TKR 2 second knee now done. ( 3.5m apart)

[Dkm]

Yep for sure.

However my friend who teaches nursing in an Ortho Ward says she has seen this even when a patient has not pushed anything. Just a really extreme pain spike when the nerve block goes away. Because my first one was a spinal with sedation and no nerve block I had no base of reference to go from.

In any event I'm now home I'm taking it day by day with my focus on the eventual benefits. I did mine 3½ months apart and I think that was a good time frame. The nurse today said they generally are really recommending 3 to 6 months as an ideal gap.

I do feel my other leg was ready and frankly it is getting more of a break again to do some more healing because I'm taking a break with this one. My prior surgical one is sitting at 115-120 depending on swelling. My current surgical one was 95 the evening after the surgery and when I left the hospital after all the swelling had come on board it was still hitting 93. These numbers are without any over pressure just sitting on the side of the bed under my own power. So far so good.

Thank you once again everybody and thank you to all those who created and administrate bonesmart. It is so cool to be able to come here and just Journal my thoughts where everybody just gets it.

PS one thing that might be of interest to some of you and I will share as things progress. My first one had staples. I had a little bit of excess scarring what appeared to be a bit of a reaction to the internal sutures. Just a little over-production of scar tissue a lot of itching and some pain at one point which has all come down with the use of silicone gel and strips. But I still have marks from the staples as well. Due to that, concern this time around I'm all sutures apparently a new material. Later on I will update as to my thoughts of one versus the other.

 

[Lindylee]

Glad they got things under control and you're home. I'll be interested to see how you get on. Mynsurgeon suggested doing mine 4 months apart, but I don't feel ready for that yet partly because the other knee is being very good at present. That could change when I'm off painkillers.

I had staples and for the past few days have been massaging my scar with Bio Oil (not to be done before 6 weeks or when the wound has healed) and it's looking so much better. I can still see the staple marks, but not as pronounced as they were.

 

[Elad1002]

@Dkm
What do you do with silicone gel and strips?

 

[Dkm]

It is specific for scarring. I got mine off Amazon. In essence all it does is creates a barrier to keep it from drying out but also allows oxygen through. At one point how my scar felt was the most restrictive thing I had going. Having that calm down was a huge help. I'm not in my office as of yet I'm can't send you a link off my phone easily. But if you want to check back with me in probably about a week I am happy to send you the link then

 

[Dkm]

Please change the title of my thread 2 second knee now done. ( 3.5m apart)

 

[bottomshollow]

per your request.

 

[Dkm]

Thank you @bottomshollow

 

[Dkm]

Stitches vs staples. I had staples for my first knee. However, I had dissolving stitches for knee number 2 due to a possible reaction to the staples and internal stitches on knee 1.

Time sensitive question:. I had Steri-strips after the staples came out. Do they usually do Steri-strips after stitches?

 

[Jockette]

I had steri strips after my stitches came out. For me they were more bothersome than the stitches.

 

[Dkm]

Thanks for the quick reply. The reason I'm asking is it's a bit of an odd situation. I'm not seeing my OS until 3 weeks after surgery. I have instructions to take the aquacel off after 2 weeks. But I have no further instructions about what to do once it's off. So I thought I would book with my GP so I at least have some medical eyes on the incision and can get some guidelines on cleaning it and whether it looks okay. I don't know if they would think to put on steri-strips, so I was trying to get a handle on whether to ask for them. I did email my OS office to see if I could get guidelines for once they aquacel is off, but they miss read my email. I followed up with another one but have not heard. I have a weird feeling but they are actually closed all week. So long story short, I'm just babysitting weather my GP should be putting steri-strips on

 

[Lindylee]

I didn't have steri strips after my staples came out, the nurse just put a new dressing on and I was told I could remove it between 24 hours and 5 days.
After reading your comment about staples versus sutures I had a look at some of my old scars and those with sutures I can still see where the stitches were placed either side of the scar, but the one old scar I have where staples were used there's no sign of where the staples were. I can see some of the staple marks on my knee so it will be interesting to see if they fade.
Maybe you could contact your OS's office for advice if you don't hear from your GP?

 

[Jockette]

I have instructions to take the aquacel off after 2 weeks. But I have no further instructions about what to do once it's off.

I think if they wanted you do do something after the bandage came off they would have told you. Not all doctors use steri strips.

Let’s see what @Josephine says. If I remember correctly, she’s not impressed with steri strips.

With all the different medical opinions, I was very picky to only have my surgeon address any of my issues regarding my knee. I didn’t want a GP, who here in the US is a general practitioner, offering an opinion on a knee replacement protocol.

 

[Dkm]

I am not sure you saw my second post. My os office is not open this week. I do not see him until week 3. So, I have to deal with it or use my gp. I want to be informed so I can guide my Gp. I am only planning on going to my gp as I would prefer a dr took a look at the incision. Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[Celle]

However my friend who teaches nursing in an Ortho Ward says she has seen this even when a patient has not pushed anything. Just a really extreme pain Spike when the nerve block goes away.

