Hello

Batholith

Hi
Just registered, thought I would say hello.

Injury induced arthritis in left knee from ruptured ACL 20 years ago, so had a TKR (MatOrtho MRK) last Saturday.

Cheers

[Deleted User]

Welcome to Arthritis Care Forums Batholith from the moderation team

As mods we are here to help with any problems you may have on the message boards.

There are lots of lovely people here with a wide range of experiences with arthritis and the problems of living with the condition. Just join in wherever you like you will be made very welcome.

I look forward to seeing you posting on the boards.

Best wishes

Mod John

stickywicket

Hello batholith and welcome from me, too.

I hope you'll find your new knee makes a big difference to your life. Mine certainly have done to mine. How's it going? Lots of exercising, resting and icing, I guess.

Batholith

Hi Stickywicket,
Not to bad thanks getting round house without crutches doing the physio even a bit of pedalling. Until yesterday when I reacted to the dressing, they gave me spares so took it off skin bright red where the adhesive was with an orange peel texture, then it blistered! Not much sleep last night but slowly calming down now.

How about you
Cheers

stickywicket

I always had to do my 'pottering' without crutches too as mine is RA so I could never hold crutches. I always come home with a zimmer which has limited uses in a house.

I can't remember how skin's supposed to look other than not exactly normal but I certainly don't remember adhesive. When is yours due to be looked at? If in doubt about the wound do ring your hospital ward or GP. Don't just wait to see what happens next. A stitch In time and all that.

Was the pedalling recommended by your physio? It sounds a bit ambitious to me at this stage while there is so much healing – internal and external – to be achieved. I've always stuck to the RICE regime for a while.

How's things now?

Batholith

Hi
The surgeon likes to use a waterproof dressing called an "opsite post-op", it is like a giant plaster, with a high tech semipermeable membrane. You can shower with one on and it keeps the wound dry - it works too. The adhesive is on that. You can leave them on until the wound is checked out or it falls off. Great idea, I was just unlucky with the allergy.

Mine stayed on 10 days until I got the allergic reaction. Advice from hospital (a national specialist orthopaedic hospital) was to contact practice nurse and practice nurse advised that the wound could be left open as the dressing was due to come off on Friday anyway. Got some hydrocortisone cream to reduce the swelling, which seems to be working. Some of the skin is beginning to look a more normal colour and most of the orange peel effect has gone and there is no new blistering.

The wound itself is fine no ouzing or redness, no visible stitches as he used disolvable ones.

The surgeon suggested the pedaling, (using floor pedals) he said rock at first then go all the way round once the flexion is good enough
Cheers

Merloman

hi to the group,just wanted to say hi to the group to get myself up to date with all the news on meds and benefits.
about me...im 48 years old I have had junior arthritis as a child,but managed to do over 30 years on building sites before my back finally gave out on me.
I have now got osteoarthritis,sciatica,and herniated discs in the l4-l5 area of the lower back.
my orthopaedic surgeon says injections and operations are out of the question as everything is in too tight an area he has also ruled out going back to work.
I have had physio now for a few sessions and im now doing sessions of acupuncture and am now using a walking stick as the sciatica has now got bad in my left foot and the pins and needles feeling is very sore.
my physiotherapist got me on amitriptyline which is good for the pain but they make me very sleepy.
my mobility has got a lot worse over the last few months and walking is sometimes painful.
as for the benefits I get, I get esa and im on the middle rate of the care package of dla and that's it .
so if anyone has any info on benefits or meds please feel free to drop a line...cheers very much.

[Deleted User]

Hi Merloman and welcome to the forums.

The website has a good section on managing pain that you may find helpful: https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/managing-arthritis/coping-with-pain

If you have any technical difficulties with using the forums, please do ask us for help.

I look forward to reading your posts.
All best wishes

Mod Bryn

stickywicket

Hi there, merloman, and welcome from me, too.

You've done very well to keep working on building sites for so long despite JIA. It seems you now have a fair bit of osteo damage, though, and I'm sorry about that.

I've had R.A. For well over 50 years but my back is relatively OK so I can't really offer any advice other than keep going with the physio as I was told recently by mine that nerve pain, such as sciatica, can be got rid of completely if dealt with early enough. Certainly mine has now gone.

Amitriptyline, like all the strong pain meds can cause drowsiness which is one reason why I try to stay clear of them. I'm wobbly enough without being half asleep too But sometimes they can be the lesser of two evils. What do you take for the JIA?

I'm afraid I can't help on the benefits front other than to suggest you look here https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits.

Also, not many people look on this forum. If you copy your post to the Living With Arthritis forum more will see it. Good luck

barbara12

Hello Batholith and Merloman sorry Im late but just want to welcome both of you to this lovely forum.xx