TKR TKR 10/23/2013 - Recovery with RA

[Nana moon 27]

Hi @chestnc

Please have a wonderful time. It's sounds like great fun x

I'm ever so pleased that you got your medication done before you left. Brilliant x x

The flowers are early here this year as we have had no snow this winter literally a couple of minor flurries but been gone in no time at all x however, it is cold. A strong Easterly wind x

I'm glad your knee held up well through the walking. Good for you. Have a great rest of week.

Love Nana Moon 27 xxx

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi @chestnc

I thought I would drop by and see how you're doing x

Love Nana moon 27 x

 

[chestnc]

Aw @Nana moon 27, thank you so much. I am actually doing better. Just got caught up doing things. I have also been so tired lately. Last week I was knocked out from the traveling trip to Monterey, California that I took with friends. I posted photos in the travel thread that I started. I will post one here as well.

Today because rain was coming I had a horrific bac ache that would not ease up until I came home took pain medicine and had a hot bath. Just the RA acting up. The knee is a bit stiff so I have been exercising the knee when I get in the tube with warm water on it to loosen it up. Otherwise am doing well. Take care of yourself Ann, and thank you so much for checking on me.

 

[SuperSnapper]

@chestnc Hi, thanks for the message via Ellejay's page. My knee is great now. I hope you are continuing to fee much better and your RA is behaving well.

 

[chestnc]

Hi @SuperSnapper, thank you for your kind words and caring. Actually with the weather change even though it is warm now, I am a bit achy, but better now since I had my IV medication treatment last Thursday. Glad your knee is better. Thank you for asking. Continue to feel better.

 

[chestnc]

Hi all, hoe everyone is feeling well. I have some residual aches and pains here and there from RA. Weather has been a total Yo-Yo form high 40's to mid 80's. All in the same day. Too much up and down for folks with RA or any type of arthritis or aches and pain for that matter. Hope everyone has a blessed day.

 

[Lili]

@chestnc ,I have been reding your post from your surgery . It's been a couple of years right? I want it to ask you some questions if you don't mind, as I also have RA and I'm on biological medicine (enbrel) . I want it to know if you remember how long before the surgery you stopped your RA medicine and how long after the surgery you started your regular RA medicine? My Reumathologist told me I can start 2 weeks after the surgery but I think is too soon? Also did you feel that your RA cause you any set backs or complications? My OS don't seem to mind the RA. Like there is nothing to worry about. Thank you in advance. How are you doing now?
#rheumatoidarthritis

 

[chestnc]

Hi @Lili, and welcome to BS (BoneSmart). No problem with asking questions, as I don't mind at all. More than willing to help out. My TKR was done almost 2 years ago coming this October. I have had some ups and downs due to the RA whereas I had a tough time controlling the pain after I went home. I had pain medication and was manageable in the hospital, but the day after I got home I was in a lot of knee pain because I started having a flare up with the RA pain. I called the OS and a new prescription was mailed to me since the doctor's office was not close to my home. I also have a pain management doctor who has been working with me to control the pain as well. I see her monthly to get new scripts.

At the time I had my TKR, I was on Rituxan. That is given every six months so it wasn't too difficult for me to plan the surgery in between doses. I did not have to come off my normal scheduling at all. I am still having trouble controlling the pain of RA and trying to find a biologic that will help me so I don't require so much pain medication. I started Acterma yet another biologic in Nove 2014 which I will be going to my Rheumatologist to evaluate if another biologic might help me. I have been on mostly all of the biologics already having had RA for 11 years now.

As far as the knee is concerned, I have good days and I have some not so good days. I still on occasion feel pain in and around the area. When I have an RA flare, yes the knee does become sore and stiff. It is better than it was before I had the surgery. My knee was bone on bone and by the end of my shift, I could barely walk. About 7 or 8 months post TKR, I had to go back to PT as I was having a great deal of stiffness and pain in the nee area. As the PT explained to me that was not at all uncommon and I need to exercise the knee every day for the rest of my life. That sometimes is tough to do as when I come home from working a full time job I am exhausted due to the RA. I am so tired I can barely keep up with the activities of daily living let alone think about exercising, but I try to do some at least 3 times a week. If you have more questions Lili just ask away as things arise. I still come into the site as I have met some nice folks here and have made some lasting friendships. Also when I am laid up in bed due to an RA flare up, it is a good place to come and regroup. Take good care of yourself and I will be praying for a speedy recovery for you when your turn comes around in September.
#rheumatoidarthritis

