I have reached the 8 week mark since my TKR. I am walking without aids, I am using less pain medication and I think I am doing fairly well with PT. The only real problem I have at this point is I am not getting enough ROM. I think it is because of the swelling that I have. My knee and calf still swell up during the day and the more that I do, the worse it gets. When I flex my knee at PT it gets real tight. Yesterday, I put my compression stockings on even though I hate wearing them, to see if that would control the swelling. To my surprise I did do a lot better at PT and I was able to flex my knee further and even ride the stationary bike which I couldn't do before. Is it a good idea to wear the stockings until the swelling goes down? I do take them off at night which gives me a little break.
8 Week Update
- Thread starter pallen
- Start date
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Texas
alpha
Hey Pallen, Aw Im sorry happy for you. Just take it easy.....Oh you dont like those lovely stocking that go with nothing a real fashion statement. I agree I love the bike that helped me alot......yes some people didnt use them I did it did help with the swelling. If you take them off i would keep them on at night thats when your really not moving around...just sayin..........atleast during the day you are moving around just think about that. But keep up the good work...your doing great keep us posted........
Motherofmany
graduate
Swelling is a big issue for ROM. Get it down and you increase ROM. I know how hard it is to get the swelling down. If teds work for you, then continue. Also ice and elevate above heart often. Hope you get desired ROM soon!
Blesssings,
Blesssings,
United StatesPallen, you don't mention icing, elevating and taking anti-inflammants. You need to be on a steady schedule of anti-inflammants. Inflammation = swelling = pain/loss of ROM. It can be an over-the-counter medication if you don't need a heavy duty pain killer. The ice and elevation will help relieve swelling also....be SURE and do it after any periods of activity until you get that cycle of swelling stopped.
Don't worry about it taking a long time. Some of us (me included) tend to swell for many months following surgery. It's just the way our bodies are wired.
Don't worry about it taking a long time. Some of us (me included) tend to swell for many months following surgery. It's just the way our bodies are wired.
I do ice as much as I can, and I do it lying on the bed so that should help. When I am sitting in a chair it is a recliner with my feet up. I am taking Celebrex, 2 a day, as well as Tramacet, 1 every 6 hours. Maybe I should go back to 1 Tramacet every 4 hours until the swelling goes down. I am just afraid the Doctor will cut me off, he doesn't give me any refills, I have to call his office every 10 days because he only gives me 60 at a time. Am I being a little paranoid?
My problem is with the activity. I am a caregiver for my wife who has a bad heart and she is on oxygen 24-7 and uses a walker to get around. She is very weak, so I do all the meal prep and other household chores, and shopping. It keeps me going between that and PT and icing and doing exercises at home.
My problem is with the activity. I am a caregiver for my wife who has a bad heart and she is on oxygen 24-7 and uses a walker to get around. She is very weak, so I do all the meal prep and other household chores, and shopping. It keeps me going between that and PT and icing and doing exercises at home.
Texas
alpha
Oh Hey Pallen well I would hope he wouldnt cut you off but if he did call your reg he should help you....Rest when you can you and your wife will be in my prayers........
Motherofmany
graduate
Do you have anyone who can help out for a while at home with meals and such? Sounds like you have a lot to worry about and aren't able to take care of yourself. This is a major surgery and most of us have had a hard time making time for recovery. It's understandable all the swelling you are having with taking care of yourself, wife, meals and home. You must be a very loving husband and a wonderful caregiver.
Judles
alpha
Hi Pallen! No, you'e certainly NOT being paranoid about the meds! Your OS should be a lot more understanding of your particular needs! Maybe you should have a chat with him! You have a lot on your plate! Good luck and hope you get more well deserved pain relief! (0)
0)
Yep, Pallen....your schedule explains your swelling. That and the fact that you are still fairly early in the recovery process. Knee replacements can take a significant recovery period....6 months, a year....that's still considered the "normal" range to be without pain and swelling.
I'm glad to hear you are still icing. As long as you are experiencing swelling, I would go back on the 1 every 4 hours for a while. Doctors typically don't give refills on narcotics, so that really isn't unusual....an inconvenience, but not unusual. You may want to talk to your primary doctor about pain and swelling management. Maybe he/she would be more inclined to give you more than 10 days worth of pills at a time. But if not, you'll just have to deal with the inconvenience. The Celebrex you are taking should also help with the inflammation.
Does Canada have a program like ours in the USA - Meals On Wheels where you can get meals delivered once a day for you and your wife? That would help you some to have one meal delivered. Another idea would be to prepare something you could freeze up in individual meals so all you had to do was heat and eat.
God bless you for the wonderful care you are providing for your wife while trying to recover from a knee replacement. She is lucky to have such a devoted husband. Just be sure to allow yourself whatever time you can to rest.
