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3+ week followup.

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Kimgrif

Kimgrif

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Well, got the pedals to go around not once, but TWICE today at PT! That was my limit, as it was quite the stretch, but hey...I did it!

I'm tired and sore, he (therapist) REALLY worked me hard today, but for the second PT visit in a row, no tears. :) I'm gettin' better!

I'm back working again now, and that's going well. I'm only taking the painkillers when I do PT (or my home exercises). Otherwise, I'm now maintaining on ibuprofen 800 mg three times per day. I do take a Vicodin tablet when I go to bed, as well.

I'm tired of these Steri-Strips on my leg, but I'm cautioned to just let them fall off by themselves. They've been on for two weeks now and only ONE has fallen off. I want them off NOW. I've been cutting the loose ends off, so they look pretty raggedy, and my skin is getting a little irritated by them too.

Does anyone experience very intense topical skin pain? Like the scar and skin around the scar is burning? I get to the point where I absolutely do not want ANYTHING on my knee. No clothing, no sheet, no ANYTHING. The weight is too much and it's just very, VERY sensitive. It looks just fine, not red or anything. It's just very HIGHLY sensitive to touch right now. Hubby seems to remember me going through this the first time too, but I don't. This seems to happen mostly in the evenings after a long day.
 
Woo Hoo Kim I know that is so exciting when you go around....lol.I screamed my first time........for the sensitivity i know I thought it was crazy but it work just gently brush a towel back and forth on the scar and it will desensitize the scar...i did it for about 1 week.........good luck you and keep up the great work.....me proud............
 
I really, really do not understand your surgeons' compulsion to let them drop off on their own! It's so illogical. Nobody here in the UK does that. Sutures and staples come out at 14 days so why not Steristrips? If twere me, I'd have them off right now anyway!
 
Congrats on the pedal-spin.

I never really had steri-strips. I was able to shower four days after surgery and then I did so daily ever since. The staples came out two weeks after surgery.

Kimgrif said:
Does anyone experience very intense topical skin pain? Like the scar and skin around the scar is burning? I get to the point where I absolutely do not want ANYTHING on my knee. No clothing, no sheet, no ANYTHING. The weight is too much and it's just very, VERY sensitive. It looks just fine, not red or anything. It's just very HIGHLY sensitive to touch right now. Hubby seems to remember me going through this the first time too, but I don't. This seems to happen mostly in the evenings after a long day.
Click to expand...

I'm over six months out and my scar is still sensitive. I'm to the point now though, I can wear track pants and not worry about it. Some days jeans bother me too much to wear. But otherwise, loose-fitting trackies or knit pants do fine. But yes, at first, my scar was VERY sensitive. And the skin around it was very odd feeling and the only reason I kept clothing on it was because I didn't have a choice.
 
Oh trust me, FrogFeathers, I've been showering daily. The assistant who put the steri-strips on after the staples were removed just did a REALLY good job!

Oddest thing happened tonight though, was sitting there watching the Vikes/Packers game and all of a sudden, steri-strips just started coming off! Very very strange. *giggle*

They're all off now. I think 15 days is long enough!
 
Kim,

I had the "hot knee" thing with both of my TKRs. Drove me crazy at times. I wore shorts even in winter--I couldn't bear to have fabric touching it at all.

In therapy, my PTA would comment on how hot the knee was sometimes.

It disappeared eventually :)
 
Hi Kimgrif, Hope your doing well. My Inscision Is hyper sensitive too I can't even sleep on my stomach yet,(which is really frustrating, my favorite way to sleep!) I'm sure
this will go away with time. Right now I don't want anything to touch It!
Best Wishes, Tom
 
Hi, Kim! I'm so excited for you on the cycle! I bet by now you're really spinning!!

Everything you are going through is so normal. Not everyone has the tingles and sensitivity you are experiencing, but LOTS do. It all goes away with time. If you spend some time reading old threads in the after surgery forum, you can read about all the little funny aches, pains, twinges, shutters, and blips that various people went through in recovery. It's all part of the process. But in the end, the important thing is that you have a brand new knee that works!! Hooray!
 
Wow Kim I made a whole thread on the hot knee if feel for ya but it did go away mine took about 2mths........that was a lil longer though.......but i just kept with the ice...........And congrats again on the bike thats a really cool feeling like Kid all over again.......lol
 
Way to go! Once I started getting around on the pedals I was so excited! Now the clue here is now that you can get them around, don't stop, don't hesitate, just keep going around. Because once you stop, you lose your momentum...so keep them going around.

I hated having anything touch my knees too. My PT told me to massage the incisions a few times a day. That way they get used to something touching them. Also, I used Cocoa butter lotion on my knees and after I did that I able to tolerate sheets and stuff touching my knees.

Steri Strips..What a pain! After I saw that the incisions were closed really good, I took them off. I hated seeing them. They looked dirty and ratty.

You are doing great! Keep up the great job!
 
Thanks, everyone! Doing a little bit better, but the surface soreness just will NOT go away. I know it's normal, just gets a little wearing.

I just found out that my cousin's mother-in-law just had TKR a week ago. I pointed her to this site, so hopefully she'll post here. I told her this was the ONLY place to come for questions, answers, and encouragement! LOL She's having issues with swelling, so advised my cousin to be sure her MIL's leg is elevated above her heart and iced, iced, iced. I hope it helps.
 
Kim...you are doing really well. The hard part is that wearing shorts is not comfortable as it gets cooler. I wear the softest pant I can find. It really does take a bit of time for the sensitivity to improve.

If blankets are uncomfortable trying making a pillow fort around your knee so there is not direct contact.

Hope all is gong better.
 
Barb, I love your description of "pillow fort." It sounds just like the games we played as kids! How fun!!
 
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