TKR ACK! OMG! TKR on May 29th

[1ELISEA]

Oh, I spent way too much time on line yesterday shopping. I think I might squint and not recognize the sun when I go outside in a few minutes.

Anywayyyy, I noticed that I am walking, not in a straight line, but veering off to the left. Hmmm.... now my TKR is on the right, not sure how that figures in. But I thought this very strange that when I am not paying absolute attention to my walking, I veer to the left. And when I get tired I do still get a little limp.

I mentioned it to my PT and she didn't laugh at me thank goodness. Instead, she gave me some strength building exercises that should alleviate the problem hopefully.

In the meantime, I just have to be careful when I'm on the sidewalk not to run into people...... or at least come up with a catchy phrase if I do like "funny running into you like this" .

 

[1ELISEA]

My mom has been on a low dose of predisone for like 15 years. I think 2mg and then if she has a real flair up with her arthritis it gets increased for awhile. She is 88 years old and still works part time at a cheese store for something to do, lives alone and does pretty well.

Debbie_joints @Scrappy_tink
Scrappy tink and Debbie_joints, thanks for the predisone suggestion. I see my regular GP this week and I'll ask about it and report back.

 

[1ELISEA]

Well, wouldn't cha know it.
Monday morning........ realllly early Monday morning I awoke, like no waking up but sleep to totally awake.

My back and side were bursting with pain. I recognized immediately that I was passing kidney stone, been there done that so knew what the horrible pain was. Yep! And the nausea

Of course, I didn't really want to drive myself to the hospital, too much pain, too dark outside, a few other things. So thank goodness for having had a TKR as I had some really good pain meds around. Never been so glad to have leftover pain meds. Popped a couple right away and they did help.

I didn't get any sleep but being a professional business woman, I did get up and go to work in the morning. Very tired, but I did go to work. Later that afternoon I saw my dr and she agreed it was probably a kidney stone. Well, I was also still hanging onto my side and back for dear life and couldn't quite straighten up so those might have been a hint I wasn't feeling well.

I don't know what possessed me to go to work, I really don't. Have you ever done anything that totally whacked? I can only think that I wasn't thinking; too much pain and was tired from no sleep.

I kind of felt like one of those hard working farming women of the 19th century who would give birth in the morning, chop wood in the afternoon and cook dinner for the family in the evening.

Yes, I can laugh about it now, but let me tell ya, it was quite painful!

 

[1ELISEA]

In case there are others that have wondered about the pain they will experience and haven't had joint replacement surgery yet, or even for those that have had surgery.

I have wondered before how different types of pain compare; and thought I'd compare my kidney pain to my joint replacement pain.

Pain wise, a kidney stone is horrible immediate pain like a pitchfork in the back and It hit me out of the blue. It comes in waves, just when it seems to get better it hits again with another wave.

The joint replacement pain never rose to the same immediacy of pain. It was more of a longer continuing pain that reacted well to a steady dosage of medication and icing. You take the pain medication and the pain is well controlled.

That's my experience anyway.

 

[Brownie51]

Elisea I had a kidney stone 24 hours before my TKR was scheduled. Had to cancel surgery for another week. I feel like the TKR was the worst pain ever, it lasts so long and I didn't have good pain relief in the hospital. Also my doc does the old procedure, cutting all tendons, ligaments and quads. Childbirth..well you get to home with a baby. If a baby would have come out of my knee, then I wouldn't be so disgusted with the pain! But there was no prize at all, just a huge ugly scar!
Sorry about your stone! So you went to work while passing a kidney stone? How in the world? You are a kick!

 

[Organist]

Elisea, hope that the kidney stone has passed, and you're OK now. It's a good thing that you had some leftover pain meds from the TKR. I liked your comment about 19th century (and earlier) women going through childbirth and then getting up and doing work. Sometimes you just get up and do what you have to do. Hopefully that won't happen again - the kidney stones. Take care and take it easy when you can -- when you feel ill.

