so, OK? No vigorous games of patty cake with your dear husband. And call up that circus performance teacher and cancel your lesson for walking handstands. Promise?

I have an older cousin who broke her upper arm in several places when she tripped and fell and she put out her hand to break her fall. I'm not sure I'll remember to do this if I end up falling, but ... it's safer to put out your whole forearm, not just the hand, to brace your fall. I wasn't involved in varsity athletics, but I believe boys are taught how to roll when they are knocked down or fall, which also lessens the impact on your body, spreading the force around rather than having it localized to the part of the body which hits the ground first. (I could be wrong about what boys are taught in gym and sports ... not being one, I was never in *that* locker room or class.)

 

[Thesoutherncook]

Thanks, @SarahJane! I needed that! I've never been very coordinated and certainly never played sports, but today hurt my pride more than anything! No circus acts in my future!

@Celle I have ice on BOTH knees now and we will have quick and easy supper. Even my PT felt sorry for me earlier today and iced both after PT! This knee #2 has had 45 Supartz inj over 5 years but I am really hoping to put off replacing it for a while longer.

 

[SarahJane]

I had one Synvisc (hyaluronic acid) injection about 12 years ago, when whatever was holding my knee together stopped working. It seemed to work. But I had to cajole my OS into giving the shot to me because it wasn't part of the HMO's ordinary protocol, and it cost about $500 -- way back then. Later on, the orthopedic PA told me that longitudinal meta-analyses (researchers combining the results of a number of studies) found that there was no clinically significant difference in whether it worked. About half the people felt better, and about half didn't. You might be one of the people for whom it works. I don't know. But 45 injections in 5 years seems like a lot to me. If I'm remembering correctly, my HMO would give me the shot every six months. We may be talking about different dosages of hyaluronic acid in the injections you were getting than the one I got, though. I don't know.

I also got a custom-made off-loader brace. It helped to take the stress off of the medial compartment of my knee when I stood or walked. My medial side was the most messed up, because I'd had the left cartilage of my right knee removed when I was about 20. (That's one of the criteria my OS considered before ordering one for me.) I've seen other Bonesmarties posting about their off-loader braces.

 

[Thesoutherncook]

@SarahJane The Supartz inj were given in a series of 5. I had them about 6 months apart. Yes, I am aware of the research, but felt it was worth a chance and, thankfully, our ins covered them. My general ortho was all for it, IF it helped buy us some time. They didn't help the right knee at all, so it was first up for replacement. The left knee did well with the inj for 5 yrs. I'm bone on bone in both. The OS does not believe they have any merit and said when he opens a knee that has had the inj, it looks like it is filled with snot! Lovely metaphor? My general Ortho says there are some people who have "dry knees" and those are the ones who it seems to help. Anyway, that is all in the past and I'm faced with deciding when to schedule the 2nd TKR. I'm struggling with that decision now.

 

[Timetolive]

@Thesoutherncook, what a day! I am glad you did not break your wrist or injure something when you fell. That is how I broke my wrist - catching myself when the knee gave way and I fell UP the brick steps. I have had the shots also. It has allowed me to be comfortable this summer waiting for surgery. You and Buddy do wonderful painting!

 

[Braunzie]

@Thesoutherncook - Oh.. so sorry to hear your old knee is now causing problems.. Glad you didn't hurt yourself even more with your fall....!! Hopefully it will settle down after a few days and won't need immediate replacement. Hold positive thoughts for you and sending virtual hugs!!!

 

[Josephine]

it looks like it is filled with snot! Lovely metaphor

Yep - that's exactly what it looks like! And I speak from first hand experience!

My general Ortho says there are some people who have "dry knees" and those are the ones who it seems to help.

What a strange observation! Obviously a chap who's not operated on a great number of knees!

 

[Thesoutherncook]

@Josephine the general ortho who gave me the Supartz inj does not do knee replacement surgery! Obviously???
My OS thinks they are useless in most cases. Now I have to decide what to do about knee #2. My logical brain says get it replaced and be done with the pain. By this time next year I should be ready for travel again! We have a trip to make to Scotland when my knees will cooperate and I always love Paris.... So much to do, no time to dilly dally around with these knees for years more!!

 

[Josephine]

All those injections are a waste of time and money. Much like 'natural' medications like chondroitin and glucosamine. Little better than bandaids!

 

[Thesoutherncook]

@Josephine. Yes, I agree. However, that "bandaid" allowed me to limp along for 5 yrs for better or for worse. One down and one to go. I'm happy to say that my new knee feels better than my old knee! We'd really be worried if it didn't, wouldn't we?!!

 

[Josephine]

Indeed! Good point.

 

[Celle]

Much like 'natural' medications like chondroitin and glucosamine. Little better than bandaids!

I agree. I took glucosamine and chondroitin for several years and they didn't do a scrap of good.

 

[Thesoutherncook]

Had an appt with my primary care physican today for bloodwork review, etc. Seems all my labs were off. Could this be lingering after effects from the major surgery meds, etc?? She was not alarmed and said come back on 4 months for recheck. Blood pressure was also higher than normal. I did take pain med last night after my tumble off the stool.

 

[Braunzie]

From a physical perspective, I think at this point, I would be ready to "do" the other knee (given the way my new knee feels at 12 weeks.), so I would say go for it and get it over with! But are there insurance / financial / other circumstances to consider before making the call? I know I will need another one at some point (my unoperated knee is giving me some pain now, but not anywhere close to where my other knee was before surgery.) However, I won't have any "paid time off" from work until I accrue a certain number of hours... so I really need to wait since I can.

I bet your elevated pain is causing the increase in blood pressure.. - at least it did for me..

Sending hugs your way, @Thesoutherncook !!

 

[Thesoutherncook]

@Braunzie. Thanks for the hugs! Yes, I think the pain and BP are connected. I've been in a good bit of pain in my "good knee" since my fall off the stool yesterday.

I have an appt with my OS on Oct 20. I think we will discuss options ( as my 5 yr old granddaughter says!) we are blessed with excellent retired federal emp ins but in Jan I will hit medicare age. My original plan was to have #2 done in Oct and be ready for Paris spring 2016. Maybe we will do #2 after Christmas. We will have a medical student living with us the month of Feb ( and that is our worst winter weather month) so, I would like to be at a point of independance by then! Ok, waaaay more than you wanted to hear!