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TKR TRKR 10/13/23 - Moving Forward with Many Detours

I asked our local herbal salve maker at the Farmer's Market about an all comfrey salve - all his displayed offerings are blends - and he's making up a batch for me to pick up next Saturday!
Excellent! Wishing you happy healing. Is he using other ingredients (i.e., beeswax) to congeal it? Interested in how he'll make it as we have Farmer's Markets here on the weekend.
 
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Yes, all salves need some combination of inactive ingredients as a vehicle. The coconut oil and beeswax combo is most common, as they are solid at room temperature but get a little melty from the body's warmth. I have also seen small amounts of olive oil added for smoothness.
 
I keep mine on the kitchen tabletop away form the heat. It has a soft consistency so a fingertip amount goes a long way. It has an odor if I hold it up to my nose; otherwise, no smell and absorbs quickly into the skin.
 
Hi @dubloosh .
I ordered the same salve on Amazon that you got. It is coming tomorrow and I can’t wait to try it! I will let you know how I like it!:wink:
 
Good morning. Last night I took acetaminophen instead of applying comfrey salve, and the back of my knee was painful as I did leg slides. I'm 19 weeks post op and only do those and leg raises on a soft mattress. Is it OK to take a break from exercises for a while? My ROM is 115-125, depending upon pain level, and I'm able to do most anything except stairs - depending upon the height of the steps - pain free. The 'most anything' is getting into and out of the car, stepping over the tub rim to get into the shower, vacuum (I bend from the waist and do not put knee over foot), and other things. When given an option of walking up a ramp or taking the steps, I use the ramp. This new pain is persistent; I didn't have it early on yet maybe the swelling masked it. Getting fed up and hoping the new surgeon will tell me more than 'talk with your surgeon.' Am I obliged to consult with original surgeon after speaking with someone new? Thanks.
 
You have good ROM for this stage of your recovery, so scaling back on formal exercises and just relying on your activities of daily living is fine. Just don’t be sedentary. You need to move around, walk, and keep that knee moving each day. You might try some heat on your knee to see if that helps more than icing the painful spot. If you’re using acetaminophen, be sure you are taking a full dose of 1000mg when you take it. You can take up to 4000mg in a 24-hour period. Sometimes it works better to take that full dosage every 6 hours for a few days on a schedule. This keeps the medication in your system rather than you just taking it now and then.

You have no obligation to meet with your initial surgeon again if you’ve chosen to work with a different doctor.
 
Thank you @Jamie for noting the full dose of acetaminophen. I sometimes forget to take it at night, which would be the fourth time for a 1000mg dose. I'll stop the leg slides and use heat during the day instead of at night. Thank you, too, for advice about the surgeon appointment next week. Hoping he doesn't turn me away as the other did; then again, he's with a different medical practice. The office and he know it's a second opinion and perhaps to change doctors.
 
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It's a little tricky typing because I got a cortisone injection in my left basal thumb joint this afternoon. First time in left hand. The doctor said it may not need go the same route as my right hand. He didn't give me lidocaine yet I read it's less painful without that. I'm hoping the 1000mg acetaminophen I took with dinner for my knee will also soothe my thumb. Using the heating pad instead of ice for a time as suggested. Yet no matter how much it hurts, the minute I lay down that stops. Gravity is the culprit. :heehee:
 
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@dubloosh….the instant relief may be because you still have swelling in your knee. The knee compartment is very compact and you might not even be aware of the swelling, as it can be all within that capsule. Gravity affects the fluid and it can make your knee hurt when you stand or sit with your leg down. You might want to try spending more time during the day with your leg elevated “toes above the nose” and ice on your knee (both front and back) for at least 45 minutes each time.
 
I think you're right @Jamie. Early on I spent a lot of time icing, and as I became more mobile I did it less. Now's the best time as once I start working part time I'll be on my feet or sitting with knees bent. The more I read about tendonitis and its onset the more I think it began when the numbness over my knee implant stopped. I'm icing it with bags of frozen spinach now, and it feels better.
 
I’m jumping on the comfrey train with you guys. I ended up picking one that shipped faster, cost more, but has some essential oils in with the comfrey. So even if it doesn’t work for me it will smell good. I put a little on last night and it seemed to make me feel better. Put it on my knee and shoulder. My husband didn’t think it did anything for his knee but I’m going to get him to try again.

GM @dubloosh !
I just ordered the salve with hopes that it helps the tightness. Today, I do not have pain per se, but the tightness is uncomfortable. After overdoing it at the gym on Wednesday, I have been babying my knee. I have only done some of my stretching exercises, and I iced and elevated my leg a lot these past 4 days!

