TKR The adventure begins

[Jajakio]

A few days short of 6 months

Let's talk cold. Like most of the East Coast of the US, we are stuck in the frigid arctic loop. It was 4 degrees when I got up this morning. Does the cold make it worse for new knees ?and it this permanent? I'm a real estate appraiser and i do some work outdoors. I'm a former Chicago girl and the cold hasn't usually been that big of a deal. Granted, my arthritis usually feels better in the summer than the winter and it's been that way for several years but that's pretty minor. This was something else today. By the time i was outside a few minutes, I felt like I'd regressed two or three months at least. I was just steady enough on my feet to finish the job in about half an hour but definite stiffness and minor loss of ROM was more noticeable than the pain. Once I got back inside and warmed up I was back to more or less normal.

My friend who had a badly crushed ankle with all kinds of metal and pins holding it together says her doctor told her not to let her ankle get cold EVER AGAIN. It's been 2 years since she had her surgery and she says even walking to the car is enough to make it ache in this weather. Shes supposed to wear some kind of neoprine sleeve if shes out on cold but mostly she wont go out unless she has to in this weather. Granted, that's nowhere near the same as a TKR, but I was wondering if the metal In my knee will react badly to the cold from now on or am I just not completely healed yet?

I usually work outdoors in all kinds of weather for at least half an hour to 45 minutes at a time. Spring and fall especially I love that aspect of my job. Winter here in Tennesse isn't usually much of an issue. Most years we only get 6 weeks or less of what I would call real -maybe it will snow- winter. Next week is supposed to be back well above freezing and this didnt happen in 40 degree weather. What can i expect from here on out? Will I eventually heal enough that cold weather won't affect me like it did today? Or is the metal going to react from now on in really cold weather?

I dressed relatively warm, but I'm going to pull out some old ski gear and long underwear and see if I can't do a better job of keeping the knee warm tomorrow,

 

[Jajakio]

Coming up on the 6 month mark and still continuing to improve. My new trick for this week was being able to stand up from my low couch without holding on to anything or pushing myself up with my hand on the couch. I've been able to do a normal hard chair for a long time but the couch is deep and low and it was a real struggle in the beginning, first holding onto the coffee table with one hand and pushing myself off the couch with the other hand then later just pushing off with one hand. Now i just stand in one motion without holding on to anything.

Unless you've had a TKR you probably can't imagine why that's a big deal. I told a friend and his reaction was kind of that it was sad it had been so hard but better than no progress. No point in telling him that's good progress by my standards. Pain is a rarity and so is stiffness. I went through a couple of months of back pain but thats pretty well gone now too. Finally I feel like I'm about back to normal but not quite. I sleep decently most nights. I'm no longer exhausted. I work full time and still have energy in the evenings. I'm looking forward to some outdoor activities once it warms up and I'm planning for a decent sized garden this spring. In my opinion the TKR was a complete success.

 

[SusieShoes]

Some knees seem to think it's necessary to take up a new skill, like weather forecasting. This is annoying, but common. My left knee, more than my right, aches when the weather is about to get stormy. Is this useful? Not particularly. Weather apps tell me more by way of information. Still, now that I understand what's going on with Lefty, I can just take a little Tylenol and relax. Keeping the knee warm does seem to help. I noticed that on my morning walks lately.

Progress becomes rather incremental in later recovery. Like you, I got excited when getting up from the couch. Conquering low toilets and, recently, the very low children's chair in my grandson's playroom, were huge to me. And I have high front steps, so it was a big deal when I could go up completely hands free, foot over foot. That high last step was a challenge for Lefty, but now it is an ordinary thing.

Sounds like you're doing great! And yes, a complete success!

 

[Jockette]

My knee despises the cold weather!!!! It aches and feels like 2 pieces of wood scraping together (otherwise called the Pinocchio feeling!) when I am outside. Once I’m back inside and it warms up it’s much better.

You are the only other one so far that feels it like I do!

And if that’s not bad enough, I get that same feeling just wearing pants, the second I put them on.

 

[Jajakio]

@Jockette . Yes, pants. I get that feeling sometimes too. A couple of weeks ago the fibro was really acting up and i could hardly stand clothes anywhere. Most days the knee is okay with pants, but sometimes not and I'm back in loose shorts as soon as i get home. I still work and while it's okay to be on the computer is shorts, sadly it's a bit too cold not to wear pants outdoors. I pulled out an old pair of silk long underwear from when I used to ski and that helped some today. Looking forward to spring.

 

[Jockette]

Yes, I still live in shorts at home. My husband is cold all the time, so our house is much warmer than most, so I’m very comfortable in shorts at home. I dread going out.

Like you said, temperatures in the 40’s didn’t bother me either, but this frigid weather is awful! We spent a week in Ohio last month, that was tough, too! Temperatures in the teens and twenties!

 

[kneeper]

Coming up on the 6 month mark and still continuing to improve. My new trick for this week was being able to stand up from my low couch without holding on to anything or pushing myself up with my hand on the couch. I've been able to do a normal hard chair for a long time but the couch is deep and low and it was a real struggle in the beginning, first holding onto the coffee table with one hand and pushing myself off the couch with the other hand then later just pushing off with one hand. Now i just stand in one motion without holding on to anything.

