TKR Worried Knee

[Dewey]

SasySusie.....I was just reading back a couple of pages, and I read the post that said you take medication for AtrialFib. I, too, have occassional Atrial Fib, and you're the first poster I've seen here at Bonesmart with it. Wow, I'd love to discuss it with you, if you don't mind.

I do think it's added a little "stress" to my recovery, but so far, it's been ok. I've just started taking one Aleve in the am and one in the evenings. My cardiologist thought it would be ok to take for just a couple of weeks to try to get this swelling down some. So far, I've haven't had any adverse side effects, but it is a worry. I, also, haven't really noticed any change in the swelling issue, so I don't know if it's even working!

Hope your day is going well. Thanks so much for your posts....they sure help lots of us.
Take care!

 

[Morgaine]

Sasysusie, my PT includes (or did until today), the strap pulling. It too brought me to tears, and in addition my therapist would push down on my ankle until I screamed in pain. My ROM has dropped from 110/108 down to 97.
Thank you for posting.

 

[Titianlady]

My PT would never allow me to use the strap. He said the strap method put too much torque on the knee!! Here is a gentler, and actually more effective way to bend that knee.

Take a towel that you have folded long way in thirds,and put it under the leg, right above the back of the knee. Grab an end in each hand and lift the ends UPWARD toward you.

You will find this works wonderfully, does not cause pain, and will get you better, easier results than the dreaded strap looped on the bottom of the foot!! Give it a try.

 

[60mom]

My first PT was too aggressive with flexion I had gotten to 110 and then with all that stress on my knee I dropped back to 85 from swelling I am sure but OS thought I needed a manipulation. I had that and went to PT they got me to 122 that day but of course because of the over aggressiveness I dropped back to 90 in 48 hrs. I then decided to change PT's and she was so much more gentle. Took 6 weeks but I got back to 120. I am a firm believer that over doing that flexion just causes a lot of swelling which of course will decrease your flexion.

 

[SadKnee]

Sasysusie what was your ROM at your last visit? Are you over 90? That is nice your OS is not pushing you into a MUA. Mine is strongly recommending it to me as my ROM has been slow to increase. I am making a few degrees a week and it is VERY frustrating . Still on the fence if I need a MUA as I really need to get back to work and my walking is more like a hobble and not really conducive to my job :(.

Don't feel like you are the only one with this issue . Take care! Maybe we should meet and go to lunch one day? I am not too far from you.

 

[maryo52]

Sadknee: I didn't look back to see if I'd already said this, but if you are increasing a few degrees a week, you probably don't need MUA. MUA is for people who are not increasing and even losing ROM. MUA could actually set you back, at least initially. But I totally understand that feeling of going nowhere. By the time I agreed to MUA, it couldn't happen fast enough. I was tired of being stuck. Yes, VERY frustrating. A few degrees a week is actually what you would call good steady progress.

 

[Josephine]

I've just started taking one Aleve in the am and one in the evenings. I also haven't really noticed any change in the swelling issue, so I don't know if it's even working!

You'll probably get more benefit from 1,000mg Tylenol 3-4 times a day instead - or even with. Swelling is a manifestation of pain, don't forget.

I am a firm believer that over doing that flexion just causes a lot of swelling which of course will decrease your flexion.

Funnily enough, so am I!

Mine is strongly recommending it (pushing) to me as my ROM has been slow to increase.

And pushing is going to make it even slower. But I also agree with Mary, if you are having some increase, however slow, then you definitely don't need an MUA.

 

[kneeper]

Sounds like you're making progress, sadknee. You can continue to make progress for months more.

 

[MissJ]

Hi Susie
Just saw your thread. Hang in there! All will be well.

I am not quite six weeks out from a bilateral TKR. And you remind me of...me! I am a lifelong anxious worrier. I've spent a lot of time beating myself up, crying, and feeling frustrated for...what? Recovering? I am just realizing that all this self-criticism and fear eats away at my physical progress. My knee is stiff! It hurts to push my ROM! I'm still spending half the day elevated/icing! Woe is me! Truly, I spend half of my PT appt's blabbing to the PT about how I must be doing something wrong. Somehow today I woke up & thought...I'm going to be nice to myself today.

