TKR 1 day post-replacement.

[tmwillia]

I spent nearly the entire day lying down with my leg elevated. Wore compression stockings for about 20 hours. This morning I took off the stockings and the swelling is down to nearly normal. The bruising is extremely colorful, the back of my calf and inside of my ankle are purple and dusky gray and very tender to the touch.
I spent a good part of the day on the couch with leg elevated, taking the Norco every 5 hours all day. Did have to go to the hospital lab for another coumadin check, but that was my only activity.
Tomorrow I go to the lab again, and get another Doppler ultrasound to confirm no clots.
If that's clear, I may be able to get off the coumadin by the weekend. Fingers crossed.



TerriM 10/28/13( RTKR)
10/14/14 (LTKR)

 

[Jane B.]

Tmwillia, sorry you have had the swelling and bruising. I hope you get the all clear to stop the blood thinner. This healing process is a filled with more surprises than I like.

Tmwillia, could you please tell me what the photo is that you use for your avatar? I've looked and looked and can't figure it out. I thought it might be your leg in a CPM?

 

[tmwillia]

Tmwillia, sorry you have had the swelling and bruising. I hope you get the all clear to stop the blood thinner. This healing process is a filled with more surprises than I like.

Tmwillia, could you please tell me what the photo is that you use for your avatar? I've looked and looked and can't figure it out. I thought it might be your leg in a CPM?

Hi Jane,
Thanks for your support. Even though this is my 2nd tkr, the course of healing and progress is totally different. The first two weeks there were moments of pain but in general I was feeling terrific. Then wham!! Swelling, bruising and lots more pain. I'm taking Norco round the clock to manage the pain.

My avatar is from my first tkr done last year. I should have changed it for this time. That devise was ordered when I came home from the hospital, day 8 or so, because I had so little flex.( barely to 70 degrees) it's called a JAZ brace. It's custom adapted for each patient. Once it's on, you tighten the knobs which begin bending the knee. I was instructed to do it 3-4 times a day for 20 minutes. Being able to do it myself rather than being forcefully bent by a PT made it much more manageable. I don't know of anyone else on BoneSmart who had one. I pretty much hated it, but I do think it helped my progress. I have nearly complete flex on that knee now, a year after surgery.


TerriM 10/28/13( RTKR)
10/14/14 (LTKR)

 

[Jane B.]

Wow, I Googled the device you used, it looks like it was a tough go.

 

[tmwillia]

Hello Bonesmart friends. I am at 6 weeks post- op now. In general I guess I'm doing pretty well. I am at the stage where my OS is ordering lighter pain meds (5 mg. Norco down from 7.5 mg) and instead of every 4 hours they are to be taken every 8-12 hours. I understand it is to prevent me becoming addicted to the pain meds that he has ordered them like this.
I still have quite a few of the 7.5 mg Norco so I've been using them only at nights when I am the most miserable.
Today, I was baking my Thanksgiving pies which had me standing at the kitchen counter and sink, peeling apples and rolling dough and taking things out of the oven. While I was busy my knee and leg pain was minimal, but as the day progressed so did the pain. I took the 5mg. Norco every 4-5 hours to keep the pain at bay.
Now, I'm in bed, and took a 7.5 mg. Norco and it's just not budging the spasms, and pain from my butt cheek to my shin.
My husband thinks I'm doing too much, but that doesn't seem right to me at 6 weeks out. I'm getting really anxious from this pain tonight and worrying that I am doing something wrong. My OS staff tell me I should be able to resume normal activities now as long as I rest occasionally.

So will someone please tell me what's going on! I feel as if this knee has healed much, much faster than my right knee because I know I had more consistent pain last time and could barely bend my knee at all. But I'm able to walk without a limp, no cane, go up and down stairs pretty easily and do everything I need to without thinking about it.

Please advise me. Am I just dependent on the narcotic and the pain is just in my head?



TerriM 10/28/13( RTKR)
10/14/14 (LTKR)

 

[Roy Gardiner]

While I was busy my knee and leg pain was minimal, but as the day progressed so did the pain.

Your knee is talking to you...

My husband thinks I'm doing too much, but that doesn't seem right to me at 6 weeks out.

