Revision TKR Multiple Knee Replacements

[Jolease]

I sure hope they give you something more to help with your pain! It’s sad we have to fight to get our pain controlled. I wonder why they want your knee at such an uncomfortable straight. Sending you hugs at this very painful recovery stage xx

 

[PegGar16]

Happy your surgery went well. I also suggest asking for other pain meds if you are hurting. Did they do something else to your knee besides the TKR? It just sounds different to keep it straight for 6 weeks.

 

[Momma-me]

@Celle yes please change my post title! Than you!

 

[Momma-me]

I took the pillow out and fell asleep and just got awoken to a nurse yelling at me that I “can’t keep the pillow like that!! Who did this? You’re going to get a contracture!!”

 

[Celle]

@Celle yes please change my post title! Thank you!

What would you like it to be?

 

[Irish471]

@Momma-me , big hugs!!! I was thinking about you during my physical therapy appointment today. I am so glad you're over here on the other side. My nurses were totally paranoid about the contracture thing. If you inch that towel towards your knee a bit, it will hurt a little less. I showed my surgeon the Lounge Doctor web site at my pre-op appointment and he said it looked great! I asked him, is it okay to use because the nurses told me not to have a bend in the knee. He said, no, it's okay to have a little bend.

Does your room have a reclining chair? Maybe ask to sit in that for a while. And for the pain, definitely tell them your pain is not in control. You should aim to be at a 3. Try to take little naps when you can. The first week is going to , but once you get through it, it's onward and upward from there. Did the surgeon say anything about the scope on the other knee?

 

[Lindylee]

I found a fairly soft pillow lengthwise under the whole of my leg helped. Even now I sleep better with one there and my extension is fine. I can imagine that having your ankle resting on one and your leg hanging in space must be excruciating at this point. I hope you get some decent pain relief soon.

 

[Cynof4]

I found a fairly soft pillow lengthwise under the whole of my leg helped. Even now I sleep better with one there and my extension is fine. I can imagine that having your ankle resting on one and your leg hanging in space must be excruciating at this point. I hope you get some decent pain relief soon.

I did the same thing after my arthroscopy and while healing from my fracture. I could not have tolerated anything under my ankle at all. It basically puts all the weight of the leg on the swollen joint. No thank you!

Hope you feel better soon!

 

[Celle]

I took the pillow out and fell asleep and just got awoken to a nurse yelling at me that I “can’t keep the pillow like that!! Who did this? You’re going to get a contracture!!”

How dare she when you're sleeping?
She's wrong too (although it's probably what she's been taught). You won't get a contracture at all, and you'll be far more comfortable.

Roll on the day you can go home!

 

[Momma-me]

Hi everyone!

I’m home, trying to sleep (been up since 3:00am but you all know how that goes).
My poor hubby who is supp to be caring for me got super sick with flu like symptoms!!! Yikes! So that’s been tough. Got home last night at dinner time.

Surgeon left in the patellar component from the last surgery, and took out both the medial and lateral sides (obviously) said it went perfectly.

My BP in the pre-op area was 165/95 and resting pulse was 110. Ummm... you think I was nervous? They gave me something for my anxiety. Next thing you know I was in the OR. I remember getting the spinal, then nothing else till I woke up in the PACU to the anesthesiologist inserting the femoral block and the Q ball. Never felt it.

The first 3 hrs were fine; no pain but I was surprised (and bummed!!) how quickly the block wore off!! I was up and out of bed that afternoon... doing ok despite both knees being worked on.

To my shock he stated my left knee looked excellent except for some scar tissue and a plica that was caught in the joint which he removed and said was probably causing my pain and my knee cap to get “caught”. I do have some arthritis under the knee cap but it’s only in a small area. He did no scraping under there as he said he wouldn’t. I am shocked at how little discomfort I have/had in the left after the scope. Thank God because I have to use it as my “good leg” The scope I had on the right, 3 years ago was beyond brutal, and after that, was when everything went down hill and I never walked again.

So... according to OS, no more surgeries for a very long time!! (Maybe never if I’m that lucky!) He said TKR on right should last 30 years!

Everyone in the hospital insisted I keep my knee hyper extended while in bed. Went to “joint camp” where they talked about the RICE method, importance of keeping swelling under control, getting up every hour for 5 min, and keeping knee hyper-extended. Ouch... does that hurt!! They were SO insistent on it. One nurse told me if I didn’t comply, I would be back in a few weeks for a manipulation??!!! Geez.... it hadn’t even been 24 hrs?

