Expected work capable at 6 weeks???

[bodybuilder1958]

Hi all,

Spoke to my surgeon's nurse yesterday at length about my upcoming TKR and other things. What surprised me was that she stated that my doctor expects me to be at work capability within 6 weeks or less. That's amazing, I would like to think that but not after nearly 4 years of at times barely being able to walk, that walking over the past year has gotten worse and worse.

I've studied PT, I've done Pt and in many cases ended it far earlier than what was expected. But this is different, not too sure and for her to say that I would be able to be taken off of TTD at 6 weeks is troubling to say the least. You cannot go per average, each patient is different. After my last knee scope thanks to the wrong pt it was 8 months before I was dismissed from pt with restrictions which no employer in my field would consider.

So..., what's the verdict here? Is she full of manure or what? I'm very, very athletic, work out alot, do alot of yoga, stretching, etc. But I don't think I'll be walking normally within 6 weeks with the capacity of being able to scrub much less first assist in any operating room.

Thanks for listening,
Bodybuildre

[Bummer Knees]

I pulled my restrictions from my TKR.

4 month post op:

No lifting over 50 lbs.
No repetitive lifting over 25 lbs.
Limited work 1/3 of the work day.
no kneeling
no squatting.

1 year post op and placed at MMI
No lifting over 50 lbs.
No repetitive lifting over 25 lbs.
no kneeling-limited
no squatting-limited.

Oct 2010 I was sent for an IME, the following are the restrictions on the TKR:
Restrict bending, stooping, crouching, twinsting, and stair climbing to an occasional basis.
Avoid squatting, kneeling, crawling, and ladder climbling.
Restrict lifting, carrying, pushing pulling to 10 lbs, and negligible weight frequently.

I have more restrictions although they are not for the knee/back.

[Manley2]

If they have you off work maybe what they mean is they will have you able to return with restrictions. Now this doesn't mean your employer will have work for you just that you can do some things.

[Bummer Knees]

She will have to find an employer who will hire her with those restrictions, not likely to happen in a surgical nurse position.

The restrictions did not change much between the 4 months & being place at MMI at 1 year.

At the IME appointment last year additional restrictions were placed on that knee.

I worked as an early childhood teacher at the time I was injured, my job required frequent kneeling, squatting, bending and lifting up to 100 lbs, those restriction ending my teaching career.

[Neverthesame]

Bodybuilder1958,

This is what amazes me about w/c docotrs. They lump everyone in this category of trying to work over the insurance company, and put everyone in a category of healing at remarkable rates. Now we all know if we went in with our private health insurance. Our treatment would be much different and better. Just like the time I was bitten by a brown recluse spider below the ankle, and required multiple surgical proceedures back to back in a two week period. The doctor kept me out of work for months, because I almost lost the lower portion of my leg and right foot. I begged the doctor to let me go back to work. He finally did after five months. Incidently, the doctor made over $20,000 from my health insurance company. I really think that the doctors keep us out of work as long as the w/c insurance company keeps letting them write their own price tag for treatment. When that stops, oh by the way you need to return to work. I am like you an avid athlete, and watching the pounds pile up from inactivity and med coctails that leave me like a zombie most of the time is distressing to say the least. All I want to do is get back to training for the Ironman, and accomplish my dream of just completing it. I wish you best.

[bodybuilder1958]

I struggled to get TTD since I fell at home due to the injury and was unable to return to work and fired after 6 months. I finally got TTD back to that date and it was really nice getting a check for over $17,000. (after lawyer fees), I got those checks for less than 3 months when I went to see my current WC doctor. He put me at MMI with no restrictions and basically said go back to work. So the money stopped right then. Four months later I saw him again and he put me back on all of my original restrictions and added two more. But the money didn't start back up.

So my argument with him on Tuesday morning (TKR surgery) will be this, "I want a form stating that I'm off work TODAY!" I don't care if he writes it on a prescription pad. I don't want to wait two weeks until I go to his office for my first post-op visit. Because if there is a delay I might be released before the checks even start. Then I'd have to fight to get paid for those 6 weeks, it's happened before and it's not going to happen again. My lawyer has already requested TTD starting Tuesday but I doubt that it will start.

Bodybuilder1958

[Bummer Knees]

The judge ruled on my TRK Jan 08, surgery was June 23, 08, During that time I did not receive TTD but the TTD did start the day of surgery and continue until I was placed at MMI, one year after surgery.