4 wks BTKR and doing well!

[Syd]

Hello all - so glad I found this forum. i'm 4 weeks out of bilateral total knee replacement. spent a few days in the hospital, and then a week in rehab. got PT home a few days a week, but honestly was doing so well he just basically stopped in to say hi. Now I don't know what's going on. I see the surgeon next week. supposed to go back to work in the 6th week. But i'm sad, lethargic, aching. My knees hurt! LOL - yeah, i know. Clicking. and i'm generally just in a real funk. I think it might be the meds (Vicoden now, was on percoset the first 3 weeks). i'm afraid to go off it though. tried to cut down but that was stupid - hurt more and i cried more. I too have a brain that wants to do, but my body isn't playing fair.

How have others handled the blues? how long will this last?

and thanks again everyone for your posts - they're really helpful. i'm looking forward to and anxious about OP PT, but think that's what i need to get going.

 

[ship4]

Re: 4 Weeks After Knee Replacement

Syd,
I had BTKR on 6/18 and am feeling so much better! Just keep plugging along. If the PT was just stopping in to say Hi! it means your ROM is great! It is disconcerting to have to worry about falling and not being "like you used to be before your knees gave out on you". I have good ROM and will be seeing my OS next week. I am looking forward to finding out my ROM. I do not need to ice daily anymore, I find I am tired at the end of the day after taking care of 5 preschool age children between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM. I am taking only Celebrex in the AM and Celebrex, Visteral, and Dilaudid in the PM. Hopefully after another month I will be done with the pills~
Time will tell.
Again, Welcome to the Forum!
Best,
Crystal

 

[Sandy R]

Re: 4 Weeks After Knee Replacement

My only complaint since I had my TKR on Sept 29th, is that I'm tired most of the time... not like me at all. Even taking a shower is a big deal for me. Everyone said it was because of the surgery and/or the pain meds. Well, two days ago, I stopped the Vicodin and began taking Ultram (I'm not being brave, believe me, I just don't have that much pain now). Since I was still tired, the home PT had my internist order blood work to check my iron level. The results came back this morning and indeed my iron level is down. Today I went on SlowFE, slow release iron tabs... one a day. My internist said within a few weeks, my energy level should improve. I so appreciate the home PT for suggesting the blood test.
Sandy

 

[Simon]

Re: 4 Weeks After Knee Replacement

Sandy

I also have trouble with anemia but my problem is usually low transferrin levels and take iron off and on. My doctor and pharmacist both said to make sure you take iron with some vitamin c like orange juice or Vitamin C supplements and on an empty stomach to increase absorption.

If anyone else is tired having your blood checked is a good ID. Since problems are not just low hemoglobin/hemocrit you should ask for a CBC. I have a problem with anemia but my hemoglobin/hemocrit are usually at the lower end of the range but other values are off.

Make sure you are eating a good balanced diet that also helps get you back on your feet.

Take it a day at a time.

Simon

 

[Gretchendz]

Re: 4 Weeks After Knee Replacement

Oh goodness...I am 6 months out from RTKR and looking forward to getting rid of the left knee next week.

I went to the grocery after work today and remembered going in after PT about 6 weeks post-op. One trip back to the milk section and I was EXHAUSTED.

Those first 6-8 weeks, if I managed a shower, two rounds of exercise or PT, a meal, and maybe walked to the mailbox (NOT far) I was done for the day You are perfectly normal. Give yourself time.

Rest and relax all you can, do your exercises and your PT and it will gradually get better--PROMISE

 

[Josephine]

Syd, I moved this into your own thread as the thread you posted in was almost a year old!

I cannot believe that you are planning to return to work after only 6 weeks! That is inhuman! I would have thought 12 weeks was more reasonable even after only having ONE knee done! Can you not renegotiate this?

Plus, whatever you do, do NOT try to cut back on the pain meds. Pain hinders your healing as well as your progress and it makes you tired and cranky! Remember you have had TWO VERY major operations and are going to feel washed out and lethargic for some weeks yet. You cannot possibly expect to bounce back just like that. Please be kind to yourself and take things more slowly. You will make up time ultimately, I promise, but not if you rush at things now - I mean things like cutting back on pain meds, trying to get back to normal and going back to work.

 

[Rowdy66]

I am with you Jo, going back to work at six weeks is a terrible idea or it would have been for me. Also, I had anemia and needed to have blood transfusions before going home. Took iron until last week and then said no more. It just tears my stomach up. Simon, do you have any trouble with your stomach taking the slow release iron? Rowdy

 

[Syd]

Wow Jo - thank you. I really thought 6 weeks was ok, but i'm wondering now. i have some flexibility. of course jacho is coming next week! LOL! ah well - they'll survive w/o me. i start Out Patient PT next week, so that will also impact a lot and tell me more. i've been doing some work from home which isn't bad, only 3 hours at a time, 3 days a week. i'm just exhausted.
re: meds - i hear ya, but honestly feel like i'm getting mixed messages from the surgeon's office. right now i'm on vicaden, taking 1-2 every 6 hours. i think my poor sleep is certainly affecting my being tired, and general mood. ugh.
but i'm committed and focused. i really really want this to be good - i NEED to dance! LOL - i really miss that. and being able to walk when i travel, or just shop!
oh - and now...more clicking. grrrr. it's actualy painful. from what i've read here, it's normal to a degree, so i'll keep icing and have the surgeon look at it when i see him on tuesday.
thanks again Jo - this forum has been wonderful for me. No one really understands if you haven't been there.

 

[Josephine]

Something that's always REALLY ticked me off is surgeon's who seem to forget what they have just done to their patients when they start issuing edits about not 'overdoing' the meds. Bladerdash! They should walk a mile in your shoes! In fact, I doubt they'd manage a couple of metres never mind a mile! You got pain, you need pain killers, simple as that. They can spout and lecture all they want, it's not going to make a scrap of difference to your pain level!

 

[Syd]

So true!

Yesterday, i had my first Out Patient PT. not as bad as i feared! i was on my stomach for the first time in over a month! But i have 100 on the left, and 95 on the right! whoohooo!

and today i went back to the surgeon's office. i can drive again! ahhhh- freedom. off the cumadin too. and nothing more said about the pain meds! I had a bit of a chat w/ the docs nurse last week, and i think it made a difference. I negotiated another week off work and then one week part time, so i can do the PT w/o interuptions. from there, we'll see, but i'm feeling very optimistic. plus, if there's a bad day or so, i know i can work at least a bit from home.

and finally....i know it was worth it. i feel like i've turned a corner this week. trust me, i'm not dancing or rock climbing yet, but i really feel like i could! well, soon! LOL

i'm just...happy today. how wonderfully satisfying. i knew the surgeon did his job, and i realized the actual outcome was up to me, and i was up for the gig. happy, satisfied, and a bit proud of myself too!

thanks everyone

 

[Linda2]

Wow--you are doing great--keep up the good work!

 

[Syd]

thanks Linda. i had day 2 at PT yesterday. the bike - ugh. but...i got it around a few times! after the usual pushes and pulls, stretches and ouches, i drove myself home (yay!), decided to do a bit of shopping (bad), got tired REAL quick, got home, up the stairs, into bed w/ ice on the knees, and went out for a solid 3 hour nap. lol - tired me out more than i thought it would!

i think my biggest challenge right now is keeping the pressure on myself enough to do the exercises at home. i'd been doing well for a few weeks, but think i was getting complacent, and i can feel it. so i'm setting myself up for some rewards if i actually do them 3 times a day. we'll see how it goes!