I'm sorry this happened to you.

Pain control once the nerve block wears off can occasionally be a problem.
That's one reason why, I believe, patients shouldn't be discharged home until the nerve block has worn off and pain is well-controlled.

I want to be informed so I can guide my Gp. I am only planning on going to my gp as I would prefer a dr took a look at the incision.

Your GP is also a registered doctor, with full training. He's probably seen more incisions than you could imagine. I think you can trust him to know what to do.

 

[Dkm]

Yup excellent point. Thanks

All in all, things are progressing well with this leg.

 

[Josephine]

I had Steri-strips after the staples came out. Do they usually do Steri-strips after stitches?

The use of Steri-strips is a kind of 'belt and braces' thing. There is not real need to do it but they do anyway 'just in case' the wound opens. I've never seen a wound open under these circumstances so it beats me why they bother!

I have instructions to take the aquacel off after 2 weeks. But I have no further instructions about what to do once it's off. So I thought I would book with my GP so I at least have some medical eyes on the incision and can get some guidelines on cleaning it

There's nothing you need to do! You don't need to clean it or do anything else to it. Just leave it alone.

I don't know if they would think to put on steri-strips

I doubt it but if they did, it would be unnecessary.

 

[Dkm]

Dressing came off well. They're actually steri-strips under it. Incision looks great.

On a completely different note, I have been struggling the last couple of days, I am just in that funk a Feeling like I'm in the trenches. I think specific oh, I think you all know how you get tired of it I know how things can feel very long and drawn-out. One thing that's harder this time than last time is that at this point last time I could go out in the car fairly comfortably. With this leg it gets really unhappy in the car. The last leg did also but that settled down much more quickly than this time . Last time it was amazing how a very short outing for a little Drive or a simple bite to eat at the little greasy spoon around the corner really kept me going. I'm also finding this leg has a lot less swelling issues, but more pain issues.

I know all of the positive outlook dialogue that I can have with myself, I'm actually really good at taking a positive inventory in these situations, but sometimes that's not enough to keep the bucket of small challenges that add up from getting too full emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Overall progress is good, process is just getting to be a little bit. I know this is normal as it is not my first rodeo, just here to vent this morning two bunch of people who understand.

My husband has been great things are like this, I just felt like typing it out would be helpful too.

I do have to say I am really glad at the timing after the first one. I also have no idea how people do bilateral. I could not imagine not having at least one decent leg while going through this.

Thanks for listening
D

 

[Lilli215]

@Dkm hi, nothing wrong with getting it off your chest, does you a world of good rather than keeping it all shut inside. I had my second tkr in Feb two years after my first. When I got home from hosp I think I was in shock for first few days because it felt so different from my first or so my mind was telling me!! I’ve been convinced that this recovery is going much more slowly than the first but in fact it’s actually going a bit quicker, I’m about a week ahead in recovery goals than I was with the first one but my mind still thinks this knee is way more troublesome than the first one. To be honest think I was suffering from ‘childbirth syndrome’ as in if you remembered the pain of the first you would never have a second one!! The good thing is you know tthat what you’re experiencing at present will pass, once those tiny improvementsstart in about another week the light in the tunnel will ping on and get brighter by the day and your spirits will lift. Until then just let rip, we’ve all been through it and completely understand

 

[Dkm]

Thanks so much! Things were way better within 12 hours. When I hit this low I was also starting to wean off Percocet. I decided to go back up to my old level and things improved immediately. I had a similar issue last time when I try to reduce Percocet too soon. Things have had made a huge turnaround back to what I would consider a normal recovery. I had similar issues when my Percocet was a little too high as well. It is a great medication for me but I'm sensitive if the dose is a little off one way or the other. I know there's other reasons that we can have a downturn during these recoveries, but this one was very clearly a medication issue. I am sharing this, because being super agitated, upset I'm having generalized muscle pain can be that your medication is a little too high for what your body actually needs for pain similarly if you reduce it to quickly you can get those symptoms as well. In any event it was great to have somewhere to vent while I was sorting that out and I really appreciate the supportive message I got back. Thanks again

 

[Celle]

One thing that's harder this time than last time is that at this point last time I could go out in the car fairly comfortably. With this leg it gets really unhappy in the car. The last leg did also but that settled down much more quickly than this time . Last time it was amazing how a very short outing for a little Drive or a simple bite to eat at the little greasy spoon around the corner really kept me going. I'm also finding this leg has a lot less swelling issues, but more pain issues.

It's never a good idea to compare your recoveries, because no two knees are alike, even on the same person.

It's possible that your second knee needed more work done on it during surgery and that's why it seems to be a bit slower. It will get there, but on its own schedule, not the schedule you wish it was following.
Where are you in recovery?? (TKR)
Try to let your knee take its time and it will do well.

I wonder if there's somewhere not far away that you could go for a change of scenery? Just a short ride in the car, for a coffee out with your husband, or something similar? That might give you a mental boost and stop cabin fever from developing.