One knee replacement and will never have another one!

I also got a left knee replacement because cortisone and gell shots didn't help. I had a lot of pain, and went through two Pt courses. It is still swollen and does not bend well. They were so concerned that it would not straighten so they focused on that. It now straightens well. There is still tenderness on the knee. I went back to my orthopedist and he said he could clean out the scarring but he thinks it will grow scarring again pretty quickly even if i go back to physical therapy. I will not have my other ones don't because of the pain and bad results
My right knee still works better than the knee replacement

May I ask which herbs help with the pain. I am 3 weeks out on surgery. The pain is unbelievable. I do exercises and walk dog a lot. My pain meds. are going to run out and am taking them with this in mind.

I cannot imagine going through the surgery and recovery with only Tylenol. Do note Voltaran is an NSAID as well.

My surgeon and his staff provided me with excellent pain control pre-operatively, after surgery, and the subsequent physical therapy recovery time. I was very nervous about addiction after all in the news, when oxycontin was prescribed. However, after my joint was not cooperating, and I subsequently went through months of PT, including the MUA at 11 weeks post-op I realized that I need something to help with PT. All of this I could not have done without a prescription renewal. I only took 5 mg an hour before PT, but I most certainly needed that. In the beginning I took it around the clock as ordered.

What really helped with pain was when a friend gave me her ice machine from her surgery. Every Dr. should be prescribing these for total knees. It helped immensely.

Now, almost a year out, my other knee is acting up terribly. I know I will have to do something about it eventually. I am not sure I can go back to original Dr. as I have aged out of that insurance plan, and it was a benefit to go to this center of excellence in another city. I have too many questions about the follow-up care as well (or lack there-of, being out-of-town he did not communicate with my PT at all- it was based on what I was saying. How was I to know what progress should have been?). BUT- what Dr. team will order pain medicine like what I had? That is a big concern, as I too have heard Drs in my area "allow" up to 2 weeks post-op only. I will need to know ahead from any team that my pain will be managed, along with all the aspects of a huge surgery like this. I have since attended a local seminar on joint replacements. This surgeon was the one stating 2 weeks, and then onto Tylenol! If my body makes scar tissue and the 2nd replacement has these complications... I will need pain management again. I was religious to exercises and PT before and after my first surgery.

How do I interview potential teams in the future without sounding like a drug-seeker? I never took narcotics before my surgery, and most certainly do not now.

Some herbal supplements can and will interfere with the healing process. Do discuss with your healthcare team. If your meds are running out, discuss this as well, with updates of what your measurements are in physical therapy. I did not know that my flexion (bending) and extension (straightening) had perimeters that were to be met. I certainly did not meet these and by my 6 week check up, my leg was really bent and not flat as it should have been (scar tissue). There is debates all over the place that too little or too much physical therapy contributes to this. I had aggressive therapy where 2 would hold me down to bend the knee to achieve numbers. I couldn't retain these numbers between sessions (three times a week). Grueling.
Had to have that MUA at 11 weeks. He thought he would do that while I was having my second knee done. I cancelled all of that. After the MUA, PT was every day for awhile... then 3x/week...

Can you imagine having PT done on one leg brand new replacement surgery, while the other knee was recovering from the MUA? Impossible. That was when I started to lose my trust...

Do not hesitate to request refills for pain meds. Most Orthopedic doctors realize this recovery is hard and difficult, and takes at least a full year to recovery.

The recouperation from TKR was *so* difficult only using Tylenol!! I really feel that the only way that you can benefit from PT, especially right after surgery, is by using pain medication as often as needed! Because none of the three pain meds would agree with me (a rash with one, vomiting with another etc) I could only take Tylenol, which did*nothing* for the pain! Definitely, icing does really help! I didn’t have a machine, but I have heard that they are very beneficial! I know exactly how you feel with your other knee acting up! That is the same for me, but physically and mentally, I just can never put myself (or my husband!) through it again!!! That is awful that doctors in your area only allow for two weeks of pain meds! Every patient’s tolerance for pain is different and they should make allowances for that. If I were you, before I would consent to another surgery, I would get a couple of opinions and ask right up front what their policies are on pain meds. Be sure to tell them your history with your first knee surgery. I have heard that there is a procedure now for knee surgery called “lateral knee replacement” where they go under the knee cap in a different direction. The recuperation is supposed to be much easier, quicker, and a lot less painful. There is one dr in the Boston area who does this procedure but there is a long wait to see him, from what I understand. Wishing you lots of luck in your decisions! MaryAnn from Boston.

I am so sorry for all that you have gone through with your knee replacement. It is so, so painful and difficult! I don’t blame you for not wanting to go through another knee surgery! I think that I also have scar tissue from the right knee replacement because it is stiff, even though I did PT for six months. Now, the gel shots and cortisone shots aren’t working on my left knee, but I am just trying to exercise and strengthen my glutes, quads and calves. I take Advil and Tylenol almost every day and when I think of it, I put ice on it when I sit in the recliner and elevate my feet. Like you, I still have tenderness on the replaced knee. Although painful, my regular left knee works better than the replaced one!

TY for your thoughtful reply.
I will be much smarter second time around IF I do it.
With our country in turmoil currently, I probably will factor this in as well. So many things to consider. I most certainly will travel for the best.
Best wishes.

Totally agree!

I am so sorry for all of the pain that you experienced. What is MUA?