At the beginning of this process I wrote 50 words on individual tickets, and have pulled out one each day as a "word of the day" and also to see progress as the tickets diminished. I flipped back through some of the words from the past month-- the one that jumped out was "compassion."

Have compassion for yourself as you would a friend or loved one. Be kind to yourself and what you've been through in terms of surgery. This is a physical journey, yes, but also an emotional one. Ray is so right when he says TKR recovery is *not* like training. Nurture yourself, pat yourself on the back for getting the surgery done at all (many people are too scared and thus limit their lives - you took up the challenge!), and above all be grateful for your wonderful OS who obviously cares for your well-being. An M.D. would not tell you to ease off if he didn't think it would help; he's invested in your outcome, too!

And don't shop. Shopping is not like walking. It's walking + standing + standing in line + other people + getting in/out from the parking lot...that is a ton of energy (see Josephine's energy link). I went to Barnes & Noble for 20 minutes last week and felt pretty proud. Out to dinner/coffee for an hour is a better plan: walk + sit + chat + friends! I've saved a lot of money in the past two months

Take care of yourself! I'm glad you found Bonesmart.
Jeanine

 

[Sasysusie]

Ugh ive been way too quiet on here.... sorry. Sometimes im just a little bit down then i just hush up. Thank you everyone for all your encouraging words! It really does help. I went to an amusement park last week I think i mentioned that a few threads back! Its been over a week now and im just now getting the swelling and soreness back under control. Ok soooo that was wayyyyyyyy to much walking on such a new knee well for me it was!
Its starting to be back more to where it was before I did that to myself and that also means Im feeling more upbeat too! I really have no idea where my ROM is at this point because my OS does not even measure it when I am there. I think im at about 95 and holdng..im just really not sure. I can walk easily most of the time, other than the fact one leg is longr than the other ugh!!) and ive even managed a few stairs if I take it very slow and carefully.... that made me happy. There are many things I can do the same as I used to but Im not focusing on that and Im hoping they will come in time.

Dewey

SasySusie.....I was just reading back a couple of pages, and I read the post that said you take medication for AtrialFib. I, too, have occassional Atrial Fib, and you're the first poster I've seen here at Bonesmart with it. Wow, I'd love to discuss it with you, if you don't mind

We should talk with each other about!! Its good to know others are in the same boat with me. I take Pradaxa to keep my blood thin because of the atrial fib.... soooo my OS and cardiologist wont allow me to take anitinflamitories at all. Hopefully we can compare some notes on the Atrial Fib!!
Morgaine Im glad my post helped in anyway... yes when PT was doing that to me my ROM decreased by alot too... it really made for one angry knee for some time. Glad my OS put an end to that!

MissJ Jeanine what a great post! Some geat ideas you shared. Lots of good ideas... but no shopping... ugh thats hard for me...Little baby trips dont seem to bad!

SadKnee I think my OS is still considering MUA as well but he is waitng and seeing how i progress... he is not ready to get my knee angry again, I knew I loved this Dr!! We do need to try to meet we are not far from each other at all and meeting for lunch is always a favorite for me! Lets try and make that happen!

Everyone had great wrods for me and trust me i do read them and take them to heart, I appreciate all of you so much. We are all going through this journey together and it really helps!
Hope your all having good days!
hugs
Susie

 

[MissJ]

thought of you today,Susie. a friend came over and we ended up going downtown to a busyee shop (as opposed to some suburban chain restaurant) - longer drive, more walking and sitting I've done in 6 weeks. Then we ran a couple of errands. It felt great! When I could tell my energy was starting to flag, I announced a "20 minute warni g" and we wrapped up our visit. Now I'm icing and elevating, but still feel good. Percocet and P T in 2 hours. I' m hoping my knees won't get mad!

sorry for the poor typing. Kindles are awful for this!

