June/JulyAugust 2012 TKRs

Helenbothknees

Oh, Marrianne, forgot to say.... My physio showed me a great exercise for learning to come downstairs. You stand on the bottom step, hold on to something, and bring the good leg down as far as you can, even if it's only an inch or two, whatever the bad leg will stand. Do that ten times (or whatever) three times a day (or whatever). I found after a couple of days of practising that I could manage to go downstairs without crutches, though one leg is far better than the other. But my two legs have always been different. Weird, isn't it, when I exercise them both the same etc. It's a good example of how every leg, and every person, responds differently.

marrianne

Hi Helen that is the problem with the codeine ,its a good pain duller but the constipation is very bad in hospital in april way before tkr .... they gave me Lactulose every day and a big bottle to take home ,I need it only now and again ,I am on leflunomide for R/A .... and that can give you the runs so I think I have got some sort of balance ,I guess you will go in the end but its not much comfort ,are you on iron tabets to ? they always make me constipated like rabbit droppings awful , but keep up the water I know you have downstairs toilet so maybe not so bad its all this up and down in and around the house is getting us better and thanks for the stairs tip Helen because that really is one of my major problems especialy out and about ,I will give the exercises a try ,also its good to have a change as well might start with 5 then increase it hope you are enjoying the sunshine to Marrianne

Helenbothknees

I took codeine for ages before the op and had no problems at all. But these things can sometimes start after a long time, and I think it's that. Anyway, I just cut the last two doses in half and so far the knees don't hurt any more than they did, only the outside of my leg at the back, where I think I've pulled a muscle or something. I figure that doesn't matter too much so I'm just rubbing in comfrey oil and putting up with it. Marrianne, the physio told me going downstairs is what everyone finds hardest after a TKR, so it's not just you. I think that's how I pulled the muscles actually, probably doing it slightly oddly or something; I can walk downstairs normally now but I probably did the damage first. But that sort of thing should heal, I hope! Yes, starting the exercises with five repetitions is good; whatever you can do without putting yourself off completely; that works for me.

Yes, the sunshine is great, isn't it. I even cut the last of the rhubarb - stewed rhubarb and yoghurt for dessert tonight!

marrianne

Helen Stewed Rhubarb ,should do the trick ,delicious to . but never say prunes and custard .I cannot bear prunes ,probably haveing salad but thats because the house is still upside down ,oh what about a good curry that works very well , Marrianne

Helenbothknees

Thanks, Marrianne, tried all them but my bowels didn't seem to even notice. Let's see if the reduced codeine sorts things out.....

marrianne

Hi Helen tea and toast ..brown bread .. first thing fingers and toes crossed for you have a good day ,wish my cat was constipated she had a little poo on the stairs this morning o/h stood on it she is getting on a bit ,shorter walk today both knees very warm and tingly hope everyone else is fine and Steve who fell of the rowing machine .Marrianne

elnafinn

Eating pears regularly may well sort your system out

Helenbothknees

Big change today - started driving! My consultant said after six weeks was OK, and the six weeks was up on Sunday. No problem at all, but I wouldn't like to try a long drive yet, as I still need to stretch my legs quite often. But local stuff is fine, and means my partner, whose health isn't good, doesn't need to ferry me to physio, chair yoga class, etc etc etc. Hurray!!!!!

Helenbothknees

Today's update....

Every year, my old (as in longstanding) friend Ruth and I meet on both our birthdays for lunch. We do it halfway between where we both live, which involves a drive for both of us of about an hour and a half. We'd put it off for a couple of weeks this time as Ruth was working (she's an English/Japanese interpreter, and has been translating for a Japanese TV company at the Olympics!) and I wasn't up to the long drive, even as a passenger. But we finally met today. David drove, as I don't think I could manage that long a drive yet. Then after lunch we went for a walk. I enjoyed it so much - lovely sunny day, good company - that I went much further than I intended, and further than ever before since the op...well, you know what I'm like! When we got back I was aching, tired, and a bit worried about how I'd feel later....

Well, we drove back, and I feel fine! And that's on half doses of codeine all day; I cut them back because of the constipation, and that worked. My knees aren't swollen, my leg muscles ache a bit but that's only the muscles so it's OK, and I don't feel tired. So I hope this means I can start doing more!

However, tomorrow I have the physio gym, so I just hope I don't wake up unable to move. I don't think I will, but who knows? Anyway, right now I'm feeling good. A nice day....

