TKR 2 weeks post op - Hopeful or Hopeless?

[Shanis]

Hi Everyone,

I just want to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU!!! You all helped me so much. I am so happy that I have all of you for support and that I thought to post my question/concern yesterday. After most of you posted your comments I copied and pasted into an email and sent it to my mom and dad. I do live them right now, BTW. Ugh! It is a short term situation. I am grateful under the circumstances but it has it's moments. Last night my Dad came to talk to me about my medication, and once again, we got into, how much do I need vs. how much he thinks I should take, etc. In the end, he gave me my prescriptions back. I am a grown woman. I am just really grateful that I have all of you to share this with. It is really difficult at times. I had my total breakdown yesterday. In tears, just crying non-stop! I felt so alone. I had that moment where I wished I had never done this surgery and I never thought I would say that but I did. I am much better today. I needed to have a breakdown to get to the other side. Today is a good day. I got a good nights sleep and today is a new day. I had PT today and my therapist measured my ROM at 80 degrees. Nothing major but an jump for me as I was at 73 on Wednesday. So that made me real happy. Progress!! I'll take that.

 

[jerseychick]

Shanis, you sound so much better than yesterday. It amazing what a difference a day makes. I hope your parents read the email that you sent them, hopefully they will understand. A ROM os 80 degrees is great!! I'm glad you are doing better today!

 

[Shanis]

OMG!!! I have to say that I had a really rough night! I am not so sure about having my two little naughty cats at this stage of my recovery! I went to bed at 10:15 last night and at about 11:00 pm last night one of my cats pounced on my bad leg. I jerked my knee in my sleep to the point of basically giving my self a manipulation! My knee bent way beyond what I have been able to do thus far! I screamed bloody murder! It was so painful I can't even tell you all. I was stuck in the position. It took me a like 30 seconds to figure out what had happened. I was in shock! I straightened my leg out and took a few pain pills. It has been almost 12 hours since it happened and I am still in so much pain. I feel like I have set myself back a week in the pain department. This is such a bummer! Ouchie!!!!

 

[kneeper]

OMG!!! I have to say that I had a really rough night! I am not so sure about having my two little naughty cats at this stage of my recovery! I went to bed at 10:15 last night and at about 11:00 pm last night one of my cats pounced on my bad leg. I jerked my knee in my sleep to the point of basically giving my self a manipulation! My knee bent way beyond what I have been able to do thus far! I screamed bloody murder! It was so painful I can't even tell you all. I was stuck in the position. It took me a like 30 seconds to figure out what had happened. I was in shock! I straightened my leg out and took a few pain pills. It has been almost 12 hours since it happened and I am still in so much pain. I feel like I have set myself back a week in the pain department. This is such a bummer! Ouchie!!!!

Oh yes, many of us have done the accidental MWA (manipulation without anesthetic) ---I was sure I had wrecked something when I stepped down with the wrong leg and yikes! But it settled down with pain pills and lots of icing and elevating. You may want take the day off from exercises today. It could take a couple of days to settle down.

 

[Shanis]

Yes, I guess that is what it would be called. That is a good facial expression that is how I felt!!! Wow! There is no way that I could do any exercises today. I am happy to hear that I am not the only one.

 

[ChrisO]

Shanis,

Tell your family to help you or BACK OFF the judment issues and start being helpful. If they want you comfortable tell them you need help with resting and keeping your knees elivated and iced. If they want to help you minimize your use of narcotics they need to help you rest and manage your pain meds so you stay away from pain. As you begin to feel better you will need fewer pain meds. You are recovering, have them help you get your ice and your meals. The most you should be doing is going to the bathroom and eating.

If you have had prior exposure to narcotics you may have a tolerance (this does mean that you may need more narcotics as compared to a narcotics novice) But I'd bet that the issue is YOUR KNEES HURT! And I'd bet they hurt no more than anyone one else who has had portions of their bones (femur, fibula and patella) cut off, had a long screw drilled into the femur, had the muscles and tendons cut on and stretched open to get to the knee. Had new hardware hammered, screwed, clamped and glued on top of those shaved off, hammered bones and screwed bones. After all of this manhandling and banging everything gets closed up tight to swell inside while trying to heal. OUCH!

When I left the hospital at the end of week one I was on Oxycontin, Oxycodone, Neurontin and extra strength Tylenol. I took everything on a schedule and spent most of my time in bed with my feet elevated. I did go to PT and those trips left me exhausted and in pain. I couldn't sleep.

I never imagined the physical toll and emotion toll that this surgery would have on my body. It is tough. Hang in there, the pain and suffering must be endured but it isn't necessary to suffer.