Awesome!
As for the cold, I'd say it was 6 months to a year before my tkr stopped being affected by changes in the weather but it did stop. I also live in an area with cold winters (it warmed up" to 10 degrees today).
The wrist that has the plate in it from a fracture a couple of years ago is sensitive to the arm getting cold, but not the weather itself. I think somehow our new metal knees are different.

 

[sistersinhim]

The cold doesn't bother mine at all anymore, so I bet yours will become cold proof, too!

 

[Jajakio]

Thanks, @ kneeper. That was what i was hoping to hear. I had wondered if the fracture plates were different than the new knees. Here's hoping next winter will be better.

 

[Jajakio]

So here I am a week short of 7 months out. Doing splendidly but still improving. I was so determined that I wasn't going to take me a year, but I guess it might.

I went shopping in Nashvile all day Saturday and found a bargain at the high end neighborhood thrift store. Its a gorgeous old oak table with huge legs and lots of.character but it was covered with peeling black paint. I had help loading and unloading but I spent almost 3 hours sanding it on Sunday afternoon - on my feet the whole time. I didn't even think about my knee once and my back cooperated too. I slept well last night and was not sore at all this morning. And I am proud to point out that I lasted through a whole day of shopping 10 am to 7pm and my husband and son were ready to quit before I was. I can't remember the last time I wasn't the one who had to call it quits first. It's great to have my energy back as well as a decent knee to stand on. Early on my back hurt as much or more than my knee. It took a long while but it has finally settled down.

I'm still not 100% yet though. Occasional discomfort now and then, just twinges, not too bad at all. Occasional zingers but way less than a few months ago. Stairs still aren't perfect but that may not happen until I do the other knee. Haven't iced in a month or more. No swelling at all except for one tiny 1 inch bubble just to the outside of the knee. It's soft, does not hurt, might be filled with liquid. Its been the same for months but doesnt seem to bother anything. Numbness is nearly gone but not completely.

From the beginning it felt like my knee (just with a bad sprain) and i have had little to no trouble with clunking or clicking. I'm glad i opted for the custom conformis knee. I can't be sure it is why I've done so well but maybe. I'm sure a good surgeon and no other complications helped too.

 

[sistersinhim]

Wow, what a recovery! What a great inspiration you are to others coming up behind you!

 

[Jajakio]

8 months

The recovery continues. I'm really in good shape. Normal life, walking all day. I won't say I'm completely pain free but maybe a 1 pain when I bend hard or climb stairs. Definitely not enough to stop me from doing anything. New knee is not quite even sized with the other knee- there is that tiny swollen spot just to the outside of knee joint. It's been the same for months but no pain. Scar is lightening up some. It is better than my non operated knee now. I know the other knee will need surgery sooner or later. The left side feels like my operated knee did 4 or 5 years ago when it was just starting to bother me- more stiffness and lack of strength than bad pain. Not bad enough for surgery yet. I'm hoping to lose more weight before I have the other surgery. Maybe it will help some. Can't hurt.

But I am proof that obese people can do fine with this surgery. I lost some weight prior to surgery but was barely under 40 BMI. Everything went well anyway. No infection, no more difficulty getting around post surgery than anyone else.

Funny thing, after a long day it isn't the new knee that swells, it's the ankle on the non operated knee. They both used to swell, but after surgery, the ankle on the new knee is fine, doesn't swell at all anymore. Go figure. Also had a touch of bursitis on the non operated side (last year was both sides) but none on the new knee side. So MAYBE that won't bother me at all once both knees are done. A few weeks of exercises got it under control this time. I guess I ought to add them to my regular hot tub routine. I still bike in the hot tub but now I can bike for real too.

There are lot of worrisome accounts on here and I feel for those people. It is a long hard slog, harder for some of us than others. But I just thought I'd keep checking back in and telling new people that sometimes it comes out just fine.

 

[Jockette]

But I just thought I'd keep checking back in and telling new people that sometimes it comes out just fine.

Awesome report! Some of us (me) take longer than others. I am looking forward to the day I can write a report like yours! Best wishes!

 

[sistersinhim]

It's great to hear that you are doing so well! Riding a bike is a great exercise! That's a big step in the right direction!

 

[KarriB]

I’m happy to hear things are going so well for you!

 

[kmak81230]

Yeah for you Jajakio!!! Such a good report. Glad to read that you are doing so well!

 

[Jajakio]

8 and a half months

My sister who had her knee replaced 3 years ago came to spend the weekend and we did all day flea market, walking 6 +hours. I'm happy to report zero pain or stiffness in New knee. Old knee held up pretty well too. Honestly, I didn't think about the new knee much at all. It just functioned like a normal knee. Not even minor stiffness or slight pain when I bend it. We came home and drank wine and compared our knee stories yet again. We are identical twins and some things were the same, some things different. I have the custom knee, she does not. Both right knees but she had meniscus tears and bone chips and had arthroscopy surgery about a year prior to TKR. My knee just wore down and surgeon said nothing to clean up, nothing short of a TKR would do any good. We've both made a complete recovery and glad we had surgery. If every day remains as good as today, I think I'm completely recovered. We will see.

 

[Celle]

It's wonderful to hear how well both you and your sister are doing!

 

[kdleo88]

Glad to hear you are well 8 months later

 

[jboles]

Great report. It’s nice to read about a successful recovery.