MUA Oct 2017 TKR - Hematoma - MUA - Finally past 90!<

[sistersinhim]

I'd be mad, too. Don't pay any attention to them. It's obvious that they don't know any better. We do know better! Just do your daily activities and forgo PT. What's you OS and PA going to do? Spank you, put you on restriction? I can't believe these people are expecting you to do this!

 

[Jockette]

Unbelievable.

 

[phrog]

I'm a little (no, a lot) surprised that you are being told that you will have full motion back in four weeks if you do your PT and home exercises. By my figuring, in four weeks, you will be about five months post op. My OS was constantly moving the date back by which I would be fully recovered (you know: six weeks, twelve weeks, 6 months and finally a year), but he never said that full flex had to be obtained by 5 months post op. He told me there is a window for full range of motion and said it was up to a year - many on here would say that it can be longer than that. Strength, not flex is my problem, so I can't really address that, except that while my flexion has been good from almost day one, it has continued to grow throughout my recovery. I am one year post op today and my bend is better today than it was at even six months. If you can, don't worry about what their attitude might be. At the point where you are, my OS told me that I needed to join a gym because my recovery is my responsibility. Yes, it is, and I joined a senior citizen fitness club where they don't push too hard. Do what seems to work for you. All you can do is the best you can do. It's enough!

 

[Celle]

I'd be mad, too! Your surgeon has no empathy and no idea how to rehab a knee.
Try to ignore everything he said.

 

[Angiebabe]

Well you obviously have the one magic surgeon in the whole wide world and when he waves his wand of words incredible things are going to happen!

What a

He is doing the typical thing of trying to say if the magic doesn’t happen then it’s your fault by not going all nuts.
Funny though he also acknowledges pain swelling recent surgery need for pain and anti inflammatory meds etc etc

Horrid horrid and more horrid..

Well you know what to do and it’s not what he said.

Ha I’m surprised he didn’t add blood pressure meds ..I think I would need those after reading such rubbish.

Feel for you hugs

 

[SusieShoes]

Your OS is definitely of the "no pain, no gain" camp. That works for some people, but the only thing that matters is what will work for YOU. What works for your knee. You've tried the PT 'til you can't take it anymore approach.

You can do this perfectly well without them. And remember: Doing well is the best revenge.

 

[funkymuse]

Hello all.. just getting around to checking in after a rough week at work... it was my first full week back since my original surgery on 10/17 so it was a bit of an adjustment not to have Wed off. But I made it through with the Tramadol/Tylenol combo. I'm down to taking one 50mg at night and then if I need it at work, I take it in the morning.. but I'm working on cutting down except when I truly need it. I am very grateful to see the words of support here on the thread,in regards to that negative visit I had with the Nurse and her negative comments. Regardless of all that, I'm moving on and today I feel a bit more bendy and have true hope that all is going to be ok. Last night my muscles did not spasm as bad and today they feel 75% better! I've been taking warm baths and massaging my thigh muscles gently with oil and also my knee and doing some gentle knee stretches throughout the day.

Monday I went to see that PT that does the ASTYM work and it was indeed too soon for my sore thigh muscles to take that, and it does not really resonate with my body anyway. I was so pumped about it but in the end, I realize it's not for me although it seems to have worked really well for others.

Tomorrow I go back to the PT Woman who does the cupping and massage work. She will report to my Doctor which i'm sure will make him happy. Whatever! I will be where I am on the 26th when I go to see him for my 6th week MUA checkup. I will continue remain positive & happy knowing that I don't have to endure anymore hospital visits and I will now really begin to gain ROM and move on with my life!

Again all your comments really helped me get past that woman's rude remarks and I thank you all so much.

 

[sistersinhim]

It sounds like you're getting along much better now. Congrats on your first full week back to work! Good luck with PT visit tomorrow.

 

[funkymuse]

Thank you @sistersinhim ... your support has been awesome!

In certain ways it's truly like going back to square one because before the MUA it was healing to the point - at 3-1/2 months - where I could be up on it for quite some time before it became completely log legged. Now it's back to log leg after only about 15 min! Oh well... I know this too shall pass.

