TKR TKR after tibial plateau fracture

[Layla]

Hello Ayse,
Stopping by to wish you a Happy One Month Anniversary.
I agree with, EalingGran, and feel it best that you call your OS’s office to see if they’ll be willing to look at a photo like the one you posted here, allowing them an opportunity to advise. Hopefully it will give you the peace of mind you’re seeking. Please let us know what you hear.
@Ayse

 

[CricketHip]

Based on your photo, it looks to be some fluid sitting there, it doesn't look red or angry, but I sure hope you got in touch with your surgical team to share that picture and get their educated opinion on it.

 

[Jamie]

Your incision actually looks really good other than the bump. No redness or drainage and healing well.

Is the lump hard or soft (more like fluid)? It is something you need to talk over with your surgeon, but I don't see any reason for big worries in the photo.

 

[Ayse]

CricketHip, Layla, EalingGran, Jamie......thanks so much. Will do. It's not red. More like hard fluid I think.

 

[Jamie]

It's possible that you have a little bleeder vessel in there that has, or is still leaking a bit of blood. That happens sometimes and it usually resolves itself. But, if you think the size is increasing and it's very painful, it does need to be seen by your surgeon.

 

[Ayse]

Thanks @Jamie I sent it to my surgeons nurse and she doesn't think it's anything to worry about but didn't say what it could be. Fingers crossed it will resolve. Apart from being painful I can tell that area is restricting my knee bending.

4 weeks out and still in a lot of pain and knee feels pretty unstable? Some of that is from previous problems with adhesions restricting movement and some is new. The fluid in my knee is making kneecap feel unstable like it's floating but hopefully that will improve when the swelling goes. Struggling with walking due to pain etc. Doing 5-10 mins round the house every couple of hours. I was hoping 4 weeks would see a lot if improvement but it's going to be slow going I think.

 

[sistersinhim]

I was hoping 4 weeks would see a lot if improvement but it's going to be slow going I think.

It is slow for almost everyone, so you are in the normal group! Patience is the biggest muscle that you have to exercise!

 

[Ayse]

I was hoping 4 weeks would see a lot if improvement but it's going to be slow going I think.

It is slow for almost everyone, so you are in the normal group! Patience is the biggest muscle that you have to exercise!

@sisterinhim thank you for your message. Yes, my patience has been tried for the last 15 months. Sometimes it's overwhelming to think how long this recovery will be. I need to keep reminding myself.

 

[Layla]

Sometimes it's overwhelming to think how long this recovery will be. I need to keep reminding myself.

Try not to look for daily progress...if you are. Something that helped me was to pick a day of the week, then on that same day each week, I'd reflect back over the past week and usually see the progress I made, even if it felt small. I wasn't dealing with your history, but it still may work for you also.
You've been through a lot over the past year so its understandable that time is dragging on s-l-o-w-l-y.
Hang in there, brighter days are on the way! I hope you have a nice weekend.

 

[Ayse]

Thanks so much @Layla that's a really good idea. I'll do that. Wishing you a fab weekend too.

 

[Ayse]

It's my 5 1/2 week anniversary and so far there's been expected ups and downs and frustrations. Some pain is easing but some bits aren't yet. I still have swelling but its reducing. The lump along the side of my incision is not getting any better and is very painful and feels like it's obstructing my kneecap when I walk and bend my leg. One physio thinks it's fluid but another thinks it's scar tissue. It's quite firm and goes all along one side of the incision. Did anyone else experience this?

Also having a lot of pain along tha lateral side of knee where I've always had problems but now worse since the op.

I'm walking better than I have since the accident which is good but still can't walk properly and it's very painful. Some of the issues are relating now to problems with my ankle and fibula which were also damaged in my accident. My MFR therapist has been working on that as well with old adhesions and there is some improvement but makes me realise how little I can so at this stage.

Now the swelling has reduced a bit I can feel the instability more. Even lying on my side and lifting my knee I can feel what seems like the looseness and the joint movieng sideways. I really hope that improves when my muscles strengthen.

So all in all slight improvements but am feeling frustrated about how long this journey will be. I went to visit my parents in a care home today for the first time since the op. Sat there with leg up for 10 mins and when I got back knee had swelled more so now icing as usual.

I see my OS on Friday for my 6 week check.

 

[benne68]

I know 5 1/2 weeks seems like a long time, but you are still very early days in this year-long recovery, @Ayse.

