Grey's LPFLr, MPFLr, TTT

[drmark]

The story sounds alot better than last week's.
Its too bad I don't get paid by the staple.
I'd be rich!

[smillie]

Travel after surgery is just lousy. It definitely sets you back a bit. I'm glad you're back on track and feeling better about things. That tight feeling will get better. I tried to just embrace it as a positive thing since I definitely didn't want the loosey goosey feeling ever again. It's just really weird to get used to a new alignment in there, but it will come. Congrats on getting your knee fixed!

[Driden]

For me,  Ambien was worthless--not because of pain (which was mostly nonexistant as long as cryogenic cuff was pumping) but rather some sort of bizarre post surgical adrenaline rush. That lasted 2 weeks. After that, Tylenol PM was more effective. If there is ever a next time (other limb), I will say no thanks to Ambien and narcotics. Got to find what works.

[greyliston]

2 weeks and 4 days post-op:

I cannot get the swelling to go down. I don't think there has even been any real decline in the swelling.

Does anyone have any suggestions for keeping swelling down besides rest, ice and elevation?

I have had to go back to work this week so when I am at my desk, all I can do is prop my leg up on some boxes but there is no way for me to get the knee above my heart.

Despite the swelling I have still been pressing on with the biking and PT.

[aaa]

I haven't had a surgery like yours, but I remember with my isolated lateral release there was a 'breaking point' where swelling started to go down ... it seemed like it wasn't for a while.  But, then again when I returned to work it came back a bit and the rest of the swelling to relatively longer to go down.

Sucks that you have to go back to work ... yeah icing, elevating, compression (if Doc allows) should help.

For me, I found good nutrition and getting plenty of sleep helped move things along. 

A friend of mine got me a book on injury healing ... I've linked to a page with list of foods from it, I found it helped:   http://books.google.ca/books?id=q7bjfwAbkCwC&lpg=PA1&dq=Healing%20Injuries%20the%20Natural%20Way%20%3A%20How%20to%20Mend%20Bones%2C%20Muscles%2C%20Tendons&pg=PT80#v=onepage&q&f=false

Of course, the healing process always takes time, no quick fixes i guess

[TOMMAX]

Grey, I also remember after my lateral release my knee ballon up for 6 months and I thought the swelling would not go away, and that was just from a little 3 inch cut with and elctrocautrey probe to the lateral retinaculum. Youve had some serious, serious knee surgery here and your knee is likely gonna be pissed of and swollen for quite some time. It will go down for sure though. Even if it feels like its not getting u anywhere just keep resting, icing, and elevating. Maybe you are having set backs with your swelling by going back to work too soon since you cant elevate and ice your knee properly?

[greyliston]

I probably am not helping myself by going back to work so soon but I cannot take any more time off. I just started this job 4 months ago and haven't accrued that much time off.

This is also true that I have had a serious surgery. I am walking ok and biking a ton already so the swelling is the only thing that is holding me back. Yea I guess my knee is pretty pissed off with all the crap that I have done to it in the past 1.5 years.

[Driden]

You can jam a needle in the knee, and self-aspirate, but I would not advise it.  RICE  plus NSAIDs are it, and the latter may interfere with bone healing. If it makes you feel better, I am cryogenic cuffing my swollen knee right now, and I had a several week head start. This is part of healing. Time.

[bassetlover]

Hello friend, I hear you. I'm in the exact same boat.  I purchased compression socks, knee highs from Walgreen's (our local drug store) they help tremendously. My knee still balloons out but below that is much better with the compression socks. Stay hydrated, over hydrate, for reason I swell less when I drink more water. Hope that helps my friend. Sounds to me you are doing great!!

[drmark]

The thigh high TED hose can help with the swelling.

Eighteen days after a tibial tubericle osteotomy, LPFLr, and MPFLr, you have 130+ degrees of flexion, and walk pretty normally without crutches, and are making progress on the bike, by comparison with the other folks who have undergone a lesser procedure, you are ahead of the game. 

Someone can say that I am breaking my own arm patting myself on the back.  So I will say it first.

[bassetlover]

Dr Sanders, so cool to see you comment occasionally. I've read many of your patient's treads on here. You sound like a fantastic doctor. Thank you for all you do! I will look into thigh high compression socks. Lol thank you.

[greyliston]

Dr. Mark - you do deserve a pat on the back. Great work.

Thanks for the comments folks. Seems like I am just impatient. But its only because This is my 3rd knee surgery in 1.5 years so the waiting is not like just having 1 surgery and then recovering. This has been going on for awhile. Alas - I wait some more!

[smartdriver]

I cannot get the swelling to go down. I don't think there has even been any real decline in the swelling.

Acupuncture was really the thing that helped me the most.  A couple of times a week for 2-3 weeks (if you can afford it) is all that you really need.  After each session, my leg would feel SO much better.  It was definitely worth every penny.  And I am now going to acupuncture for some other health issues that I'm faced with.

The TED hose helped, especially once I got back to work (I only took a week off before I had to go back to work due to the amount of time off I had). 

At night I kept my leg on a pillow more for "comfort" than anything (but, it also goes back to acupuncture for me)so I never really elevated it above my heart.  For sleep, I would use something like the Yogi Bedtime Tea or Gaia Herbs has some good products for sleeping as well.  Note:  I wasn't on any pain relievers when taking herbs either.  I tried the generic Ambien (since my insurance doesn't pay for the "real thing").  One night I took it (and I'm by myself), fell asleep, and when I woke up I was in a different room.  Not sure when/how I got there.  So, I won't go back to that again....

Unfortunately, it just takes time and for some it may take longer - everyone's different....

Just keep on biking!

Good luck!

[greyliston]

Post-op 3 weeks and 2 days.

I would have to say that things are progressing along very well. Despite the lingering swelling, I am walking very well now (only a slight limp on occassion). I walk about 9 blocks to and from work everyday to get to the street car stop. Standing up for a awhile doesn't bother me to much either. I still prop my leg up on some boxes under my desk at work.

I feel like the swelling has peaked as well. It seems to be going down little by little bit everyday and is all on the lateral side (mainly where the LPFLr was done and up the side of my thigh where the IT band graft was taken).

Tonight when I was biking I noticed that I actually felt halfway decent. I powered on through the whole hour keeping my heartrate at about 160 bpm the whole time. I am able to keep a very high cadence as well.

SLRs bother me a little bit but full arc extensions are ok. I am also ascending steps very well. I walked up 2 sets of 7 flights today at work with not too much trouble.

I am still resting with my leg eleveated and ice on alot and its usually the first thing I want to do when I get home from work. I sleep with the cryo-cuff on for a about 3 hours and then remove it.

For somebody who had a massive knee surgery done 3 weeks ago I would say I am progressing along very quickly. Dont get me wrong though, I am still along way from being fully recovered.

[Fathead D]

Great news Grey.  Keep it up.