 

[rtkneeandy]

Hey there @funkymuse, how are things? Sounds like you have had a rough run of this....I'm only at 94 degrees flex and 13 extension. Getting around somewhat better, but hurts after being up for 15 or 20 minutes. PT once or twice a week until the end of the month then I'm out of visits. Knee still swells a lot but that's normal I guess. I still come home from work and ice /elevate. How were things just after your MUA?

 

[funkymuse]

Hello @rtkneeandy .. thanks for checking in...
I saw the PT on Monday and it seemed to help alot... but then work that day and the next and today I feel like I'm back at base one. I was only 55-60 flex at her office - which is better than it was a week ago - as she worked to loosen up my painfully tight IT band and knee cap with massage, cupping and gentle movement. I know that time will be the healer and so today I see her again today.

I'm currently taking 50mg of tramadol and 1000 mg of tylenol once in the morning and once at night. I try to go without it but the low level uncomfortable pain keeps me from sleeping and bothers me at work.. so for the moment.. this is just the way it is.

My knee doesn't hurt after being up but the swelling starts up right away which is annoying and my leg begins to feel like cement from the hip down to the knee. It's really messing with the right side of my back and right hip.

What was your ROM before the MUA?

 

[rtkneeandy]

What was your ROM before the MUA?

It was about 50. With only 55 to 60 flex I know the walking is tough. I still can't do stairs properly because I'm not at 95 yet. Can't believe a degree or two makes a difference. My quad and IT band are in knots as well. PT is doing something called (Dry Needling) to help with the knots in my muscles. I look like I've had a small stroke with a hiccup in my gate from the sore muscles. You are only a month out, you are correct by not expecting too much too fast.

 

[rtkneeandy]

@funkymuse...Are you doing any better? Hows the ROM?

 

[Celle]

I'm currently taking 50mg of tramadol and 1000 mg of tylenol once in the morning and once at night. I try to go without it but the low level uncomfortable pain keeps me from sleeping and bothers me at work.. so for the moment.. this is just the way it is.

You could also take 1,000 mg of Tylenol during the day, to keep you more comfortable.

 

[MyTest]

@funkymuse Hello. How are things coming along since the MUA? Hope the MUA swelling is starting to decend.

 

[funkymuse]

Hello everyone... so sorry for the long delay in posting. I'm now over 5 months out and at my last pt visit we got my bend to 80. So from the MUA on Feb 8th to last week, I guess I've made progress since right after the MUA I was only 45-55, as the MUA really threw me back. It's taken over a month for my thigh muscles to feel normal again but my IT Band is still not quite up to par yet. That MUA was the worst pain I think I've ever experienced and on top of that it made it so hard to find ways to sleep and just move period! AWFUL. I'm so glad it's helped others but that is something I hope to never do again. I'm sure it did help me because now when I bend in deep to stretch my knee, I don't have pain in the knee capsule.. just tightness from muscles and excess fluid (swelling). So over time that will all go away and I'll get a decent bend and I'll celebrate each milimeter!!!

I have found that if I'm working and doing a few ADL's that I don't need to do much else on those days except maybe a few, at most, gentle knee stretches. If I follow that protocol I seem to get more bendy. If I try to do more than that on work days, I get totally log legged.

I'm finally off all meds including tylenol and just icing as I need, which is alot at work, and I do still elevate while sitting at home and about 50% when sleeping. Since the PT is so expensive, I only have two appointments left and then I won't be going back. I may buy a set up 'Cups' from her and do my own Cupping on my muscles and knee cap - we'll see - BUT she's done wonders to loosen up my knee cap with those Cups and they helped my poor muscle so much. It's quite an amazing technique.

I did go walking on uneven terrain in the park one day and boy was that an awakening. My leg is like an infants leg. it doesn't know how to navigate very well! All those muscles and tendons have to re-learn how to do that as they slowly strengthen up - it was very hard on my back - so I won't be doing that again anytime soon! But I so wish to get back to my hikes in the woods. I miss nature and the physical exercise so much. That used to keep my emotions very stable and even...

My life is still not back to normal. I still can't do anything around the house for any extensive length of time without swelling and stiffness coming on. But I know over time I'll be able to do more and more. I'm just so incredibly happy that my muscles are not screaming in pain anymore.

