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TKR The Odyssey of My Newfangled Knee

I wish you were closer to me as the revision OS that took care of me is amazing and has good bed side manner to boot. Add to that a great office staff and they can't be beat.
 
So hey girl--any more news on how the knee is working?? My knee isn't quite right either. Sometimes in the night when it is flat against the bed, it feels like it "rotates" when I try to bend it (which hurts!) but I am learning to lift it up off the bedwith the other foot before bending it. Not perfect, but I am definintely planning to "live" with it.:fingersx:
 
You must have had a feeling something wasn't right. No pun intended but my right knee is starting to give me trouble. It never has to although I'm x-ray looks just like my left knee I had replaced. The replaced knee is doing well I just have some stiffness in the front.

I'm seeing my ortho on Friday. I cannot go through another replacement now and I hope some other things for help. I did take a fall about two months ago but it was checked and I was OK. This is strange because it hurts on the side and towards the back of the knee. I'm sorry you're having trouble. I'm glad I heard from you.

GKNEE
TLKR June 2015
 
@momweb hoping you are finding some relief for your knee. I was just back at my OS because I have not been pain free since surgery....my pain is only about a 2 so it's not bad. My extension and ROM are good. They say the replacement knee is fine and the pain could be from back and hip arthritis. I asked about soft tissue damage and was told they don't treat that aggressively. I'm going back to PT for a few weeks. I think I'm one of those people that is never going to be completely pain free, but it's much less pain then I had before surgery. I have to check on @Raffs too.
 
I am really amazed at the differences in pain after replacement. I'm so glad to be back on the site as I realize I'm more fortunate than Sam and others have perfect recovery. I have no pain just A bit of stiffness in the front. My walking is fine and I can even alternate steps. I'm very concerned about the thought of having the other knee ago and the replacement.


June 2015 TLKR
 
Wow! @GNee, @Swish, and @Kssii it is so great to hear from you! It has been awhile! I haven't heard from or about @Raffs either and I've tried. I saw my OS on August 18th. Because I'm still on Neurontin and taking Tramadol at night, I needed to see the surgeon and get his take on where to go from here.

At that time, the pain behind and on the side of my knee was still great. I couldn't walk more than 10 minutes before the pain hit. Stairs were difficult and sleeping was disrupted nightly. I requested a return to PT since that was the one thing we hadn't tried. Supposedly all the pain was caused by the IT Band.

So, the OS put me back on an anti-inflammatory which helped tremendously with the inflammation and pain. He also wrote a script for PT. My PT has been great! He's been working on my IT Band, but also helping to building strength in my leg, something I really never had.

3 weeks later: The pain is far less. I can walk for longer periods of time with less pain. My IT Band doesn't bother me as much, so I sleep better with less pain. I still have pain on the top and back of the knee. I'm not sure it will ever go away, but I am so much better than it was. It's not perfect, but it is livable. My only concern is will I still have to remain on all the medications in order to remain at this level? That is the big question that is yet to be answered.

We have 2 weddings before Thanksgiving, so for now, I'll take this. I see the OS again on Sept. 29th. More answers then, I guess. The other knee will have to wait!!!
 
@momweb. That's great news. My OS told me to take 2 Aleve twice a day for three weeks...that's basically prescription strength Aleve. The PA said that with anti-inflammatory meds it's best to take them regularly for a period of time rather than just once and a while like I was doing.

So glad for your improvement. Anything to make life a little easier.
 
@momweb How good to hear from one of my cohort again, although you're a month ahead of me we still seem to be trailing the others. I still have pain as well. Mine is in two arcs around the outside of the knee. Both of them!
I take comfort from the fact that since it is both knees it is not caused by the TKRs as my left one was done in 2014, and had no pain when I had the right one done in 2015. I then lost an awful lot of weight and all the strength in my muscles, both legs and arms. The X-Ray's of both are perfect, and all the pain seems to be soft tissue related, which my GP says takes a long time to resolve. As you say yours is IT band trouble we are probably in the same situation.
I am having physiotherapy and hydrotherapy to help to stretch and strengthen the ligaments around my knee. I am also swimming which seems to to loosen the joints. I don't know about you but I get very stiff especially first thing in the morning and after sitting.
I am talking paracetamol as necessary and using ibuprofen or volterol gel to rub into the painful bits. I am really looking forward to the day when we are all back to pain free at last.
 
Good to see you a year out, @momweb! You were one of the people I followed last summer before my left partial last August and a full replacement on my right knee three month's later. It's much better than the arthritis pain and I'm able to do most things I want to do (serious hiking is still a long way off). My IT bands torture me. I'm stretching and trying to strengthen, but I can't wait for the day when I go for hours without thinking about one or both of my stupid knees!
 