 

[kneeper]

That's a good point, @chestnc , about needing to keep some exercising with RA, to keep ROM. And I also read something recently that people with RA are more likely to have weakened muscles so it's good to keep the ones we have working well.
#rheumatoidarthritis

 

[Lili]

Thank you @chestnc for such a great response and taking the time to answer my concerns. I haven't been able to do ANY excersice since my knee hurts all the time , lately even while I'm sitting down, I can't find a comfortable position, it's really bad.i know I'm going to have a hard time with the TKR mixed with the RA but I will do my best. I'm sure the pain won't be like the one now, I cry my self to sleep many nights. @kneeper is right about people with RA have weakest muscles and our recuperation is harder but I will do my best effort , I want to be pain free or almost pain free. Right now I see life pass by and I'm not enjoying it at all . I'm really looking forward to a better quality of life . Thank you everyone for your thoughts and comments.
#rheumatoidarthritis

 

[chestnc]

Hi @kneeper thank you for adding that information. That sounds feasible. @Lili, you will be fine. Hopefully this will go smoothly for you when you have your TKR done and you won't be having that bone on bone pain which is the worst. So sorry to hear you are in pain but just think September is right around the corner. I feel for you as I know how much pain I was in prior to having the TKR done. Hang in there as everyone deserves a better quality of life. Take good care of yourself.

 

[Nana moon 27]

What a lovely post @chestnc Xxx

 

[chestnc]

Thanks Ann, @Nana moon 27, so good to see you over here.

 

[Nana moon 27]

Well I wanted to see how you're doing xxx your posts are so clear and informative x they are a source of comfort to many xxx

 

[Jamie]

@chestnc .... you may notice that I've edited a couple of posts in your thread to make them part of a new hashtag category ... #rheumatoidarthritis

If you can, please put this hashtag in any post where you are talking about the impact of RA on your joint replacement recovery. It will help build a library of posts about this issue that people can access via the hashtag link. .....Thanks!

 

[chestnc]

Oh.. Okay @Jamie, no problem thanks for the heads up. I appreciate that. I have never really knew about using the # to tell you the truth. Thanks again.

 

[Jamie]

We've actually just started trying to use that feature on the forum. It's just another way for people to search for pertinent posts and information by subject matter and we hope it will be appealing to our members who use Twitter. They may be more familiar with the use of hashtags than those who don't. There is an index of the hashtags we have going right now on the main index page for the forum (click on the word "forum" in the navbar at the top of the page and then look over on the lower right side of the page and you'll see it).

 

[Lili]

@Jamie. Certainly , thats great. I will also start using the hashtag. Thank you

 

[kneeper]

Thank you @chestnc for such a great response and taking the time to answer my concerns. I haven't been able to do ANY excersice since my knee hurts all the time , lately even while I'm sitting down, I can't find a comfortable position, it's really bad.i know I'm going to have a hard time with the TKR mixed with the RA but I will do my best. I'm sure the pain won't be like the one now, I cry my self to sleep many nights. @kneeper is right about people with RA have weakest muscles and our recuperation is harder but I will do my best effort , I want to be pain free or almost pain free. Right now I see life pass by and I'm not enjoying it at all . I'm really looking forward to a better quality of life . Thank you everyone for your thoughts and comments.
#rheumatoidarthritis

The thing I found is to go slowly but surely and not on anyone else's timetable.

 

[chestnc]

Hi everyone. Nothing like celebrating even if you are celebrating for yourself. I almost missed the date, but 2 years ago yesterday 10/23/2013, I had my right TKR done. See how time flies ..... Yeah for me!!!!! . I have made it and am still here 2 years later and my knee is fine, though a little stiff at times, but to be expected due to Rheumatoid arthritis. I have to say I am okay and walking. Still could use exercising more which I am working on that. So glad that I have the use of my knee so I am glad that I am now 2 years post-op and not 2 days post op. For those of you that think Oh when will the pain end...There is a means to an end in sight, and your day too will come, just hang in there. So glad I made it to the 2 year mark!! Looking forward to many more years with this knee. There have been some ups and downs with RA and TKR recovering with myself, and it just goes to show you that everyone heals in their own time and their own way. I am still around as I have met some really great folks on this site, and when I am having an RA flare, the social room is a great place to be for anytime one has down time for whatever the reason. Wishing everyone a great recovery and hoping all have pain-free days and nights!

#RheumatoidArthritis