Recent content by brianm

  1. brianm

    TKR Putting my best foot forward

    Finding a way to attach these gelpacks was indeed a bit of a chore. Here's what worked for me: A couple of ACE bandage strips about 3 feet long with VELCRO patches on the ends. One above the knee, one below. This holds the gelpack snug against the knee all around, keeping everything cold, and...
  2. brianm

    TKR Putting my best foot forward

    This doesn't look promising. It's hard for me to believe there's enough gel here to get cold enough and stay cold long enough to do much good. And I'd say the last thing you want is a hole where the kneecap goes. Your kneecap wants to be cold too. I found that I needed something to wrap around...
  3. brianm

    TKR Putting my best foot forward

    This is what I use. It's 9x12, and not specifically for knees, but it wraps around my knee nicely. Scroll up a page to see the company's other offerings. broken link removed: https://www.accurategelpacks.com/product/9-x-12/ This is where I get mine - in the South Bay, a bit of a drive for you...
  4. brianm

    TKR Braunzie's Journey on "The Other Side"?

    In the first 2-3 weeks I liked the cpm machine because it kept my leg moving and I found that comforting. I didn't find the machine terribly effective in increasing ROM. When it got to the point of maximum extension or flexion, there always seemed to be something that didn't work quite right...
  5. brianm

    TKR Tried rest and elevation but knee gets stiffer with inactivity

    I feel your pain. I encourage you to answer the 7 questions Josephine asked yesterday. It would provide a summary that would help all of us better understand where you are and what you've tried. I'm in week 6 and I'm finally realizing that I'm in charge of my recovery. I regard the surgeon...
  6. brianm

    TKR Putting my best foot forward

    I do water, and I think it's helpful. You might ask this lady for her opinion on when you are ready.
  7. brianm

    TKR Putting my best foot forward

    @simryg , good to see you're out of the woods. I've been apprehensive since you dropped off the radar a couple of days ago facing so many challenges. Glad LA is treating you well. I'll repeat my questions from Monday: Where are you in LA? What hospital and who's your OS? Looks as if the...
  8. brianm

    TKR Well...

    You've put your finger on the vicious cycle confronting many of us: I take the forum advice and nap whenever I feel like crashing during the day. Therefore I'm not tired enough to sleep at bed time. Therefore I take my pain meds to put myself to sleep, and the cycle repeats. I'll post more about...
  9. brianm

    TKR Braunzie's Journey on "The Other Side"?

    You went home right after surgery without spending even one night in the hospital? I had no idea this was possible. Is this your OS's standard procedure? Best of luck for a continuing great recovery.
  10. brianm

    TKR 6-25-15 TKR op date

    If you add 325 mg Tylenol to your hydrocodone it becomes Norco. That's what I'm on, and it seems to work for me.
  11. brianm

    TKR Well...

    I'm in my 6th week after TKR. My pain pill is Norco 7.5 mg, and my doc didn't give me much direction on when or how many to take (beyond specifying the safe limits). He seems to feel that it would be reasonable to stop the pills any time I'm comfortable doing so. Sleeping is difficult, so I take...
  12. brianm

    TKR Putting my best foot forward

    Welcome to LA. Sorry your situation has become so complicated. What's your hospital and who's your surgeon? My left TKR was done at Torrance Memorial by Todd Shrader on 2 June. Both surgery and recovery have been uneventful, although my knee was in better shape than yours. You have my complete...
  13. brianm

    TKR brianm's recovery. Why does lying down hurt?

    Your example is excellent. We senior citizens with a lifetime of athletic history tend to regard recovery from an operation as just another situation we can exercise our way out of. Some of the misguided advice we get unfortunately reinforces this attitude. When I left the hospital after back...
  14. brianm

    TKR brianm's recovery. Why does lying down hurt?

    I'm curious about the healing process and how it is affected by "overdoing it." About half of the advice in these forums admonishes us for "overdoing it," yet makes no distinction between twisting one's leg like a pretzel to increase ROM and walking or biking an extra mile using the knee for the...
  15. brianm

    TKR brianm's recovery. Why does lying down hurt?

    Yesterday afternoon and evening were good; not fatigued, good mobility, no excessive pain. At 11 PM I decided to go to bed, forego pain meds and not bother with icing. At 2 AM leg pain woke me up. Delirious and half asleep, instinct told me to ride it out hoping it would go away. But my...
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