TKR 2 straight legs? Check!

[livinginfl]

Fernie,
I hope you find today a better day and your night was restful,

 

[Toothfairy]

Hi Fernie,
What did you wear to travel home from hospital? I am just wondering what will be comfortable and practical.
Have a good weekend,
Toothfairy x

 

[Fernie]

Good afternoon toothfairy, I hope you enjoyed your nightout. .

I wore some wide bottom jersey comfy lounge pants / tracky bottoms, super comfy. This is not a time for skinny jeans Leave them in the wardrobe for now .

What are you planning for your week off? Will u b able to sneak a Couple days away?

Day 10 for me..... Looks like it could be a long one.

Fx

 

[Fernie]

Fernie,
I hope you find today a better day and your night was restful,

Hi Kim, how are you doing ? Countdown time, how exciting!

Im not bad today thanks, think I got about 6 hours Although some was on the sofa ... Went about 10 hours with no meds then guzzled 3 nefopam in shock ! Had a hard time with my blood thinning jab Today though, had to abort first attempt as it hurt . Only another 6 days left for that, thank goodness.

Have a lovely day

 

[RestAssured]

Why are you trying to go without meds 10 DAYS after surgery?! Your knee is still cut up on the inside and it will tell you in a heartbeat to stop that "stuff!" I am thinking you mean pain meds. If that's the case, you are fighting against the knee. The "knee knows you know!"

 

[livinginfl]

Fernie,
I don't blame you on the shots but hey you got less than a week to go.
Since I am not an expert regarding the other side, but look at RestAssured's post above regarding your pain meds
Yes it is getting closer and so far everything is well today. Going to do some errands and go out to lunch, since we did not get to on Thursday.
Thank you,

 

[Toothfairy]

Hello Fernie, sounds like you need a hug! Thanks for the advice, that is what I was thinking of but just wondered what you had found comfy.
Poor you having nasty jabs, as if you don't have enough to worry about. The hospital I go to gives the anticoagulants as tablets for 14 days. Strange how everywhere is so different.
Did you forget about your pain meds? I think I will have to set an alarm and write down what I am due to take when or I know I will get muddled especially if I am sleep deprived!!!
How is your pain now? I hope it has settled and that the nausea is receding. I am finding your diary very helpful and it is giving me a very realistic idea of what to expect, thanks you, you are a star!
Take it easy and be very kind to yourself,
Big hug coming your way,
Toothfairy x

 

[Fernie]

Hi BoneSmarties,I'm hoping someone can offer some advice please.

My ankle aches all the time. I think it's probably due to constant elevation and icing but it's just another pain to deal wIth, which I can really do without at the moment.

It just wants to lean on one side and its not happy being straight at all and this makes it ache more . Worse is in bed. I've got manual recliners and I prop pillows on the end to get some height and this is perhaps not the most ideal sitting position but using a chair in front makes my leg too straight and I have to shift and wiggle it about as it gets so stiff.

Im finding it tricky to get comfortable at all at the moment.

Any suggestions v welcome, thanks. Fernie

 

[Toothfairy]

Poor you , I have no helpful suggestions but sending lots of sympathy,
Toothfairy
x

 

[Jaycey]

Hi Fernie, sounds like you are not positioning yourself correctly when you elevate. That can cause all kinds of stress. Here's link Jo wrote about the correct way to elevate. It sometimes take a bit of fiddlinng to figure out what's most comfortable. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

If it's any consolation I had all sorts of aches and pains in the first couple of months as the body got used to the new knees. They went away eventually.

 

[Fernie]

Thanks toothfairy, I'm trying to write everything down here so I have my own reference, couldn't possibly keep a journal as well! I hope it is helping you, I'm telling it as it is. Everyone is different and it's useful to know various scenarios people go through after the same surgery. Note to self - be kind!

I cannot imagine for one minute coping without this site and all the advice. Not to mention constant support and caring from everyone. Just how did we cope before the Internet?

Kim, thank you!

Sonja - it was overnight and normally I'd take a couple around 3ish, think ice must have frozen pain away. I always write down what I take and when and keep an eye on the clock.

I know I'm not taking enough of the strong meds, but I can't do the whole nausea thing again. The nefopam is my big hitter, equivalent to tramadol but easier on the tummy than codeine and the others, I only take my codeine tabs before bed now as Im lying down. I was originally prescribed up to 8 of these a day, up to 3 ibroprohren and up to 9 of the nefapam over 24 hours!

I swapped 6 of the codeine tabs and all the ibrophofem for a few paracetamol (i think that's your tylenol) so although Im down only 6 tabs or so, they are some of the key strength ones. As I mentioned before, I'm seeing my usual gp on tues and I'll tell exactly what I'm taking and see what she suggests.

