TKR Ten weeks later . . .<<'

[Celle]

I think a lot depends on your particular insurance company's rules. It always pays to check.
Whatever policy you have, you always need to be sure that your head is clear so you can think properly, that you are not under the influence of pain killers, and that you can negotiate the pedals and do an emergency stop.

 

[kneeper]

Hi @Cratchit. Just catching up on your thread. It sounds like you are having the normal ups and downs, weird pains, sometimes randomly, sometimes traced to overdoing that we've all had. We get it. This is a great place to come when you're cranky, sad or bursting with a little victory!

 

[Cratchit]

Oh no - l'm so sorry to read that Spex. As if you haven't got enough to deal with. I do hope (L) knee was just having a bad day and that tomorrow is better. And l really do hope your OS and insurers give you the ok to drive soon.

I couldn't stand the thought of another TKR either.

 

[Cratchit]

I think in the UK we have to inform our insurers of any surgery, injury or anything that may constitute a risk and therefore a liability. To drive when compromised would probably render the insurance invalid. Driving under the influence of drugs would also invalidate insurance.

 

[Cratchit]

Aw, @kneeper - hello and thank you! I'm glad my ups and downs are normal; it's definitely a roller coaster journey! I was thinking today that l am three months post op on Saturday and nowhere near the point where l could consider a return to work. I am signed off until the 18th but will no way be ready to return then - l can spend an entire thirteen hour shift on my feet without a break.

" this is a great place to come when you're cranky, sad or bursting with a little victory!" I love that!

 

[Red's Mom]

Oh, my! Ladies, can I join this amazing group of nurses? Cratchit, Spex10, Aquafoo, Celle

These darn knees! My first was pretty much a breeze and still is. The second one???? Let's just say had it been the first the second would have not happened. It is one step forward, four steps backwards. Well maybe that's a little dramatic. But it certainly has been up and down.

I have followed the mantras religiously. My hubby is even getting frustrated again "get up and get moving, you'll feel better". Tonight he even said he was sure I could do the floor washing I was just being lazy. I still love him though he has been good for 98% of this journey. This knee has a mind and schedule of its own.

@Cratchit mine also feels "broken" sometimes and at no specific time, position or activity. It helps me to look at the X-ray pictures when I start going down the "it's not right" road. This journey is HARD. I feel guilty at times. I too was a HHC RN and took care of my fair share of post op joints. I hope they were able to forget my ill informed mantras of get yourself up and moving, no pain no gain, let's go!

We WILL get through this, thankfully we've got each other and BoneSmart on our personal journey.

OK I've ventilated enough. Now I'll spend heavens knows how long trying to find a comfy position to sleep in. 5 minutes after that I'll have to get up and pee!

Help please. What does wizened mean?

 

[Cratchit]

Good Morning (night?) @Red's Mom, l hope by now you're tucked up asleep with a happy and empty bladder! I'm not so bad now but early on in this recovery if l was awake l would need a wee and it was such a palaver to get up and go at the end of which l was more awake than ever - as was my husband!

There does seem to be a fair posse of nurses on here! I wonder if it's true that we make the worst patients because we feel, perhaps subconsciously, a need to get up and get on and manage without meds etc? Certainly l had great expectations of myself pre op and immediately post op which simply weren't fulfilled. Reality was a great tutor! Consequently l came down to earth with a huge bump. I've learned to be a bit kinder to myself.

Wizened = shrivelled!

Aw, it's hard when those around us can't understand what this healing process entails any more than we could, l suppose, before we had our ops - and you've had two in a very short space of time! It's a lonely place to be at times and the need for reassurance and a community that understands becomes the check which helps reset the balance. It's harsh to consider you lazy though; that must have stung. You do what you do as and when you can.

I hope you've managed to get comfy and sleep well. Big hugs to you Red. Drift off to the dreams of riding again and the thoughts of the beautiful Budweiser Clydies!

 

[Cratchit]

I have a question. I`ve asked it before but as the issue is persistent, I shall ask again.

I have the usual tightness, swelling and stiffness of my TKR knee. I accept this as par for the course. I also have some shooting pains through the patella which, again, I accept as part of the healing process. However, I have had a persistent issue with pain down the front of my knee, slightly to the right of centre when looking straight at it, when I rise from sitting position and for the first few steps thereafter. This pain does not allow me to weight-bear for the first few steps after getting up. I've had this now since before Christmas and despite regular meds, elevating and icing. Any ideas or suggestions which may help? This seems to be hindering progress.

 

[Spex10]

I must confess I'm not a nurse! I work more in the adult mental health field.
I don't know what to say about your latest pain @Cratchit. It seems to me that the locations of pains varies such a lot from day to day. Who knows but what you may wake up tomorrow with a different one. All I can see in my future is that will always be pain somewhere. Oh no. Must get grip! Onwards and upwards...

 

[kneeper]

Let's ask @Josephine about this one.

 

[Cratchit]

Thanks @Spex10 Been awake for a few hours now and yep, same pain but with an additional one running down my shin. Did learn something new last night though. I thought l'd just had a spinal anaesthetic with sedation but apparently l stopped breathing so was intubated, ventilated and ended up with a GA. It's surprising what pillow talk throws up!

