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So it's an NSAID?
TKR Tennis Nut's Recovery Thread
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At 12 weeks now. What has the experience of being at that point been like for some of you. I still find myself obsessing over the need to be "normal" and fit the mold of those who've gone before me and made it to "bliss". Shangirla land of no knee pain would be my end goal. Not there yet but hoping it comes soon. But life is pretty normal and I can do whatever I need to do as far as cooking, cleaning, and exercise. No tennis yet but it will come when it comes. And I have stopped looking at my incision, finally. I kept picking at it and getting pieces of stitches out. All healed and closed now.
So hoping to hear from some of you as to how you felt at the 12 week point. Hope all of you are doing well.
So hoping to hear from some of you as to how you felt at the 12 week point. Hope all of you are doing well.
I would say making it to 12 weeks you're over the hardest part physically. But like you said, the impatience of not feeling "perfect" can set in. Gradually, week by week and month by month you will feel more "normal."
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I've started having trouble sleeping now too. Started 2-3 weeks ago and has gotten worse. I'm thinking it has something to do with taking LESS medication. Some kind of withdrawal I guess which is odd since I was only on the heavy stuff for two weeks. I didn't think coming off tramadol and neurontin would cause any issues. Oh well, there's just no part of this that is fun.
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Do any of you have more pain when it rains? I thought a new knee took that old arthritis aspect of wether affecting it away. Not so sure now. And my seep issues do seem to be linked to coming off neurontin. Just stopped it cold turkey so adding a smaller amount back and going off gradually now. Always something I guess at this point.
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Good. Hope mine goes away too. I swam laps today for first time since surgery. It was so nice to get back into the pool.
Tennis Nut. I live in Destin & need to have BLTKR. I'm interested in finding about the type of surgery you had. Could you please give me the name of your OS?
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gulfgirl
I had minimally invasive knee replacement. It's also known as quad sparing knee replacement. My OS does a lot of them but many surgeons refuse. They don't go get the training and they all give the same pat answer "I like to see what I'm doing". The incision is smaller and it takes longer. Sounds like a time issue to me and they make excuses. Dr. Daniel Matthews in fairhope, AL did mine. I wonder if they also do them at the Andrews clinic in gulf breeze. It does make for an easier recovery but it still hurts. Dr. Matthews is leaving the group he's with, bayside orthopedics and going out in his own clinic in September. It will be in daphne. The only drawback to the type of surgery I had is the increased chance of misalignment. Dr. Matthews has done over 4000 replacements so I trusted him to get this right and he's no rookie at this procedure. I don't want to be a guina pig for sure. They doctors at Rush in Chicago do these all the time and have started doing them as outpatient surgery. Good luck. Let me know if u come see dr. Matthews. He did a BLTKR on a friend of mine 4 years ago and she plays tennis all the time.
I had minimally invasive knee replacement. It's also known as quad sparing knee replacement. My OS does a lot of them but many surgeons refuse. They don't go get the training and they all give the same pat answer "I like to see what I'm doing". The incision is smaller and it takes longer. Sounds like a time issue to me and they make excuses. Dr. Daniel Matthews in fairhope, AL did mine. I wonder if they also do them at the Andrews clinic in gulf breeze. It does make for an easier recovery but it still hurts. Dr. Matthews is leaving the group he's with, bayside orthopedics and going out in his own clinic in September. It will be in daphne. The only drawback to the type of surgery I had is the increased chance of misalignment. Dr. Matthews has done over 4000 replacements so I trusted him to get this right and he's no rookie at this procedure. I don't want to be a guina pig for sure. They doctors at Rush in Chicago do these all the time and have started doing them as outpatient surgery. Good luck. Let me know if u come see dr. Matthews. He did a BLTKR on a friend of mine 4 years ago and she plays tennis all the time.
TennisNut,thank you for your prompt reply. I have several questions about your surgery & the Dr who performed it. Is there any way to send private messages on this forum? Or should I just post them here? I'm scheduled for my RTKR Aug.27 & am trying to decide if I want to cancel & look into the Dr who did yours. Thanks.
