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Tightness at 16 Weeks

Posted , 10 users are following.

tracey71146
tracey71146

Hello All

I am 16 + 1 and my knee feels worse than ever in terms of tightness and pain when I bend (my bend was just over 110 three weeks ago).

My knee feels very rubber bandy and painful when I bend and there is terrible tightness at the back as well as the front of my knee and a constant tightness when just sitting. It is like

I am not taking any medication as I have no idea what to try now; my knee is still a little swollen and numb at the side.

My Consultant has said it is something to do with being a younger age (49)and my knee being in a rush to heal BUT REALLY??

Earlier this afternoon I did a few bends when I heard and felt a painful big crack in my knee :-0. This has made me feel very worried.

I last saw Consultant 4 weeks ago (next appt is 9th Feb) and don't want to be a pain to him but I am finding this extremely difficult to deal with especially (as discussed in a different thread ) I had to go back to work 5 weeks ago, etc.

Is anyone feeling the same at this stage? Is this just the healing process as I am starting to doubt it and am worried in particular at being stuck at 110 as using the stairs is painful and getting in and out of the car is difficult.

Thank you!

2 likes, 33 replies

33 Replies

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  • mary83072
    mary83072 tracey71146

    Posted

    I am  15 weeks and feel almost the same as you... I can do all my exercises. . Bike .. balance ball. Resistance band. . Leg weight. .. I pay for it next day... I had no physio... just doing home exercise until a few weeks ago when I went privately. .. He says I have a lot of muscle wastage as I have had knee problems for 4 years... so my nerves and muscles don't know what  to do with this straight leg!!.. I  have been told not to do strenuous exercise every day... alternate days as it's too much.... I did expect to be much further on in my recovery. .. but will heal in its own time I suppose... .. I only get a decent sleep with muscle relaxants. . Don't take much other than ibuprofen for pain... hope the new year means whole new life  for   us

    .

    . Take care ..Mary

    • mary83072
      mary83072

      Posted

      Meant to add... I am 55....stairs .. walking are a nightmare. ... although I have a great bend   swelling down.... scar is really ugly i got staples not stitches..   
    • jean95756
      jean95756 mary83072

      Posted

      Hi Mary

      i still do the stairs one at a time....I  can manage to go upstairs normally but very very slowly I wouldn't dare to try coming down them normally

      one of the ladies from Australia was singing the praises of Lioton gel to rub on the muscles  I couldn't find it in the UK so I ordered it offline ...it really is an instant pain relief ....I use it before I go to bed and find it worth every penny 

      Jean 

    • britta217
      britta217 jean95756

      Posted

      hi jean ... yes, caz was the one raving about liotol. excellent to hear that it is working so well for you and so i am definitely going to be ordering some after a dreadful night. if it has your stamp of approval, it must be good. did you get some arnica c200? this would work wonders with your bruising and swelling. you can find it in any hollands and barrats or even a good boots. definitely worth the money.
    • Tucks
      Tucks jean95756

      Posted

      Hi jean I'm interested in the product Lioton, but where would I get it from ? I have never used a rub on my knee but I think I would probably benefit from it. Had quite a few bad days which I have put down to the weather. I am 18weeks today , walking well and doing all my normal things but the knee pain and stiffness doesn't want to budge. Happy Xmas to you jean from tucks
    • jean95756
      jean95756 Tucks

      Posted

      Hi Tucks 

      I went on Amazon and found it there 

      I've just ordered tube number 2 so I don't run out 

      the delivery is great ...I got mine in 2 days 

      happy xmas to you too 

      Jean 

  • diana90984
    diana90984 tracey71146

    Posted

    You said you "tried a few bends the other day" I do 30 mins of preset exercise twice a day still and walk at least 20 mins a day, lengthy and boring I know but worth it even though I'm 5 months down the line. I don't know if you follow this type of regime but you really do have to work at it. I can't take most painkillers because of bad side effects so have to rely on good old paracetamol. You do get weird and wonderful noises and pains but are usually normal but if you're that worried talk to your GP or Physio and see if they think you should see your specialist again as I had to
    • britta217
      britta217 diana90984

      Posted

      i agree, diana, you really do have to keep at it. what i have also found, is that i have more pain when i don't exercise. exercising and stretching actually helps the pain in my experience. but then again, i am on lots of meds, tracey isn't. i am on the bendy machine for hours and now with the new machine, i should be doing 3 x 20 mins but i am aiming for 2 x 20 mins as i am out at work all day. it is a full time occupation. and exhausting. but you just can't give up at this point otherwise you would end up regretting it. or that's what i keep telling myself :-)
    • tracey71146
      tracey71146 diana90984

      Posted

      Hi Diana

      Yes I should have said that I was doing my stretching and other exercises which I do twice a day (I also have an exercise bike at home which I use for ten minutes to half an hour twice a day) and was just doing as few extra bends when it happened.

      It is difficult trying to fit it all in and working but I do appreciate how important exercise is. I use the stairs at work which is more difficult coming down with the bend than going up?

      I try to do exercise at work too even if it just standing on one leg at the copier and squats when waiting for kettle to boil :-0

      I have pedals under my desk too!

