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Discouraged after partial knee replacement 11 days ago

Posted , 13 users are following.

debbie72922
debbie72922

I am so discouraged and concerned . Had partial knee replacement on right knee , lateral ( outside) of knee.Thought I was doing good . Went off pain meds after 4 days. Now back on , trouble sleeping , have terrible pain on the inside of knee . It's like a pulling or something with the ligament . Could something have happened on the other side during surgery . It only hurts when I walk on it . I wouldn't need the cane except for that . Is this all normal . My doctor doesn't send you to PT with partials but I am going to go on my own . I will need to return to work in two weeks which from the beginning my Doctor said after 4 weeks I'd be able to . I'm still so swelled up, never expected it to be like this .

Lynn

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  • sandra07433
    sandra07433 debbie72922

    Posted

    I had a partial knee 3 weeks ago today, but mine,was inside of right knee, I don't know if it is normal to feel pain the opposite side, I would advise contacting your surgeon and asking about that. My knee is numb the opposite side to the replacement and it feels like there is,a tight band across the whole of my knee, I am having physio every other week, I too would have arranged my own if I wasn't offered any, you need to make sure you are doing the exercises correctly and walking correctly, mine spotted that I was propelling my operated leg forward from the hip and taught me to relax into the walk and put heel down and follow through to toe, she,also had tips for arranging pillows to sleep better. I am still taking painkillers before bed and first thing in morning. I was signed off work for 6 weeks even though I have a desk job, but I still spend a lot of time with my leg elevated and iced, will need to be comfortable sitting up for 5 hours before I would consider going back to work. Take care and remember to do what is best for you, good luck with your ongoing recovery. I am in UK.
    • debbie72922
      debbie72922 sandra07433

      Posted

      Sandra , thsnk you so very much for your response . Have no idea how much it helps to hear from someone with similar situation . You pretty much feel alone in this . Your advice on the walking and PT, I had a feeling about my walking . My knee had gotten so bad that I was very out of alignment . I feel I am probably not walking correctly , although I'm still using a cane when pain is there . But I'm basically limping . Are you using a cane still? Last night bad night . My lower leg just ached so bad now this morning it is better . Frustrating . Thank you again for your advice !

      Debbie

    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 debbie72922

      Posted

      Hi Debbie, I know how you feel, I was very frightened when I was discharged from hospital, so many questions and no one to ask, I joined this forum one night when I couldn't sleep and was worrying about the swelling, the stiffness and pain. Everyone on here is really supportive with loads of good advice. I'm walking around the house without support but mainly with a limp, I always take a crutch when I go out and really concentrate on walking without a limp, if I have someone with me I get them to check I'm. not limping as it's hard for me to tell.
    • debbie72922
      debbie72922 sandra07433

      Posted

      Hi Sandra

      I was wondering how you were doing with the partial . What exercises are you still doing and are you taking any pain meds ? I started with pain again on the opposite side of the knee . I am taking 800 mg ibuprofen instead of the hydrocodone it seems to be working but dang don't want be taking all that either anymore . I hope your coming along better than I am .

      Debbie

    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 debbie72922

      Posted

      Hi Debbie

      Sorry to hear you are struggling.

      I have good days and bad days, I have good bend on my knee, over 120 degrees but I am still struggling to get it fully straightened, so am concentrating a lot of exercises on that. I am walking about a mile but I wouldn't say it was a comfortable walk and am cycling my mountain bike a couple of miles every other day. I returned to work just over a week ago, I have a desk job and am able to do exercises sitting at my desk and I get u and move around every so often. My knee is still swollen and becomes stiff and more swollen when I overdo it, which is regularly, overall I can see an improvement each week. I take ibuprofen occasionally, usually because I have overdone it.

      Keep going with the exercises and I hope you start to see some improvement soon.

      Sandra

    • debbie72922
      debbie72922 sandra07433

      Posted

      Not sure if my message came through , keep getting a commercial pop up .

      What kind of sitting exercises are you doing . I am 6 weeks , at what point did you start the mile walk ? I haven't done much additional walking due to how it feels when I walk but maybe I should be pushing through . I do a lot if up and down at work and walking back and forth down a fairly long hallway so I am walking each day just not a " planned exercise type walk ".

      But I'm really beat by the time my day ends can't wait to get off my feet .

      Glad to hear your progressing nicely , how far along are you now ?

      Debbie

    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 debbie72922

      Posted

      Hi

      I am nearly 8 weeks, still elevating and icing most evenings.

      I started walking about a mile at 6 weeks but haven't ventured further as it doesn't feel comfortable, though I am persevering with that, that's why I started the cycling to strengthen my muscles. Also my last physio appointment the physio said I wasn't walking correctly, she advised to walk around the house bringing my knees up and down to heel of foot and through to toes in a cycling like motion, might be worth googling the technique,it looks a bit weird but I have to say it has helped. I am doing leg extensions and knee bends a few every half hour or so at my desk and then walking around every hour at work. I am also doing squats to strengthen the muscles around my knee.

      Hope that helps, let me know if I can help at all.

    • sandra07433
      sandra07433

      Posted

      Just a thought, do you have a foot rest at work, that way you can either sit with your feet resting on it with your knees bent it hang your feet off the end of it with your legs straight, I found that helps.
    • debbie72922
      debbie72922 sandra07433

      Posted

      Yes very helpful . Thank you for the detailed explanations .

      Are you still in any pain ?

    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 debbie72922

      Posted

      I wouldn't say I was in pain, more discomfort when I have overdone things, then my knee stiffens and I know then that I need to rest.

  • melinda11457
    melinda11457 debbie72922

    Posted

    Hi, Debbie, you are very early on PO. I had a PKR two years ago and still have occasional pain or weakness issues. I PT a started, the same as my four month old TKR, within a week then for eight weeks. Concentrate on building up those quads and, yes, that whole walking thing described by Sandra. PKR may sound a lot simpler but the recovery, for me, was pretty much the same..other than pain. That WAS considerable less and was off meds pretty quickly. As always, listen to your body and go at your own pace. Patience!
    • debbie72922
      debbie72922 melinda11457

      Posted

      Thank you Melinda ! Very helpful advice and just nice to know you are on the other side . How long before you would say the swelling stopped and you actually forgot you had it done and walked without a limp or cane. I will work on building up quad and I'm sure PT will be helpful. I will take your advice and work on having patience !

      Debbie

    • melinda11457
      melinda11457 debbie72922

      Posted

      The swelling, as I recall, seemed to decrease from about four weeks. Of course after a good bout of PT just came home, drugged, iced and elevated for a couple hours. All good. Since the second surgery on Feb. I am not really ever "unconscious" of them both. Actually the TKR is better and stronger than the two year old PKR. I don't know but could be revision in my future. I never really have used a cane except on uneven or unfamiliar ground. It seems I actually walk gimpier with than without. My best walking is a very conscious full heel stride. And, yes, I catch myself limping when tired or overdone. My bad!
    • debbie72922
      debbie72922 melinda11457

      Posted

      Hi Melinda

      Any chance you recall how long you needed pain meds with the partial ? I was off them , now back taking ibuprofen 800 mg regularly because pain is back bad . Back to work now and on it more . Is this normal ? So discouraging and distracting to always be in pain and kinda limping around . The fake happy just can go so long and it just wears you down .

      Debbie

    • melinda11457
      melinda11457 debbie72922

      Posted

      Oh my goodness. Almost two years and have less than great days. Is it the left PKR today or the right TKR? Went to bed cold turkey last night and awoke at 6:30 in misery. Advil time. You are very early on so just keep with all the pt and meds when you need. All together now, group , "Elevate and ice!" 

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