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TKR Almost 8 months later...the aftermath

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So I stepped on the scales for the hell of it and it showed a 60 pound weight loss since yesterday.:dancy: Wow that was some progress. Ahhahha then I woke up.:tantrum:.

I am so stiff this morning.....ugh....I probably did way too much, I have been up since 2 am....and once I had the pain under control I felt so good. I did a load of dishes, a load of clothes...and helped the kids get around for school....so yeah not too much. The kids were funny...they came downstairs and were like uh mom why are you on the couch?

Watching Dog the Bounty Hunter....always puts a smile on my face!:whistle:
 
Just chatted on phone with nurse. I have to get off from Percocet. I DON'T like it. So....she is going to talk to my doc about taking me down to something simpler....less invasive in my brain. I don't like how I feel on it. I told her I want to be off pain killers...she asked me about my pain level I told her. She said it was noted that my personality makes it that I am a tough cookie...(SEE! I only fall apart here)...but in all seriousness...I want to be driving....this whole dependency isn't for me.

So in a few I will call and make my PT appt and go from there. I want to be pushed beyond what I think I can handle. If it were me I would be like omg ouch that hurts, you are going to break me and I would leave. There has to be a middle ground. I will find it.
 
Hi @Karringtyn - first off, can I borrow those scales - the ones that show the 60lb weight loss. Please, pretty please?
Second take care with reducing your meds. I agree it must be horrid to take things that make you feel bad - but just make sure that pain is covered. Everyone seems to need different levels of pain relief.
Finally, just remember with your PT that discomfort is quite likely and to be expected, but there should be no pain.
I've just come back from being thoroughly manhandled (ooh how I wish!) in the Hydro pool. Not very pleasant but not painful. See what I mean?
Here's a thought, perhaps tonight I could start dreaming of your wondrous weight loss scales and then move on to being manhandled in the hydro pool????
X
 
:happydance::happydance::happydance::happydance:WOOHOO sounds like an awesome dream @dogwheels !!!

Just called first PT is tomorrow at 4:45 :)
 
There is a difference between hurt and pain. Just touching my knee right now hurts. Just bending it hurts. I have to work past that. I have a lot to learn of what the difference is!
 
There's the normal, achey sort of everyday hurt and the OMG what the hell just happened kind. You'll figure it out. Have you tried Tylenol? I was surprised at how effective it is. I think Percocet does a number on sleep and brain. Good luck, you will figure this out!
 
Tylenol works good for me but I'm not typical and I'm further along in the progress . Try it and see if it works . If it does the fog will clear .

Rick
 
My dear Tarrytyn ! You are such a hoot !!:loll: You have such a great disposition when you are not pulling your hair out in pain .:hairpulling: You must be a riot to work with.:happydance: Tell me about this coupon thing that you speaketh of ? My sons mom would cut coupons and shop with all these coupons and hold up the line THAN reach into the crevices and the bottom of her purse to retrieve exact change, to the penny !! Are you THAT lady ? Are you ? Are you ? :yes:Hey with 3 kids , you gotta do what you gotta do. Maybe you and my homeboy @mcirish can trade coupons and use them for a tax writeoff !! (name dropper@bad joke). Well Tarrytyn , all jokes aside. :loll:I hope your recovery gets much better. I like your goals . Its great to do that. I set goals in life all the time , short term and long term . Take care little sister !!.:friends:
 
@icep707 what's with this new name? Tarrytyn???? lol

I will tell you all about my couponing later!! You will have to get comfy and listen well bwhahahahhaha!

Take care big bro!!!!!!:martini::martini::martini::martini::giggle:
 
Karringtyn, why don't you ask your OS about stepping down to Tramadol? It made me tired for a couple of days, but not fuzzy at all and worked well on the pain. Don't yell at me, but I think it's a pretty bad idea to cut back on meds right when you're going to start PT and an even worse idea to 'push through the pain' at PT. I guarantee you that that will backfire on you. DO NOT push yourself that hard, your knee will swell and you will actually LOSE ROM. Take things to the point of discomfort and then a LITTLE bit past. You can't hurry this recovery along. As much as we wish we could, it's entirely counter-productive. I've road tested all the 'wrong' things to do with this recovery, so please believe me. xoxoxo
 
Doglover is so right, I did PT three times a week, I would try to do nothing on the mornings of PT except the slide first thing in the morning to loosnen the knee up, take a hydrocodone about 30 minutes prior to arriving at PT, then do my one hour workout at PT. I cannot agree more, DO Not do anything to induce further swelling, it defeats the goal of obtaining ROM, any time it swelled, ROM goes away!! I consider myself one of the lucky ones and had minimal swelling regardless, but when it did swell I could tell ROM was gone. Big difference between pain and discomfort, I only pushed to the discomfort zone, hold for ten seconds and repeat, goal to re-stetch those muscles sliced during the operation. Seven weeks I feel pretty good overall, room for improvement absolutely!!! listen to your body, it knows you well :)
 
Karringtyn, wait until you start the PT before you change your meds. There will be increased pain with therapy. That is the reality. Most OSHIE write for "aggressive ROM exercises" thus, for me, the PT's are really pushing to get me at full extension and flexion. Unless you get there, many things are very difficult to do. Extension allows for you to stand on your skeleton. Your knees lock on extension and the spine sits on the pelvis and all the way down the legs. If you don't get full extension, your thigh muscles will fire full time and it causes tremendous fatigue. With flexion, that allows for walking up and down stairs normally. And, being able to sit down on low chairs or low toilets. Thus, the PTs know they need to get you there. They do it with various exercises, but also with hands on full out pushing beyond where you can get it actively. You will still be swollen and your muscles tight. It will cause some pain. I called my PT a mother F...er at a very loud clip yesterday! But, he got me to 117 degrees of flexion. Not bad at 3 weeks. But, I did hurt more last night and was up at 3:30 this morning. I did all my exercises. I walked a lot today. It felt good while doing it. Now, elevating. PT will be great for you!
 