So, @Joyfull61 you are approaching your one year anniversary for your partial and what nine months for the total? I had so many tests done because I was so stubborn and wouldn't give up. I knew something was causing the pain I was having. My right leg is still weaker than my left but is getting stronger. The PT I have now works twice a week on my IT Band and it's been the best thing for me. It hurts like hell, but it is getting looser and the pain surrounding my knee is less. Now, I'm still taking Diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory and gabapentin for pain. The big question is how will the knee feel when I stop the meds?

My left knee needs to be replaced as well, but my left foot had surgery in 2014 for arthritis in the mid-foot. The fusion failed. I've discovered one of the 3 screws is now broken and the pain in my foot in another joint is more painful than the knee. So, I may have to have the foot surgery first. That will mean a non-weight bearing cast for 8 weeks followed by a walking book for another 4-6 weeks. Not fun. BUT...the right knee needs to be strong enough to handle the extra pressure this surgery will bring. We shall see.

Thanks for your support and please let me know how you are doing. The day will come when you'll look at your knees and say wow, they look pretty good and I'm glad I did this. I'm getting there. I can almost say that.
 
My partial anniversary was Aug. 30, so I'm beyond the one year mark with it. It's also the leg with the more painful IT band issues. I used a roller on it last night then slept with eight-hour ice packs on both knees and both feel significantly better this morning. I'm guessing that should be my new routine.

I have a three-mile walk scheduled for tonight - I'm curious about how I'll feel in the morning. Typically, my newer knee starts getting stiff at about mile two and a half while my left knee still has some juice left in it. I was a slow runner and speedy walker before the arthritis took over and I really want to get to the point where I can do races again. My husband is a triathlete and marathon runner and our circle of friends is full of athletes. I'd at least like to be able to enter some 5K races again just for the fun of it. I honestly thought I'd be much faster with next to no pain at this point. I suppose I would be if weren't pushing so hard trying to get back to an active lifestyle. :tantrum2:
 
Hope you get to where you want to be, Joy! Enjoy your walk. Looking forward to walking without having to grit my teeth first.
 
@Joyfull61 is there any chance your husband can roll your IT band? I found that when the PT rolls he has more power to hit the tight spots than I do when I try to roll myself. It might be worth a try. I also was a power walker. I could walk faster than some runners. I used to run when I was in my 20's but that is long gone. I didn't think they wanted us to run with new knees because they wear out faster. Have you asked about that? Or do you even care? :heehee: I just had my cortisone shot in my foot today, so it feels good to walk without pain. Now, if the knee will only cooperate as well. Enjoy your walk and hope it all works out well.
 
I don't want to run far or fast - mostly just to mix in with my walking to keep my speed up enough for an occasional half-marathon and not get pulled from the course! I definitely don't want to do damage to my partial - I want it to last forever!
 
@momweb How are you doing. My PT started IT rolling and deep tissue massage around my knee. I feel a huge difference. When she first started, it hurt like crazy with the massage. But now I hardly feel it, and the PT says she's working me harder than ever. Sounds like we both are finally getting relief....hooray.

Hope the foot surgery goes well. If you are not good with crutches, I highly recommend a kneeling scooter. You kneel on the seat, and just scoot yourself around...they are fab. Please keep us up to date on your journey. So happy I checked in and see you're doing better!
 
Hi @Swish, great to hear from you!! I have 2 more sessions in PT and I'm off on my own again. My IT band is still tight after all this time, but ever so much better. My therapist uses all his strength when he rolls and there's this one spot in my upper thigh that still sends me flying! However, my husband and I went to Zion National Park in Utah in October and I was able to hike and walk an average of 6-7 miles a day. I climbed over boulders and climbed up hills I never thought possible a year ago. So, I guess even though I still have some residual pain in my kneecap, I am in such better shape than I was.

I'm glad to hear you are on your way as well. The process is a long one, but oh, so worth it in the end.

As for a knee scooter, I already own one. I used it the last time I had the foot surgery. I was still teaching at the time. I went back to work after 2 weeks and used that lovely thing for 4 weeks. This time I will be in the cast for 8 weeks, 2 weeks longer. At least my other knee will get a break for awhile. :heehee:.

Hoping all our friends are doing well and check in from time to time. Keep up the good work.
 
Wow, 6-7 miles a day! That super! Good to hear from you again!
 
Thanks @KarriB! It was amazing. I used poles for additional support and used my husband when the poles weren't enough to help me down some particularly large boulders. I did have a cortisone injection in my left knee before we went on vacation. That helped as well. I was real proud of myself.
 
Is the left knee bothering you now? I couldn't do 6 miles on my left knee.
 
It's not too bad. The cortisone is still having an effect on the knee. I was also on Celebrex and just stopped yesterday so we'll see how the knee feels in a couple of days without it. I may have to go back on it. I would rather not. Most of my pain is in the kneecap area. The same was true of the other knee. But my left knee has had more surgeries on it, so I'm more worried about the actual knee replacement surgery when that day comes.
 
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