WEEK 15 TKR

loovechocolate

Well it's 15 on Friday and I am now beginning to feel ok, still a little tired and the knee and ankle swells but for the first time since April 27th I can say I'm glad I had it done.
So anyone who is in the early stages and feels like I did - wishes they'd not had it done and why is everyone doing better than me, it's true what my consultants told me -
We are all different some are hares and some are tortoise’s, well I’m a tortoise knee is bending nicely now and I’m sleeping through the night, I can climb the stairs correctly, still rest lots and I know I’ve a long way to go but it's all good
Hope this helps someone feel better if you are in early stages and feel down

mig

Well done,keep up the good work.mig

pegleg

Soooo glad to read this ! , I'm 3 weeks in (TKR) and was wondering why an earth I had wanted it done so much ! . Not really in pain and the bending going well but can't get it straight so still having to use crutches to walk , lots of ache's in my thigh muscle from exercising (and I thought I was quite fit !), still lots of swelling and no sleep , so THANK YOU so much and I'm really glad you are doing so well xx

dreamdaisy

Well done to you loovechocolate, you are getting there surely albeit slowly. Mnay factors affect the rate of healing - one's personal fitness before and constitution after for starters - then factor in any meds you may be taking well, they can ihibit healing too. I was bitten about a month ago by a little bug and I still have an open wound thanks to the sulph etc. :roll: Keep up with the exercises, the resting, the hydration etc etc etc and things will continue to come together. Sometimes when we are in the middle of it all we can't see the pogress we're making but it's there and you're doing OK. Take care and keep in touch. DD

loovechocolate

pegleg wrote:

Soooo glad to read this ! , I'm 3 weeks in (TKR) and was wondering why an earth I had wanted it done so much ! . Not really in pain and the bending going well but can't get it straight so still having to use crutches to walk , lots of ache's in my thigh muscle from exercising (and I thought I was quite fit !), still lots of swelling and no sleep , so THANK YOU so much and I'm really glad you are doing so well xx

Your welcome, I was so down because every time I saw someone or read something everyone was doing better than me, had a greater bend was walking, driving, straight leg almost everything the physio didn’t help my confidence much either kept banging on about manipulation. My consultant has been great saw him at 6 weeks and he told me don’t worry and stop measuring yourself against others, he said he’d prefer all his patients to be tortoise’s slow but sure then told me a story about a man who went walking fell and put his recovery back 9 months, saw him again at 12 weeks and he was delighted with my progress and as he knew I was frightened he is seeing me again at 16 weeks and this time I know he will see a smiling face. Everything has been slow with me didn’t drive until week 9 but as an advanced driver I knew 6 weeks was far too early to be safe, didn’t lose the crutches too early even now I went to Ikea last week knew it would be a long walk so took 1 crutch with me, had a lovely time shopping, stopped for coffee and cake.
Keep your chin up and smile, best thing I ever did and I’m sure in another 15 weeks it will be even better, finally realised this is a long game

pegleg

Going to the physio Tomorrow so will get a bit more idea as to how I'm doing , yes I know what you mean about reading how other people are doing , I'm in no rush to drive, my partner is more than willing to run me around, there is no way I could drive at the moment ! . I'm just worried about it going straight really but its getting there slowly , it wasn't straight for the last few months before the op so I knew it would be a battle . Seeing my surgeon in late Sept, so hopefully by then I will be almost there with walking ect . Like I said so glad you posted, I know its a long haul recovery and I'm just going to carry on with my little and often approach xx

stickywicket

loovechocolate and pegleg it sounds as if you're both doing great and what a lovely consultant, loovechocolate! So encouraging.

Helenbothknees

loovechocolate,

Thank you so much. It's so helpful to read how things are going for someone a bit further on as it were.

barbara12

Its very kind of you to share this with the forum, there must be so many either waiting to have there TKR..or post op, and am so glad you are at the stage were you can now look back and see how much further you have come on.
You carry on improving xx

SteveBurns

I had a one to one with the Physio this afternoon and she wants my bend to improve quickly in spite of my pain. I have gained 5 degrees in a week 90 to 95. I told her I would rather have .5 a week and less pain than lots of pain and I can't do anything

I attend the "new TKR group" tomorrow and if I can get 100 degrees I will be promoted to the next level and that includes cycling.

Well done lovechocolate both for the improvement and letting us all know .

knuckleduster

Keep up the good work. When I had my hip replacement I thought I was never going to get there and it's easy to get frustrated. My consultant told me it takes a year and he was right. But then I only know about hips and perhaps knees are different in their healing.

Best wishes for a successful recovery.

Janet x

loovechocolate

SteveBurns wrote:

I had a one to one with the Physio this afternoon and she wants my bend to improve quickly in spite of my pain. I have gained 5 degrees in a week 90 to 95. I told her I would rather have .5 a week and less pain than lots of pain and I can't do anything

I attend the "new TKR group" tomorrow and if I can get 100 degrees I will be promoted to the next level and that includes cycling.

Well done lovechocolate both for the improvement and letting us all know .

I changed physio’s 3 weeks ago - In the pool he bent my knee so far I screamed and couldn’t walk for 4 days, when I told my consultant he was not amused, quote “ I do manipulation not the physio there job is to assist you and show you how to do xyz not get brownie points for speed healing, I will be having a word “ ooops re the bike my consultant said to do some swimming and static cycling set the seat high build those muscles you don’t need 100 to cycle, we are all different personally I feel I’ve progressed better since I stopped being part of the one size fits all healing circle, but that’s just me