TKR Steph’s on the other side

Thanks Mollymax, two miles - wow that sounds wonderful! Glad you’ve got the lovely weather up there too.

It seems as though just a matter of a few weeks makes such a difference - well done, you’re doing amazing.

The numbness seems to have now moved round the front of my knee - no sensation at all. Weird. Still I see the nurse on Tuesday for staples to come out so can see what she says.

I’m seriously considering ditching the stockings as all they are doing is cutting in round the crease of the knee and therefore just moving the swelling upwards, making it more painful. Took them off for a while today and it was bliss.

I suppose it’s the not knowing what to really expect until it happens, I do tend to stress about the fact I’m immune suppressed and therefore at a higher risk of infection, but I would have to be very unlucky I expect.

Still, onwards and upwards - tomorrow is a new day.

Hope the weather stays good up there for you too.
 
They do seem to be veering away from TEDS. In pre-theatre I was told they were no longer using them. When I woke up in recovery I was told my surgeon had prescribed them for 2 weeks for me and I heard a couple of other surgeons still insisted on the full 6 weeks. Confusing isn't it?
 
They do seem to be veering away from TEDS. In pre-theatre I was told they were no longer using them. When I woke up in recovery I was told my surgeon had prescribed them for 2 weeks for me and I heard a couple of other surgeons still insisted on the full 6 weeks. Confusing isn't it?
Hi Lindylee, yes very confusing. I’ve searched online for all kinds of info and found conflicting advice. Even our NHS page says to wear them in the daytime and leave off at night.
 
@Steph I am 6 days post op, can’t think how anyone could ever get an anti- embolism stocking on!! My consultant sends you home with two weeks worth of Fragmin Injection, one syringe injected daily prevents blood clotting. My biggest problem at the moment isn’t the knee, it’s the calf muscle. It’s solid and tight and makes walking really painful
 
@Lillli125 they are a nightmare to get on. My hubby gets it over my foot and ankle, then I can pull it up my leg, but they are so tight.
I don’t have the Fragmin injections, they sent me home with Dabigatran capsules which do the same thing.
 
I can’t even imagine giving myself an injection! :yikes:
 
Day 10........slowly but surely...

Yesterday was a day of rest without the stockings! I have found that the reason they hurt so much is because they actually push the swelling into and above the knee. Then they cut in really badly - to the point of causing soreness and indentations round the knee.

I’ve also noticed lots of different aches and pains - my hip on the same side aches (it was replaced 10 years ago), I’m presuming that as my knee was 20% valgus there is a lot of stresses and strains going through tendons and ligaments to realign things.

My back which was pretty bad pre op, improved for a day or two but now aches in different places - so hopefully a good sign that it’s realigning itself.

I am doing gentle exercises, not pushing anything too far and ensuring I’m icing and elevating regularly. I am finding I am able to move towards the 90 degrees without any discomfort. I do stop before anything hurts at all.

The main issue is deep tissue swelling and I know until that starts to go down then the exercises are just compounding the issue. Also my staples and dressing are to be removed on Tuesday, which I just feel will make a hell of a lot of difference.

Last night I wore the TEDs to bed, managed to sleep 2 hours between each loo/discomfort break - in fact coped with the discomfort of the TEDs until 6am when they just had to come off. Once they were off I managed another couple of hours until it was pain pill time.

So far today I have washed, dressed, gentle exercise on the bed, sorted some laundry for doing and set the machine as my hubby just can’t get to grips with it haha.

I am now resting with the leg up, ice pack on and having a coffee. It’s another gorgeous early spring day, so I am going to wander in the garden and have a look to see if we have any lambs in the field behind us yet. May take my camera and get a few pics.

Have a good day/night everyone
 
@Steph @Lilli215 A tip for putting the stockings on - put a plastic bag over your foot (not over the heel though) then it's easy to slide the stocking on. Once it's in place, roll back the stocking on the foot and pull the bag out. It's so easy that I managed to do mine on my own.

I did the injections as well, not my favourite job, but the thought of my husband coming at me with a needle swayed me :scaredycat:

Steph, you seem to be doing well for 10 days. I felt much better once my staples were out. The knee still stiffens quite quickly if in one position for long and I'm amazed how many different pain sensations occur round my knee over a day!
 
My stockings had an opening at the toe end so it was easy to just pull the plastic bag right back out the toe end. We used the plastic package they came in.

My stockings must have been the right size as they were comfortable enough. They did leave a indentation at the top but not too bad.
 
@Jockette it’s actually the easiest thing in the world, the needle is so fine it goes in quickly with minimum pressure, all over in 5 seconds. We dont get the stockings at all and thank goodness for that, I had them post hysterectomy 12 years ago and they were torture!!! I’vegot a lot of muscle pain at backof knee and calf, anyone got any tips on how to relieve it?
 
I guess it’s all in one’s perspective. I had a decent experience with the stockings and only wore them about 10 days and my surgeon said I could take them off. The shot sounds awful to me. :heehee:
 
The shots really aren’t bad at all :)

Never thought I’d be able to give them to myself, but now I’ve done it lots of times before and after several surgeries and other medical procedures.

I’ve just put them in the fat area around my belly button and it’s over in no time.

Does not hurt - or maybe it’s my amply padded tummy that helps me not feel the pain.
 
Hi @Steph
I'm another one who never had the compression stockings. I didn't even have them after surgery, I was sent home with 10 days worth of something to stop my blood clotting though. I've had them before after other surgeries though and hated them !
 
Hi @Lilli215

I still have the calf and back of knee pain but it's slowly going now. I went back to my physio and she gave me stretching exercises for my calf but as it's only a week since your most recent TKR, i'd stick with painkillers for now ! Plenty of time yet before you need to worry :)
 
Thanks @hopalong61. My problem this time round is comparing way too much to my first tkr two years ago. Did Ihave this swelling, was the pain as bad etc etc and I can’t remember. I’m sure I did but at that point had nothing to compare it to so just got on with it. This time round think I’ll end up going round the twist and it’s only day 6 !!!!!!!!
 
@Jockette and @Lindylee yes we do the plastic bag trick, although I cannot put them on myself. I have them back on now but have got the one on my operated leg a bit lower as it’s so very sore behind my knee.

@Lilli215 I wish my surgeon decided against them, but it’s belt and braces here - either the injections or pills and the stockings (for the full 6 weeks).

@hopalong61 I think I’m ringing the surgeon to tel them the trouble I’m having. They did debate whether to give them to me seeing as I have a skin issue as part of my auto immune disease, so wonder what would have happened if they had decided against them.

Just had a lovely afternoon watching the Bohemian Rhapsody film on TV, really enjoyed it.

Did have a little mishap earlier, started to come downstairs and put my operated leg down and then by mistake put my good leg on the next step down! That sorted the bend out - ouch!!
 
@Lilli215 - we’re in this one together. Day 10 here and it’s driving me nuts.

One of the most irritating things today has been the prickles at the back of my lower thigh - feels like someone’s sticking pins in, maybe they are haha - got my icepack under my thigh at the mo.
 
@ebungalow i suppose it’s like anything once you conditon yourself to it. They decided against them with me as I’m immune suppressed, so they thought one less chance of infection if they gave me the pills instead.
 
@Steph that totally makes sense - I kind of stuck my oar into the convo without thinking it through
 

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