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TKR The Odyssey of My Newfangled Knee

Great that things are going so well for you. Hope PT goes well. I think it is very challenging for me!
 
[Bonesmart.org] The Odyssey of My Newfangled Knee Today marks week 11 since my right knee underwent surgery. Looks pretty good, don't you think? I'm doing really well with only small concerns. I see outpatient PT for the first time Friday, which is a 3 week delay since I've had any PT. I don't expect to be there long if at all. They may evaluate me and send me right back home with suggestions of things to do at home, we shall see. I don't have much pain during the day until I start doing things. By the end of the day, I swell making it hard to bend the knee and get throngs of pain in the knee. I still can't sleep at night without pain control of some sort. I'm finishing out the Oxycontin, but I think I can use something different, but I will need something. How long do people use pain meds at night? Thanks again for all your support.
 
week 18 and still using 1/2 of a tylenol 3 and a long term tylenol at night.
 
I still take a Norco at bedtime and I will be 11 weeks Thursday. Your knee looks awesome.
 
@tigwy11 do you still go to PT at all? I'll be starting a new outpatient therapy on Friday. I don't think I'll be there long. Outside of some minor issues (of course they seem major on some days) I think I'm doing well. I just don't have any strength and that will just take time. I just need some guidance on how to strengthen so I don't ruin what I've gained.
 
Yes, I still go. I still want to get my ROM to 130 and my extension is not perfect. I am hoping another couple of weeks and I will be there. How is your ROM and extension?
 
My last measurement @tigwy11 was 3 weeks ago. It was 132/0. I'm assuming it will be the same when I see the new PT on Friday. I need to have my left done and it is also hurting. I'm asking for a cortisone shot when I see the OS mid September. Part of the problem of working out especially the quads, is how to strengthen without further injuring the other knee. Kind of a catch 22.
 
Yes, I agree that trying to strengthen the new knee is causing the other knee to complain. My Pt person said that I needed to get it strong to get the pressure off the remaining knee, but like you say, catch 22.
 
Yep, I agree! I'm icing my operated knee right now and trying to ignore the arthritis pain in my other knee! Just from walking up the hill and back! Perhaps we should all make a pact to have our other knees done at the same time so we can go through our recoveries together again?! Your knee does look great, mine is much fatter and uglier! I only take a pain med at night if my knee is complaining a lot, I can usually get it calmed down with ice.
 
@momweb ,your first visit should just be an evaluation to see what you need to work on. Even with all the PT I had in the hospital I start again next Tuesday for an evaluation at a PT out patient center 10 minutes away. I only have to go 5 times. Two days a week for 3 weeks then BC will be happy. Don't worry. You will be great and back to your old self in no time:phone:
 
momweb said:
My last measurement @tigwy11 was 3 weeks ago. It was 132/0. I'm assuming it will be the same when I see the new PT on Friday. I need to have my left done and it is also hurting. I'm asking for a cortisone shot when I see the OS mid September. Part of the problem of working out especially the quads, is how to strengthen without further injuring the other knee. Kind of a catch 22.
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I wish mine was that! I am at 115/ -3. And working at it. Quad is stronger with PT. 40 lbs with my right.
 
Today I went to my first out patient Physical Therapy session. I met with my new therapist who admittedly said he can be a little intense. He listened to my concerns and essentially what my mind heard him say was...You are a wuss, time to stop being afraid to use the knee, the knee is pretty well healed and you cannot hurt it. You need to strengthen it. :what: Well! I didn't think I was a Wuss, but I admit my confidence is a bit shaky where the knee is concerned. He is right I am afraid to push the knee for fear it will hurt or I will hurt it. :cry:

He tested my body strength and was sort of shocked at how strong I was. At one point with one test, my bad leg was stronger than my good leg.:heehee: Now, that we were getting to know each other better, he did apologize and said the only holding my back is me. That's ok, I said. I can get pretty intense and stubborn right back at ya!! Now, that that was over with, a plan was made.

My ROM was down from the 132/0 I had 3 weeks ago to 116/0 with no help at all, 120 with him helping. Starting next week, we'll start pool therapy to build quad and calf strength twice a week with me following up on the days in between. Sounds good to me! This place is known for it's therapy so I'm looking forward to it. I think my new therapist and I will get along just fine!!:rofsign:
 
I agree with your PT guy in that we can't hurt the replacement knee part and on some level we often worry that somehow we will and baby it accordingly. However, on the other hand we can certainly hurt the soft tissue attached to that new knee and make ourselves suffer. Moderation!!
 
Sounds like you might have gotten a good PT. Hope all goes well.
 
Great measurements. How did you PT go? I hope they were good to you or am I going to have to have a talk with them lol
 
Sounds like a wise PT and a little like mine, I call him Sven the tortuous, lol. And sometimes he pushes me to pain but. It does help my knee, so worth it. Just not fun. Usually it is stretching it. Try to do that as much on your own as you can. That was my issue, got busy and quit my stretches!:good-bad:
 
@tigwy11 one of the things the PT said was that 30 minutes of PT twice a week won't cut it. If I don't do my job outside of PT I won't make the gains I'm looking for. So, you are right, I haven't done the stretches or the exercises like I should have. So, I'm trying to make small goals for myself. This weekend: walk up the stairs like a normal person, one foot after the other, no matter what. Each time it gets a little easier. Hopefully I won't have to keep telling myself to do it, it will come naturally like it used to.
 
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