Love to all June-August new knees, and I have read all your today's posts elsewhere, but don't have time to reply to any more. And, Marrianne and Kath, I'm not brave. I just wanted to get all this over at once!

pegleg

Wow ! well done ,I'm sure you will be fine , I went for a long walk last Sat with my partner and dogs , my first ever walk (I did use both crutches though) and apart from my muscles having a twinge I was fine , I think you have done fantastically well , I honestly don't know how you've done it but your positive attitude is the right one , after all the whole idea of the op is to improve the quality of our lives , I struggle at times to believe my knee will ever be able to bend more and its still a way off being straight , but I think I'm now over the "dark days" and looking forward to being "normal" again xx

Helenbothknees

peg, I used two sticks, just to take some weight off my legs. However, I've given up the elbow crutches, and I'm just using ordinary walking sticks - so much easier to manage and less hassle to put down in restaurants etc. I don't bother for short walks, but I did today.

I'm sure your knee will bend and straighten more in time. I keep being told it's still very early days, and that you can't really do a lot of exercising until after the first few weeks. So you have time. Don't compare yourself with others; I think I've been very lucky, and/or it was because I was so flexible before the op. I didn't need new knees because of lack of movement, just because I was in such extreme pain all the time.

We will both (all) be normal again soon - and better than normal! 'Normal' for me has been pain for so long that it's hard to believe there could be life without it, but I can now see it, even though it's still in the distance.....

Helenbothknees

Physio this morning...

My left knee was a bit swollen after walking so far yesterday, but I told her the whole story and she was fine, just said not to make a habit of it. She was also OK about my using an ordinary stick instead of the horrible elbow crutches. Other than that she loved my bendy knees (almost right back to 'normal' bend), and asked if there was anything I wanted to know. Great!!! I had a list of questions....

Firstly, kneeling... Having had both knees done, I can't get on to the ground, or even easily have a bath, without kneeling. And I'm a keen gardener, and I want to get back to yoga. She asked the senior physio, who said it was fine to try kneeling on a soft surface, or on one knee as an intermediate step to getting on the floor, but be careful and stop if it hurts. She said if I wanted to do gardening, get a soft kneeling pad. OK to go back to yoga, but again, kneel on something soft and listen to my body. We did some kneeling exercises to see how it was, and it went fine, which is great!

Next, is there really a ban on breaststroke leg action (one for you, Steve)? The senior physio said no, it's OK to do it a bit, but alternate with other strokes. Also, the up and down motion of crawl is actually good for new knees, whereas breaststroke legs is just...not actually harmful if you don't do it too much. Again, she emphasised listening to your body. I can do that; I've done yoga for over 20 years, and that's what yoga is all about. So nice to meet someone who speaks my language.

I asked if there was anything else I shouldn't be doing, and they said no, but just to take it steadily, as I am anyway - at least, I try to.

Next session next week. But all seems to be going well. I feel like I've been incredibly lucky with this whole thing, maybe especially having nice, sane, understanding physios.

Helenbothknees

Decided to resurrect this thread with an update....

I've been doing a lot this week - longish walk on Monday, right round the village where we have an all-village car boot sale (the pub where I'd planned a break was closed), then to supermarket in afternoon. Another long walk on Tuesday, then to Ashbourne Animal Welfare yesterday, where I was up and down cuddling cats. On top of that I've kind of upped the strength type exercises in my exercise programme, doing the stuff I was given at the hospital, plus extra ones given to me by the physio, plus any other exercises I thought of, plus using the flimsy little mini-exercise bike I bought for £9.99 (and you get what you pay for!), and going up and down stairs without holding on, lots!

I realised today my legs really, really ached, all the time. Not my knees, which still hurt, but gradually getting better, but all my leg muscles. I thought maybe I was overdoing it, and not giving myself time for recuperation. Anyway, I asked the physio today, and she figured that was probably the case. So I'm going to ease off a bit and take rests for a day or two, but still do the knee bending stuff regularly. Gym users and cyclists, take note, maybe!

The physio gym work today was a bit too easy and I wondered why I was wasting my time! BUT...they had a really nice mini exercise bike, much heavier duty than mine, and with friction which works! I don't want a full size exercise bike; they're huge and heavy and take up a whole room. Neither do I want to take up cycling; I haven't used a bike since I was a kid and I'd probably fall off. So I looked on Amazon when I got home, and sure enough, these mini-bikes are available. So I ordered one which sounds good and looks like it should work, and my engineer partner agreed. I seem to be able to exercise best sitting on the bed stroking a cat at the same time, and I reckon I can do that with this bike.

I have to see the consultant next Tuesday (8 weeks after op), so another update then. Meanwhile, and more exciting...we're about to book a holiday - for November, to Madeira!

Best wishes to all new knees, waiting new knees, and everyone else.

Helen x

loovechocolate

I got my mini cycle from Amazon cost £30 you can adjust the pressure needed to rotate, good luck when it arrives.

SteveBurns

Yesterday my Physio discharged me, she noted what I was doing in the gym and said that was more that the physio sessions could give me and to carry with the gym but the treadmill was a little too soon, so I will lay off that for a while.

I thanked her for all the pain and suffering she had given me and she said it was her pleasure I did really thank her for all she has done for me.

I still can't get the leg all around on the pedals but I will continue swinging just backwards and forwards trying to improve.