...as is your husband, and you aren't taking any notice

Your husband is of course used to this , but your knee can take revenge.

OK I'm taking the mickey a bit, no offence intended.

Seriously; your recovery isn't dictated by time, as you yourself point out this knee is different from your last. If you do too much, you set your recovery backwards. That's what's just happened; by doing too much, your knee is now painful and (I expect) swollen. You will now have to mark time for a day or so until your knee recovers from over-exertion.

I took the 5mg. Norco every 4-5 hours to keep the pain at bay.

enabling you to keep damaging your knee. The pain is a message - STOP! - which IMO you should pay attention to.

 

[tmwillia]

Yikes! Ok, I get it. Although it seems self indulgent to sit around with my leg up, when it isn't hurting much. I'm a little worried that I will lose conditioning and strength by not pushing myself and end up an old frail lady who has to 'take care'.




TerriM 10/28/13( RTKR)
10/14/14 (LTKR)

 

[Roy Gardiner]

It is not 'self indulgent' it is a 'proactive structured recovery programme centred on Rest, Ice and Elevation'.

Yes you will lose a bit of strength; but you can regain that when healing is complete.

 

[Jane B.]

No way I could have stood at the sink for hours at six weeks! I have trouble standing still and talking to neighbors or waiting in line at the store. I need to move around a bit.

How about a stool in the kitchen, or sit down at the table, and peel apples? You have to think about how to pace yourself and work around your knee. Someone on the forum said, "Up for an hour, down for an hour." Or something like that.

I am the queen of over doing it, by the way.

 

[referee54]

While I was busy my knee and leg pain was minimal, but as the day progressed so did the pain.

At six weeks post-op, this will certainly happen.

My husband thinks I'm doing too much, but that doesn't seem right to me at 6 weeks out.

I have to tell you that your husband is correct---I would back off of the amount of activities that you are doing. While six weeks sounds like enough time, you are still very early in the grand schemes of recovery.

Yikes! Ok, I get it. Although it seems self indulgent to sit around with my leg up, when it isn't hurting much.

You are not at all "Self-indulgent"! you are healing---you are recovering---and this can take much longer than you would expect it to.

AT six weeks, you are in the "pre-game warm-up" of recovery---it is still very early.

I'm getting really anxious from this pain tonight and worrying that I am doing something wrong. My OS staff tell me I should be able to resume normal activities now as long as I rest occasionally.

I have to tell you that I returned to the classroom at eight weeks---and that was too early. At six weeks, you still have a great deal of recovering to do.

I do not agree with your OS---I would listen to the knee more and not try to demand so much out of it at this early point in time. Do a little, ice a lot. When you do a lot---what is your knee telling you?

 

[referee54]

How about a stool in the kitchen, or sit down at the table, and peel apples? You have to think about how to pace yourself and work around your knee. Someone on the forum said, "Up for an hour, down for an hour." Or something like that.

This is an excellent idea!

Later on, when you are completely recovered, there will plenty of standing without any issues---

But now, why not change your routine a little bit, and sit down? Even then, understand that gravity will do its worst and your knee will get stiff and sore, but this may help to minimize it a bit.

 

[kneeper]

As others have said, it's not really self indulgent to keep your leg up even when it isn't hurting. You're preventing swelling and pain. It's really about pacing yourself so you can do some stuff without aggravating the knee and leading to entire days with nothing but
I think you've learned a little bit about where the line is for overdoing. And that will change week to week. Remember the ODIC is one club you don't want to join.

 

[tmwillia]

Thank you @referee54. I ironed my holiday linens today while sitting down. I didn't think it would work, but it did and that was a couple hours of standing saved. I'm icing my knee now.
I'm not very patient but I'm going to try to rest it more.



TerriM 10/28/13( RTKR)
10/14/14 (LTKR)

 

[tmwillia]

Just wanted to check in. In general this has been a smooth road for me. It's been quite a different experience from my first tkr last year.
One new unpleasant thing started just last night. While sleeping I was woken by a sudden sharp pain in my knee. I absolutely know I can't have damaged my knee in my sleep, but I ended up taking pain meds and icing in the middle of the night. I got very little sleep last night, and in all took three pain meds during the day. I've been down to one during the day and one at bedtime for weeks.

