TKR Very discouraged, 2 weeks postop

[saultlooser]

Thank you so much for sharing your journey lauramacky! It is very encouraging. Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post. I am looking forward to feeling better.
Josephine, I had a good stretch today!

 

[Lauramacky]

You're welcome Josephine! While my model may not fit everyone, it does seem to fit a lot of people. I honestly thought I'd never get to this point. And just to be a little more clear regarding my own particular story as it relates to my current stage of the game...I don't forget my knee *all* the time, just sometimes. But it's happening more frequently. Am I still sore? Yep, especially on the outer part of my knee, but is it getting better? Yep!

 

[Josephine]

I think I was six, maybe seven months before I had that moment when about mid-morning I realised that my knee wasn't the first thing I thought if when I got out of bed that morning! Terrific feeling!

 

[saultlooser]

Hi everyone, I am now almost 5 weeks postop. Every week/day brings a new challenge. I "feel" the knee a lot more now with the new pain meds I am on. I wake up a few times during the night but it is manageable. My ROM is still only 102 making this my new focus. My PT told me yesterday that there is no resistance at all when we work on increasing my ROM but what is stopping me from increasing it is nervous system sensitization: my brain remembers the pain I had when trying to bend my leg so the minute I try to bend it, I feel high levels of pain. She says this is normal and we can overcome it. She has given me a book to read "the pain truth...and nothing but!" Written by Dr Bahram Jam, Registered Physiotherapist. I have read it and understand now how my brain remembers the pain. I would like to know your thoughts on this theory.

 

[keith55]

Yes I think this 20 minutes is a medical myth. I was told a limit of 20 mins in hospital with ice after P/T but this is to avoid ice burn to the skin afaik. Well you can avoid that simply by putting something like a towel or tea towel between the ice and your skin. Otherwise I don't think there's any particular limit to icing. I'm 3 weeks out and icing with gel packs from the freezer nearly all the time: it's the best pain relief for me.

For constipation I'm taking 100mg 3X/day sodium docusate for that plus a fibre supp't in my cereal. I've got some back up prune juice as well. Now off to do a little self physio.

 

[saultlooser]

Hi everyone,
Well I haven't been checking in with my new bonesmart family in afew weeks. I think I need to chat and share with you in the hopes of getting some feedback and hearing how my friends are doing.
I am almost 8 weeks post op. my ROM gets to 110 with my PT working the knee. I've become a bit more active, sometimes walking in stores for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. My knee lets me know when I've done too much. I'm thinking of going back to work at 10 weeks but am not sure if his is a good idea either. I work in an office setting. I see my OS next week and I am worried that once again, he will threaten an MUA. I will refuse - I'm the boss even though I do worry I will never get my rom where it should be. I constantly have to remind myself that we all heal at different speeds. When I read posts of people who had surgery same time as I did who are getting like 135 rom and are off all meds and basically back to normal - I feel like a failure and i panic and when I read about people who are having the same issues as I am I realize and remember that we don't heal at the same speed. I do my exercises regularly and have a great PT who keeps telling me I'm doing great. I'm just not sure if I should go back to work at week 10. I am still taking a slow release pain med called ralivia, 100mg, once a day. If I have too much pain at bedtime, I take Tylenol to take the edge off so that I can fall asleep.

 

[Lauramacky]

It's way too soon! I was at 110 for a long time. I didn't stop taking heavy medications till three months. I had lousy leg straightening like around a 11 or so at two months. Please don't give up. If your PT says you're doing great, then you probably are. I know how it feels...all the wondering and worrying. Trust me, I've done all of that! The magic month for me was three months. All of a sudden I started feeling a lot better. Check out my blog when you have a chance and start from the beginning and read. You'll see how slow I was and then compare to now. It's almost seven months and I'm working out! You will too. https://lauramacky.wordpress.com/. Keep the faith! You too will get there.

 

[saultlooser]

Wow, I have to admit, reading your response just now has actually
Made me cry because you seem to understand exactly how I feel and what I am going through. Wondering and worrying, it is exactly what I have been spending a lot of my time doing. Thank you so much for sharing and I will definitely visit your blog.

 

[kneeper]

Sounds like you're doing fine. 8 weeks is nothing in the recovery process. Hang in there.

 

[Lauramacky]

Aww sault! It's good to cry and let it out. I know how hard it is. BIG HUGS