TKR And the Beat Goes On in Jazzabelle's Recovery

[Pumpkin]

Depends has some products that might work for you.
Depend Products

 

[Celle]

@Jazzabelle
A lot of people have this problem in the early days after knee replacement. If it's any consolation, it does improve.

For now, make sure that you go to the toilet at regular intervals, say every hour at first, so that your bladder doesn't get too full. As control returns, you will be able to extend the gaps between bathroom visits.

I know that some people have used Depends during this difficult time.

I'm going to move this thread and merge it into your recovery thread, because it is really part of your recovery.

 

[sistersinhim]

I used Depends for the first week or so until I could move faster! Also, I 'went' every time I got up, which was a lot with 13 cats! But, still the Depends, especially at night, helped get through those first weeks.

 

[joramb]

My mother had her knees done before me and warned me of the urgency issue . Even so I had several accidents. When I had my spacer placed my mom arrived at the hospital with some bladder panties as we call them. It does get better but would be nice if somewhere in the pre surgery teaching they warned you lol.

 

[SusieShoes]

There are feminine pads specifically for this problem, ranging from some absorbancy (and thinner pads) to heavy absorbancy. All can be worn like menstrual pads, inside your own panties. One of the brand names is Poise. You can change out the pads as needed.

Also, if you are on a diuretic for blood pressure control, you might ask your doctor about whether you need to take it. Diuretics and coffee don’t help the urgency issue!

 

[Arttie]

I developed a bladder infection and no warning time issues. Depends for men and my friend, a portable urnal.

 

[Jazzabelle]

Okay, about that bladder urgency thing again... I believe I have been set back in my healing due to an incident in the bathroom. Yesterday was my first full day not wearing my immobilizer when I had a sudden and urgent need to get to the bathroom. So urgent in fact, that I forgot and I bent my leg without thinking. YOUCH! So much pain! Needless to say, I am more cautious to use my immobilizer today whenever I get up and move about today. Which brings up a question:
How do you know when the right time to leave the immobilizer behind is?

 

[Arttie]

I was on my own from day 1 with a cemented TKR. Is yours cemented or not? That may make a difference.

 

[Jazzabelle]

I honestly do not know.

 

[Clipless]

Generally, as soon as your leg is strong enough to do a straight leg raise. I used the immobilizer straps to hoist my surgical leg in and out of bed until my leg was strong enough to lift itself. For my first TKR- a few weeks. Second TKR- a few days. I removed the brace once I was up and about because I found I could walk better -with a more natural knee motion- without it. I used a walker for additional support.

 

[Jazzabelle]

I guess that fact that I am still struggling to pick up my leg without assistance is one reason why I am insecure about moving around without the brace. But the pain from that incident yesterday really freaked me out, too. I had been taking it off while in bed and have been trying to do my exercises without the brace. But today I am giving the entire day to resting, elevating and icing.

 

[Clipless]

That sounds like a plan.

 

[Polkadot]

I'm sorry you had such pain, but don't freak out about it--your knee is much stronger now than it was as a natural knee! If the pain subsided, it was probably muscles and tendons screaming that they didn't like what you made them do. A lot of us have done something that causes the kind of pain you describe--push too hard for a revolution on the exercise bike, twist wrong in bed, sit down wrong and have to catch ourselves with more "bend" than our knee likes, etc.

If you're not sure about when to take the brace off, maybe a call to your doctor's office is in order. Also, have you gotten any follow-up calls from the hospital since the first couple of days? I started getting calls from a "patient advocate" whose job it was to answer questions or to make the proper calls to your doctor or other if she didn't know the answer.

 

[Polkadot]

BTW, I love your "sunny" philosophy! Your photo looks as though you would be a friendly, warm person to know.

 

[Josephine]

Is yours cemented or not? That may make a difference.

It makes no difference whatsoever.

I guess that fact that I am still struggling to pick up my leg without assistance is one reason why I am insecure about moving around without the brace.

Then try using a leg lifter, like this - then it won't matter

But the pain from that incident yesterday really freaked me out, too - have been trying to do my exercises without the brace

Well very likely that's your problem!

I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?

 

[Arttie]

@Josephine I really didn't know. Thanks for the info.

 

[Jazzabelle]

Yes, @Josephine! I would appreciate that!

 

[Jazzabelle]

As much time as I have spent on this site in the past few weeks, I should be a ble to answer my own question. But I guess I need the perspactive of you pros at this knee replacement business.

I am 10 days post surgery today. I never know from one day to the next what to expect. However, the one constant is this. In the evening I move from my hospital bed to the couch with knee propped up to enjoy a little TV time with my honey. In an hour or so I start to swell, and with that swelling comes burning pain around the left side of my patella, above it and below it. It really stings!. I can go from about a 2-3 pain level to 7-8 very quickly. Is this normal? I ice a LOT day and night. It's such a lovely form of pain relief. Am I icing too much?

 

[Josephine]

Perhaps I will get to that when I deal with your questions/answers!

Here y'go then!

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how swollen is your leg compared to these?

4. what is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

5. are you icing your knee at all? If so, how often and for how long?

6. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

8. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

 

[donebyme25]

Take care