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patient 99
post-grad
I had my 6 month anniversary 2 days ago. Currently things are improving, but very SLOWLY. Some sharp pain now and then, some internal swelling still and walking still doesn't feel all that comfortable. Sometimes the improvement is so gradual I wonder if it is happening. But it is. Like you it doesn't stop me obsessing though - although less frequently.
I suspect your problem may be similar to mine - I didn't expect it to take so LONG. If I had been told at the outset not to expect too much for a year I would have got on with it. But that's not what happened. First I was told get over the first 6 weeks and things will be much better, then it was 3 months, then it was 6 months. Now I'm told to give it a year.
Nothing you have said about what's happening for you at the 12 weeks stage sounds unusual. That's another way of saying your recovery sounds very normal. Patience my friend. Patience.
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patient 99
I'm wide awake sine 3:00 pm so just saw this. I'm usually asleep when you are Online. Celebrated 42 years of married bliss last night ( mostly bliss). Lovely night, cooler than usual for sitting outside at a downtown fairhope Italian restaurant. More like an Italian village with separate wi e bar, steak house, deli, seating up and down the alley and of course the traditional Italian restaurant. Sausage and polenta for me after bruschetta of course. Pannacotta too. Yum! Walked around downtown too.
I'm doing great 90% of the time. Still pay when I work out too hard. Yesterday, I walked a long time, painted 3-4 hours in studio and walked last nigy. So sore and got up to ice. My new bike arrives this next week so can't wait to hit the road. Back swimming laps too.
I see that you didn't mention MUA. Hope that wasn't necessary. I know you were concerned about that. Are you walking and stretching much or biking any? Recumbent bike and elliptical have really helped me. I see my doc in October at 5 months right before we head out to Santa Fe, New Mexico for vacation. Can't wait to tour the many world class galleries there. So many artists. Georgia o'keefe was from there.
Wish you were making faster progress. My doctor did tell me a year from the very start so I am ahead I think at 13 weeks now. I will say that he and his staff really prepared me for worse than what I've been through. His nurse spent almost two hours with me answering questions and giving me info. Everyone is different from what I see and you said you do see improvement. Hang in there!
I'm wide awake sine 3:00 pm so just saw this. I'm usually asleep when you are Online. Celebrated 42 years of married bliss last night ( mostly bliss). Lovely night, cooler than usual for sitting outside at a downtown fairhope Italian restaurant. More like an Italian village with separate wi e bar, steak house, deli, seating up and down the alley and of course the traditional Italian restaurant. Sausage and polenta for me after bruschetta of course. Pannacotta too. Yum! Walked around downtown too.
I'm doing great 90% of the time. Still pay when I work out too hard. Yesterday, I walked a long time, painted 3-4 hours in studio and walked last nigy. So sore and got up to ice. My new bike arrives this next week so can't wait to hit the road. Back swimming laps too.
I see that you didn't mention MUA. Hope that wasn't necessary. I know you were concerned about that. Are you walking and stretching much or biking any? Recumbent bike and elliptical have really helped me. I see my doc in October at 5 months right before we head out to Santa Fe, New Mexico for vacation. Can't wait to tour the many world class galleries there. So many artists. Georgia o'keefe was from there.
Wish you were making faster progress. My doctor did tell me a year from the very start so I am ahead I think at 13 weeks now. I will say that he and his staff really prepared me for worse than what I've been through. His nurse spent almost two hours with me answering questions and giving me info. Everyone is different from what I see and you said you do see improvement. Hang in there!
patient 99
post-grad
Then the next time you start obsessing you can hang onto that.
There is only one conclusion you can draw from this ie, that you are doing better than anticipated.
Are you sure you are obsessing about wanting to be `normal'? You may be obsessing about wanting to be `super woman'.
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Yes, yes. Yu got that right patient 99
I was superwoman so I want to fill that cape again. I had three days this week that I didn't even think about my knee. I'm obsessing less. Worst thing that happened this week was my ears clogging up from swimming. I got almost sick and had sinus symptoms. Got my ears cleaned out by nurse (chunks came out) and was cured in about an hour. I hadn't been swimming and the water dislodged wax but it didn't come out so I was deaf and all stopped up. Ready to go again today though. Actually ran into my internist/family dr last night and he stopped at the table to check on me. He had given me a shot of b-12 as well. Feeling great now. I had felt rundown.