 

[Beachmomdk]

Susie
Glad you are feeling better! I could never do an amusement park. In fact I canceled my trip to Florida next month. Just the thought of airports, flying for 5 hours, and all the walking while we are there and walking on the beach and to the beach was just more than I could do. Besides the heat and humidity! My knee is pretty straight and just in two days I got it much straighter. I think eventually it gets there!
Hope,you are having a good night!
Cathy

 

[SadKnee]

Susie, PM me your work schedule and I will gladly meet you for lunch. I have never been to Victoria Gardens and hear it is nice. I am still off work until mid June and have some flexibility now that I wont have when I return to work. This sounds fun!

 

[Sasysusie]

Sadknee,
Sounds good to me too, Im going to visit my folks in northern califnoria but ill be back May 31st.. so we need to pick a date that first week in June? We need to do this before you go back to work, I wont be returning to work until August! Victoria Gardens is close to me so that would be fine or we could meet in Corona somewhere to if that would be better for you and more halfway point! let me know
Hope the knee is doing better as you know im still struggling with bend! ugh! oh and swelling!
hugs
Susie

 

[Sasysusie]

Jeanine,
Wow girl Im impressed bilaterial knees in April and out doing errands in May. Im gonna call you Super Woman!! You sound like you are doing awsome, its alot of work and yes we pay for the outings, elevate, ice and pain meds! Im at a point thankgoodness that i dont use any pain meds but with my outings i do come home and ice and elevate!! I pay with swelling and stiffness but the outings make me feel im getting back to living life! All the "normal" things i can do helps my mental attitude ao much. I think over all im doing great, for me its just the bend issue the most but im staying positive and i just keep going in a forward motion. I can see how far ive come!!
Hugs
Susie

 

[SadKnee]

Sadknee,
Sounds good to me too, Im going to visit my folks in northern califnoria but ill be back May 31st.. so we need to pick a date that first week in June? We need to do this before you go back to work, I wont be returning to work until August! Victoria Gardens is close to me so that would be fine or we could meet in Corona somewhere to if that would be better for you and more halfway point! let me know
Hope the knee is doing better as you know im still struggling with bend! ugh! oh and swelling!
hugs
Susie

Susie, We might be like two ships passing in the wind as I may take a trip to visit my grandmother in Chicago after May 31 and then get back in time to start work but everything is up in the air as I am not sure I am up for the trip. But yes I would like to get together so once I get my plans firmed up I will let you know. If all else fails there are the weekends. Have a fun and safe trip!

 

[SadKnee]

thought of you today,Susie. a friend came over and we ended up going downtown to a busyee shop (as opposed to some suburban chain restaurant) - longer drive, more walking and sitting I've done in 6 weeks. Then we ran a couple of errands. It felt great! When I could tell my energy was starting to flag, I announced a "20 minute warni g" and we wrapped up our visit. Now I'm icing and elevating, but still feel good. Percocet and P T in 2 hours. I' m hoping my knees won't get mad!

sorry for the poor typing. Kindles are awful for this!

MissJ, I want to know what you are taking as I am shocked you were able to do all this with a BTKR. You must be like WonderWoman or something! Utterly amazing! So happy for you! Take care!

 

[60mom]

Susie, I lived in Rancho Cucamonga for 20 some years. I was suppose to go back for my husbands cancer treatment at Loma Linda this summer but due to some new developments here with a new cancer center we will be staying. A little sad as I would have liked to spend the summer with my family. But my husband will do better in our own home.

I am glad your swelling is going down. It is an up and down thing for me and I am 5 months. Hard to figure out sometimes what will make my knee mad. I am disappointed that I can't do more. I sure did not expect that. My sisters husband who lives in RC had both knees done at Kaiser Fontana and he is doing great. No issues at all! I wish that was my case but I have hope that by the end of the year I won't have so much pain. It is a time to learn a bit of patience I am afraid. Not something that comes easy for many of us!