Posted , 9 users are following.
I'm frustrated that at 12 weeks when I here most people are back to normal I'm still swelling as the day progresses,I wake up with little or no swelling but definitely stiffness then after an hour I can feel that the knee is starting to swell and then if I don't take pain Meds by the end of the day it's aching...why why why I don't get it......
0 likes, 18 replies
jen04209 rbleegrip
Posted
Everyone is different. You can't compare apples with oranges. Keep up your exercises and stretches. Your recovery will come.
rbleegrip jen04209
Posted
delia56360 rbleegrip
Posted
rbleegrip delia56360
Posted
I hope so.there's another knee grinding away wanting replacing as well
grammie52 delia56360
Posted
Of all the posts I've read on this site, yours has given me the must hope. I'm 16 weeks post TKR and even though I have complete range again and my knee itself feels great, the muscles behind my knee are so sore and tight I can barely walk when I first stand up from sitting or sleeping. I stumble around and fear I'll fall flat on my face. The swelling is at times unbearable and so tight.
Exercises are done, I keep it elevated as much as I can, ice etc. But it just isn't letting up. Knowing that it took you a year makes me know there is light at the end of the tunnel. I'll be having spinal surgery in the next 2 weeks, and hope that will not set my knee recovery back further.
Thank you for giving me hope.
tijim grammie52
Posted
Hi Grammie .. with getting the bursitis in my heap and balance went downhill .. when out I use a crutch just in case (recommended by surgeon/dr/physio) maybe you could keep a cane/crutch close at hand for those 'just in case' moments! Just a suggestion... take care, Tracey
grammie52 rbleegrip
Posted
Rbleegrip, I could have written this exact post!!!
Had my TKR, right knee, on April 14th.
By 8 weeks I had full range 121°, could completely flatten my knee into the bed etc. Everyone was shocked that this 65 year old, with Lupus, RA and Fibro myalgia had recovered so fast. BUT, I had a problem with swelling so bad that when I went to physical therapy one day, the refused to see me. They sent me to the Emergancy Room as they thought I had a blood clot. No clot found, and as of today, 16 weeks post-op, my leg is so swollen it looks like something you'd see on a cartoon. The swelling is mostly in the calf and lower leg. When I first set off to walk, the pain is unreal, and I stumble around. Once I get going, I'm fine and it becomes easier to walk, but I'm in more pain now then right after surgery. Keeping the leg elevated and iced does nothing. No one seems concerned by all this, EXCEPT ME! I'm using a cane for balance, which I hate. I'll return next week to my surgeon, but he said it could take a YEAR before the knee settles down. I'll let you all know via this site what he says after my appointment.
I'm so frustrated!!
rbleegrip grammie52
Posted
tijim grammie52
Posted
Hi Grammie not sure if you're still on narcotics eg: oxycontin/endone which I used and while on them one of the rarer side effects of oxy can be swelling I had severe swelling in both feet and legs due to using it, dr put me on cortisone to help with swelling (that was at 9mths post op) and I also stopped taking narcs and instead of having feet and lower legs that look like balloons .. I know have ankle bones again when I first noticed I rang my hubby at work as I was so thrilled to see them again. So hope something will help with your swelling and pain. I never found that anything totally killed all the pain but made it more bearable. I have started to ice my knee again which is helping slightly and also my calf can feel tight at times no matter how much exercising/stretching and find that heat helps that a bit.
Wishing you all the best on this long journey of ours, Tracey
elaine25674 rbleegrip
Posted
It took me FOUR months before I felt like myself again. Take your time with this. I was very discouraged as well. I kept reading that other people were so ahead of me. Everyone is different. I'm now finally (at 4 months) going up and down steps in a normal fashion and being able to walk a bit of a distance. You will too.
terri59470 rbleegrip
Posted
Hi there
Id love to meet all these people who are apparantly back to normal at the 12 week mark!! I certainly wasnt one of them, either time,and neither were a good number of people on here. Ive heard various people say it can take up to 1 year/18 months/2 years until the knee it totally "yours", quite some variance but it shows how everyone differs.
The top and bottom of it is that youve had a tremendously invasive surgery, Ive heard Doctors call it the worst that you can have. It takes time to recover, an awful lot of time, and invariably a lot more time than we want it to! But the one thing that we CANT do is rush it, or try and cut corners to get there quicker - it wont happen. You have your pain meds, they take away the pain when you take them, so thats the right thing for you. Are you still icing and elevating regularly? Thats the best thing for your swelling. And dont push yourself too hard, your knee wont appreciate it and will let you know in no uncertain terms that its not happy!
I understand how difficult it is, nursing a grinding, bone on bone knee while trying to rehab the TKR one - I had mine 7 months apart so understand what youre going through.
Take care of yourself, dont push TOO hard, and above all listen to your body - its the best indicator you have of how youre doing.
Terri xx
alan31891 rbleegrip
Posted
home from hospital after my other leg tkr just as painfull as the first leg swollen up like a big sausage and oh so painfull but most of us know that at the moment pain pills and ice are my best firends but i know after a few months will be getting my life back those of us that are ok within a few weeks are lucky we are not all the same just stick with it and one day your nightmare will be a memory
kgunch rbleegrip
Posted
How frequently do you elevate your leg--I mean, really elevate it. When I was in the hospital, there were signs everywhere about not putting a pillpw behind your knee. So I was confused about this elevation thing. At my first PT visit, they asked me about it, and when I told them I wasn't doing any levation, they told me how to do it correctly (Foot needs to be at least above the heart, preferably at eye level, on a set of pillows that provide a continual incline: no gaps where the leg is not supported). When I did it at home, it not only provided some relief, but my swelling went way down pretty quickly. So, if youre not doing this, I'd suggest you do. Hang in there!
tijim kgunch
Posted
And at 10mths post op I still use a very flat little pillow under my knee when lying on my back .. like to watch tv in bed at night .. surgeon said that was common for some after the op for a bit of extra comfort.
rbleegrip
Posted
Well cheers folks it seems it is as much a time and patience journey as it is a healing journey I do ice and elevate alot but at 12 weeks the world still turns and won't wait for me,I have commitments and as such have to be on my feet for a fair part of the day if I don't wish to end up on the street but thankyou for inspiration and helpful replies......heal on!!!!!!!
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