I was superwoman so I want to fill that cape again. I had three days this week that I didn't even think about my knee. I'm obsessing less. Worst thing that happened this week was my ears clogging up from swimming. I got almost sick and had sinus symptoms. Got my ears cleaned out by nurse (chunks came out) and was cured in about an hour. I hadn't been swimming and the water dislodged wax but it didn't come out so I was deaf and all stopped up. Ready to go again today though. Actually ran into my internist/family dr last night and he stopped at the table to check on me. He had given me a shot of b-12 as well. Feeling great now. I had felt rundown.
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It's almost time to go walk the dogs. Have a good day.
patient 99
post-grad
I know that this is said to make someone feel better. But it can raise expectations, which if not met will make that someone feel worse. We can't go around saying everyone is different and then say making it to 12 weeks you're over the hardest part physically. Its a contradiction.
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patient 99
kneeper
I think what kneeper said was to encourage me and it did. The worst part should be over in three months or I would think so. But as I mentioned in previous post this am, I've been dragging a bit and the shot of B-12 has been amazing already. I also believe a lot of our progress runs on pure attitude and refusal to give up. This is a HARD-ASSED surgery and you really need hope every day to push on. Kneeper was just giving me some hope. It's going to happen for you too and soon I pray. I feel you are down about it and not without good reason. You will get better. I think you passed a big hurdle just be not having to have MUA. Yeah for you.
It's an "English" rainy day here. Need earl gray tea and suggles with my golden retrievers. Get a dog! They make life great and they listen to your complaints and lick those tears. Come on, Patient, you're going to make it and in a few weeks, you'll be doing the happy dance.
kneeper
Just noticed how young you are. You BABY! Wow. What did u do to wreck those knees so young? What part of US are you located? Got your second one set up yet?
kneeper
I think what kneeper said was to encourage me and it did. The worst part should be over in three months or I would think so. But as I mentioned in previous post this am, I've been dragging a bit and the shot of B-12 has been amazing already. I also believe a lot of our progress runs on pure attitude and refusal to give up. This is a HARD-ASSED surgery and you really need hope every day to push on. Kneeper was just giving me some hope. It's going to happen for you too and soon I pray. I feel you are down about it and not without good reason. You will get better. I think you passed a big hurdle just be not having to have MUA. Yeah for you.
It's an "English" rainy day here. Need earl gray tea and suggles with my golden retrievers. Get a dog! They make life great and they listen to your complaints and lick those tears. Come on, Patient, you're going to make it and in a few weeks, you'll be doing the happy dance.
kneeper
Just noticed how young you are. You BABY! Wow. What did u do to wreck those knees so young? What part of US are you located? Got your second one set up yet?
Hi Tennis Nut--I've had RA since I was a kid (juvenile rheumatoid arthritis) that did quite a bit of damage to my knees and then I guess a secondary osteoarthritis set in.
Yes, in terms of my previous post I only meant to respond to your question asking how people were doing at 12 weeks. I made it a bit more of a blanket statement than I intended.
It is a long term recovery--there's no sugar coating that. I'm glad my OS honestly prepared me for that. I'd say full recovery for me to "normal" (actually better than the old "normal" ;) ) was a year plus. But gradually it just became more of a natural process that I was less focused on. I'd say my overall ROM is in the 115 range which is a bit better than I had before the tkr. My plan is to do the 2nd knee on my school break next summer.
Yes, in terms of my previous post I only meant to respond to your question asking how people were doing at 12 weeks. I made it a bit more of a blanket statement than I intended.
It is a long term recovery--there's no sugar coating that. I'm glad my OS honestly prepared me for that. I'd say full recovery for me to "normal" (actually better than the old "normal" ;) ) was a year plus. But gradually it just became more of a natural process that I was less focused on. I'd say my overall ROM is in the 115 range which is a bit better than I had before the tkr. My plan is to do the 2nd knee on my school break next summer.
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