Posted , 12 users are following.
I Am 6.5 weeks after my first TKR and 3.5 weeks after the second one. todayI had my grandson who is 6 mths old. He had two 1 and half hour sleeps, but I am exhausted. I did my exercises and walk this morning and have taken all the pain killers I can hsve. Think ivwill go to bed with s few glasses of wine.
0 likes, 94 replies
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mary83072 sandra37762
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jean95756 mary83072
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i went out 3 days on the trot las week Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday
land boy am I suffering for it now ...back on painkillers o sleep etc....
aren't I the stupid one
sandra37762 mary83072
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sandra37762 jean95756
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jean95756 sandra37762
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britta217 sandra37762
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sandra37762 britta217
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tracey71146 sandra37762
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jean95756 tracey71146
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tracey71146 jean95756
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jean95756 tracey71146
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jean95756 tracey71146
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tracey71146 jean95756
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jean95756 tracey71146
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jean95756 tracey71146
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tracey71146 jean95756
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jean95756 tracey71146
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you sound as if you had a rough time
take care
jean
mary83072 jean95756
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britta217 tracey71146
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it is true, that the mobility of my knee cap in particular is not very good. i do do specific exercises for the knee cap but my physio tells me the brain and the knee cap are not quite connecting yet. so i have to keep at it. considering i couldn't lift my leg even one inch for 3 weeks - not due to pain, but because the pain catheter in my leg had "paralyzed" the nerve - i am not too concerned and know that i have to keep giving the commands so that the synapses keep building themselves. it does work, just takes patience.
contrary to what jean wrote, my surgeon tells me that they usually do everything in one go when they do a TKR. it does make sense as then you are trying to match custom made with custom made, i.e. predictable shapes. but perhaps that is just in switzerland?
do you think you are finding accepting your knee cap harder as it came as a surprise?
jean95756 britta217
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pit eas someone else who said they didn't always do the knee cap ....all I know I was told I'd had a total knee replacement and if it includes the kneecap then that's what I've had
reading what you say about not being able to lift the leg that's how I was in the beginning
sometimes if I've had a bad night I can't lift the knee in the morning...like today ...I'm struggling again
hopefully as the day goes on it will get easier
onwards and upwards at least that's what I keepelling myself
britta217 jean95756
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i agree, sometimes it is bad in the morning as the day progresses and the more you move the leg by exercising or by walking, the mobility improves.
initially i thought having to come back to work after 3 weeks was a bad thing, but having my social network around me and a very clear reason to get moving every morning has helped me. but god is it difficult on some days :-(
as you say jean, onwards and upwards!!
jean95756 britta217
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you are an example to us all
take care
jean
tracey71146 britta217
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Could you let me know the specific exercises for the knee cap? Thanks.
No, I knew I would probably need the knee cap doing as the arthritis was bad there too.
Anyway, I had my 12 week review today and I don't need to have the manipulation! Thank goodness. My straight still not 100% but surgeon said it would come, still early days.
Surgeon also said that for some reason recovery can be longer with younger patients (I am 49) and that they find swelling is more of an issue too. He said that everything would feel hard (I told him, concrete hard!) and again (unfortunately) all part of the recovery process. My knee will never feel like the old one but I could have told him that.
All in all very pleased with my progess, told me to try heat and anti inflammatory medication (for the hardness) which I already do.
Next review is three months but just hope the rock hard feeling goes soon as it is very difficult to deal with.
britta217 tracey71146
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my bend has not improved at all for the past two weeks. i am stuck at 90. and as you said, it is like concrete or like a wall. the only place it hurts is the scar which is hidden under the skin and that goes around the knee. that is a killer. in fact when i am on the bendy machine, you can see how the skin/flesh is puckering under the pressure of the bend. so i have set the date of december 2 for the manipulation. i am not looking forward to that but at least i have a couple of weeks before christmas.
so the exercises for the mobility of your knee cap are: put the palm of your hand over your knee cap and push towards your foot with the heel of your hand. i find that most unpleasant but you can do 3 sets of 10. the other is to contract your knee cap (just your knee cap!!). the best way to do this is either on your bed or on the sofa. try it first with the healthy leg. make your knee cap pull upwards, i.e. towards you. once you can see how it could look, try with the operated knee. it doesn't always work immediately, like the muscle doesn't know how. again, do 3 sets of 10, holding the contraction for as long as you can as it strengthens the muscles around the knee cap. good luck!
tracey71146 britta217
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Thanks for the info and sorry for taking so long to reply.
How are you doing? Are you still going in on 2nd?
Tracey