Now here I am again. Awake at midnight and raking a Norco and icing. My knee feels like somebody stabbed me. Just sudden sharp pain followed by duller pain that won't go away.
So once again, I'm hoping there's a Bone Smartie who can shed a little light for me. Do I need to go in to see the my ortho or is this something I should have expected. ( with my right knee, still 7 weeks I was in very frequent regular pain and taking pain meds on a schedule)

I only have 6 Norco left and I know I won't be getting more at 7 weeks post op. My ortho's protocol doesn't allow for anything at this point.


TerriM 10/28/13( RTKR)
10/14/14 (LTKR)

 

[Clipless]

Hi @ tmwillia. I have no particular light to shed but I wonder if you twisted funny in your sleep or aggravated your knee the day/evening before. I am also 6 weeks post LTKR and woke last night with similar pains, such that I rolled off my sofa moaning and whimpering before I was fully awake. I had had a good day, at one point I momentarily "forgot" which knee had the surgery! Just before I fell asleep I had been doing reps of a simple exercise to strengthen my problem VMO. Though I felt fine during the exercise apparently it irritated my knee. I'm back in bed feeling better and hoping you are, too.

 

[MotownGirl66]

I came home from the hospital this morning, 3 days post-op. Still having no pain. Home health to start tomorrow for wound care and Coumadin level checks. So far this has been like a dream compared to the right knee.
The only issue I'm having is nausea, yesterday for several hours and today for the past 5 hours. One of the changes in medication since the surgery has been the addition of Celebrex. They started that shortly after I woke up from the surgery. I didn't take any this evening and I think I will not take any tomorrow. The prescription bottle states 'take as needed'. I've not had any pain in my hands or neck in the past couple days so I'm thinking it was a pretty effective arthritis medication. Has anyone taken Celebrex on an occasional basis with a good result? I'd really love to be able to take this for all the other areas that hurt but I have had an ulcer in the past and I am concerned that the Celebrex may be too irritating.




TerriM 10/28/13( RTKR)
10/14/14 (LTKR)

Wow! You are one of the lucky ones to not have any pain. Good for you!

 

[tmwillia]

Hi @Clipless,
I'm pretty certain you're right. I'm a side sleeper and I wake up frequently changing rides. Whatever muscle group is responsible for holding that leg in position isn't doing its job.
So I need to figure out how to work the muscles that control side to side movement.



TerriM 10/28/13( RTKR)
10/14/14 (LTKR)

 

[tmwillia]

Hi @Motown girl,
I've been pretty darn lucky this time around, as far as pain. I haven't had as much or as intense as with my first knee replacement. So I should quit complaining and be grateful.


TerriM 10/28/13( RTKR)
10/14/14 (LTKR)

 

[MotownGirl66]

@tmwillia Well, this pain from my 1st (and only thus far) knee replacement has impressed the **** out of me enough that I am putting off knee #2 for as long as humanly possible. In spite of two hip replacements and ton of other surgeries, this pain was tons more intense than any of those and I severely underestimated it. Doesn't take me two times to touch a hot stove before I learn it's hot. LOL!

 

[tmwillia]

@Motowngirl, I'm sorry to hear you are having so much pain. I felt exactly like that last year. All my friends and family were astonished that I had my 2nd knee done because I SWORE it was never going to happen. I was still asking (begging) for pain meds at 12 weeks post op last year. And I was still in PT because my knee was so stiff. That was halfway through March!

This past May we were informed that as of January, 2015 we would no longer have the option of having an HMO, so I began the pre-approval process for getting my second knee replacement. My right knee was finally not hurting and my left knee was giving me hell. Knowing that if I didn't have that knee replaced in 2014 would mean paying 20% of the costs were the motivation to go for it.
I don't know why this one has been so much easier. My own theory is that the surrounding muscles weren't as damaged as knee number 1, mainly because I didn't wait for years to do it. The X-rays showed a lit of arthritis changes and bone spurs so it was justified but it still had some function.

Anyway, that long ramble was intended as support of you. I understand your pain and reluctance to hold through this all again. I felt that way too but it DID get better and I think yours will too. Hang in there a while longer and it will all have been worth it.



TerriM 10/28/13( RTKR)
10/14/14 (LTKR)