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More Advice needed!

Posted , 12 users are following.

chris1112
chris1112

I'm post 19 weeks my partial knee replacement.  Had a MUA 6 weeks out and immediately got 120 degrees.  My physician said he got it to 139 degrees but I'm still stuck!

The pain is rough and my knee throbs in pain all day, any advice?  I'm taking 1 Tramadol 3-4 times a week to deal with the pain.  I'm looking into getting a second opinion.  

I'm only 42 yrs old and healthy, having a really hard time recovering.  In PT 3 times a week and still have a bad limp with my walk and after being worked over for the hour I'm able to reach 127 degrees bend.  I'm being released from PT next week and really scarred!!

Am I crazy, does this need more time?  Will the pain ever stop??

Thanks for your input!!

0 likes, 19 replies

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  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX chris1112

    Posted

    You need to take your Tramadol on a regular schedule.  The drug has to build up in your blood stream and be kept at that level to relieve your pain.  So many mg every so many hours...period.  The alternative is a pain roller coaster.  That's not the way meds work.  Each has a half-life where 1/2 of the drug is gone from your system in "x" hours.  By taking your meds on schedule, you replenish the medication in your system to maintain an effective level at all times.

    As far as your flexion is concerned, anything over 120 is acceptable.  With continued exercise, you will probably find that you can sustain a flexion in the 125-135 range.  More than that MAY be dangerous...nobody knows.  These devices must have a maximum flexion where the device will either fail or degrade sooner than expected because it was not designed for 140+ (athlete range) or 161 (heel touches butt).  Again, no one has really seen the manufacturer's data, each device varies, and the docs just tell you to get to 120 or a little better.  I'm at +133 and not pushing it any further.  At 127, you're going just fine.  Solve your pain problem...like right now.

    PS: I hear of some "high flexion" devices available now but I don't know what they are, who gets them and how long they last.  Brand new...no data.

  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 chris1112

    Posted

    First of all no you are not crazy.I had TKR 6 years ago.  They said to me it would be about a year before I really began to feel the benefit and I reckon that was about right. Sorry if this seems a long time to you at the moment.

    Regarding the limp are you walking without a stick or crutches now? 

    I just managed to get to 80 degrees bend for my 6 week appointment.

    It is very hard work but for me it has certainly been worth it.

    Keep going.

    Take care and keep in touch

    Sarah

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