TKR I made it to the other side

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to the "other" side and the wonderful world of recovery. Just follow that BoneSmart mantra: pain meds on a schedule, lots of rest, elevate (toes above nose) and ice often, keep exercise gentle and easy. Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[maryo52]

There are off the shelf ones, maybe not as strong, but then you can pick one that works better. In general, you will find it preferable and sometimes necessary to modify what the pros have you do.

I also had a valgus knee. With long legs there was a lot of stress due to that angle. What a great feeling to have your leg straight once again.

 

[Geoffs1]

Yeah Jana!!!! Congratulations. You are on your way. I am fairly new to this site but about 5 weeks post op on rtkr. I am learning the hard way and wish I had found this site before my surgery and not just two days ago.

 

[Equestrienne]

Pretty much everything was going along "swimmingly" and 3 nights ago, I was suddenly awakened with the most racing heartbeats. They weren't just going a bit fast, but this was a runaway train. I woke my husband, and calmly asked him to call 911 for paramedic dispatch. The poor man has been my courageous caregiver through this, but when this happened, every bit color left his face.
Paramedics arrive, and I'm promptly put into the ICU. I'm hooked to dozens of monitors and am under watch for signs or stroke. Apparently I had atrial fibrillation episode (which I never have had before) At one point my HR was over 200 and normally would be in the 86 range) Although Dr. cannot sat tgus 100 percent certainity, they believe it was caused by the pseudophedrine which I take as needed fir sinus pressure. Well because of this and the fact I was in ICU, I wasn't permitted to continue my walkin and other

Basically I was bed ridden for 3 days after a battery of tests were performed.. EKG (which I has prior to TKR, Echocardiogram and tons more bloodwork. The conclusion: not sure what caused it, all tests I am however, going to stay away from pseudophedrine, to be safe.

Now my knee related dilemma, I am STIFF as a board, got that way from layin in bed for 3 days. thankfully after 24 hours they did permit be to use the restroom.

I feel like I am back fo square one. I'm wondering if anyone has had a problem, and how did they push back through the terrible stiffness and pain,

in advance for suggestions. PS no more pseudophedrine for this girl

 

[bottomshollow]

Wow! scarey stuff, Jana. Healing has been going on even when you were pretty immobile. It's just going to take a few days of easy, gentle bending and stretching to get you back. Stiffness will be with you for quite some time no matter what. I still have some after 13 months if I sit for too long a period without getting up and moving around a bit. Of course, I'm 70 -- so some may be age related.

I think you will find after a while that this was not really much of a setback. It's very early days for you, so stiffness and pain are to be expected anyway. Just get back to your routine and things will improve slowly but surely. Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[Nanners]

Jana, you are still very early on and the stiffness will work itself out. I have Atrial Fibrillation only when I throw up alot, wierd huh?!? And they can't find a reason for mine, its just if I throw up alot or hard my heart just slips into Afib. I now have a med that I keep at home for times like that. I see my cardiologist yearly now to just check on things. Kinda funny to me in the Er though, I generally go in becuz I have a partial or full bowel obstruction and am generally in alot of pain (I have Crohns Disease). The pain part is not funny, but sometimes they are more concerned with my heart than the pain and obstructions, and they are running around like crazy, putting me in the cardiac ward, and it flips back into normal rythym on its own. I am always telling them its just cuz I threw up, now can I have my pain meds!

But becuz you are still so early you should only be doing the walking to the bathroom or kitchen to get a drink or snack and back to resting again. You can do some heel slides and mild exercises like that while you are resting. Just ice and elevate alot. Hugs!

 

[tizzy55]

Glad you are feeling a bit better Jana, you and hubby must have been terrified! You just took a stop at the station but you're back on the recovery train now so go girl go! xx

 

[leenie60]

Jana

I didn't have what you had, but I did have panic attacks which took me about 2 weeks to figure out. It was caused by my pain med Oxy IR 5 mg 1-2 every 3 hours. They are quite strong and I can tolerate them now here and there but not around the clock as I found out. I would wake up and start pacing the floors and my heart was racing and I felt like I couldn't breathe. Once my doctor switched my medicine I was on my way to better sleep.

