TKR Andpeaches 2nd TKR is DONE!!

[andpeaches]

LTKR Surgery day today 2/13/24!!! (Or 13/2/24)
Surgery started at 7:15, awake by 9:45 and home by 12:30! Icing, resting, elevating (toes above nose) and managing pain with acetaminophen for now thanks to the adductor canal, IPACk, and genicular nerve blocks, I am pain free for now. So now the recovery begins. I know from my previous experience I will gain much from the support here. For now it’s all about rest!!

 

[Jockette]

Best wishes for this recovery!

Here’s a refresher course:

I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Just keep in mind all people are different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary

2. Control discomfort:

rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

don't overwork.​

​

If you want to use something to help heal the incision, ​

BoneSmart recommends hypochlorous solution. Members in the US can purchase ACTIVE Antimicrobial Hydrogel through BoneSmart at a discount. Similar products should be available in the UK and other countries.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

​

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​

b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

​

​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

​

the BoneSmart view on exercise​

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity Progression for TKRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

​

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.

 

[mendogal]

Welcome (back) to the recovery side!!!! Looking forward to you sharing every little milestone on your journey (plus of course concerns and griping).

 

[SheilaE]

LTKR Surgery day today 2/13/24!!! (Or 13/2/24)
Surgery started at 7:15, awake by 9:45 and home by 12:30! Icing, resting, elevating (toes above nose) and managing pain with acetaminophen for now thanks to the adductor canal, IPACk, and genicular nerve blocks, I am pain free for now. So now the recovery begins. I know from my previous experience I will gain much from the support here. For now it’s all about rest!!

Woohooo....I'm getting my second done in the near future, so will anxiously await your reports! Break a leg!...(oh wait)

 

[benne68]

You've got this, @SheilaE! We learn so much from our first TKR rodeo that we can apply to #2.

Keep us posted.

 

[andpeaches]

Ok Post op day #1. Difficult 1st night trying to sleep (duh should have remembered this was expected) and pain came on about 12 hrs after surgery even with nerve blocks. Noticed the numbness in my thigh and calf has worn off. Was able to get comfortable after taking 1 hydrocodone-acetaminophen and 1 extended relief acetaminophen (650 mg) and keeping ice on and elevating even in bed. I had been getting up to bathroom only using my cane all night long, but this morning I experienced fainting for the 1st time in my life. I got up to go brush my teeth about 15 min after taking pain meds, suddenly felt nauseous and then lost vision and started to go down. Luckily my hubby was right there and grabbed me and somehow carried me over to our bed. As I came around and my vision returned, there was this loud buzzing sound in both ears. Whew I was so lucky my hubby was there. I never had this ever with my 1st TKR 5 yrs ago or ever in my life. So I’m back in bed, gave up plans to get dressed and downstairs and just doing nothing but elevate, ice and some feet pumps, leg straightening once in a while and only bending it when I get up. Anyone else ever fainted out of the blue the day after surgery?? I had been feeling great up until 24 hrs after surgery.

 

[Jaycey]

Anyone else ever fainted out of the blue the day after surgery??

Yes, this happened to me the first day after my first THR. No other symptoms and I did speak to a nurse later in the day. For me it was a reaction to blood thinning medication.

You might want to call your family doctor just so they have a record of this. And please be very careful in these early days. Get up very slowly and move slowly for now.

 

[sistersinhim]

I got very dizzy and close to passing out on my first day out. My doctor said to stay another night until I was less weak and dizzy.

 

[andpeaches]

Thank you @Jaycey and @sistersinhim ! No more fainting episodes! I was advised by my family doctor to keep some saltine crackers at my bedside to prevent blood sugar drop and that seems to have helped if I nibble a cracker 10 min before getting up.
Now I’m 12 days post LTKR and well it’s going ok just slow! Swelling is hardly visible but leg is stiff and there’s a tight thigh muscle above knee that hurts more than the knee when I try to bend it. Went to PT 2 x and they were really gently. Lots of massage and gently rocking the knee. I do some straightening, gentle heel slides, toe and heel raises, nothing that hurts. I’m still elevating and icing most of the day & night. Taking Hydrocodone 5 mg and acetaminophen 375 mg every 8-9 hours seems to keep me comfortable. I walked outside around our block today (1/2 mile) and felt pretty good focused on heel to toe and standing straight. I did make it to my best friend’s mom’s funeral 2 days ago. Was amazed I made it through the service and the reception afterwards. My energy is still very low … blah. But hallelujah no constipation as compared to my last TKR 5 yrs ago. I can’t remember if I was taking more narcotics or not at this point last surgery. All in all I’m sleeping ~3 hrs straight before having to get up and falling back quickly after bathroom and re-icing. I can’t seem to get comfortable on my non operated side yet. That was a huge improvement for my sleep last time. But I remember last surgery it took me 4-5 weeks to get on my side to sleep comfortably. All in all I do believe this 2nd TKR may be easier? More tolerable? Less severe? Than the 1st. I look forward to hearing how my other Valentines knees are doing!

 

[sistersinhim]

It sounds like you are coming along quite well, especially making it to a funeral and reception this early in your recovery. Most of us would not have been able to do that so early. No constipation is a huge blessing!

