how do they help?
well, i can only echo what everybody else has said. i think it is par for the course. sadly. and frustratingly.
a week ago i was just in agony, totally out of the blue, with both knees and was icing and massaging them at 4 o'clock in the morning. by the time i got to my therapist in the afternoon, i was in tears and could hardly walk. she told me it was the full moon! imagine! but she waved her magic wand and the pain was gone. so i have to believe what she said ;-)
i also felt the bad weather coming, i.e the damp. this week they are predicting snow (groan!!) so i can imagine that this will be reflected in my knee as well.
jean, my gut feel tells me there will be many more ups and downs for all of us. remember what your surgeon said, it takes 12 months. which is FOR-EV-URRRRR i know. so please don't worry, your knee is fine. just all the other bits trying to heal and get back into shape.
my right kneecap makes crunching/popping sunds, swollen, bruised and hurts to bear weight and hurts to bend or move
Have you had the op?
no
yes jean ,i have been there twice , this is a hard op to get over ,really tough , ive done it twice and at 13 weeks post op on knee two i have just gone back to work , and for all you others who may need a second knee done its much quicker as you know the best way to do things that you had problems with the first time round . today ive had a real yough day with work ,i work in a school kitchen which feeds 1700 people , but today we have had a rememberance lunch with an extra 100 , ive not been offered any rehab at all , but although its been hard , im still glad i had the other one done and i can focus on life again , may even have a well earned drink if i keep my eyes open long enough lol ,
Hi debbie
thats a really hard job that you do.
i suppose at this stage we all say never again ...but you are right about knowing how to deal with it the second time around.
you enjoy your well deserved drink
and look after yourself
jean
........hello peeps,
sorry to butt in on your thread,
My name is Davie, I'm from Glasgow,
but I have went thru the TKR just over 3 weeks ago,
and I'm struggling to handle it all,
I have/am going thru everything thats been said on the thread,
the knee is still numb in places, but my thigh and calf areas
are unbelievable painfull,
I'm waking with crutches and doing the excersizes they told me to,
I have also bought an excersise bike to help,
but can't use it yet as I can only bend ny knee about 90 deg,
It's still leaking a little,but not too bad now.
apart from the obvious pain and discomfort and not sleeping,
it's the fealng of hopelessness that I am struggling with.
I have been active most of my life, 40 years now,
never been of sick in all that time, now I.m off sick for at least 8 weeks.
I have now been informed by my employers that I'm being made redundant,
but that is another problem.
thanx for listening!
Davie.
Davie....prepare yourself for a few more weeks of this. The ups and downs are an incredible swing that you have to know its the burden of having to deal with the beast you are trying to tame. Slow, steady is the name of the game. No shortcuts or quick fixes. Pain meds, excercise and icing in that order. Don't beat up on yourself as that just slows the process. Be kind to yourself, rest when tired, eat healthy. The mental phase is important to the physical healing. Don't despair, you'll be back up and going in a few months. You have been through a very traumatic experience that those around you, even the therapists haven't been through. Don't let anyone try to bully you into going faster than your body allows.
hi davie ... oldfatguy says it all. he is a veteran of what you are going through so listen to him carefully ;-) i had my TKR 9.1 weeks ago and have only just really turned the emotional/mental corner last saturday. i woke up and decided that i wasn't walking with crutches anymore and that i wanted my old life back. so you see, it takes time and lots and lots of patience.
having said that, a 90 degree bend after 3 weeks is good. i am stuck at 90 after 9 weeks and so they are talking of having to bend it under anesthetic in a couple of weeks. so keep at it, just like oldfatguy said, with the whole routine. i know you cannot see the end of it and the feeling of being so "handicapped" even for the smallest thing grinds you down but right now you need to fully focus on your knee and working on getting back into shape. believe me, we have all shed tears of anger, frustration and sheer desperation on here! BUT ... you can believe all of us, it does get better. every day a little bit.
in switzerland your employer could not make you redundant while you are on sick leave. are you sure that is legal in the uk? i would definitely go and find out. can't you go to the citizens advice bureau? of course that totally sucks and will add to your burden. but as you said, that is another problem and as long as your knee is not up and running, this has to take second priority.
keep reading / posting on here, there are loads of people happy to share their experience. don't despair! you will get there.
Hi Davie
what you're going through is all part of the healing process I had my TKR NEARLY 10 weeks ago and still struggling at times ...but I can assure you it get setter as time goes on.
sorry to hear about you being made redundant ...
Keep in touch and everyone on here will offer support
I've found this site invaluable from friends going through the same thing
take care
Jean
Davie, you are doing well with 90 deg bend! I am at 84 and really trying for that elusive 90! 6 weeks + 5.
Keep notes and you will be surprised at your achievements.
Carol
David. Don't despair. You have undergone major traumatic surgery and it isn't only the body that has to heal. Emotionally you have also taken a beating. I'm nearly 6 weeks post op but in the early weeks I felt terribly depressed and spent much time in tears. What helped me considerably was this site and reading about others experiences. I realise now that everything I have experienced is the same for everyone. No there is no quick fix. Just look after yourself and you will find you will gradually improve. So sorry to hear about redundancy. Do hope things will turn out ok.
Keep your chin up. Patricia
hi Davie .. hang on in there.... I am 9 weeks after op... I am only starting to feel a bit better.. pain still bad after sitting or getting up in morning... keep taking painkillers regularly.... don't wait till pain is bad... as much exercise as your knee allows...rest leg up and ice....i think i listened too much to doctors physios saying .... you should be doing this or stop using crutches etc.... you know your own body.... i am still using one crutch when i go outside and indoors if i need to... i also got an exercise bike only use it 5 minutes at a time when I'm feeling up to it... I also got a balance ball.... not that expensive great for posture and strengthening leg muscles.... I am from your neck of the woods...Inverkip.... take care
Hi Mary
you are so right ,..listen to your own body ....we all heal at a different pace
I'm 10 weelk post op and not managing to do half of what the doctors and Physio expect
today I thought ...think positive .... So I went and had my hair done ...then did some food shopping ...all in all I was out for 3 hours
did it make me feel great .....NO..... I'm now sat with ice pack on my knee ...trying to get rid of this horrible pain
Silly me ....I over did it
Jean I know what you mean.... I did that a week ago.. desperate to get out... paid for it next day soo.. This week my friend organised a wheelchair through shop mobility... she knew I was getting down I was a bit embarrassed at first.... but I got to visit every shop in the mall.... go for a meal and pain free next day.... won't make it a regular thing but... good to know it's an option rather than feeling trapped in house......
What a good idea
we have a mobility scooter hire in our local shopping centre and I keep thinking I'll give it a try round the mall ....I haven't plucked up the courage yet but maybe one day
you take care
Jean
I am too scared to do the scooter hire.... .. I think I would cause structural and physical damage .!!
wheelchair was enough for now!... but you do need a VERY good friend to push you around. :-D
I go on my own so sadly no one to push me around
anyway as long as you enjoyed it that's what counts
I am sure there are self propelling ones.... check out if your shopping centre has shop mobility scheme.... There is lots of help available from them... good luck. x