TKR Had my rt tkr Feb 1st.

[myellenbee]

My rt tkr was February 1st. So 2 weeks post op. My staples were removed today. I'm doing SO much better than when my left was done.I have home PT 3x a week which is gentle and has a lot of safety teaching re stairs sitting and standing safely and I can already bend 75-80 °.
But seems everyone expects me to be back to most activities and off pain meds. What you're still taking some oxytocin! Yes it's just exactly 2 weeks.Can't someone drive you to the meeting? NO. So feeling discouraged and VERY rushed to get better.
I'm trying to rest more because on the left the swelling was emense and I think the PT made it worse.

 

[Jockette]

Hi and Welcome!

But seems everyone expects me to be back to most activities and off pain meds.

It really is amazing how little other people know about this surgery and expect so much of us, so quickly, even if some of those people are part of our medical team. You will find that is not the case here at Bonesmart, we’ve all “been there, done that” and we understand this recovery very well. I hope that you’ll be able to relax a bit and just let your body heal and it’s own pace.

I'm doing SO much better than when my left was done.

Please tell us the date of your left knee and we’ll add it to your signature.

I'm trying to rest more because on the left the swelling was emense and I think the PT made it worse.

You are right to take things slowly and gently this time around.

Regaining our ROM does not require forceful bending or painful exercises.
Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[Jockette]

I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Just keep in mind all people are different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary

2. Control discomfort:

rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

don't overwork.​

​

If you want to use something to help heal the incision, ​

BoneSmart recommends hypochlorous solution. Members in the US can purchase ACTIVE Antimicrobial Hydrogel through BoneSmart at a discount. Similar products should be available in the UK and other countries.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

​

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​

b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

​

​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

​

the BoneSmart view on exercise​

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity Progression for TKRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

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Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.

 

[LD of Michigan]

...Seems everyone expects me to be back to most activities and off pain meds. What you're still taking some oxytocin! Yes it's just exactly 2 weeks. Can't someone drive you to the meeting? ...

People (including family) who've NEVER had a TRK can expect alot and yet know little! Well meaning but you have to go thru it to really understand the complexity of recovery - levels of healing.

And yes, I was asked numerous times about my use of/ how long I'd take Oxy. I was warned by friends and family about the addiction factor often. A factor I never experienced. At a point I shut it down, reminding all I used Oxy my first TKR w/o addiction and this TKR was going fine with it.

Two weeks IS very early. I was still on a combo of pain meds including Tylenol. No one can judge your use of pain meds for your specific TKR recovery and pain level or timing of your pain.

The person asking if someone can drive you should volunteer to drive (smile). TKR recovery comes in stages, many overlapping. Some have more pain at night, some after activities, and then the pain lessens.

I found people stopped asking me questions about Oxy when I restated a few times: 'I can't speak for others but my pain is (or was) managed on my med plan and so far so good'.

 

[Layla]

Hi and Welcome myellenbee. Thanks for joining us! Great news that you're finding this recovery easier.

What you're still taking some oxytocin! Yes it's just exactly 2 weeks.Can't someone drive you to the meeting? NO. So feeling discouraged and VERY rushed to get better.

Consider countering other's unrealistic expectations by telling these people your surgeon is pleased with your progress and that is all that matters to you.

Here is a little humor from the Social Area of the forum on the topic / myth of miraculous recoveries.
Tall Tales from the THR Fairy Tale Book
Enjoy and best wishes as you continue healing!
@myellenbee

 

[beachy]

You are so right!
Because tkr is usually outpatient these days and often referred to as a "procedure" most people think you're recovered in a couple weeks.
That includes most everyone who has had their first tkr.
The surgeons don't even prepare you for a long, painful recovery. IMO the first 3 weeks are the worst. It gradually gets better unless you're having aggressive pt. That slows recovery down. And many docs stress ROM too early.
Sorry for the rant. I just stepped off my soap box. Down with the bad leg, up with the good LOL

 

[EalingGran]

But seems everyone expects me to be back to most activities and off pain meds

Agree with @beachy @LD of Michigan
and @Jockette - it is incredibly early days and people have no idea.....
I am almost 15 weeks post PKR and although I can walk good distances ( three miles with a short break) - I still get tired and find standing for any length of time makes me sore and a bit swollen. I still need an afternoon rest/ ice session. But so many friends seem to think I should be back doing everything I used to do. They express surprise that I don't feel ready for long haul travel holidays yet. They are puzzled when I say I really can't face airports/ plane journeys and am still struggling to sleep in my own bed, let alone enjoying sleeping in hotels!

