Revision TKR Third and final surgery all done

[Josephine]

After I had made my point, I went off on a tangent with my own current problem.

Don't worry - we all do that from time to time!

I will look up the link that shows how to change the title of my thread since I do want to do that.

More than that, look at the link Celle gave you. She beat me to it!

It seems kind of crazy to let it go too long and more and more healing and then have to redo something. .... told me to just wait and give this lots of time and see what I end up with. Do you have any idea of time frame?

Actually quite a lot of us never did any exercising whatsoever and came through with excellent results. I recommend you read my recovery thread to see how little exercising I did for either knee! Knee recoveries UK style Parts I & II (Josephine)

But I'm curious - what makes you think you are in danger of having something 'redone'?

 

[kayow11]

Thanks Celle and Doula. All of us have a story to tell but some stories are more involved than others such as mine.

My first knee is four months old now but still easily gets aggravated when I try to bend it too much, or exercise it with strength training.

I had aggressive PT on that first knee for 6 weeks, and it really set me back. Plus I was in pain all the time, constantly over swollen.

My second knee is only five weeks along which is the one that appears over-corrected. I did mostly no exercise those first four weeks on this second knee. Because it wasn't overly stressed with exercise, I feel it has healed quicker and has been a little less painful over all, except for the fact that it looks misaligned. So I will likely wait until next spring probably to see what the end result is at about six months unless my surgeon sees something on x-ray that he doesn't like when I see him next week. I don't think he is in any hurry either because his reputation is at stake and he really does like to be the patients advocate. He is known to be an excellent surgeon here in the Twin Cities. And he is very much a super sweet and friendly guy and wants to make the patient very happy.

Celle, earlier you mentioned that I should wait to try lymphatic drainage massage therapy. Do you think that it just needs more healing time, or what was your thought on time frame? I would likely do it for both legs.

 

[Celle]

Celle, earlier you mentioned that I should wait to try lymphatic drainage massage therapy. Do you think that it just needs more healing time, or what was your thought on time frame?

I'd be inclined to give it more time. Give it a concentrated effort with rest, ice and elevation for a month or so first.
The lymphatic drainage massage can be very good, but I just think it's a bit too soon for your second knee.

I get the feeling that you are wanting to hurry things along. That's probably because you've already been recovering for quite a while - I'd be fed up with that, too.
It's hard to be patient for such a long time, but do try to give your second knee all the time it needs.

 

[kayow11]

@Josephine , after I just sent my last post, I noticed you had just sent one.

My question was not about exercising, it was about my apparent misalignment of my newest knee that was done five weeks ago.

I was fairly varus, bowlegged, and now I have a nice straight leg on the right which is my oldest knee, and a valgus, knock-knee deformity, on my newest knee surgery from five weeks ago. It is visually over corrected and everyone that looks at it agrees and sees it.

My surgeon saw it three weeks ago when I saw him for post-op appointment and he thinks that it likely is due to excessive swelling and muscle imbalance. I am not convinced of this at all but he wants me to see him next week which is four weeks from my last appointment with him. Then I guess we can look into it further.

I feel that if there is likely something that needs to be redone, why are we waiting and letting this all heal up nicely.? And then to have to go through all of this again? The whole thought just sickens my heart.

I still will likely send a couple leg photos that Celle described for me, for your viewing at your email. Then you can see what I am talking about. It is in severe, but in my opinion, moderate.

 

[kayow11]

Celle, do you feel that the lymphatic drainage massage could damage my leg that is five weeks post op now? Yes, I have been at this for four months now with the two surgeries. As I had mentioned in an earlier post, I have a work issue that is a big problem. My short-term disability which gave me six months, ends mid December and if I'm not back to work, I have to resign from my 20 year job. The health insurance Is a huge financial burden and was hoping to wait a while longer so I wouldn't have to do the cobra insurance.
But with the way I have been slow at the healing thing, I am not convinced at all that I would be able to go back on till spring possibly. At that point I don't have a job.
I have had this leg swelling problem even though it wasn't severe, since I have been in my mid 20s. I have been wearing very tight compression stockings for many years now. I never knew there was such thing as this lymphatic massage but wonder if that has been my problem all along. So yes, I am wanting to try it out ASAP.

 

[Celle]

I wouldn't try the lymphatic drainage massage quite so early, but I'm quite cautious - heard a few stories of massages that are too deep or painful. However, I'm not the expert, so I'm going to ask @Josephine if she thinks 5 weeks post-op is too early for lymphatic drainage massage, or not.