ChrisO

 

[ChrisO]

Oh yeh! Been there done that. Mine happened in the car. I got in like I used to, put my foot on the floor board and without thinking plopped down on the seat. The knee was bent under me waaaayyyy more than it was ready to take. After that learning experiance, I am really careful to sit first and pivot into the car ever since that stupid event.

Stupid can be very painful. At least your event wasn't due to your own stupidity like mine was.

ChrisO

 

[Shanis]

I screamed so loud both my cats were on the floor next my bed looking at me like "what happened?" I wanted to kill them! Now I am afraid to go to sleep!!! Lol!!!

 

[BornAgain1997]

Oh my gosh I yelled like a little girl or so she said. I was half a sleep when I asked my wife to untangle the sheets from around my feet. Now I'm super super ticklish, so my lovely dear wife got up after I woke her up and went to untangle the sheets from around my feet and in doing she hit the bottom of my foot with her finger nail and ran it from the bottom to the top not just once but twice in less then a second, I swear she did it on purpose. It took me my complete shock and I screamed and jumped clear out of bed and onto the floor in one big motion, at this point I hadn't been able to bend my knee past 68 degrees but I swear to you that knee bent a good 100 degrees. She starts laughing at me and telling me I sounded just like a little girl, now my knee is killing me and I'm to scared to move as it hurt-man did it hurt. I took a couple of extra pain pills and covered my own feet. It took it a couple of days to feel better. Lesson learned cover and or untangle my own feet and don't wake the wife or she will get me. I still can't believe she said I screamed like a little girl, and she reminds me of it all the time. So glad we can have some kind of fun while we're going through all of this on our way to our new life.

 

[referee54]

OMG!!! I went to bed at 10:15 last night and at about 11:00 pm last night one of my cats pounced on my bad leg. I jerked my knee in my sleep to the point of basically giving my self a manipulation! My knee bent way beyond what I have been able to do thus far! I screamed bloody murder!

Many of us have done something very similar to that---a major OUCH!!! THAT REALLY, REALLY HURTS!!!! moment...I would venture to say that a large percentage of our forum family has indeed mirrored your action as well as reaction! however, your implant is solid and the soft tissue around it will continue to heal---no damage done, but some pain endure. When I did it my wife came sprinting up from out of the basement, and I was somewhat speechless (well, the words cannot be printed here...) and then she asked the one question that many of us have asked---"Are you alright?' I replied, "Does it look like I am OK?" Then things quickly settled down, I apologized, and we had a good laugh.

 

[bottomshollow]

Shanis, you are just going to have to shut those kitties out of the bedroom

. They may be unhappy, but your peace of mind and keeping your knee safe are more important right now---and you have to get some sleep.

They certainly will.


Take care of yourself and keep us posted. We care.

 

[Knitter4444]

So glad that you are communicating with us. I along with others I am sure were wondering how you were doing.

 

[referee54]

How are you feeling today? What is the latest update?

 

[Shanis]

Hi everyone. Today I am trying to keep my spirits high but I must say it is not always easy. Patience is the key word for me. I had PT yesterday. I have a wonderful PT that is coming to my home. Yes, still at home. She has had 5two knee replacements herself so it is so wonderful to have someone who understands what I am experiencing yet has a wonderful way of pushing me at the same time. Although, pushing me is not getting far at all! I had the horrible cat incident which did not help matters at all but yesterday when she measured my ROM I was initially at 75, but by the end of the appt she pushed me to 80. I know, I know...don't pay attention to the numbers. But really? Still? I will be 4 weeks out on Sunday and I am starting to get a little worried. My PT like me experienced terrible pain with her TKR as well and said that it is just going to be a longer process for me. It is just like that for some people. It is different for everyone. I guess I just had expections for myself. Expectations are bad! I thought that I would be walking, driving and off of pain meds at 2 weeks! That is a big fat laugh!! I am still on crutches. I did buy a cane last Sunday. It was a little wobbly, I certainly was not feeling secure on it. My boyfriend took me to the store today and I bought a new bottom for it that is bigger for more stability. I have been using a bit this afternoon and it feels better. C'mon baby - I want to graduate to the cane!! Now, how about some driving!!! Yahoo! I am good spirits! I will get there. I have got to!