 

[Susie-Q]

Tell those friends and family members to watch a knee replacement on You Tube and then come and tell you you should be back to normal after two weeks!!! Major carpentry work has been done! Bones sawed off, ligaments and tendons stretched around, implants drilled and cemented into bones. GOOD GRIEF!! It's a major surgery with a major recovery. Better yet, send em over to me and I'll learn em!!

 

[LD of Michigan]

...Because tkr is usually outpatient these days and often referred to as a "procedure" most people think you're recovered in a couple weeks.

I agree! The out-P-procedure mindset has somewhat distorted expectations. My first RTKR was in-hospital two-day as standard procedure in 2019. 2023 LTKR was same-day outpatient which while ok as it turned out would have been harder emotionally, etc. if I'd not experienced a TKR surgery before.

People who've had a TKR should be able to (w/o guilt or questioning) be ok with challenges and distinct need of INTENTIONAL recovery. It is awesome that people here understand and support this.

 

[agsmom]

Hi @myellenbee, hang in there! You’ve gotten great advice so far and I agree with all. I would add that I used narcotic pain meds for at least six weeks after my TKR and then used them for longer after my revision TKR. I never got close to addicted but I was able to function because those meds helped to keep the pain under control. There is an article here on bonesmart that speaks to the use of narcotics in recovery and how, if used correctly, they are not addictive. Maybe one of the admins would be able to point you in the right direction. That article was so helpful for me because the pain was real but I was afraid of taking the meds for too long. Good luck in your recovery!

 

[Jockette]

Here is the article @agsmom mentioned, it’s in the Recovery Guidelines:

Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

January 20, 2010 - Long-term opioid therapy is associated with little risk for addiction when given to selected patients with chronic non-cancer pain and no history of substance addiction or abuse, according to a review published online in the January issue of The Cochrane Library. Meredith...

bonesmart.org

 

[beachy]

I'm mostly off the pain meds at 5 weeks, but used them much longer for first tkr. My gut begged me to stop.

 

[myellenbee]

Thanks everyone for your support. It was very helpful, you definitely encouraged and cheered me up!. I had my lt. Tkr 6 1/2 years ago and this is much so much smoother but out patient or not its still a big deal. Today is exactly 2 weeks post op. I've developed an inflamed static nerve on the operated leg. It's as painful if not more painful than the knee. Saw doctor today and and they started a medrol dose pk. Hopefully it won't delay my healing and will ease the nerve pain.
I am so much less swollen this time thank goodness! I can actually walk with a cane some. I use the walker at night.

 

[sistersinhim]

Did you mean the sciatic nerve? Unfortunately, that happens a lot after this surgery. There are some exercises for it, but you are too soon out of your surgery to do them yet. Hopefully, the Medrol will take care of it!

 

[myellenbee]

Im 3 weeks post op today! Compared to left knee 6 years ago which was horrible in so many ways this has been a walk in the park. The medrol dose pack and a chiropractor helped the sciatic pain a lot. But I know recovery is up and down. I've had pretty elevted bp since surgery. So doc stopped all NSAIDs hopefully that will help. I'll be 65 in a couple weeks and I know that raises my risk.

 

[sistersinhim]

I'm glad you're having a better time with this knee. Hopefully, stopping the NSAIDS will help your blood pressure.

 

[myellenbee]

Thanks, I think no NSAIDs is helping. 24 hrs with out and average bp 5 pts lower. But I can also tell how much they helped the stiffness in my knee. Sigh. I'm setting a timer for tylenol to stay on top of the pain. It got ahead of me last night to point the oxytocin didn't help much. Daylight and movement helped, and ice.

 

[sistersinhim]

5 points down is good! I bet as your knee heals and your pain lowers, so will that BP. Pain can raise it.

It's awful when the pain gets ahead of us. Playing catchup is not fun and takes a long time to recoup what we loss.

 

[myellenbee]

The good news is my bp is continuing to slowly go back down! I do miss the pain relief the NSAIDs gave though.
My main problem is the nights have gotten very hard. I can be very tired but cant fall asleep. Im taking a pain pill at night but it seems like the shooting pains are worse, to the point of restlessness. I do take a nap most days after PT or a shower those I drop off easily. I don't know why the nights are so different.

 

[EalingGran]

seems like the shooting pains are worse, to the point of restlessness. I

I know @beachy found gabapentin good for the zingers. I was on a similar medication (pregabalin) for sciatica around the time of my surgery. I stopped it around 4 weeks post surgery because my sciatica had gone with straightening my leg
I had never experienced zingers until I stopped the pregabalin but since I get them from time to time. Mine are fortunately not to bad. Both gabapentin and pregabalin are for nerve pain- MYOB husband was prescribed it for post shingles nerve pain. It might be worth
asking yout GP about having either gabapentin or pregabalin for your zingers as they sound really bad.