 

[kayow11]

Please do ask Josephine and then please get back to me. Lymphatic massage is nothing like real massage. I think It is more of a technique in trying to open up some lymph drainage valves or something like that. I honestly don't think it's anything similar to a real massage at least according to what I saw online with a video demo.

 

[Celle]

Please do ask Josephine and then please get back to me.

Josephine will advise you directly, here on your thread, next time she is on BoneSmart. The tag I left for her will make sure that she sees the question.
Remember that she lives in the UK, so she is on a different time frame from you - allow her some "down time".

 

[Jamie]

@kayow11.....it would be much better if you post your photos here on your thread rather than sending them to Josephine in an email. Could you do that, please? This way others can benefit from our discussion of your situation.

 

[kayow11]

we will try doing the photo thing tomorrow and see if it is successful.

 

[skigirl]

I used lymphatic massage with both of my tkr's and found it to be very useful. The lymphatic therapist was very knowledgeable and helpful. It did make a big difference in my swelling as well. She gave me "wraps" to wear at night which I thought were quite hokey. Because she had been so nice, i tried it out and the results were visual, the swelling went down quite a bit. I wore them every night for three weeks.

I went at four weeks. Since you are worried about your job, I would go to a therapist right away. If it helps, great, if not, you are not that worse off since the massage is very gentle and not at all difficult.

 

[kayow11]

Thanks for your response ski girl. I feel encouraged at least to try this and will set up an appointment next week. Like you say, it sure can't hurt anything and if it helps, well then I am happier and my legs are too. Too bad my insurance doesn't cover any of this. Was yours all out of pocket also?

 

[kayow11]

Also ski girl, I forgot to ask you if you had Trouble finding a therapist to do this lymphatic drainage massage technique. Where did you go and how did you find it?

 

[Josephine]

Lymphatic massage is nothing like real massage.

You are quite correct but I agree with Celle that at 6 weeks it's far too early for you to be thinking of it. I'd wait until at least 12 weeks.

My question was not about exercising

Maybe not but my answer was!

My surgeon saw it three weeks ago when I saw him for post-op appointment and he thinks that it likely is due to excessive swelling and muscle imbalance.

And I agree with him 100%

 

[kayow11]

Josephine, have you heard of this or seen this before with alignment problems such as I described, due to swelling and muscle imbalance? Shouldn't this be starting to look a little better even at 5 to 6 weeks now?

 

[Celle]

Get that photo up asap and then we'll know what you're talking about.
Until then, it's all theoretical, worrying about something that may not be relevant.

 

[kayow11]

Josephine, I forgot to add this to The last post that I just sent. I have not been exercising. Just two 15 minute walks a day and a few normal household activities. Resting and icing a lot elevation a lot and listening to my knee and not overdoing it most of the time. I am 5 1/2 weeks postop on my newest knee that looks crooked. How can my legs look this misaligned and crooked just from swelling which isn't terrible, and muscle imbalance?

 

[kayow11]

Tonight I will try to get that photo done and send it so you can see what I'm talking about.

Also, do you think there is any benefit to contrasting with alternating moist heat and cold packs to help reduce swelling? My PT and my chiropractor thought that it might be more beneficial than just cold for me. But I did notice the one time I tried it two days ago, that it seemed like my old knee swelled up more and still hasn't recovered from it. I'm not sure that was it but can't think of anything else it could have been.

 

[Celle]

I think there's a lot of benefit in just being patient and waiting for your knee to decide what it will do. Let nature take its course.

You tried the heat/cold routine and it didn't work. It's not a good idea to apply heat to your knee anyway, because that can increase swelling.

Patience, Grasshopper!

Stop asking your PT and chiropractor for advice. They haven't been through this recovery. We have.

Stop trying to think of things that will speed up your recovery. Just rest, ice (for at least 45-60 minutes per session, longer if possible) and elevate properly. This is not going to happen overnight. It is going to take time.

Just try doing nothing.

There's absolutely nothing you can do to hasten your recovery. There is no miracle cure, no magic treatment that will make your knee heal faster than it is able to.

Your knee has its own agenda. You can't alter that.
Where are you in recovery?? (TKR) Stop fretting.

Stop worrying about whether your knees will be healed enough for you to go back to work in December - that's two whole months away and a lot can happen in that time. Certainly, your knee will be a lot better than it is now.

When Josephine has seen your photo, she will offer advice. There's not a lot of point in asking her questions now, because she doesn't know what your knee looks like.

 

[kayow11]

Thanks CELLE for all the advice. It is sinking into me believe it or not. And thanks for being patient with me too.