Sitting in a recliner is okay, but most don't get your knee up above your heart. You need to do that to help the swelling. Either sit somewhere else or get some pillows under your leg (not just at the knee joint) to get your knee higher than your heart. Same goes for when you lie down and ice....pillows!!!
Let us know how things go. I'm praying for you both.
I'm glad to hear you are still icing. As long as you are experiencing swelling, I would go back on the 1 every 4 hours for a while. Doctors typically don't give refills on narcotics, so that really isn't unusual....an inconvenience, but not unusual. You may want to talk to your primary doctor about pain and swelling management. Maybe he/she would be more inclined to give you more than 10 days worth of pills at a time. But if not, you'll just have to deal with the inconvenience. The Celebrex you are taking should also help with the inflammation.
Does Canada have a program like ours in the USA - Meals On Wheels where you can get meals delivered once a day for you and your wife? That would help you some to have one meal delivered. Another idea would be to prepare something you could freeze up in individual meals so all you had to do was heat and eat.
God bless you for the wonderful care you are providing for your wife while trying to recover from a knee replacement. She is lucky to have such a devoted husband. Just be sure to allow yourself whatever time you can to rest.
Sitting in a recliner is okay, but most don't get your knee up above your heart. You need to do that to help the swelling. Either sit somewhere else or get some pillows under your leg (not just at the knee joint) to get your knee higher than your heart. Same goes for when you lie down and ice....pillows!!!
Let us know how things go. I'm praying for you both.
Thanks for the tip on the pillows, I will do that. My recliner goes almost flat, so with some pillows I should be able to get it high enough. I just can't lie in bed except when I am icing, so the recliner is the next best thing. We do have meals on wheels here, but I have special diet needs and my wife is not too keen on that idea. I do get some help from the kids, but they all work so I don't expect them to cook for us. We are doing OK, I just need to learn how to ask for help and how to slow down a little. It is hard when you are used to working all your life. I have been retired for 8 years, but I still can't seem to slow down.
It's a common problem we all have, so don't feel like you're the only one. It's also difficult to ask for help when you are used to being independent. Just keep working on it....it's certainly in your best interest not to try and do everything yourself while you're trying to heal.
I'm betting your kids would help more if you let them know what you needed. They could do some of that cooking and freezing maybe. Or shopping for you? Think about it some. It's okay to need a little help now and then. It makes people feel good to be able to do something specific for you! They LOVE YOU!!!
I'm betting your kids would help more if you let them know what you needed. They could do some of that cooking and freezing maybe. Or shopping for you? Think about it some. It's okay to need a little help now and then. It makes people feel good to be able to do something specific for you! They LOVE YOU!!!
sykeRN
member
It's so hard to ask for help---like Jamie said--maybe your adult kids could help---probably would be GLAD to help--hard for our pride to ask for help. I bet friends, neighbors, church etc also are ready and willing to help. The magic word is ASK--sometimes people are distracted in their own life and don't even THINK about offering the help until you ask--but they are MORE THAN WILLING when alerted. People actually feel better about themselves when they can assist others--it's human nature.
Please take care of yourself and also the best to your wife. You are a very caring husband! Take care! Nancy
Please take care of yourself and also the best to your wife. You are a very caring husband! Take care! Nancy
Pat29627
post-grad
The compression (TED hose) stockings were great, I thought. I wore them after they said I could leave them off. They are similar to the stockings for varicose veins. Use them forever if you need to, I'd say. Take them off at night since when you're lying down, the blood and all doesn't tend to pool at the lower levels so much. You can buy black, blue, and brown in the regular compression stockings and different compression levels.
Pat
Pat
cindy88fan
supremo
Pallen,:cnsl:
Bless your heart! You have a full plate! Do what Jamie said. Just remember, you really need to get the swelling down. Ice and elevate and don't take any **** from the Dr. If you need more meds...get them! Most of the time the Doctors will work with you!
Best of Luck!
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BTKR 7/20/09
Cindy
Bless your heart! You have a full plate! Do what Jamie said. Just remember, you really need to get the swelling down. Ice and elevate and don't take any **** from the Dr. If you need more meds...get them! Most of the time the Doctors will work with you!
Best of Luck!
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BTKR 7/20/09
Cindy
Thanks again to everyone. I am so glad I found you. This not only a good source of information, but also a place where I can count on being pulled out of a slump. A couple of times early on, I was getting very frustrated and you guys really cheered me up.
Thanks, Paul
Thanks, Paul
cindy88fan
supremo
Just remember, we are all here for you 24/7. Just click on and we are here!
Best of Luck!
Love Cindy
Have you checked out the social room yet? It's a place where you can go and talk about anything but surgeries.
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BTKR 7/20/09
Best of Luck!
Love Cindy
Have you checked out the social room yet? It's a place where you can go and talk about anything but surgeries.
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BTKR 7/20/09
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