10 weeks out
Medications: acetaminophen (Tylenol, paracetamol) and NSAIDs, differences and dangers. Naproxen is an NSAID too but one of the 'nonselective COX inhibitor' so less likely to have those side effects.
Penetrex is a compilation of the following:
However, apart from all that, I saw a documentary not so long ago that investigated the claims of topical applications, specifically Voltrol Gel and Ibuleve, and proved beyond reasonable doubt that the substances actually don't penetrate much more than a very few mm into the skin. Certainly not into the deeper tissues, much less the knee joint! In short, pretty useless.
Home exercises:
Heel slides 10x2 times a day - two things here: a) your knees don't need any more of these. And b) you're doing them all wrong anyway! Read this Heel slides and how to do them properly.
Hang my knees off the bed for extension for 10 minutes once a day - you don't need these either. ONe knee has zero and the other is very close behind.
Stretching with my daughters help as she works my quads and hamstrings once a day - you shouldn't allow anyone to 'help' you do exercises. It's very, very bad for you.
I confess I find exercises confusing. This forum talks about no exercise and yet I feel compelled to do something! - you need to control this. You're actually doing quite enough activity anyway and really don't need any of those exercises.
So in summary, your approach is that if you're not doing exercises your doing nothing, is that right? So what about this
Because of those exercises (on top of everything else) you are getting a 'stabbing pain that takes my breath away, stiffness that gets to me too. rate the stiffness at a 6 and have moderate swelling'
Your activity is fine but you need to not cut back on exercises but cut them out! There are the cause of the pain, stiffness and so on that you are complaining about. Of course, stopping them won't mean those symptoms go away completely. It will likely take several weeks for it to abate but abate it will. Be patient!
O-er! That's not nice!1) Pain levels are at 6-8. There are times I have no pain, and other times I have stabbing pain that takes my breath away. The stiffness is the thing that gets to me too. I would rate the stiffness at a 6.
What about Tylenol? It's one of the best non-prescription meds on the market and terribly underrated. I suggest you try 1,000mgs 4 times a day (6hrly) and you can take that with the Naproxen.2) I am not taking any prescription pain meds anymore. I was prescribed Percocet, but quit taking those fairly early in my recovery. Percocet makes me feel funky and Tramadol does nothing for me. I have reactions to almost all narcotic pain meds so tend to stay away from them. I am allergic to MSO4 and to Dilaudid. I take naproxen 200 mg twice a day.
No it won't because ibuprofen is a fairly lack-lustre pain killer! And it has some pretty ghastly side effects.3) Moderate swelling; Left is more swollen then right. Right is more stiff then left. Go figure. I still have inflammation in both knees as both are warm to hot every day. I use a cream on them called penetrex which helps the inflammation. I will take ibuprofen for the inflammation sometimes (not for pain) but it doesn’t seem to help.
Medications: acetaminophen (Tylenol, paracetamol) and NSAIDs, differences and dangers. Naproxen is an NSAID too but one of the 'nonselective COX inhibitor' so less likely to have those side effects.
Penetrex is a compilation of the following:
Water (Aqua)
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
Glycerin
Glyceryl Stearate
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetyl Esters
Steareth-20
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM/DMSO2)
Glucosamine (Vegetable Source)
Bilineurine Bitartrate
Ethoxydiglycol
Methyl Gluceth-20
Cetyl Myristoleate
Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)
Boswellia Serrata (Frankincense) Oil
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
Cinnamomum Camphora (Camphor)
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil
Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate
Dimethicone
Ammonium Acryloyl-Dimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
DMDM Hydantoin
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
Glycerin
Glyceryl Stearate
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetyl Esters
Steareth-20
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM/DMSO2)
Glucosamine (Vegetable Source)
Bilineurine Bitartrate
Ethoxydiglycol
Methyl Gluceth-20
Cetyl Myristoleate
Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)
Boswellia Serrata (Frankincense) Oil
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
Cinnamomum Camphora (Camphor)
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil
Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate
Dimethicone
Ammonium Acryloyl-Dimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
DMDM Hydantoin
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
So left is 110/0 and right is 106/-5 which is pretty okay in my book for 10 weeks out!4) Flexion is at 110 degrees for left; Right at 106 degrees; extension is 0 for left; right is at 5 (I can’t quite get the right knee to straighten out.)
Okay, that's good!5) I ice sporadically. Today I have iced most of the day and kept my legs elevated. Tomorrow I hope to do the same. Otherwise, I have been icing in the evening when I am essentially done for the day. I can ice for 30-40 minutes at a time for each knee.
Good, good6) I have a bed that has an elevation feature for my legs and I have been elevating them every evening in bed. When sitting in the living room I also elevate them, so unless I am sitting in a restaurant my knees are up. It doesn’t seem to help the swelling, however.
And a stool to elevate your legs on I trust!7). Level of activity: well I confess I belong to the ODIC club. I live with my daughter right now (while I am recovering) who has three teenagers. So I find myself washing dishes multiple times a day and straightening up the house. I don’t cook, but will fix a sandwich or something for myself to eat during the day. I also have lunch with friends quite a bit as well as running errands. I do drive and I have a stick shift. I do grocery shopping about once a week and have been Christmas shopping as well. I go back to work January 3rd and I am a college professor so will be on my feet a bit. I plan on making sure the lecture hall has a stool for me to sit on.
Oh no, that's bad! I am so please you are not doing that any more. Truth to tell, there are LOTS of members on here who have done their TKR recovery yet done NO exercises at all! I recommend you read my recovery thread to see how little exercising I did for either knee! Knee recoveries UK style Parts I & II (Josephine). Yet despite this, we all had really good outcomes!8) No PT at this time. I did 12 sessions and they sent a plan of care to my OS for approval to keep up the PT, but they have not heard back from him. I wasn’t terribly happy with my PT anyway as he had me do leg presses, using bands on my ankles and squats. I always felt terrible after he finished and needed to go home and ice and rest.
Home exercises:
I confess I find exercises confusing. This forum talks about no exercise and yet I feel compelled to do something! - you need to control this. You're actually doing quite enough activity anyway and really don't need any of those exercises.
So in summary, your approach is that if you're not doing exercises your doing nothing, is that right? So what about this
That's not exactly doing nothing, is it? It's activity and that's all you need right not.I belong to the ODIC club. I live with my daughter right now (while I am recovering) who has three teenagers. So I find myself washing dishes multiple times a day and straightening up the house. I don’t cook, but will fix a sandwich or something for myself to eat during the day. I also have lunch with friends quite a bit as well as running errands. I do drive and I have a stick shift. I do grocery shopping about once a week and have been Christmas shopping as well. I go back to work January 3rd and I am a college professor so will be on my feet a bit. I plan on making sure the lecture hall has a stool for me to sit on
Because of those exercises (on top of everything else) you are getting a 'stabbing pain that takes my breath away, stiffness that gets to me too. rate the stiffness at a 6 and have moderate swelling'
Your activity is fine but you need to not cut back on exercises but cut them out! There are the cause of the pain, stiffness and so on that you are complaining about. Of course, stopping them won't mean those symptoms go away completely. It will likely take several weeks for it to abate but abate it will. Be patient!