PKR Floridoris's Recovery Thread?

It’s very normal, especially at the recovery point you’re in. I made sure to stay away from low seats and had pain when getting up months post op. My house had comfort height toilets when I moved in and I love them even now.
 
^Exactly. Getting up from chairs more naturally is a slowly but surely process. Of course just about everything is in knee recovery. :)
 
Ho-hum 4.5 week report. Have been struggling with sleep, as nearly everyone has mentioned. Just waiting for the day I can finally sleep on my side, because back sleeping is for the birds.

I have discontinued PT. Friday was the last day I went. As much as it was nice having an air-conditioned place to walk, it was getting to be too much at once, too much concentrated in one session. I would like to return someday, maybe in a few months for some strength work. Having appointments and direction would serve me well, I think. But not now. It's too draining for me now.

I have been feeling pains in both legs. Hard to describe, like electrical zaps, but I don't know why I would feel them in my non-surgical leg, as well.

Anyway, the ice machine I ordered should come tomorrow. Hopefully it works and I like it.
 
The TKR leg is probably experiencing zingers, which is the nerves firing up again. It shouldn’t last too long and is normal for TKR recovery.
I did strength work at PT but found the best strength work was walking. It helped build up the necessary muscles for walking better than anything else I did, plus walking is what we want our knees to do anyway.
 
Why is it that when you have a surgery or medical issue, suddenly everyone is a doctor?

Everyone seems to know someone who has had a knee replacement, and they are either doing much better than I am or they are significantly, depressingly worse! Neither kind of story makes me feel good. Either I think, "Why did they have such an easy, pain-free time" or "Oh my god, what if that ends up happening to me."

A few days before my surgery, a friend/acquaintance said to me, "Why are you having a partial knee replacement and not a total? Does your doctor really think that's a good idea? Did you get a second opinion?" Sigh.
 
A few days before my surgery, a friend/acquaintance said to me, "Why are you having a partial knee replacement and not a total? Does your doctor really think that's a good idea? Did you get a second opinion?" Sigh.
I had 2 people ask me the same thing, but didn’t suggest a second opinion. I thought to myself, I’m sure my doctor knows what he’s doing.

I felt that my recovery was constantly being rated pass/fail, and because I was ignorant of what this recovery was, I always felt they thought I was failing. Even after I found Bonesmart it took a long time for it to sink in, that this is indeed a year long, or more, recovery, even for a partial.

We get bombarded with so many opinions, even within the medical system, it’s mind boggling, and at a time when we are most vulnerable.
 
And there was indeed a good reason for the partial. I still had a good amount of collagen on the lateral side, but none left on the medial side. And the medial side was where all my knee pain was. But I was such a nervous wreck before the surgery, I didn't have the presence of mind to explain that to the person who said that to me.

The word partial feels a bit misleading somehow. I suppose I expected to have just a "partial" amount of the regular pain and recovery time. That seems like it would be true. But I don't think it is.
 
Everyone seems to know someone who has had a knee replacement, and they are either doing much better than I am or they are significantly, depressingly worse!
Oh that's the famous "neighbour's brother-in-law's cousin's friend" So far distant there's absolutely no possibility of confirming it. They're all Chinese whispers - don't believe a word of them! When I was about to have my first knee done, a friend (who was a retired nurse so should have known better!) told me her next-door-neigbour had his knee done and 10 days later was up on his (bungalow) roof, repairing tiles! I didn't believe it but some months later, I met him in his garden and spoke to him about this miracle recovery and learned that he'd only had an arthroscopy! :doh:
 
It feels like I've been in more pain this week for some reason, even though I'm icing my knee now more than ever, due to my new icing machine. I stopped PT a week ago. Maybe it's because of the heat? But I live in Florida, so that isn't going away any time soon.

Still cannot sleep on my side, either side. If I could at least lie on my side without pain, I'd settle for not being able to bend my knee. (I believe this is known as the bargaining stage.)

I got in touch with a doctor who prescribes medical marijuana, and they're getting my medical records from my GP. Hopefully I'll be able to get an appointment soon.
 
I'm in backslide mode right now. No fun and hoping it'll pass quickly, icing and trying to rest up.
 
If someone gets a chance, could my thread title be changed to Floridoris's Recovery Thread? Thank you!
 
I've changed your thread title, as you requested. :flwrysmile:
 
I long to sleep on my side! I try every night but no matter how I arrange the pillows it gets uncomfortable fast. Someday...:angel:
 
I was able to sleep on my side for a few hours by laying on my right side (RTKR) and putting my left leg over my right leg. It didn’t last long, but it sure felt good.
 
Not much to report, other than sleep is still quite difficult. Yesterday I got 2 or 3 hours of sleep in the evening, then was awake for most of the night. Called it quit around 5 a.m.
Walking and standing are fine, but I get tired quickly. Sitting down and then standing up from a chair or car seat are the hardest. I'm elevating and icing as much as I can, though my daughter tells me to ice more.

I'm seeing my surgeon next week. Hopefully my pain will have decreased or he will prescribe something like Tramadol or something that will work. 5 mg of Hydrocodone 3x a day is what I'm taking now. I had been taking 5 mg hydrocodone twice a day for years prior to the surgery, and I wonder if I should have asked for something else. A 1000 mg dose of Tylenol doesn't do anything, nor does 800 mg of Ibuprofen. I'm amazed that some people can just take over the counter pain relievers and that's all they need. If only!
 
How much of your day is spent icing and elevating?
 
Hi KarriB, I'd say that I spend 85-90% of 24 hours elevating. I probably ice for 6-9 hours.
 
I haven't seen this mentioned much, but what is the consensus on wearing sleeves or wraps around the knee either during the day or at night? I'm still wearing my knee-high (below the knee, really) compression hose, and I'm wondering if it would help having compression higher up. I tried the saran wrap technique one night, but it wound up unraveling and I gave up.
 

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