TKR 3 weeks post op

Nelly

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Day 2 after surgery. I'm wondering if my nerve block is wearing off. It feels like my knee is swollen and getting some pain on the inside of me. Is this normal?
 
Very normal! Stay ahead of the pain by taking your pain meds. Best of luck!
 
@Nelly Welcome to the other side. Get that ice and elevation going. Swelling post op is what is causing pain. Ice will help reduce the swelling. Ice for 45-60 minutes per session - several times per day.

Here are your recovery guidelines:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary

2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this Activity progression for TKRs

6. Access these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Be sure to read the articles that Jaycey left for you. The articles will be extremely helpful in your healing journey. Icing and elevating are two things that will help with your swelling and pain. I did those the whole time I was sitting or laying down for the first month at least. Ice is a wonderful pain and swelling reducer. You can ice the front and back of your knee for hours at a time as long as you have a cloth between you and the ice pack.
 
Currently 2 days post op and I'm having rouble staying asleep. I sleep anywhere from 45-2 hours at a time. That is even with the pain medicine. I have contacted the Dr to see what he says. Does anyone have any suggestions?
 
@Nelly ,
You'll notice that I have merged your two threads together as we like members in recovery to only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. Don't worry that we won't see your new question as, between us, the staff read all new posts each day.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
Tagging other members and answering tags

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.


Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts?
Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.
Please will you do that?
 
Now, about not sleeping: This is very common and it's nothing to worry about. In fact, there is even an article about it in the recovery guidel8nes that Jaycey posted for you:
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

Almost no one sleeps well at first after this surgery. The trick is to take daytime naps, to make up for sleep lost at night. Plan what you'll do when you're awake during the night. I moved into another room to sleep, so my nighttime wakefulness didn't disturb my husband. I would put on the TV to the most boring programme I could find and I often fell asleep with the TV still going.

Don't try to stay awake during the day, hoping that will make you sleep better at night - it doesn't seem to work that way.

Above all, don't lie in bed watching the clock. Move from bed to recliner or couch, flick through a magazine, have a hot drink. After a while, you'll fall asleep again, and take another short nap.

Sleep where you can, when you can, and how you can. This nighttime wakefulness will pass, but it can take a while.
 
After 3 weeks surgery on 10/16 I can walk without the cane for a little while and my ROM is 3°-115°. The first two weeks were almost a blur for me. I'm now feeling almost normal again. I was scared at first to have this surgery but I'm so thankful that I did.
 
@Nelly
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:
  • That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
  • If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
  • Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.
So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.

Many members bookmark their thread in their computer browser, so they can find it when they log on.
 
I'm now feeling almost normal again.
Glad you are starting to feel normal, pay attention to your knee, it will tell you if you do to much. Then it is time to slow down.
 

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