braindoc said:
Karringtyn, wait until you start the PT before you change your meds. There will be increased pain with therapy. That is the reality. Most OSHIE write for "aggressive ROM exercises" thus, for me, the PT's are really pushing to get me at full extension and flexion. Unless you get there, many things are very difficult to do. Extension allows for you to stand on your skeleton. Your knees lock on extension and the spine sits on the pelvis and all the way down the legs. If you don't get full extension, your thigh muscles will fire full time and it causes tremendous fatigue. With flexion, that allows for walking up and down stairs normally. And, being able to sit down on low chairs or low toilets. Thus, the PTs know they need to get you there. They do it with various exercises, but also with hands on full out pushing beyond where you can get it actively. You will still be swollen and your muscles tight. It will cause some pain. I called my PT a mother F...er at a very loud clip yesterday! But, he got me to 117 degrees of flexion. Not bad at 3 weeks. But, I did hurt more last night and was up at 3:30 this morning. I did all my exercises. I walked a lot today. It felt good while doing it. Now, elevating. PT will be great for you!
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It appears to me that how much a PT pushes you is dependent on what your extension and Flexion are to begin with and progress thereafter . Not all patients get or need pushed to the point of pain . The better you are able to move before beginning PT the easier it will be on you .

Rick
 
Karringtyn said:
I woke up crying this morning. I feel like the biggest baby. I dread having to pee....it's not the getting to the commode...it's lifting that leg to get back on the bed...it's unbelievable. I am still on morphine. I am here till tomorrow and I truly can't see myself even able to get up tomorrow to go home. I must be a huge baby, because even the lady next door who is a day ahead of me and 30 years older is out walking the halls.

The block was shut off at 11:30 so I am bracing myself. I hear so many on here that say "the pain wasn't that bad" and I just shake my head. It is horrible to me...unbearable and I have to get a wraps on pain before going home. I really am disappointed in myself. I really am.
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Hello from across 7 seas :)
I guess pain tolerance levels vary with individual. My mom also went through extreme pain initially but she is a lot better now and pain only comes at night. I keep her motivated and pumped up and she keeps improving every day. 4th week in and she's using the washroom on her own. She had a BTKR on 8th feb. Just face the pain now, accept it, treat it, 'cause soon it'll be all over and you'll feel a lot better. Just think of the better days to come :) I can no way relate to the pain that a knee replacement patient goes through, all i can give is some solace. Hope your pain levels go down. Keep following the advice the good folks provide here and read the available articles. Meds, Elevation and icing:) that's the mantra here. Best of luck, keep the fight up.

Kamran.
 
Hi @Karringtyn - how are you doing today? Hope you got a good night.

Lots of sound advice here. The two that stand out are not to reduce your pain meds before you start PT (but perhaps look for an alternative) and don't let the PT push you too far. Whatever their directive is - its your knee!

@RickSt is spot on - everyone needs different levels of meds, and what works well for one person is not appropriate for another. I too have only needed paracetamol (Tylenol) since Day 3 substituting it with the odd Co-Dydramol on bad nights - others have different levels of pain and need far more pain relief. If that pain relief causes unwanted side effects, then the doc needs to find an effective alternative for you.

He also speaks wisely about some needing far more aggressive PT if the knee is not responding. We all hear about and see those that can achieve fantastic ROM in no time at all - they probably need very little aggressive PT, as their knee is ready, willing and able, and only needs a bit of guidance in the right direction. It's far harder for those of us (count me in) who have a greater struggle, as we have to persevere with much more discomfort to reach our goals. My PT commiserated with me yesterday about how resistant and unrelenting my knee was in the first couple of weeks - but the hard work has paid off and I'm doing fine now. Not 'star-studded, poster girl for TKR' type fine, but a good average, and that is already heaps better than I was before. The various therapies I have received have been quite unpleasant at times, but never painful. It is only after a session that I have felt some pain, where the knee has been worked hard.

So here endeth the sermon on PT. Hope yours goes well today and when you get home, get that leg up in the air with some ice and rest!
X
 
Karringtyn said:
I lifted my leg onto the bed. Without thinking...I didn't grab my scarf...I just did it...didn't even think once...it hurt but not horribly. My daughter was a cheerleader afterwards..she was like My MOMMY is amazing!!! She is coming back.
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That doesn't look right...*sigh* I am so NOT educated about forum posting...anywho....I began to be able to lift my leg this past weekend, Karringtyn...looks like you had your surgery a day before me. It was like someone flipped a switch, suddenly, I was just able to lift it...weird.
 
Ya'all are acting like I am quitting taking pain meds. Tylenol with codeine is what was the best thing for me when I broke my knee. Percocet is messing with me. I haven't had a great deal of relief from it since the beginning (if you read back you will see me and my woes of it)...

Meds work for different people. I also take Xanax....because of anxiety. In combination with a pain killer I do so much better. Pt is in 6 hours. I am nervous. I am walking great.....my best friend said I haven't walked like I am walking now since before I broke my knee three years ago....so that says something!

Got the bill for surgery in the mail yesterday. Once I was revived from the initial shock I found it amazing how detailed that list is!

:gaah: That's how I feel right now.....Someone posted on my FB wall that her Mom is having total knee replacement and the Doctor told her recovery is 4 weeks. Of course I gave her an earful.
 
If you're walking great then you've got PT licked .

Rick
 
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