 

[kneeper]

If a baby would have come out of my knee, then I wouldn't be so disgusted with the pain! But there was no prize at all, just a huge ugly scar!

Oh, but eventually you will notice the prize of a functioning knee that doesn't scream at you.

 

[kneeper]

Oh, Elisea. Maybe you have an overdeveloped sense of responsibility that got you into work.

 

[Nanners]

Oh I know that pain as I have learned its quite similar to a bowel obstruction pain, and I have had lots of those. Waves of pain and then you know your in deep doo doo when you start throwing up feces. Ugh not fun! My poor niece has chronic kidney disease and passes a stone about one a month. Thats actually better for now, as she used to have 3-4 of them a month. Poor baby! Hugs of sympathy and understanding!

 

[bottomshollow]

So sorry you've had a bout with kidney stones. Unbelievably painful. My son thought he was dying the first time he experienced them. Do take care. We care.

 

[bottomshollow]

Elisea said, "Between working 40+ a week, still recovering from my own TKR, spraining an ankle, and this last week passing a kidney stone...."

With all this going on, Elisea, I don't know how you had time to do anything on forum. But I certainly appreciate you helping to take up the slack in my absence. And it's always nice to know I've been missed. I certainly missed being here. I always appreciate your monthly listing of those having surgery. If you ever go, we'll have to rope in someone to take that over. Hope you are recovering from the sprain and kidney stone with no problems. Please take care. I care.

 

[rlwintin]

Yikes! I hope that episode is behind you! I mean over.

 

[Jamie]

Okay, Elisea.....time for things to calm down in your life!!! Seriously, I hope you are feeling better. I can't believe you've been going through all this.

 

[1ELISEA]

Thank you all! It means a lot to receive your good wishes!

I have never been so glad to pass a kidney stone. Fortunately, they only seem to happen every couple of years per side, thank goodness! (This time it was on the left.)

I try to drink more water but then I feel like I slosh when I walk. If anyone has a good idea to keep the kidney stones away, I'll definitely listen!

Last time I spent weeks passing a kidney stone and it was not pretty. Apparently it got hung up somewhere along the way, deciding to take the scenic route. This time it was only a short time and all of the preliminary pain seemed to have happened while I slept. Just severe pain at the time plus a few more hours and then a very bad lingering backache for days. Again, if there are any ideas on keeping the kidney stones away, I'll be happy to try them.

Still rather tired so haven't been hanging around much; need more sleep! Sleep sounds good! Nite all!

 

[BJ Mac]

Glad to hear that you passed the stone. I hope that you are feeling all the way better soon now. ((((hugs))))

 

[1ELISEA]

Thank you BJ! So glad to have it over with and thankful for having good pain meds on hand so I didn't have to go to the ER to get relief!

 

[Organist]

Elisea, hope that you get some good rest in the next few days -- and that you find a way to keep the kidney stones from happening. Take care.

 

[karmigirl]

Elisea,
Well you have some company in the kidney stone department. My husband just called me upstairs to show me he just passed 2 stones, didn't even know they were coming on, no pain,nausea nothing, they just showed up. Never a dull moment around here.

 

[1ELISEA]

My husband just called me upstairs to show me he just passed 2 stones, didn't even know they were coming on, no pain,nausea nothing, they just showed up.

I read your post and the first thought was OUCH OUCH OUCH! But for him no pain, wow!

Men seem to be so much better equipped at being able to capture things like kidney stones. I tell ya, for me it's an exercise in futility. They give me that paper strainer and a bottle to put the stone in and I give them the look like that must be mad. Haven't been able to capture one yet.

 

[Nanners]

It depends on what type of stones you are passing. My nieces are the uric acid kind, and most people its the calcium type. I have heard that drinking lemonade helps them. Sorry not more help. My niece has to take meds to decrease the uric acid in her systems and eat a more special diet. Hugs!