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My Knee Replacement Surgery Experience
Joint Replacements | Last Active: May 8, 2023 | Replies (40)Comment receiving replies
Greetings @laurajrc1961 and welcome to Connect. My goodness, you have what to me seems like a frightful medical history. I thought mine was pretty involved with 14 orthopedic surgeries due to falls and injuries. That also includes 3 right shoulder surgeries that ended with a Reverse Replacement. I have started with the first surgery on the left shoulder and it appears that I may be looking at another reverse soon. I am glad your shoulder surgery was successful.
Last year I had my second TKR for the right knee. It was quite a "dream" experience compared to the first one 10 years ago. I attributed the recent positive recovery to pre-surgery exercise, Mako Robotic processing, and the combination of post-surgery PT and MFR, myofascial release therapy. Are you familiar with my "success" list? If not, I will be more thorough for you.
Does "bending my knee" mean ROM to you? Have you achieved the recommended 120 degrees? Are you able to do any "Sit to Stand" exercises? Some folks call them squats. I guess I better ask how long ago you had your surgery. Sometimes, we tend to get ahead of ourselves before our bodies are ready.
What have your PTs told you about the discomfort/pain in your knee at this time? My PT managed the physical exercises and left the pain resolution up to my MFR therapist. They actually chatted with each other and presented a pretty supportive program. I don't know if that is possible for you. However, it is worth looking into.
It amazes me that anxiety is called the culprit, especially when you have already recovered positively from a previous TKR. However, I take anti-anxiety medication for my SFN (small fiber neuropathy) and MCI (mild cognitive decline) so maybe that did help.
I put together some posts from my recent TKR that may have some clues. Let me see if I can provide the link for you.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tkr-2-lessons-i-am-learning/
I want to make sure you are icing and elevating as needed. Those two suggestions are really mandatory much longer than the first two or three weeks.
Hopefully, this response will get you started. And remember, I am here for you......so don't hesitate to ask for clarification. I do need an idea of your time since surgery and your home support activities.
May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris
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Hello and thank you for your response. My surgery was April 19th of this year. My last surgery was my shoulder replacement which was September 1st of 2022. By bending my knee I mean any type of Bend whatsoever is very painful. My knee feels like a cement block and even if I'm able to do some type of bend, each time I go to sit down or even try to walk with the Walker, it feels as if it's the first time I've attempted to do so. I take many different vitamins to help control my neuropathy. Neurontin or Gabapentin proves to do nothing for me. I have never had anxiety before or after surgical procedures and yes, it's quite insulting for this surgeon to continue to Gaslight me instead of acknowledging that I am truly experiencing this level of pain. I am icing and elevating all through the day and night. I have been sleeping in a recliner because my bed is elevated and I am not able to get in and out without assistance. I have been doing the exercises given to me by my physical therapy center and even though they are very painful to do I work through it multiple times daily. During my knee replacement in 2009 I never experienced this level of pain nor it taking so long to get Mobility. My real question with this is asking whether or not neuropathy and fibro can impede healing?