SUPPLEMENT SUGGESTIONS FOR MY ONE NATURAL KNEE - Page 4

Shelbelle · ‎03-09-2010

I have had the Hyaluronic Synvisc gel shots in my bad knee 3 times, have put off going for a 4th but my pain is increasing, so I may go for one soon. Medicare pays every 6 months.

DrakesMomma · ‎06-02-2010

@pdlinda wrote:
@DrakesMomma May I ask what helped you? My PCP doc suggested I take up to 4 Tylenol a day if the pain becomes unmanageable. I'm using 2 Tylenol each cut in half so I can make it through the day.

I'm going to call my knee surgeon's office tmrw to see when I can get in to see him (hopefully, before Thanksgiving), but can't foresee any overall treatment plan for my problem. Hoping for guidance. Thanks!

@pdlinda - If you can take Aleve it might help more than Tylenol. Heating pad may help.

Unfortunately nothing completely helped until after surgery for the spine issues. After surgery a PT tech said my hamstrings were still really tight. It was from all the extra work they were doing to stablize my back. I did and still do (three years out) about four different stretches to keep them feeling ok. I know if I have skipped too many days.

pdlinda · ‎10-23-2011

@DrakesMomma

I can't take NSAID's because of my IBS. So Advil is out.

May I ask what surgery you had and what the recovery time involved was? I only ask because I live alone and would need to hire a private care giver (not nurse) to assist me during any surgical recovery.

I recently visited with a spine surgeon and he took X-RAYS and an MRI. I have spinal stenosis but I've had that for 25 yrs that I always managed. He said surgery was a last resort but mentioned a spinal steroid injection to try and ease the pain. However, upon reflection, my experience with my back is not my principle problem. It's the hamstring supporting my one natural knee. Therefore, I wasn't considering the spinal injection at this time.

I am going for PT, however, but the exercises he gave me didn't do a thing for my hamstring pain. If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to know what 4 exercises you do everyday that helps you treat those tight hamstrings. Thanks so much!

pdlinda · ‎10-23-2011

@Shelbelle I had 2 synvisc injections prior to my knee replacement on my right knee, but proceeded to the replacement as I had a bad case of VALGUS (knock knee) and my arthritis was "bone on bone."

However, I'm trying to save my one remaining knee and I have full extension on it, so surgery is not required at this point. There is no valgus on that side.

The PT I'm visiting now did mention that he thinks my 2 sides are not ALIGNED because I have 2 joints replaced on the right side and 1 joint replaced on the left side. He mentioned that might be part of my problem and I have to follow up to see how "bent to one side" my body is and how that can be corrected.

DrakesMomma · ‎06-02-2010

@pdlinda - Make sure to tell them about the hamstring pain. Even if you have told them, tell them again.

Laying flat on my back with a towel wrapped around my foot, slowly raise a leg in the air. Continue until a stretch is felt and hold while keeping opposite leg flat on the ground. I do five stretches for each side. Holding each stretch for a minute. But when I started it was difficult to hold for a 20 count. I think this one makes the biggest difference.

Glute bridges - two sets of 15.

Calf stretch on a staircase (it also gets to the hamstrings), stand on a step with the balls of your feet on the edge and heels hanging off. Lower your heels down, feeling a stretch in the calves. I'm not sure how many I do. I know I started with two sets of 15.

I have a slant board. I like this a lot also. I haven't found a stretch without it that feels the same way.

ETA - I had spinal fusion surgey L5 - S1 and then L3 - L4. I spent five days in the hospital each time. Recovery wasn't too hard. I drove myself to the first PT appointment about 10 days post-op. With both surgeries I had fusion at 7 weeks post-op. Doc said that was really good for a 51 year old women in peri-menopause.

LTT1 · ‎03-09-2010

@pdlinda

Hemp oil is not the same, although hemp oil by itself can be very healing.

I purchase Hempworx from My Daily Choice.

My stylist from many years ago had done all the research, so I just continue with a subscription from this company.

There are three strengths: 500, 1000, and 1500.

Since it is "full spectrum" it contains minute amounts of THC, which is a regulated substance.

(but this does not give any sort of high that I can tell!)

I'd use the hemp oil you have on my skin anywhere.

My stylist has done all the research about how "clean" the product is...as far as toxin-free and I just took her word for it!

~Have a Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit~

Shelbelle · ‎03-09-2010

@pdlinda wrote:
@Shelbelle I had 2 synvisc injections prior to my knee replacement on my right knee, but proceeded to the replacement as I had a bad case of VALGUS (knock knee) and my arthritis was "bone on bone."

However, I'm trying to save my one remaining knee and I have full extension on it, so surgery is not required at this point. There is no valgus on that side.

The PT I'm visiting now did mention that he thinks my 2 sides are not ALIGNED because I have 2 joints replaced on the right side and 1 joint replaced on the left side. He mentioned that might be part of my problem and I have to follow up to see how "bent to one side" my body is and how that can be corrected.

Makes sense that you may be a bit off balance, I often feel that my balance is not what it should be. Maybe some PT, has he suggested that for you to help with balance? getting older is surely NO fun!!!

pdlinda · ‎10-23-2011

@Shelbelle I went for PT last year because I felt that my gait never returned to "normal" following my Knee replacement in 2019. I did walk normally after each of my 2 hips were replaced. The knee situation involved be having a bad VALGUS condition (knock-kneed) that my knee surgeon corrected but was clear it couldn't be corrected 100%. Maybe that caused the irregular gait.

The PT gal gave me a "balance" set of exercises that I've done religiously since. Right now I'm not doing any exercise because my pain is not "manageable" and I don't want to make things worse. However, I DID do those exercises for over a year and, yes, my gait didn't return to "normal" but it did improve.

I was told by my doctor that only 2 THINGS will kill me: FALLING and having CONSTANT UTI's where low-grade antibiotics are required (my mother had this situation before she died at age 98).

pdlinda · ‎10-23-2011

@LTT1 I am going to topically apply the Hemp Oil I have and see if I have any improvent in the level of my pain.

I'm taking 250 mg of Tylenol every 3 hrs but my pain is still acute so maybe I'll up the dosage until I can call the knee surgeon's office tmrw. I am very wary of using too much Tylenol because I know the damage it can do to my liver and kidneys; however, I also know my body can't tolerate acute pain. Thanks so much for your reccommendation!

pdlinda · ‎10-23-2011

@DrakesMomma Thanks so much for the exercises. My PT did give me the Bridge exercise and also something similar to the "slant board"...same theory except he told me to get a "stepper" and use that to feel that stretch.

Right now I'm in too much pain to do any exercise; however, I know I have to use more than the 250 mgs of Tylenol every 3 hrs that I've been using to get the pain level down to at most a 5. Right now, it's about an 8.

Thanks, also, for your follow-up care experience after spine surgery. Appreciate it!