I can't believe it, but on Tuesday it will be 4 months since my surgery!!
Hi, have you received it? Looking forward to hearing what you think and if you feel it's helping you.
 
Hello everyone! Got off to a late start after not sleeping well due to yesterday's injection into my thumb joint. It's a little better now and takes the focus off my knee. After properly medicating I put ice on the knee and watched the news. Sometime later I got up and realized there was no patella pain. Not at all. I'm hoping the comfrey solve is helping as acetaminophen and ibuprofen didn't or maybe I was taking them incorrectly. So far today there's the familiar swelling on the outside lower area of my knee and no patella pain for now.:happydance:
 
Hi @dubloosh .
I received the comfrey salve last night. I tried it right before going to bed. I used it again this morning before going to the gym. I am not sure yet, if it’s working. Every Tuesday, after watching my granddaughter on Mondays, my knee usually aches. Plus, I went to the gym and did the bike, and got in the pool and did some exercises. I am currently icing! If my knee is not screaming later today, then I would have to say the salve is helping. I will have a better assessment of it, I think, tomorrow!
 
@Nay Nay ... just a bit of observation. Watching your granddaughter, going to the gym where you rode the bike and did pool exercises plus whatever normal activities around your home in one day is a lot for a new knee. You are basically "back to normal" in terms of your activity levels and exercise. At a point of slightly less than 4 months out from surgery, this may be too much. I'm not surprised to hear you have pain after all this. If you want to lessen your pain levels, it may be beneficial to only schedule one thing per day until at least 6 months out. Skip the gym on the days you watch your granddaughter. Only run a couple of errands one day. Just do the gym exercises one day. I realize you want to get back to your normal life, but you are still recovering and your body is still healing.
 
If my knee is not screaming later today, then I would have to say the salve is helping. I will have a better assessment of it, I think, tomorrow!
Your surgery was three and one-half weeks after mine, and I think I'm getting back to where I was prior to the aggressive PT session at the beginning of January. I've been using the comfrey less than one week and feel the difference; elevating when I can also helps. Saturday I'm proctoring exams for five or six hours and may be able to sit for some of the time, no chance to elevate until I get home. When possible I use ramps instead of walking upstairs so as not to aggravate my knee; walking downstairs it's one step, other foot on same step. Today is the first day I had hope things will turn around and am more protective of my knee. In late December, when it started to feel better - though it was probably numbness that fooled me - I did more and wasn't as careful. Here I learned easy does it and am being gentle. Hope you feel the results soon. I also take acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
 
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Hi @dubloosh .
I received the comfrey salve last night. I tried it right before going to bed. I used it again this morning before going to the gym.
Hi, it's not like Icy Hot or Arnicare that you put on muscles and then go about your day. It may be counterproductive to use it before going to the gym as the knee you want to soothe will then be stressed. Might be a better idea to use it after the gym, when you're icing your knee.
 
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Bread, can't live with it and can't live without it. I blame my tight quad muscles on the two slices of bread I had yesterday (now it's gone from the house). The more I think about my surgeon, the more agitated I am. People have PT when they need, not when the date tells them it's time to stop. Morning stretches, no pain; hamstring/ligament check, no pain; stand up to walk, tight quad. Two out of three ain't bad is the name of a song. If this is from eating bread, then it selectively chose to inflame my quad. Yesterday I elevated and iced and took care of my knee, and today it feels like a tight band is gripping it.
 
I used it one time and it felt like it helped a little. I put it on my knee and right shoulder. Then I sort of forgot about it. Will use it tonight and see. I have had a lot going on lately and am very distractible….
 
Good morning all!
@Jamie , I think that is an accurate observation. I had hoped that I would be back to normal by now. (I was a bit naive about the recovery process!)
I am trying to modify the days I workout at the gym with my normal daily activities. I went to gym yesterday and did the bike and then some water therapy. I did not do any machines. I only did my stretches before going to the gym. I was going to go back to the gym today, but decided not to. I will go on Thursday. This way, I have a day between workouts.
I do feel like I have less pain in my knee. I still have a lot of tightness, but I don't have pain, unless I try to bend my knee beyond 110 or 115? Walking, sitting, going up the stairs & standing is not painful. I feel like I am really starting to get better.
@dubloosh , I am trying to be consistent in using the salve. I am also trying to use the TENS unit I bought at least a few times a week. I think between the two, I do feel relief from pain. Plus, this forum is really helping me stay positive about my recovery. Thank goodness!!
I hope everyone has a good day today!
 

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