      My physio is really not interested! I have asked her for acupuncture which I am waiting for - she even gets a bit cross with me when I ask questions and just says it is all normal.

      I did call a physio that my GP sent me to a year or so ago - she said she couldn't help as she had no experience with younger people and that most younger people where I live are sent to Stanmore Orthopaedic which is a centre of excellence - seems like I fell through net. I called them yesterday and they said to try my GP for a referral to the physio dept - will call her tomorrow. Will also try to see Consultant sooner. However the chap that I see is not the one that did the op - very frustrating!

      My knee feels so tight it actually feels l like my bones could break when I bend it but I keep moving it; the top of my shin is sore too.

      Who knows?!

    • diana90984
      diana90984 tracey71146

      Posted

      Stanmore Orthopeadic has been a centre of excellence for at least 50 years, so really push for that even if the consultant is different. They have been repairing sportsmen and victims of M1 accidents for years, but most of the consultants I knew of will be long retired.

      I even had my fingertip sewn back on by one of their top guys who got terribly excited as he hadn't done one for years. Don't know about now but they were exceptionally good with rehab for younger patients. In fact it was one of their guys who kept me going for 26 years with arthroscopic surgery etc until I was considered old enough (66) to finally have the first knee done, so they should be able to help.

      You can overdo the Physio though and I probably did, so exercise to a bearable level of pain and then RICE. 

      Good of luck and keep smiling.

    • tracey71146
      tracey71146 diana90984

      Posted

      Hi Diana

      Yes that is what I understand it to be; the place to be seen :-)!

      Unfortunately have been lost in the system as this is my 4th op but will now insist! I don't think there is anything wrong with my left knee but they did have a good look inside it when I was 19!

      This Choose and Book system confuses even the GPS!

      Out of interest who were you seeing and assume you live near me?

    • diana90984
      diana90984 tracey71146

      Posted

      I lived in Pinner for 20 years and my last arthroscopy was 2003 at Clementine Churchill. My consultant was retired from the NHS by then and was really a pioneer in back surgery. Unfortunately I couldn't trace him when I needed my tkr so assume he is no longer with us, also not sure I wanted a 70+ year old operating on me.

      I now live in West Sussex and still enjoy private health care and can't fault the info I have been given all the way through the process. Problem is I didn't really think the things I was warned about would happen to me! Everyone I knew who my consultant had treated sang his praises and as I volunteer with the elderly I know a few fans. He replaced my husband's hip in January 2013, 4 months after a heart attack and he was back to golf 8 weeks later.

      think it only proves everyone has to make their own journey, but it's lovely to have other people to share it with.

  • lynn00032
    lynn00032 tracey71146

    Posted

    Hi Tracy ,

    I am at 14 weeks, started physio only at 7 weeks(surgeons recomend)Everyone says it was too late.Anyway now am struggling, bend only 95  degree.

    All my surgeon says is I have to take it slowly & be patient, & that my genflex knee is capable of up to 155 bend (thats if I'm lucky) 

    My physio says he does not know how I will ever have that, he is struggling with me now.So I have told the surgeon to get in touch with my physio & tell him how the flex can be achieved. I will wait & see how he recomends he does it?

    My knee is also still swollen & I always put ice on after exercises, it goes down slightly, then I exercise again, its just a bit of a viscous circle.

    .On a brighter note, everyone I speak to who has had tkr say it is worth it in the end.

    I think we just have to keep on stretching etc & eventually we will get there.

    • tracey71146
      tracey71146 lynn00032

      Posted

      Hi Lynn

      We all seem to be given such conflicting advice!

      This is my fourth op on my left knee and I know scar tissue inside can be an issue.

      They may suggest manipulation like Britta?

      I was told there is nothing stopping us getting a full Rom which includes kneeling? Again who really knows? My physio told me I had a stopper inside so the knee didn't go too far however the consultant said that was rubbish!

      Do let us know how your physio and consultant get on?

      I could put up with work in hard on exercising etc if it didn't feel so bad!

      Plus I went through all this (but not quite as bad) last June year as the consultant who I see tried an op on my knee to try to stop me having the TKR and I spent from June until March of this year seeing a physio but it didn't work :-(

  • merrie54027
    merrie54027 tracey71146

    Posted

    Tracy, it is going to get better.  Just takes time.  I am five months post surgery.  I have a lot of swelling still in my leg which makes it impossible to bend as much as other knee.  Hurts to use both legs to go up stairs, so I walk down a step at a time.  Getting out of car is difficult, I have to put seat all the way back and seat back too.  I volunteer at school in 1st grade class and am pooped when I come home after only two hrs at school.  :0(  But I am so glad I can get out and do things.  I notice a slight improvement every few days.  I know it's going to take a while.  Everything that was cut in there.  My surgeon said it can be a year before everything is healed.  I think I would call your consultant and tell him about the painful crack when you did the bends.  Just to make sure.  You will get better it will take time.  I know, I'm impatient and want it back to regular again.  Tylenol every six hrs helps my pain too.  Melatonin helps me sleep.  Enjoy the holidays.  
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