So I have 2 ice units, both with compression and besides getting up to use bathroom, brush teeth, walk around apt for 5-10 min, etc... I’ve been in bed with the ice on. I’m taking 10 mg of oxy every 4 hrs and 1,000 mg of Tylenol every 8 hrs.

Does that sound right? It’s still hurting pretty badly but I don’t expect it to feel good. I think I’m going to take a Tramadol in between and see if that helps.

I'm just glad it’s over and now we just wait and see what the outcome is!

PT will come see me either later this week or next (can’t remember). By week 3, I’ll be in out patient PT.

Oh... and some blood is coming through my dressing. Is this any concern?

Thanks for reading and for all the support. I’ll be back frequently to post and follow everyone else’s journeys!
Hugs to all

 

[Jockette]

I’m so glad you’re home!!

It’s shocking how misinformed your nurses were. I’m so glad we have Bonesmart to set us straight and offer us a better approach to recovery.

So sorry your husband got so sick. Is he better yet?

Be careful with the PT. Don’t do anything that hurts.

Im so glad your Dr found very little in the other knee.

Take care

 

[Jolease]

Glad all went well for you! Now that your home you don’t have to torture your poor knee by hyper extending it. I took my pain meds every 3 hrs for the first week as i couldn’t make it to 4. I think the tramadol in between might help. I wish you well on your recovery!

 

[Momma-me]

OMG I woke up this morning to 10 out of 10 pain. Literally could have killed my self if I was within reach of a sharp object. Called the doc and they told me to take 3 Oxys at a time today. (Total of 15 mg every 4 hrs) pain is down to maybe 6 or 7 but omg I don’t know what happened.

Q ball is leaking all down my leg so I think the catheter came or is coming out

 

[Softtail]

Momma-me, wow what a story , and as a neighbor , Canandaigua , NY. , I AM surprised and a bit shocked, to hear of your treatment in hospital. I too had my knee , second one , done in Rochester, and could not have been more pleased with the treatment and hospital staff . Most certainly no one was forcing me to keep my leg extended to the point of pain. So sorry you are experiencing so much pain. Curious about hospital. If you want to talk more about it PM me.

 

[Jockette]

Q ball is leaking all down my leg so I think the catheter came or is coming out

Call your doctor.

 

[sistersinhim]

When is you home nurse coming? She should be able to fix the QBall. Be sure and call your doctor as soon as you can.

 

[tylermit]

@Momma-me I had the On-Q pump also. Check your discharge paperwork for a phone number to call when you have problems with it. It is the Anesthesiologist that is in charge of your Q pump. After discharge they called me every day asking how things were going and if it was working OK. On the 4th day it was spent. When he called that day he talked me through removing it. One way to check if it is working is if you are numb about 2 inches above the inside of your ankle bone on the operated leg. Your meds mirror what they have given me. 2 oxycodone
every 4 hours + Tylenol. First week is tough but it slowly gets better.

 

[ulrich2000]

@Momma-me
Glad you’re through but sorry to hear you’re having such a hard time. If you have not already your doc should be told about the blood and the leaking On-Q.

In my case the pain really ramped up on day 2 when all the blocks wore off. I had Toradol and Tylenol around the clock and learned to take oxy when offered. By day 4 i moved to Tylenol and Celebrex around the clock, Tramadol q6 and Dilaudid prn for breakthrough. Melatonin to help sleep and a Benadryl if needed to nod off. At 4 weeks I’m basically on the same regimen now except half the Tramadol and I haven’t had a dilaudid in over a week.

In the hospital they did put a rolled towel under my heels but only for 20 -30 minutes at a time and only 3 or 4 times a day. It didn’t hurt too much and I tried to relax into it. I fantasized about being able to bend my knees in bed...

Hoping you take a quick turn for the better.

 

[Irish471]

@Momma-me , I’m not sure what a Q ball is, but you mentioned blood coming in the dressing. I would tell your OS about that. I had some bleeding in the knee after surgery but it didn’t show up on the dressing. The aspirin I was taking after surgery made things worse and at my 2 week followup, when the dressing was removed we discovered a hematoma had formed. Not saying that’s happening with you, but you said your pain is at a 10. So was mine. My OS said he could have intervened if I had come in to see him. Don’t be afraid to call!

 

[Momma-me]

@Irish471 how did you know you had a hematoma?
The SHARP pain is only on the medial side ; lateral feels not bad.
It’s relentless