TKR Loneshark64’s recovery

loneshark64

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had the surgery yesterday morning. All went well. It’s early day 2 and I feel pretty good. I had 2 blocks so it will be an adventure when they where off bt right now ok. The pain meds have me somewhat confused, I have had oxy and tramadol but I don’t think I have had those since about 6hrs ago. I do know I had IV NSAID a couple hours ago so maybe that is working. Bottom line is it doesn’t hurt much now and I just bent it 90 degrees myself and it wasn’t bad. Yesterday that hurt when the PT came. I was up on the walker to the chair and the bathroom twice and sort or got the hang of it. Knee felt wobbly when bearing weight unless I consciously tensed up the quad. I was pretty dosed up at the time though. Doctor said the knee was the worst he has seen. Procedure took two hours and he typically does in under an hour. Oh well. He gave my wife one of the old screws he took out (she was thrilled...)
 
Welcome to recovery, @loneshark64 .

I'm glad things are going well.

Here's your recovery reading:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

6. Access to these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
 
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I have one screw that was removed in an earlier surgery, but I didn’t get the other, alas.

Glad you’re not in miserable pain. The blocks are probably helping a lot, but you’ll have those other meds to help as time goes on. I found ice and elevation to be great sources of relief, too.

Because of my situation, which is a slow ROM gain, I think you should hang on to that flexion, but I wonder how that works when the blocks wear off. I’m thinking a lot about the fine line between pushing for ROM and pushing too far, which is probably different for each recovery. And waiting for ROM seems like an option too. Will you keep us updated?
 
Thanks for the feedback, will update, concerned about blocks wearing off but it is not avoidable so will deal with it
 
There’s a good chance you will see a decrease in ROM when the blocks wear off, so don’t be alarmed. Without the blocks pain and swelling kick in, which reduce the ROM. Don’t worry about it! Your knee has already proved it can bend well. And remember, there is no “window of opportunity.” We all vary about how long it takes to regain the ROM, depending on a bunch of circumstances.


Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.
 
I went home (day 2) with a nerve block catheter in my upper thigh for TKR. I was instructed to self-remove it at about day five. I did so and noted only a slight spike in pain, as I was still taking alot of meds. Within 24 hours it was level. No severe spike.

Great to here that you are well. Each day is an adjustment and a wonder. Keep us informed ..:)...

Thanks for the feedback, will update, concerned about blocks wearing off but it is not avoidable so will deal with it
 
Today was hard. First night and day home. The meds are hard on my stomach but I am getting through. Went to PT and it was fine they didn’t push to hard but I have been swollen and in pain today. Trying to keep the knee moving but it is swollen. I expected that from what you folks all said so that was helpful. Still hard tho. Ice and elevate. Got to get through a couple weeks.


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Hang in there. Those first couple weeks are indeed hard. I look back now and it's all kind of a blur. My block wore off after about 2 days and I took meds on schedule around the clock but was able to start tapering off after about 3 weeks. Good luck!
 
Congrats on the new knee. Sorry the pain meds are messing with your stomach. I found I had to have a couple of crackers or something with my pain pills. Have you tried them with food?
 
Yes I am taking with food now .
Don’t want to eat much but making myself. Little better this morning I think
 
Good for you! Just finished my first night. The swelling was really bad, but is easing up. It's amazing that you've already gone to PT. My first visit will be Monday. How often do you get up and walk? I'm thinking I went too long last night, and that may have contributed to the swelling.
 
I got up to walk to bathroom 3x last night and I got up to go eat at the table a couple times. They said get up every hour but I have no t been doing that. When I first get up it hurts but it does Feel better after putting some weight on it and walking a few steps. I am not walking far. Good luck with PT.
 
I suspect the swelling was just going to happen no matter what I do.
 
Look at you with your fancy ice machine! I did not have that, just a wrapped with ice packs in rotation from the freezer. That worked out ok as I did not have much swelling.

I have a ice large pack/ bag too that I can shove in a pillow case and sorta drape over my knee after heavy PT/ exercise. Every day will get better and better. We're hear fo' you!!
 
Hah, I beat that record my first nights. Seemed my body was pumped up with fluid which while not contributing to much knee swelling sure sent me to the toilet. Joyful... not.

You'll get past this. Great that they gave you a compression sleeve. I was not given that. Interesting how some docs order it and others don't.
I got up to walk to bathroom 3x last night...
 
Yes they sent me home with this cryo cuff ice thing. Makes a big difference for sure. Also sent me home with a walker which i have named “Texas Ranger”
 
Just as a suggestion. I also used ice pack under my knee, as well as one of those machine that circulated cold water. Another suggestion by the looks of the picture you posted, that operative knee should be a bit more elevated. During my initial weeks, I used three-four stacked pillows. There is a picture of it on bonesmart. Maybe an advisor can post it for you!
 
Hah! I usually name my things but have not named my walker or my four-wheeler. Both I still use when I get tired. Along with a cane too. They're all my friends. I like sitting in my four-wheeler to do exercises as it it a nice height (it's a tall one - some are too short if you are tall).
Also sent me home with a walker which i have named “Texas Ranger”
 

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