Posted , 15 users are following.
I went back to my surgeon after 4months. I'm still in alot of pain, still have swelling, still using cane,still doing PT. 32 times. And was told that I needed to start going to my family doctor. I should be complete fixed and go back to work. I said your kidding???? He said nothing more I can do. What to do ??? I said have a merry Christmas because I wont.
0 likes, 40 replies
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CHICO_MARX shari_48634
Posted
Four months is still kinda early...Most of the pain is usually gone in the 3-6 month range so you should be approaching that threshhold. If your PT has given you your full ROM back (0 / +120), then it's gym time to rebuild those atrophied quads, glutes and core. You are not done by a long shot. I thought I was at 9 months and got smacked back down. This thing takes a year...period. There are some lucky ones that get away cheap but that's definitely not the norm.
Stay strong, eat healthy, lose weight, HYDRATE, take your meds, do PT then the gym, do NOT get angry or depressed (useless...the knee doesn't care how you feel), work hard to get your strength and life back. This is not easy...I know it's the most challenging thing I've ever done. Set some realistic short and mid-term goals. Achieve them and move on. Don't concentrate on the pain...focus on the work and your goals. Anyone gives you crap, whack 'em with the cane!!!
"Never give up. Never surrender." - Tim Allen, Galaxy Quest
shari_48634 CHICO_MARX
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CHICO_MARX shari_48634
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shari_48634 CHICO_MARX
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CHICO_MARX shari_48634
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lin73970 CHICO_MARX
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Hi there,
i read one of the best posts on here the other day and it was from your goodself! I wish I had read that before as it was the most honest and informative post, brilliant in fact!
i had both my knees replaced with about 8 months or so between them and being totally honest just wanted to take an overdose and escape my dreadful life! No one tells or warns you just how brutal the whole operation and recovery is going to be, a good year for most people. I used to feel so useless reading how some folk had been walking everyday, doing the shopping and going back to work. I started to think there was something very wrong with me as I can't even walk without a stick!
so now after many gym sessions and getting strong I have ditched the stick, lost 30 pounds using my Fitbit and common sense making me feel new knees are the best! No more crippling pain every time I stand up etc.
thanks to this amazing website and of course the wonderful people who contribute to it I thank God I am alive.
i paticalry wanted to thank you for putting together such an honest post that does not contain scaremongering only good honest help and advice!
the other person among many I haste, to add ,is the old guy, sorry but have forgotten his nickname, but he also had very wise and helpful words.
so I would like to wish every single one of you a very happy Christmas and a massive thank you from the bottom of my heart, makes me believe in mankind again. Love and best wishes to you all XXXX
CHICO_MARX lin73970
Posted
I think the docs don't ever mention what TKR recovery will be like because, if they did, no one would have the op. I have always bounced back immediately from surgery. Example: 2007 double hernia surgery at 6am...8pm I was playing my bass at a blues gig with my band. Yes...on Vicodin but I did the gig. Always been like that for me until this one. Very humbling experience. You must have strength,patience and determination in the face of extreme pain, sleep difficulties and lots of PT/gym work. It's so easy to sit on the pitty-pot and let this op beat you down. You have to suck it up and do the work...no excuses or complaining. Just get it done so that it can be over and you can live a normal life again, The other choice is to walk with a cane for the rest of your life and live in pain. I say no. You are responsible for your own life...meet the challenge, beat the negativity and come out whole on the other end.
The Rolling Stones sing "you can't always get what you want..." and that is so true for TKR patients. We'd love our old life back again...but that's not going to happen. I'll never play hockey again but now I can live a life without pain. Pretty good trade. I know the other knee will need to be replaced but I'm giving myself at least a year or two since there's no real pain right now and I want to be fully recovered from this one.
I love the forum because I can "journal" my experience and hopefully get other people to seethis as a challenge to be overcome and not a dreadful event that will negatively impact them for the rest of their lives. Look at people who have had legs amputated...we are nowhere near that level of pain or life impact. We're damn lucky that there are skilled people and amazing technology that enables us to walk again without pain. For that, I am very thankful.
So, in the end, I just like telling my story so that others don't feel like they're the only ones in our collective situation. We all feel the pain and just have to overcome it. No choice unless you want to sit back and cry for the rest of your life. No excuses...do the work...get whole again...leave the past in the past. Gotta be happy even in the face of this challenge. For me, I want to live in the light, not in the shadow.
shan99257 CHICO_MARX
Posted
You're awesome Chico!
Monkeyof3grands CHICO_MARX
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Chico, I know you're married, but I think I'm in love!!!
Your post are awesome, straight forward and always what we need to hear!!
I could see sitting at a bar and talking to you for hours! About...anything LOL don't worry I'm not a crazy stalker, just admire your style Sir! And love the blues!
Waffalobill shari_48634
Posted
First time my knee was scoped, I went in for 2 week follow up. Still on crutches. Doc said stop using them and go back to work. I couldn't walk it hurt do bad. Barely made it out if his office. 17 years later I had it redone twice. First time was out 6 weeks. Second time 9 weeks. To this day I still wonder if he even paid any attention to what I told him. Or if he knew how early he sent me back to work.
shari_48634 Waffalobill
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No kidding. My family doctor took over. He said surgeon don't or won't confess they screw up....
Waffalobill shari_48634
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They will never admit it. That's a law suit. It's almost impossible to get a doc to say another doc screwed up either.
cc91807 shari_48634
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Do your excercises every day, even check with your doctor and ask what else
You can do. MY THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU
renee38282 shari_48634
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What a jerk he is! Omg. It boggles my mind the way these surgeons provide no aftercare. Now he's sending you to your family doctor who's not a knee specialist. What is he supposed to do? I wish there was somewhere to report these guys to. You have legitimate concerns and he just blows you off! It just makes my blood boil. I got the same runaround with my knee. I left a bad review on the surgeon. Prayers and hugs. I hope you find someone who can help you.
april99094 renee38282
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Waffalobill april99094
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I went to my gp's office 9 times last year. Had to see someone else cause she had no time. At the end of November I got a letter saying I had to come see her or she would not write me any more scripts. That appointment they had no problem getting me right in. She asked why I was there I said I have no clue. Told her about the letter and being there 9 times the last being less than a month ago. Then told her I didn't need to see her. She needed to see me so I was NOT going to pay for it. They waived the fee. Lol
ihavenonickname april99094
Posted
hugs
judith
renee38282 april99094
Posted
Oh my goodness! These doctors are awful. Thank goodness I have a wonderful general practitioner. He saved my life when a "respiratory specialist" blew off the fact a nodule was seen on an x-ray! Said not to worry about it. Well I went to my GP and he took it very seriously. Turns out it was cancer! He saved my life. I had to have a lobe removed and I'm cancer free. It's true there are those who graduated at the bottom of their class! Thanks for the support.
Waffalobill renee38282
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That happened to my sister in law. She had a persistent cough. Wouldn't go away. She had it for years. Had tons of x-rays taken. Finally she went to a different doc. He looked at her x-rays said look. You could see it in the films gradually getting bigger threw the years. Was cancer. Caught it to late. She fought it for about 6 years. It finally won.
renee38282 Waffalobill
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Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that.
ihavenonickname Waffalobill
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