Wayhay!!!!!

Eileen, I'm SO sorry to hear you're going through such a rough time with it!  BUT it's very good that you've got decent painkillers.  YES, you HAVE got to control the pain because it's making everything hard for you and not sleeping too gets you down!  I wouldn't worry too much about tramadol being addictive for a limited period - it's usually when people are left on these sorts of tablets for too long that it becomes a problem, but shorter term you should be fine.   I hope the tablets work and you can get some good nights' sleep and then think about exercise.  I can understand how frustrated you must be - wanting to achieve progress but at the same time feeling down with the pain and tiredness, but this is something that will pass.  It's the chapter of a book that you'll get through and will look back on it and you'll be in a much better place with it all then.  But in the meantime, I am thinking of you.  Please look after yourself and try not to worry about the bend too much or the tablets being addictive.  You WILL be OK.  Take it all day by day, but look back on it week by week:-)

I've been reading through some of your replies to others Eileen, you really are going through it!

Don't worry about the Tramadol, in the short term it is a very good painkiller & your GP will not let you stay on it too long. You will find yourself naturally coming off them as you get stronger & don't need them. You will get to the point where you realise you haven't needed them.

Once the pain is under control you will find yourself more able to do the exercises to get your rom. Don't worry that you haven't been able to do much yet, this isn't a race & you don't have to get the magical figures before a certain time. You need to have the bend & flex to walk without a 'peg leg', to be able to walk up & down stairs. You don't need to get your heel to your bottom. Be realistic in your goals.

You'll get there. We all will!

We are all here when you need us.

Take care.

Marilyn

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Thanks Jen.  I feel I can relax even more now and just do the slide thing when I think about it as I'm watching tv in the evenings without it being on my mind so much, although really this is what I've been doing for a week or so now.  But I'm not suggesting this would work for everyone - I think we all need to find what works for us, whether it's icing (but not before those bend exercises!  AFTER those!) or heat (before the bend exercises) or pushing it, or relaxing about it.  But lots of rest and elevation - that's for sure.  And cake!  Cake is very good to help with the bend!:-))))

Maybe it was all that cake that did it Marilyn LOL!.  I was thinking of you last night - how did your appointment with the oncologist go?

I had THREE pieces of cake and then a pizza on Monday and now have decided I've got to stop telling myself 'you deserve it' because I don't want them to say I'm overweight  so can't have the other knee done LOL!  So it's back to the really healthy eating now.  Well - mostly LOL!

I think because we haven't got stairs it's a slight disadvantage with building up the strength you usually have for stairs.  Although we were wondering last night if this is why I've not had as much trouble as some - so it might be swings and roundabouts.   Once the other knee is done I know I can start very slight squats and then improve on those with cans of food and so on, but it's so limiting the other knee being so bad!  I guess the physio when I see him to get signed off on Tuesday week might be able to suggest something too.  I'll have a look on you tube though - hadn't thought of that.  Thank you!

Hi Chris, yes good as cake is, I'm a little concerned what my weight is going to be tomorrow when I'm weighed for the Oncology appt! Still, I'm ready with my excuse that I now have extra weight in the form of a metal knee!! Do you think they'll wear it?? Lol !

I find I'm limping more & more on the other leg now. That knee is really painful! I don't know if was less painful before & now worse. Or if it was always this painful, just that the other one more so!!?? I do remember the operated knee was sooo bad, I can't describe the pain, this one is different pain? Does that make sense? I have less bend & flex in this one too , so a bit concerned how it will go when it is finally 'fixed'!

Oh well, mustn't grumble eh.

Perhaps you're right about your lack of stairs making a difference. Just enjoy the fact that you have achieved the rom you have. I gotta hand it to you, you've done well.

Take care

Marilyn

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Ah I thought you'd already been for the appointmentn Marilyn - sorry - I got the dates wrong.  I hope it goes well - let us know, will you?  I hope they won't be wearing your knee LOL!  But I'm certainly more 'weight aware' now because they'll be complaining when I go back to get signed off if I've gained a load of weight LOL!

I can only say, do what I'm doing and when I sit on the recliner and do the bend with the operated knee I also do it with the other one, just to maintain the best bend I can keep.  I sit with both knees up and arms round thighs, and let the knees have a competition with each other to see which can get the best bend - the unoperated one is winning at the moment, but not by a lot LOL!    I've gone back on the recumbent and treadmill (VERY VERY SLOWLY!) because I need to keep that muscle strength and flexibility in that other knee, but while mine's no worse, it's definitely holding me backwith speed of walking and pain has increased on that unoperated knee now I'm on the treadmill, even for that minute bit.  But it's only the same as it was before the other one was operated on.

Oh I know - I've been absolutely the extreme end of 'no problem' with this op and I think a lot of it is due to luck really.  My attitude was very positive going into it and maybe the hypermobility made it easier, and maybe the lack of stairs, and maybe the help from husband but even the second day in hospital was pain free, so maybe the stuff they put in with the  spinal worked miracles!  I'll be VERY pleased if the second one goes nearly as well!  So, to be honest, I can't take the credit for how well it's gone.  It just did.  Hopefully this might encourage others who are about to have this op too, because while we see lots of reports of awful pain on here, there is the other extreme of no pain and most post op days being one of little milestones that make you feel good!  But you'll see I've posted this morning about the 'takeover' of my knee in the night LOL!

Do take care and let us know how it goes at the hospital:-)

Hi Chris sorry I didn't reply sooner but I got no alerts, then just like buses, loads arrived in my inbox!! I think I have over 70 now!!

Yes the appt on Thursday was fine, bloods all ok & he couldn't feel anything in the neck so not back there for another 6 months! Yay!!

When I was doing squats this morning I felt something twang, not sure if that's the right word, just like something snapped! No pain, bend still ok, don't know what it was?? But maybe it was an internal adhesion or something as it feels kind of free-er. Not sure if any of this makes sense. I'm going on the assumption no pain, therefore no problem!!

Have a good weekend in the sun. We're going to our son's tonight for a BBQ.

Oh yeah life is good!

Marilyn

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No worries Marilyn - I'm glad all was well:-))))

Not sure what to think about the 'twang' but it does sound as though it could be scar tissue releasing?  If nothing hurts and it still feels stable, then hopefully it's absolutely fine:-)))))

Enjoy the barbeque!:-))))  Yes!  Life IS good:-)))))