 

[Shanis]

Thank you Tim C. for writing for the Five P's! So great!!! I really needed to read that just now! Patience is a big one for me! I want it and I want it now. Well, too bad Shanis, you have to work for it. That is okay. I am going to enjoy that much more. I will never take my knees for granted. I love that we share with eachother. It is so great. And I do remember what it was like and why I did this. I can't wait until I can go on a long walk...a hike..snowboarding! It's gonna be great! I am bright and shiny! You know...I feel very blessed as hard as this is that I was lucky enough to be able to get my TKR. In time, I will get there.

 

[referee54]

I guess I just had expections for myself. Expectations are bad! I thought that I would be walking, driving and off of pain meds at 2 weeks! That is a big fat laugh!! I am still on crutches.

I would venture to say that many of us did the same thing---we set up a schedule and then realized that it was not our schedule----it is our knee's or knees' schedule. I kept wondering "when", too!

That "when" does eventually show up! don't worry about it---but it will show up on its own terms and in its own time---again, I speak from experience.

Please keep posting and let us know how you are doing, how you are feeling, and what concerns that you have.

 

[maryo52]

I only scanned this thread and so I might have missed something . . . many of us have had ROM challenges, for different reasons. No matter what the reason is, going easy on PT and icing and elevating a lot helps.

If you have scar tissue, pushing the PT will make it worse and you'll hurt more. The pain experience of TKR when there's internal scar tissue is greater anyhow.

My ortho told me they used to sedate patients and do a manipulation in the office in the old days. So you'd think pushing harder in PT would achieve the same thing but it doesn't. It only makes matters worse because it aggravates the scarring process (which no one really understands).

Obviously your parents are worried about your narcotics use with the backdrop of prescription painkiller abuse in the news all the time. But if you were an abuser you would not be above-board with them.

 

[Shanis]

I am really beginning to wonder? Today is day 26. I am so happy that I did is. My mind is on the prize. I know why I did this. Prior to getting my TKR, I could not and have not been on a decent walk or hike for a couple of years! I sat out for the enjoyable things while friends and family had fun. I couldn't even get laundry into the dryer without pain and trouble getting back up! I could not stand up for an extended period of time without paying for it later! So I am really looking forward to the results and I know that it is going to take time and I need patience. I am just a little concerned with my progress at this point. I know that we are all different. My new knee is just slow to mature. I realize that I need patience. I have been reading through other people's posts and I am just amazed! I honestly feel like a loser but I know that I am not. My knee is my knee and it is on its schedule, right? I guess, I would like to talk with someone who has had or is having a similar experience as me. My PT had both of her knees replaced and had terrible pain as well. She was scheduled to have her 2nd knee replaced 10 weeks after her first and at 9 weeks she was still in so much pain from the 1st that she almost didn't do it. I am at 3.5 weeks and I am still in pain around the clock. My ROM is at 80* as of Wed. PT measurement. I am doing my exercises throughout the day. I have a stationary bike that I sit on and push the petals one forwards and backwards. Of course, I can't go all the way around yet. I sit on a chair and push my knee in towards the chair with a sock on my foot because I have hardwood floors. I sit on my kitchen table and let my legs dangle. I stand at the kitchen counter and do sqauts, stand on my tippie toes and rock from side to side. For my leg extension I sit on one chair and place a rolled up towel on a chair across from me and gently apply pressure on my leg to get it as straight as possible. I read in one of the suggested readings that at 3-4 weeks I should be walking a 30 mins twice a day?? Yikes!! I am no where near this. I feel that I am working hard but knee is yelling at me to stop it!! Can anyone relate? I believe that I am going to get there!! I would just like someone who has had a similar experience to get in touch with me please.

Thank you!!!

 

[speccybecky]

Sounds to me like you're doing a lot!
I went for a walk every day , on my 2 sticks. Just round the front path, then next door , just went a bit further every day. I didn't get very far and was glad to ice and elevate when I got back.
It might have taken half an hour but I certainly didn't go vey far!
I think you're doing fine, be kind to yourself

 

[maryo52]

I would suggest a trial of no PT other than gentle stretches 3 times a day, with lots of icing and elevation. Quoting another member of this forum, the muscles surrounding your knee are not unfit, they are injured from the surgery. Injured muscles don't heal faster with exercise!!! You have to let them rest. PT is designed to tone and strength muscles surrounding an injury site. It's to support the injured muscle until it heals. I hope I'm saying this right because I know it's hard to convince people to basically go against what their physical therapists are urging. Pain = no gain, rest is best.

We here on this forum are a collection of people whose knees told us to "stop!" as well. We found out the hard way that who's boss is NOT the doc, NOT the physical therapist, and NOT us. It's our KNEE. When we start listening to our knees, we start to make that longed-for progress. Healing just cannot be rushed.