I still suffer quite a lot of pain from the tendon just below the knee, my bend is still poor, just about 110 degrees.

I was in pain in bed last night because I really tried to stretch at physio, I always suffer after being there.

There were new members of the new TKR club yesterday, 2 weeks post op and were walking much better than me and with very little pain.

Still as we all know we are all so very different

Good to hear most of you are improving

Helenbothknees

Sounds good, Steve. I've eased off on the exercising today and I feel much better. I'll get the balance right by the time my knee is completely recovered, I expect. I have physio next week, but then there's a break for at least a couple of weeks as she's not there. I don't care too much as about all she does for me is answer questions and tell me I'm doing OK. This is useful, but really not that necessary.

loovechocolate, it sounds like your mini-bike is the same as the one I ordered from Amazon - £31+. I'll look forward to it arriving...

And my real bit of excitement for the day - we just booked a week's holiday in Madeira for November! I feel like I so, so need a break!!!

loovechocolate

yaaaa a holiday that's what life is all about normality, get your mind on that and the rest will take care of it's self

Helenbothknees

Ah, loovechocolate, you and I think alike! I've been excited since I got on the holiday websites and started researching. When I found a cheap deal at a gorgeous 4-star hotel overlooking the bay and Funchal I was ecstatic. By the time I'd booked it this morning I'd forgotten there was any such thing as aching knees, and completely omitted to take one lot of painkillers. Well, who needs codeine when you can have holidays?

loovechocolate

Helenbothknees wrote:

Ah, loovechocolate, you and I think alike! I've been excited since I got on the holiday websites and started researching. When I found a cheap deal at a gorgeous 4-star hotel overlooking the bay and Funchal I was ecstatic. By the time I'd booked it this morning I'd forgotten there was any such thing as aching knees, and completely omitted to take one lot of painkillers. Well, who needs codeine when you can have holidays?

I want to see photographic evidence of you in the basket going down the hill

elainebadknee

Helen

Oh your bit about being bunged up reminded me of my dad who slipped a disc when i was little. He was in plaster from his chest to tummy for six months and bedbound and he got constipated...Anyhow, my gran was coming every day with a diferent method, medcine, fruit, prunes cod liver oil, etc and it didnt work for a week...Then he said it worked all at once and when he went he actually passed out on the loo with the pain of it all!! He was as weak as a kitten too but I found it funny, it may make someone laugh...

Elainex

JuliaHod12

well Helen, on the subject of constipation (caused by co-codamol in my case)
I tried a well advertised brand of over the counter medicine (duclo**x) ......... which claims to have you restored to normal function overnight.......... well, all i will say is that i had to spend almost 48hrs right beside the bathroom and felt most unwell for the best part of a whole week...........needless to say i shall not be taking said medicine again!

Helenbothknees

I'm cured, folks! Julia, I tried the same "well advertised brand...". It worked for me, sort of....you don't want the details. But what seems to have worked far better is cutting down the amount of codeine I'm taking. so I have a little more pain - which in my case probably isn't too bad a thing as it stops me overdoing things, and I don't need laxatives or anti-nausea tablets.

Other than that, all going fairly well. I even took my cat to a Cat Show yesterday - long day with 5 am rising for 6.45 setting off, carrying bags and cats, up and down looking at stalls and cats and results board all day. My partner carried Xena (our gorgeous Maine Coon cat) and most of the bags, but still, as I said, long day. I expected to pay for it today, but I feel just fine....well, no more tired than usual after a cat show. And actually I had less trouble with my knees than at cat shows before the op! Normality beckons!

Helenbothknees

Just a quick note to say my mini exercise bike arrived today. It looks good, and I had a little go, but not for long as my legs ached from too much walking round the shops and the cat rescue centre this morning. I'll let you all know....

Oh, and my 8 week appointment with the consultant is tomorrow morning. Is this for him to see how I'm doing or for me to ask him questions, or both? Anyone know?

JuliaHod12

good luck with the mini exercise bike Helen........my mother in law has given me one she had bought some time ago for my late father in law. I will check it out with my physio at tomorrow's 6wk appointment before i use it.
I've got my 6wk appointment with my consultant this thursday, which i am assuming is a progress check, and i gather if he is happy i have a follow up in a few months and then that is it unless i have problems!

I am guessing your 8wk appointment will be along similar lines?

I've also got my first mammogram appointment tomorrow afternoon............somehow seems a little odd not going to a hospital for it, but a mobile unit parked behind the local leisure centre! :roll:

Helenbothknees

Julia, I've had a mammogram in one of those mobile units before; it definitely does feel strange. Interestingly, I was due to have a mammogram around now too. I phoned them up and said could we put it off for a couple of months as I didn't feel able to cope with any more hospital/health appointments, and explained why. They were very understanding and said to give them a call when I felt up to it. So I'll give them a call in October or thereabouts.