scar ..TKR

marrianne

4 weeks into tkr ,well I have this thing about my scar ,it looks like its been done long before with a rusty stanley knife ,its about 10 inches long veers slightly to one side along my inner knee cap 2inches into the muscle above ,staples were used ,I have stand up washes in the bath ,but only wash the scar very gently useing the hospital hibescrub ......red stuff ,then I pat dry ,I was useing bio oil on it but then thought maybe its to soon ,its not to swollen unless I am on my feet to long ,the thing is it still feels tight the line in the middle is still very pinky red ,it is bruised along the sides of the scar ,Is this all normal to still hurt ,also I couldnt stand the stockings after 4 weeks ,it was the heat and the material touching the scar ,how long before the scar feels like part of me and the numb nerve thing improves ,also this wakeing in the early hours feeling realy uncomfortable, Marrianne

Numptydumpty

I'm sorry Marrianne, I have no experience of this so I can offer no help or advice.
I just wanted to send you these ((((()))))
I hope things improve for you very soon.
Thinking of you, and wishing you well,
Numpty

Suestpeters

Marrianne, Hi
Have you talked to your GP or nursing staff at the practice who may be able to help you with this.
Hope you feel better soon, in the meanwhile, gentle hugs x
Sue

pegleg

I'm 4 weeks too Marrianne and my scar sounds pretty much the same as yours , it's slightly over to the left of my knee cap (looking down onto it) , mine feels very tight and "prickly"and when I first try to bend it it's almost like its stuck down but eases off after a while , I use E45 on mine , as long as its dry and no open parts , its very soothing and not greasy , did try my Daughters Bio oil but found it greasy and not as nice as the E45 . Still wearing my sexy , bottle green stockings and having to inject myself everyday but another 2 weeks and that will be over ! xx

dreamdaisy

My synovectomy scar is about 10.5 inches long and has healed very nicely, but mind you I had it done first in 2002 then opened up again in 03 so it's a good few years old! Like you I didn't like touching it (I still don't) but I gently applied an aloe-rich baby oil for some months after and I think that has helped it heal more neatly. The depth of the scar though is a whole different ball game. Obviously it's going to reach right to the bone and a fair few nerves will have been severed during the surgery.

I was told by first physio that when I felt an itch in the scar to lightly drum my fingers over the itch, this would help to stimulate the nerve re-growth. I still have a 'dead' line either side of it and it took nearly a year for me to get used to skirts and trousers touching it. Initially I put a layer of tubigrip over the scar to give it an extra layer of protection but I cannot remember how long I did that for. Once the nerves have re-grown things will be OK but it takes time, in my case a long time but then I had it all opened up again within sixteen months. I wish you well. DD

marrianne

Hi everyone,thankyou for advise and the hugs from Numpty and Sue ,DD I like the idea of drumming the itch to stimulate nerve growth,last night it did itch a little ,I gave it a very nervous rub ,Peg your right about the bio oil ,I think its something to use further down the line ,so shall try the aloevera and the e45 which is always a good thing ,I might give my stockings another chance on the cooler days and nights as well ..........not bottle green like a flower .......... but navy blue ......think naughty school girl .......NOT ... just frump with blue sausages for legs ,Peg I only had injections for 14 days so I sympathise with you greatly but its absolutely true you cannot tell all those bruises in the tummy do go .so i WILL just have to be braver about the scar it feels exactly as you say like something stuck but once you get going its lots better ,thankyou everyone and hope your having a good day the weather is ok at the moment to so dont feel so bad about big shorts ...Marrianne

Helenbothknees

Five and a half weeks after TKRs, and both my scars are similar to you two, marrianne and peg. I think it must be natural for scars to feel tight. After all, it's scar tissue and doesn't stretch! As I had it explained to me by the doctor before the op, the reason you need to keep exercising little and often is to break up the scar tissue (both on the scar and inside, I think, though I'm not sure precisely). I remember him saying that you have a window of time (wish I'd asked how long) in which to break it up and increase the flexibility of your new knee, and that it would be continuous hard work, and you had to do it no matter how much you felt like stopping. I took him at his word, which is why I tend to overdo things. And yeah, it hurts, and pulls on the scar, but it would, wouldn't it, if you think about it?

