Revised PKR to TKR 12 months later but can’t find my thread

[sistersinhim]

Feels like food gets trapped in my throat and I struggle to breathe so I brought it up rather than choke.

I had this. I think the meds are really drying and sometimes we don't have enough saliva to get food down. I found if I had lots of fluid when eating and taking very small bits, I could get it down.

It sounds like you are doing fantastic and coming along really well! PT sounds good, too! Great!

 

[shelli22]

@sistersinhim I think you’re right about the food. Couldn’t eat breakfast today but I had a salad for lunch and did exactly that. Drank heaps of water and had tiny mouthfuls of food. That worked. Thanks for your reply x

 

[shelli22]

The stem is really long. I had a look at the X-ray. I wonder why.

 

[shelli22]

I’m walking with a stick and I forget itl. Oops. Waiting for the physio so we can attempt stairs. It’s a long wait. Had some mylanta to try and knock off the wind pain. Hasn’t worked yet but I’ll get more later if need be. Home tomorrow- discharge time is 10am.

 

[Beckaroo]

Wow Shelli, you are coming right along! Sorry to hear about your pain... I don’t even know why we need to wait on nurses for meds anymore, unless it’s an injection you’ll have the same pills at home and there’s no nurse there! Bother!! Sure hope you’re able to control that pain from here on out. That was my number one complaint!

I hate throwing up. I’ll try to hold it down for so long and usually you feel better afterwards. I didn’t get sick this time except once! Yay!! I usually am very sick and vomit for a couple of day when they put me under for surgery. But I had that epidural instead and never got sick!!!

So you take care. Spending prayers and hugs!!

you’ll be back on your feet in no time!

 

[shelli22]

Well I got home at 11 am. My puppies were happy to see me. Put everything away and set up the lounge. Have been icing and elevating most of the afternoon. Pain is not too bad. I’m writing down med times so I don’t forget them. Knee is huge. I have a flexion of 90. He was wrapped with extension though I have no idea what it was. I have the worst sciatica I’ve ever had in my life so I have lyrica for that. Too bad about the side effects. I’ll worry about that later. No anti inflammatories as I ended up with a tearing pain in my stomach from them. Yay. Have plenty of meds and I see the surgeon on 19/2. Not much else to tell. My mum is staying over tonight to make sure I’m ok. Took a truckload of coloxyl and senna. Hopefully that will work overnight or tomorrow. All in all it’s all good

 

[shelli22]

@Bexkaroo I’m home now and it’s much better. I can’t write down times for meds and keep control of my pain myself. I haven’t vomited again thank goodness. I had no epidural and no nerve block but the anaesthetist and I discussed what meds would be the most appropriate and made sure there were lots of antiemetics so I wouldn’t vomit. It works well because I always ask for anaesthetic which when ceases I recover very quickly from and don’t wake up groggy. I woke up feeling quite ok and not groggy or sick. I’m now walking around the house with nothing because I keep forgetting it and I use a stick outside. The knee feels great other than the pain but it’s expected to be painful lol. I’m hoping this works. I’m just icing and elevating heaps. Not doing a lot else except heel slides ankle pumps and extension exercise. That’s it. Get up and walk to toilet or kitchen. Then back to icing and elevating. Thanks for checking out my thread and your support.

 

[sistersinhim]

It sounds like you are getting along well! You know what to do, and you'll be fine!

 

[shelli22]

Thanks @sistersinhim. I’m doing ok. Except I’m wide awake and really hot lol. I have found eating small meals often works the best for me at this time with the swallowing issue. I read the pamphlet the PT gives out. It states that you should not push through exercises but you MUST push through too get ROM. Sigh. Put that pamphlet away.

 

[Jockette]

Good for you for ignoring the pamphlet! It sounds conflicting anyway, push but don’t push.

Best wishes for improvement!

 

[jboles]

Sounds like you’re doing well. Glad you got the nausea under control. That pamphlet sounds super confusing, it’s probably wise to put that thing away.

 

[sistersinhim]

Push, but don't push. Huh?

 

[shelli22]

@Jockette thank you. Yep I filed the pamphlet lol

 

[shelli22]

Interesting discussion with the physician before I left. He was slightly concerned about my elevated heart rate. I said this is what I was sent to him about prior to surgery. He said it was perhaps tramadol but for peace of mind get bloods done to check for thyroid or hormone issues. Then he said you’ll be off those drugs in a week !!!?!???!!

 

[sistersinhim]

Off in a week? Or really? Come on, get real. How much elevated was your heart rate? Did he think it was serious? You should go see about it, but it's so hard to do so shortly after your surgery.

 

[shelli22]

I’m going to get it checked. It sits around 125. ECG was normal. I can’t be off pain meds in a week and the surgeon won’t expect me to be. I just thought how the physician obviously has no idea.

 

[shelli22]

Today I went to the shop because I had very little sleep last night as my pillow gave me a migraine again. Wasn’t too bad. Started to sweat by the end of paying but I was really good and didn’t get distracted and go to all the other shops. In buy pillow and leave. Spending the day relaxing now. Leg up and icing. I have the absolute worst sciatica I’ve ever experienced. I can’t get comfortable. Other then using Flexall cream and a muscular cream, both of which are good. I have no idea what to do about it. I’m also using a heat pad @sistersinhim

 

[Jockette]

I’m sorry your sciatica is so bad. I’ve never had that so I can’t offer any suggestions.

I’ve had a lot of pillow issues which affect my neck which makes me wake up with bad headaches. I bought a feather pillow in December and I really like it. I’ve bought a lot of pillows in the last year and this one seems to be working the best for me. Pillows are a very personal choice, we all need different types.

 

[Jockette]

I forgot they even made feather pillows but I remember having one when I was a kid.

We stayed in a hotel in December and the pillows there were feather, so I ordered one when I got home.

 

[SusieShoes]

Feather pillows! I remember all the little feathers poking out sometimes and pulling them out.

Your heart rate could be elevated for a number of reasons. My heart rate was 120 after surgery, causing concern, but the reason was mostly that I had severe anemia due to blood loss. Very low hematocrit. I didn’t get a transfusion, just iron pills, and it was a good week before my heart rate went down to under 100. So maybe yours is something besides the pain meds.

Wish I had sage advice for sciatica. You’re not alone in having this problem. Several other members have lamented worsening sciatica after TKR. I think backs in general get put to the test after this surgery, between having to spend so much time off feet, and also because the new knee causes (usually needed) gait changes. I hope your sciatica gets some relief soon!