Aw, that's not an easy thought to live with, that you my always be in pain somewhere. I hope you're not. How's your 'good' leg now? Are you still listed for MUA tomorrow?

 

[Spex10]

Sorry to hear that your op must have gone wrong somewhere. How scary. I'm a bit concerned that you weren't told though.
I'm up early too but not due to pain. I sleep well these days but after 7/8 hours I just snap awake so get up and have a good coffee. The cat is always pleased to see me.
Your continuing severe pain is very bad luck. I hoped it might be one of those ones that come and go. I can't really complain about pain much. My problem is the stiffness. My appt with OS is tomorrow. I expect to hear what he plans to do then. He'd said at our last appt that he'd give me a month to improve ROM. That has passed and no improvement

 

[Cratchit]

I'm sure l was told and now that l'm thinking about it more clearly, some snatches of words are emerging form the fog of the immediate post op period. At least now l know why it was so foggy!

The pain isn't severe but it is sharp on rising. I'll probably never have an answer for it, just one of those things l expect.

We don't have a cat (yet!) but l do have to run the gauntlet of the dog when l'm up in the night who always thinks it's time to get up and be fed. I don't know how he's going to cope when l go back to work; he'll have no-one to stare at all day long!

I do hope your appointment tomorrow goes well though it seems as though it is almost a fait accomplait if there's been no improvement in your ROM. Maybe some magic will occur overnight and if not, through the MUA. Hope so!

 

[Josephine]

I think in the UK we have to inform our insurers of any surgery, injury or anything that may constitute a risk and therefore a liability. To drive when compromised would probably render the insurance invalid. Driving under the influence of drugs would also invalidate insurance.

Once I phoned a number of insurance companies about this and every one of them said they weren't interested, that it was the insured party's responsibility to decide if they were fit to drive or not. Same as if a person had been drinking, if they drove when they clearly knew they were unfit, on their own head be it. And they all also said they wouldn't be interested in any doctor's letter on the subject either.

I have the usual tightness, swelling and stiffness of my TKR knee. I accept this as par for the course. I also have some shooting pains through the patella which, again, I accept as part of the healing process.

These are not things you should accept as par for the course. They require medicating and what ever other remedy works.

However, I have had a persistent issue with pain down the front of my knee, slightly to the right of centre when looking straight at it, when I rise from sitting position and for the first few steps thereafter.

Can you indicate where this pain is using the chart. Check on the small as a guide

 

[Cratchit]

@Josephine. Thank you for your reply. Well there's interesting! Even with this latest adventure l was told that l would need to inform my insurers if l wanted to drive.

The pain is located nearest to RF1 E. Looking directly at the knee from the front it is immediately below the patella and approx 2 cm out from the centre of the knee. My calf is also painful though that's maybe compensatory.

I am still using one crutch to walk when l'm out of the house. Is that usual at this stage? I can walk without it but it is painful and results in pain in my L hip and lower back because of my gait. I am also particularly aware of the additional strain being placed on my R knee which is damaged through years of compensating for the L knee and in which there is little cartilage left.

 

[Josephine]

Even with this latest adventure l was told that l would need to inform my insurers if l wanted to drive.

There's one way you can check it out - give them a ring and see what they say!

That pain spot is likely to be a number of things
1. the ITB (ilio-tibial band)
2. Patello-femoral pain syndrome (PFPS)
3. Shin splints, shin pain, compartment syndrome

To be honest, I'd recommend you see a chiropractor. Mine works on all these kinds of problems with massage and especially Acupressure massage though you can do this yourself. I do!

 

[Spex10]

Gosh. Quite a lot of possibilities for you to consider cratchit.

 

[Cratchit]

There's one way you can check it out - give them a ring and see what they say!

I rang my insurers (NFU) prior to surgery and after changing my car to an automatic and they weren`t very interested, just said so long as I could do an emergency stop if needed, I was good to go. So I did!

3. Shin splints, shin pain, compartment syndrome

Reading through the links you provided this seems to be the most likely culprit especially as the pain seems to be in the area of the tibialis posterior and tibialis anterior. This also seems to resonate:

"Shin and calf pain is caused by walking or running - too much, too far, with a bad gait, too fast for your physical condition such as after surgery when the leg/knee is in recovery mode. In other words, it's a self-inflicted injury and will only subside and get better when you stop doing what has caused it."

My gait is awful. I definitely don`t run and I do ice and elevate as much as I can but maybe the amount of walking I am doing is too much at this stage, even though it could never be considered excessive. That`s the only thing I can think of and it would seem to fit with the above.

Might try a chiropractor. Have thought about that before, or Alexander technique. I would try Timony if there was a practitioner nearby!

Thanks @Josephine!

 

[Cratchit]

Gosh. Quite a lot of possibilities for you to consider cratchit.

Definitely! But I think the shin thing fits. So this weekend, the dog can lay all the guilt trips he wants; I won`t be walking him. The husband can do all the decorating/cooking he wants and I shall repose on the sofa!

 

[Spex10]

Enjoy! (Poor dog though!)