But to get back to the scars, so long as they're healed, I get the impression you don't need to worry about them. The doc also told me I'd get lots of different kinds of pains, so I try to ignore the pins and needles, sudden sharp pains, and so on. One thing he did mention, in case you didn't get told - you'll have a permanent numb area, about the size of a 50p piece, on the outside of the knee, just above it. Mine are much larger than that right now, but I'm assuming they'll shrink. They don't really bother me.

Overall, sounds like we all have the same thing going on, so it must be normal.

kathbee

Mine feels the same as you describe Marianne
I am just over 4 weeks as well.

I am finding it prickles and stabs with pain sometimes. Bruised still and it itches (hoping that is because it is getting better each day). Numbness on both sides of scar right on kneecap.
Am keeping it moisturised with E45 and also Bio oil which did wonders for my hip replacement scar.

Was on my feet a lot yesterday and by early evening it looked purple and more swollen, but was not too bad this morning.

Have to go back to ortho clinic on 5th Sept and hopefully if the xray is showing everything in the right place then I think I will feel more easy about it.

Chin up everyone in same boat, presume we will get there and soon. Kath

elainebadknee

Marianne

I havent had TKR yet but will have later this year..
Have had loose bodies removals several years ago and the scar then was about 4inches long with lots of stitches...It always used to turn pink in hot weather, blue in cold weather and still have no feeling in it after 25 years...It also used to feel tight...Back then they didnt do keyhole surgery...
Sounds like others are giving good comparison stories...

Elainex

marrianne wrote:

4 weeks into tkr ,well I have this thing about my scar ,it looks like its been done long before with a rusty stanley knife ,its about 10 inches long veers slightly to one side along my inner knee cap 2inches into the muscle above ,staples were used ,I have stand up washes in the bath ,but only wash the scar very gently useing the hospital hibescrub ......red stuff ,then I pat dry ,I was useing bio oil on it but then thought maybe its to soon ,its not to swollen unless I am on my feet to long ,the thing is it still feels tight the line in the middle is still very pinky red ,it is bruised along the sides of the scar ,Is this all normal to still hurt ,also I couldnt stand the stockings after 4 weeks ,it was the heat and the material touching the scar ,how long before the scar feels like part of me and the numb nerve thing improves ,also this wakeing in the early hours feeling realy uncomfortable, Marrianne

SteveBurns

7 weeks post op and my scar is healing nicely but is still very tender. I did not have staples just one continuous stitch that came out on its own.

What you don't realise is there is a muscle over the knee immediately beneath the skin and that has been cut as well as the outer skin. The muscle has been stitched and it could be that inner scar that causes lots of the pain. There is also soft tissue in there that will be swollen and sore.

It is major surgery and the registrar I saw last week said its just like a fracture. No wonder we feel the pain.

I have trouble bending my knee as the tendon joining the knee cap to the lower leg bone is extremely painful when I try to bend the knee.

It will take time to heal and we are all different.

kathbee

Thanks for the info Steve.

Must admit when I look at the length of the scar and try to imagine how far it was opened to get the new knee parts in, wow,
no wonder there is lots of healing going on especially inside.

Kath

marrianne

Hello to everyone ,and thankyou for reasurance , hope you are all ok ,kath you make a good point ..that knee has to get us around hold us up do so much I think I forget that ,remember at pre assesment Consultant drew the lengh of scar with felt tip ......... then looking back oh I was so stupid to even care because its longer than he said ,but already ignore the trauma bruiseing tight feeling yes the original r/a osteo pain is no more ,we will all be able to do so much with our new knees Marrianne

barbara12

Hi marrianne
Sorry I cant really help, but I do know that scars take a while to settle down.
You are doing really well so try not to worry xx

marrianne

Hi Barbara,thankyou so much for encouraging ,we did the best walk so far ,my friend who has just normal knees could tell first walk together since the operation ,she couldnt believe how upright I was ,something i hadnt noticed before ,my low back pain has gone to ,ok it was only 10 minutes each way on the flat no crutches but I think I shall sleep tonight ,hope you and everyone oh and the new knees of course are having a good day today ,especialy Julia at the moment because its been harder for her this week ,thinking about you Julia and I feel sure you will be feeling better soon Marrianne

SteveBurns

I've looked at the TKR op on YouTube and it is very revealing.

