Well, I realized I hadn't logged a 10 week right TKR update, so here that is! My 10 weeks were yesterday
Following the Bonesmart way has really panned out for me this time! I avoided the heavier-duty opioids because I know they are ineffective on my pain and make me a "Loopy-Lucy", and I used the Tramadol that they prescribed until, I think, week 4 (will edit later when I go back and check if I''m wrong), then was able to taper back from 6 hour doses to 5 hour, then to 4 hour, then switched from the single Tramadol-at-night dose to Tylenol... and now am only on one dose of Tylenol before bed, period. I do still use the herbal/CBD salve on my knee when it's aching, usually due to lots of ADL (Activities of Daily Living), and often I use it before going off to run a bundle of errands, or before a walk or at night.
As far as therapy, I'm mainly only doing ADL these days, except for PT once a week to iron out any kinks, and lately, my shoulders have been more trouble than my knee! (walker for a week, crutches used for a month, cane for a week, etc. and being the only driver in the household, only "schlepper of heavy stuff" means my shoulders have been working hard!)
My massage with the ortho therapist last week was very helpful, and I'm now being able to walk much more evenly, not favoring the right side as much, and walking through the entire range of motion better. I've done walks both with and without my husband (who uses a walker following his leukemia battle that left him with balance and vision issues), so when I'm by myself, I can concentrate on walking evenly, really focusing on each step, using all muscles I'm supposed to use (like my less-than-enthusiastic glutes), plus I can maintain a comfortable-for-me pace, etc. He walks much slower so when I'm walking with him, I do more of a casual saunter, slower, and that seems to trigger the lazy muscle issues, plus I need to stop and stretch out the inner thigh/hip muscle that seems to like to tighten up when I'm not walking with long enough strides to stretch it normally. Too much stretch, or too big a stride is as bad as too short a stride, it turns out, too! Tried that: nope!
I'm working more now, even though at home, so I'm sitting at a table with my computer working on our business' bookkeeping, marketing, etc. so my leg is down almost all day. By evening I'm tired, even if I didn't get a walk in that day, so the energy drain thing is still in sway, just to document that.
I've been trying once a week to not take Tylenol at night to see if I can sleep well without it, and so far, no go! I wake up tossing and turning around 2-3am and can't get back to sleep for the life of me! Will keep trying once a week, and may try taking some Tulsi tea before bed to see if that helps. Used to do that but stopped a while back...
I resumed doing my Melt sessions, a type of self-care PT-like session using a soft roller to roll on with one's bodyweight. The criteria to be able to do it again was getting down on my knee, at least one of them! So, since the right one is the new baby knee, it doesn't need to be the kneeled on one, so big sister, Lefty, gets that honor and did fine. I put down a super-cushiony yoga mat first, though, so it's nice and soft under the knee, plus it's on a squishy rug, too.
Next up will be going back to doing Pilates once a week but maybe twice a month at first... then, increasing my walking, then trying a bike again, or... my Elliptigo! My new knee has to be in tiptop shape to Elliptigo, though, as each leg moves through an entire range of motion (as in an elliptical motion to propel the Ellipgo along a path) as I Go along the wide, smooth bike-pedestrian paths near our new house. I'm now about a mile from the Willamette River where there are 13 miles of bike paths on either side, from about a half mile north of my house, to 12 miles away in Springfield. It's a wonderful place to ride and I can't wait to get back to it. Riding my Elliptigo is so much fun, too! (Wonder if anyone else on Bonesmart rides one? Hmmm...)
Need to head off to Pilates, so more later...