We talked about the trouble I had last time so we are in a better position to manage it and hopefully I won't have a similar issue. At least I'm starting from a place of knowing vs. the unknown.

Ice and elevate your leg and do your stretches to loosen it up (even though it won't be loose ) and get it going again. Easy for me to say since I'm on the pre-op side but I have been there and will be there again.

Hang in there.

 

[Nyland]

Oh, my goodness. Feel better sweetie! I can't imagine being so sick at 9 days post op. The recovery is tough enough. Take care and feel well!

 

[Jaycey]

Aw Jana - so sorry you had to go through all that. But I agree - a minor setback. It's early days. You will work through the stiffness. Ice, elevate and just move slowly for awhile. Will you have any PT. They might be able to help you through this.

 

[Campervan]

Hi Jana, as others have said the stiffness is a temporary setback and keep the gentle stretching going. It sounds like the heart issue is behind you now and you're recovering well from that episode, so that's good.

Like Judy, I too still get stiff at almost a year post op. Take this morning for example, normally I ride my exercycle for 15 minutes very soon after getting out of bed, but today I couldn't do that for a couple of hours. I wandered around feeling quite stiff, but now I've ridden my bike I feel good.

 

[Shubbles]

Jana,
When you say stiffness, is it muscle stiffness or swelling? I find I get both issues and the ice helps the swelling but heat helps the muscle stiffness. I have to really listen to which area is causing problems before deciding what I need. If it is the knee itself then it is ice. If it is the thigh or the calf then it is the heat I need. Sometimes it is both so I will ice the knee for a bit and then heat the calf and thigh.
And everyone on here is right, the first couple weeks after surgery all you are doing is walking to the potty or kitchen, nothing more. If you try to do more you will just swell anyways so you are fine. Just do some slight stretching and heal slides.

 

[Campervan]

Hi Shelly, I have read someone's thread where they had heat up the back of the leg and ice on the front of the knee - both at the same time. I've no idea if it helps!

 

[Brownie51]

Jana thats too bad! Did they put you on blood thinners, or were you already taking them because of the surgery?
I think you should stay off the caffeine now. That must have been so scary. Did they convert you with meds or? or did it just go away on it's own? I agree with the others that gentle flexing and stretching will help the most. Be sure and wear your stockings too. Have you spoken with your OS..did he see you in the ICU?

 

[maryo52]

What a setback, but you'll get back on track soon. Only you can't hit the accelerator pedal and catch up. You gotta go s-l-o-w. The recommendations here will get you there.

This seems to be the time of year for sinus trouble, which of course can make a person feel pretty miserable. My own approach is to take the expectorant guaifenesin to thin secretions and use a nasal spray 2x day to shrink swollen nasal passages which then allows the sinus to drain. Doesn't always work but often it does. These should not trigger any funny heart rhythms but that's up to your doctors to decide.

Mostly, go slowly. Be gentle.

 

[Titianlady]

Hi Shelly, I have read someone's thread where they had heat up the back of the leg and ice on the front of the knee - both at the same time. I've no idea if it helps!

I've done this, and it works wonderfully!!

 

[skigirl]

I had a very similar experience with Sudafed--and it is scary. Your heart seems like it is going to seize up! I have forever stayed away from Sudafed and have never had a reoccurrence--I have never had to take anti- coagulants, thank goodness. I took the 10 days of shots after the tkr.

I am positive that 3 days will not make a difference. Just, gently, stretch your knee and it will come right back. This might be a good time to sit in a rocker and let your knee bend a little more each time. But, most of all, don't worry, you have lots of time to get the rom. Kelly

 

[Equestrienne]

Well there ended up being a "silver lining" I was given a new Physical Therapist after the set back. He's amazing he follows a gentle approach and like everything I've read here he doesn't promote overdoing. He had me up an going in no time using gentle methods and be was positive and encouraging. I've take off the pressure hosiery it was irritating and often caused pain

 

[Titianlady]

Oh, I'm so glad you're doing better!! I, too, stopped taking those decongestant allergy meds!! Years ago I had a bought of racing heartbeat when taking Sudafed!! Never again.

 

[maryo52]

Nice to hear good news from you.