Not for the squeamish but if you think you can cope have a look.

Kathbee has it right when imagining how large your cut needs to be to get everything in.

stickywicket

Scars heal bit by bit in their own time and some bits heal quicker than other bits. Where they cut your nerves does stay numb for some time - years in fact - but either it regains feeling or you become less aware of it over time. The scar will stay red for a long time but gradually fade to white.

Helenbothknees

Steve, thank you; I'll take a look. I wanted to watch my own op but couldn't as they had a screen up, so I had to make do with a running commentary.

I was told by the consultant that there would would be a numb bit on the outside of the knee for ever!

SteveBurns

Helen I have a numb patch on the outside, they just say it will take time

Helenbothknees

I have a numb patch on the outside, they just say it will take time

I have too, so we'll eventually find out who's right. I'm really not bothered; I have a permanent numb patch on my shin from a fall some years ago anyway, and it's never worried me.

I watched the U tube op...fascinating. One thing I wasn't certain of - do they just use cement for the new joint, or is there some kind of screw or similar as well? My engineer partner said he wouldn't trust any kind of cement/glue to hold for years. Just wondering....

loovechocolate

Wow we have all had the same thing but done so different, I didn’t have to wear surgical stocking at all, not even in hospital, my legs were in pumps, at night but I had to inject for 10 weeks, some had staples some long stitch, but we all end up at the same place eventually. After 16 weeks now my scar is very pale pink I use E45, what I find strange is some days I forget about it as it doesn’t hurt and some days it irritates me to death so I tuck my skirt in my knickers – not a good look. I have a numb patch on the right side which tingles some days

marrianne

Loovechocolate,Sounds about right ,we all seem to get there in the end ,we should have a club for new knees old and new .........I love showing my scar now seriously though I think I am at the point of feeling so much better and I now have to help a friend through it ,I want to be completely honest but dont want to put her off .Marrianne

Helenbothknees

I know what you mean, marrianne. I did just that this morning. A lady who also volunteers at the animal rescue centre where I help out has been told she needs a TKR and is terrified. One of the staff told her to call me (with my permission), and she called this morning just as I was trying to get a late breakfast together. I was completely honest as generally I feel good about the whole thing, so I hope I didn't put her off. Anyway, I told her to call again any time she likes, and I wish I'd had someone I could have done that with.

kathbee

Loovechocolate
Tucking your skirt in your knickers gave me a good laugh.

Steve
I just could not watch the You Tube video, TMI, even after the event.

Been on my usual Sunday afternoon Marks and Sparks visit to meet with a friend for coffee - havent been for 6 weeks due to the TKR and oh I did feel tired, saw another friend just as I was going to meet my hubby to pick me up and she told me I looked tired and not well - Thanks :roll:
And to be honest lifting my leg to get in the car was a bit much but at least I went out and felt a bit normal again.

Kath

marrianne

Het pretty tireei Choc,Steve Helen Kath ,Sounds like you are all doing very well in deed ,had a walk again today mostly unaided one crutch at ready , possibly a mile it was very humid wax mac over shorts biker boots , a real sight but I dont care so much these days guess we all still get pretty tired after but its worth it ,Have any off you heard how Julia is getting on she was struggling a fair bit last week I dont think you has posted since .Marrianne

Helenbothknees

Kath,
I found from the start that getting out to feel normal was incredibly important to me, even if it made me tired. Obviously you shouldn't go mad, but I'm convinced it really helps me a lot. I went out with my partner to meet some friends for lunch, a regular thing we do once a month - but I missed last month as it was so soon after the op. It's a big group and crowds wear me out anyway and I was absolutely exhausted after a few hours. But who cares; I came home, rested, exercised, went for a short walk, and feel OK again now. I reckon getting tired is OK; you can recover - though I wish my energy would come back a little faster than it is. And marrianne, a mile is a looonngggg way; I don't think I can walk that far yet; well done!

kathbee

Think in the main we are all doing well.

Marianne
Thats a very long walk, hope you arent too bad this morning.

Helen
I do agree about the tiredness how its sometimes worth it to meet up with friends and let them see how you are doing. As you say allow for some rest time and feel ready to get up and go again.

Everyone,
hope its not too bad a Monday for you
Up here in Yorkshire the weather is awful, dull, dull, dull.
Kath