Many of us struggle with pain up and down the leg, in the foot and even into the hip as our bodies adjust to the new alignment created by the surgery. It's probably even more of a challenge for you, since your body probably realigned after the accident and your other surgeries.

I'm so glad to hear you are walking better! Let us know what your surgeon says on Friday.

 

[sistersinhim]

You are just beginning this year-long journey and what you are experiencing sounds pretty normal in this recovery. I'm sure your doctor will answer your questions when you see him Friday.

 

[Ayse]

I know 5 1/2 weeks seems like a long time, but you are still very early days in this year-long recovery, @Ayse.

Many of us struggle with pain up and down the leg, in the foot and even into the hip as our bodies adjust to the new alignment created by the surgery. It's probably even more of a challenge for you, since your body probably realigned after the accident and your other surgeries.

I'm so glad to hear you are walking better! Let us know what your surgeon says on Friday.

Thanks so much @benne68 . Fingers crossed everything is normal for now. Wouldn't it be nice of there was a magic pill that could speed things up!

 

[Ayse]

You are just beginning this year-long journey and what you are experiencing sounds pretty normal in this recovery. I'm sure your doctor will answer your questions when you see him Friday.

Thanks so much @sistersinhim yes hopefully he will put my mind at rest. It's hard not to be obsessed with my knee.

 

[Jamie]

Patience is going to be your most difficult challenge. You have such a different situation than a person who just has a straightforward knee replacement. I do think it’s possible that your recovery will involve more challenges as your body heals and adjusts to its new normal. But, our bodies are amazing at their ability to get things right again. You’ll get through this! I’m pleased to hear your 5 1/2 week report. It sounds good to me. Hang in there!

 

[sistersinhim]

It's hard not to be obsessed with my knee.

We all have been there and in the early days, it is really hard to not think about our knees all the time. I'm sure my friends and family were extremely tired of 'knee' talk! But, before long, you'll go a few minutes and not think about your knee, then a few hours, then a few days...etc. A year from now you will be glad that you had your TKR and will be back to almost normal! It just takes patience.

 

[Ayse]

Patience is going to be your most difficult challenge. You have such a different situation than a person who just has a straightforward knee replacement. I do think it’s possible that your recovery will involve more challenges as your body heals and adjusts to its new normal. But, our bodies are amazing at their ability to get things right again. You’ll get through this! I’m pleased to hear your 5 1/2 week report. It sounds good to me. Hang in there!

Thanks so much @Jamie you're so right!

 

[Ayse]

It's hard not to be obsessed with my knee.

We all have been there and in the early days, it is really hard to not think about our knees all the time. I'm sure my friends and family were extremely tired of 'knee' talk! But, before long, you'll go a few minutes and not think about your knee, then a few hours, then a few days...etc. A year from now you will be glad that you had your TKR and will be back to almost normal! It just takes patience.

Roll on thay day! I can't wait.

 

[Ayse]

Had my 6 week check on Friday and surgeon is pleased with how things are. He's more concerned with ROM at the moment and even said not to do too many exercises right now to allow knee to heal. Then in a month suggested swimming and cycling to help strengthen. I usually swim breaststroke, but not sure if just kicking legs would be better when I get to that stage.

Main pain is coming from around the incision. The semi hard lumpy swelling all along the medial side of it is bigger and more painful and restrictis my knee bending and straightening when walking. It feels like theres a golfball wrapped in barbed wire in there sticking in medial side of joint and along side of kneecap. It also feels very tight and I'm guessing that's the tight band feeling everyone talks about? I had a medial incision not the front centre one. He said it was scar tissue that will heal. I can feel to touch some of the internal stitches he put in as I don't have much flesh around knees. Hopefully it will improve as its affecting ability to walk properly. I don't think my body likes stitches at all. At night in bed I get sort of a painful buzzing stabbing pain in the same area. Not sure if its the nerves reconnecting.

Anyone else have anything similar? Surgeon said it's definitely not a seroma.


Still have swelling but I think I'm a sweller so maybe with me for a while!

I'm now going to be braving the flight home from UK to Cyprus which I'm getting major anxiety about. It's still hard for me to sit more than ten mins and although I can put my leg up on flight as we've booked extra seat I know it's going to be very painful and stiff. I'm taking disposable ice packs and will wear compression sleeve and TEDs and dose myself with painkillers.