Im finding the whole med thing a real nightmare as I just dont do tablets. My knee would have to be really screaming before I took anything before, guess over the years you get use to the pain.

Well ladies, thanks for posting and I hope you are all having a good day. Do take care.

By the way, have started a new side thread as my ankle is aching... Sonja, have you got any ideas? Fx

 

[Fernie]

If it's any consolation I had all sorts of aches and pains in the first couple of months as the body got used to the new knees. They went away eventually.

Thanks roy. I guess my leg was so darn wonky before, my poor foot is now wondering what's happening with this new correctly aligned knee to support. Thanks.

 

[Fernie]

Hi Fernie, sounds like you are not positioning yourself correctly when you elevate. That can cause all kinds of stress. Here's link Jo wrote about the correct way to elevate. It sometimes take a bit of fiddlinng to figure out what's most comfortable. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!

Hi, Ive been looking at jo's link for a couple of days now and it's still hard to get it t just right consistently. I may invest in one of those support pillows.

Thanks so much for your reply

 

[livinginfl]

Fernie,
So sorry to hear you are having new problems and unable to find that comfort zone.
Sending you warm and comfy thoughts, wish you a restful weekend,

 

[Fernie]

Aw Kim, you are so thoughtful and caring, ill be fine, at some point! . Looks like I'll have to cancel that jog around the block I planned for later and rest up eh? .

Fx

 

[RestAssured]

By the way, have started a new side thread as my ankle is aching... Sonja, have you got any ideas? Fx

Fernie, they can give you Zofran, an anti-nausea med for the pain pills! You my friend do not need the pain 11 days after surgery!

I am glad that you will see your GP Tues! Ask him about Zofran or whatever they call it in the UK. It is funny how we have different names for different meds that do the same thing!

Now for the ankle! Well, when I was a junior in high school, I twisted my ankle while playing Basketball, and three girls fell on top of me trying to get the ball! Good news is, I still had the ball, and I had called a timeout before the rascals could tie it up, but bad news was, the coach had to come out on the court and when he pulled my foot back in line and took the shoe off, the ankle was black!

Well, they thought I must have broken it, so Dad and Mom took me to the doctor who ran many tests! He said it would have been better if I had broken it, because I had stretched out all the ligaments and tendons, and he recommended surgery immediately! I looked at him like he was crazy, and said "we are in the middle of Basketball season!" My parents tried to talk some sense into me but I refused! I had that sucker taped for every practice and every game, and wore an air cast in my shoe at all other times!

So my advice is , do a lot of ankle rotations, and if you have one of those stretchy bands, pull it tight and push your foot up and down. Then have someone hold the band on each side of your leg one side at a time and have the use resistance as you pull against it. Now, I'm now sure you are even listening to me anymore after my tales of high school,
But if you are I do know of more exercises that will help!

 

[ElanorG]

I'm like Roy I guess. I had an awful lots of aches and pains that took about 4 weeks to settle down. Particularly in my hips and other knee, but some in my ankles and feet. And then it was like my body adjusted, gave a big sigh of relief, and they all went away. So I think you will get there with some more time!

 

[Ms.fixit]

Hi there Fernie.. Welcome!! it sounds like you may be having some pain where your sural nerve inserts (it's a big nerve originating in your upper leg runs through the knee and down the side of your shinbone. Has kind of a wide area mid-outer calf, then tapers and inserts at the ankle). Mine just calmed down after a 3 week flare of the nerve that really impeded my PT more than the actual healing of the implant! It ached, burned stabbed and then ached some more. Now I have ankle ache too, but the rest is way better.
Sometimes just the tiniest change in your heel position can help or hurt..it's tricky and because you are so recently out of surgery, you will be dealing with a ton of twinges stabs and aches as muscles that were short learn to lengthen and vice versa. You have been readjusted.

I found that as my overall leg swelling decreased, more stuff hurt for awhile. My quad muscles were very very unhappy too at first, and I don't blame them.

Keep experimenting and put ice where you need it. Also Voltarin (diclofenac sodium)Rx topical gel can help!

Keep on truckin'!

 

[Fernie]

Hi ms fixit and Lisa, it sure feels like my whole leg has been battered, stretched, yanked and pulled about .... Coz I guess it has !

I just put a heat pad in my slipper and the heat really soothed my foot so I'll do that again.

I can't take anything diflocenic at all. My quads are not happy now and aching more each day so I'm barely doing any pt. I just try and stretch as I can every couple hours so I don't seize up completely!

I know before surgery my outer calf muscles were stretched and the inside ones were shrunk and tight due to the knee deformity. I guess it's all new and for the next few weeks I'll be Trading one ache for another as things settle down.

Thank you And have a lovely day. Fernie