I do have to face one more nightmare on Monday morning when I go in to see my OS for the 8 week MUA checkup. I can't wait for that to be over and if sends me out of his office to make another appointment at the front desk to see him, I'm going to just walk out the front door and go home. I am not going to go back and see him for as long as I can avoid it!!!! I'm sick of the passive aggressive negativity of making ME feel guilty as if I AM NOT WORKING to improve my bend - as if I'M THE PROBLEM. What rubbish I have put up with from him and his staff! I really don't even know why I am going on Monday.. except that I feel I have to go to complete this cycle of follow up appointments from the last surgery. I will give him his due in that he is a very good knee replacement surgeon. He did a very good job and when all is said and done I'm sure I will have a very happy knee.

Oh and I must update on the FEET itching. I've been to several docs about this and I'm in the process with one who wants to do a nerve conduction test and gave me gabapentin to take which I won't take. He did all kinds of small testing on my feet and nothing is really indicating nerve issues. So all the doctors (4 in all), have been basically baffled by this itching as nothing works and all the medical and natural anti itch creams burn my feet. Well that should be a 'key' the word BURN.' So I was asking God to help this itching issue heal and that night it came to me. I have been doing hot baths since 8 weeks after surgery - EVERY NIGHT... AND our water has chlorine in it. So basically I've been soaking my feet and body in hot chlorinated water for almost 4 months and it's not only my feet that itch. Sometimes it's my ankles and my legs and some nights all over my body! And it's a creepy crawly thing - very weird. At any rate, I've been blowing open the skin in my feet and that chlorine has been being absorbed. SO.. I got a bath ball and have been putting vasoline on my feet with socks every night and the itching and creepy feelings are almost all gone!

Hope my other MUA buddies are doing better - @MyTest - how is your bend coming? @rtkneeandy ?

Blessings to everyone.. our journies continue.

 

[Celle]

if sends me out of his office to make another appointment at the front desk to see him, I'm going to just walk out the front door and go home. I am not going to go back and see him for as long as I can avoid it!!!! I'm sick of the passive aggressive negativity of making ME feel guilty as if I AM NOT WORKING to improve my bend - as if I'M THE PROBLEM. What rubbish I have put up with from him and his staff!

Good for you in taking control of your own life!

I may buy a set up 'Cups' from her and do my own Cupping on my muscles and knee cap - we'll see - BUT she's done wonders to loosen up my knee cap with those Cups and they helped my poor muscle so much. It's quite an amazing technique.

You could ask your PT how much longer you'll need the cupping. It's one of those techniques that is considered controversial. I'm glad you feel it has helped you, but it would be a shame to spend money on buying your own cups, if you aren't going to need them for long.

 

[MyTest]

@funkymuse Whew hew!! Glad to hear your ROM improved. It can only go up from here. My ROM is fine, I am dealing with internal swelling or scar tissue, not sure which it is yet. Last check my ROM was 110 but it has gotten to 115. Also, don't worry about the Dr. You really think they are going to admit they did something wrong, it's always your fault if you aren't progressing. Heck mine told me there is nothing else he can do for me and he didn't need to see me again. Guess he didn't want that mark on his record. Anyhew, just continue stretching and the additional bend will come.

 

[funkymuse]

@Celle thanks for your thoughts on the cupping. I think I will take your advice and not buy them.

@MyTest thrilled to read your encouraging post this morning. I know it takes time but somehow I did too much yesterday morning - even though it was hardly anything compared to most who are 5 months along - and my leg was logged all day. So those days can feel discouraging but I've been there many times and I know with some rest, ice, etc., it does improve. I love the days when I'm more bendy! Those really give me hope. BTW how long did it take you to get to 110? I can't wait for the first milestone of 90!!! That will be a celebration!

 

[phrog]

Progress is hope and it sounds as if you are finally having some pretty good progress.
Re: itching. My skin has itched to the point where I wondered whether I have a metal allergy to my knee implant - but then I realized the combination of the dry indoor heat of winter and hot showers is bad for my skin. I am trying to keep the water a little cooler and I have started taking Epsom Salt baths. Following up with the Vaseline on your feet and wearing socks to bed is a good idea and something I will try too. Spring has arrived on the calendar and hopefully will show her sunny face in your neck of the woods soon!