 

[mendogal]

What a fine update! A public outing! A half mile walk?!?! Yowza. It took me 6 weeks to manage that!!!

I'm sure you remember from your first knee that thigh pain, even bruising, isn't unusual generally due to the tourniquet.

May everything continue to go this smoothly!

 

[Layla]

You're doing really well for not quite two weeks post op.
May your recovery continue to go smoothly. Thanks for the update.
Have a wonderful week!
@and peaches

 

[andpeaches]

Happy Happy Joy Joy (said sarcastically on another rotten rainy day here in NJ) I’m at 3 weeks & 1 day and as I experienced with 1st knee, it’s a slooow going recovery. I’m still going to PT because the therapist believes in gentleness & no pain. She massages it (effleurage) and rocks it so gently to loosen it up a little. Then heel slides, guad strengthening, gentle exercises. Because she measured it at 0 extension and 92 degrees assisted flexion today, she asked if I wanted to try just rocking it a little on the bike. Big mistake. Competitive me tried to go all the way around, and it did, and I screamed. The therapist was so caring , she calmed me down and reminded me it’s too early to get that much flexion and just gently rock the peddles as far as I can go but not to push it around again. I remembered it wasn’t until after 4 weeks with the last one that I could get full rotation on the surgical knee. Omg why am I so impatient ??? Now I’m home resting, elevated, icing, and will just do short walks around house today as it’s flooding outside. My dear hubby is getting tired of doing the bulk of the housework and cooking, so I want to start helping him with some meal prep and not just lay here like a lazy blob. I still prefer keeping knee comfortable in recliner for meals but he might enjoy if I could sit at the table with him at least for dinner. I’m only taking 1 hydrocodone/acetaminophen in the morning and 1 before bed. Along with 1 Celebrex in the afternoon. Appetite and bowels (sorry) are so much better and normal at 3 weeks with this TKR as compared to last one 5 years ago. I’m sleeping 4 hrs, waking for BR and ice refresh, then back to sleep for 4 more so that’s a huge improvement too from last TKR. Still can’t get comfortable on my side yet, but that will come I know. My silly feet were waking me at night, achy toes, cranky from sheets/ blankets on them, so I started massaging my feet with a peppermint lotion before bed and that seems to really help (although reaching down to that operated side foot is a feat). Sorry for the long post but wanted to keep a log of how this recovery is going. It’s Going!!!!

 

[benne68]

Sounds like you found a great therapist who actually understands how to help with recovery from a knee replacement, @andpeaches. They are a rare breed.

I totally relate to your foray into the ODIC on the bike! I think we've all done something similar during recovery.

Give that knee some extra love for a few days!

 

[mendogal]

You are NOT lying around like a lazy blob, you are.... (adopts deep voice and English accent in order to quote BoneSmart staffer @Roy Gardiner )... ahem... "When you are icing and elevating and watching telly you are not 'dossing around' you are 'engaging a carefully considered proactively designed heuristically programmed dynamically structured recovery programme'.
In basic Amurcan English... you're letting yourself heal. Please do so!

 

[kiwicurls]

Hi @andpeaches , I am at day 9 and completely understand your frustration at not being able to do your share around the house. Mendogal is correct, of course, but it doesn’t really stop the frustration does it. I have a wonderful husband but he finds cooking rice and pasta to go with my pre cooked dinners a challenge. He’s otherwise an extremely intelligent man.
No physio has got in touch with me… I was supposed to have home visits. I don’t really need them as I know what to do from last time. I have the pedals too but won’t use them just yet; too early. Ah, for some patience!
You did well to get down to your toes! Mine hurt too but it’s nerve pain from foot surgery.

 

[andpeaches]

Hi @kiwicurls yeay you did it too!! You braved this surgery and recovery for the other knee!! My 1st TKR was on my R one 5 yrs ago and I really dreaded doing this one. But the pain was so severe all through Nov-Dec- Jan that I actually started counting the days down to the surgical day! So you’re 2 weeks behind me and you sound great, but you know this circus! Yuck yuck yuck days in a row and then bam a good day appears!! I hope your L knee is cheering on your new R knee. So far my older new knee hasn’t complained yet. I look forward to following your recovery and I’m always up for sharing encouraging words. Thanks for reaching out!

 

[andpeaches]

adopts deep voice and English accent in order to quote BoneSmart staffer @Roy Gardiner )... ahem... "When you are icing and elevating and watching telly you are not 'dossing around' you are 'engaging a carefully considered proactively designed heuristically programmed dynamically structured recovery programme'.

Oh mendogal! You made me laugh!!! Thank you!

 

[kiwicurls]

You put it so well; yuk days then a good one! I had the left knee done two years ago and felt exactly as you did. I was counting the days until the right one was done as in the end as I was very lopsided and sore. Already I feel straighter when standing up.
I found last time that standing for any length of time was painful but walking around was ok. When you do start helping with meal prep make sure you’re moving around and not standing still for too long.
Nice to (virtually) meet you. It’s good to have contact with someone else at a similar stage. And we’ll get there eventually!

 

[Layla]

Oh mendogal! You made me laugh!!! Thank you!

Yeah...me too, that was a good one!
A great rest of the week to you, and peaches!