TKR Annie's new knee recovery thread

[NuNe4Me]

OK, Dear BoneSmarties: I need help. Has anyone on here had problems with HIVES?!? My rtkr was 2013, Dec 17 and I am STILL having problems with hives.

I have a lot of hayfever issues, but usually in the winter, I can completely go off the antihistimines and give my kidneys/liver a break - per doctor directive. But the only thing that I can find that makes the hives around my knee to go away is Zyrtec D. It is true that I don't have to take it every day - about once every two days - but this time of year, I shouldn't have to take it at all. I am also occasionally using hydrocortisone cream. But, THE HIVES ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY!

At first, my family joked that I was allergic to my knee replacement - but I don't think this is funny anymore.

Before the surgery, I wanted to do testing to make sure I wasn't allergic to my knee replacement. My OS talked me out of it and said he would use the more expensive titanium knee replacement rather than the cheaper nickel knee replacement joint that he usually uses. I felt hurried - I was in SO much pain, plus my husband was/is concerned that he is going to lose his job and thus our health insurance, so I kind of felt "hurried" by both my OS and my husband. So I went without the knee replacement allergy test. I think I may be paying the price for it now.

I talked to my regular/main doctor about this yesterday, but he wasn't helpful at all. He just wrote it down in my records.

I HATE ITCHY HIVES!!!!!! =(

 

[NuNe4Me]

I decided to stop playing "Martyr Of The Day" and just take the stupid antihistimines. I really don't like this: for years and years and years, I have been able to stop the antihistimines for the three months it is cold - usually January, February, and March - to give my kidneys and liver a break. But the hives are SO itchy. When I take the antihistimines, the hives completely disappear. Maybe I just need to give my body more time to get used to the knee replacement?? (Please say positive things.)

 

[NuNe4Me]

Question: WHAT is Ted hose? HOW is it used? WHAT is it for??
Thanks!

 

[kneeper]

TEDs are compression stockings they often have you use after tkr.

 

[NuNe4Me]

Thanks kneeper.

 

[Ellejay]

Sorry to hear about the hives, can't advise but just sympathise, it's bad enough dealing with the knee without an itchy rash as well.
TED stockings are the bane of my life at the moment, my OS says his patients have to wear them 24/7 for six weeks, they are white, so really look awful, I wear other socks over them, they are really tight and very difficult to take on and off. I have just two pairs, so I'm always washing a pair by hand ready to change them. They make my legs itch and I HATE them. Only two more weeks thank goodness.

 

[NuNe4Me]

It is probably a good thing everything worked out the way it did, because we were snowed in last week - couldn't make it up the hill. It was great - oh, I love winters in Ohio with LOTS of snow. I guess it was a good thing I had the surgery this time of year. I am really hoping that when the snow melts and Spring has arrived, I can ride my bike again.

 

[NuNe4Me]

TED stockings are the bane of my life at the moment, my OS says his patients have to wear them 24/7 for six weeks, they are white, so really look awful, I wear other socks over them, they are really tight and very difficult to take on and off. I have just two pairs, so I'm always washing a pair by hand ready to change them. They make my legs itch and I HATE them. Only two more weeks thank goodness.

You always could tell your OS that one of your friends (me!) who lives in the USA, just had HER TKR Dec 16, 2014, and HER OS didn't make her wear TED stockings at all. (I didn't even know what they were.)

 

[NuNe4Me]

I am still afraid to go back to work (part-time Cook job).........
=(

 

[Ellejay]

Hi Annie,
When will you have to go back? I must admit I can't imagine standing for that long, I haven't even made a sandwich so far, a cup of tea has been my limit. I am lucky that I retired from my teaching job last year (35 years standing in the classroom - probably the cause of my knee problem), but we seem to have longer to recover in the UK, we seem to get 12 weeks off work for a TKR.
Do you still have snow there? We have just had so much rain, so much of Southern England is flooded at the moment, so many poor people having to leave their homes. My house is fine but all the roads in and out of my village are under water - we need our 4x4, small cars are getting stuck.
Have a good weekend
Lyn

 

[NuNe4Me]

Good news!!! The itchiness/red splots are gone!!! =) =) =)
I wonder if it was the Warfarin (that I am no longer taking)?!?

 

[Ellejay]

That is wonderful news, I'm really pleased for you.

 

[NuNe4Me]

More good news:
My 80-yr-old Aunt gets out of Rehab on Friday, 2/21. She is doing very well (with her 2-yr-old TKR, and her broken leg, which is now all healed up!).

So I survived: my Aunt's ordeal (breaking her leg), which happened two weeks before my scheduled TKR (which I almost postponed again, but the doctors and my family wouldn't let me); and my own TKR, both of which occurred about the same time. Amazing.

Thanks again BoneSmarties for all the great information. You made a difficult time in my life much, much easier.

 

[Josephine]

That's really good to hear, Annie. For both of you.

 

[NuNe4Me]

I have The Flu. Feeling TERRIBLE. It is whipping around this area. Beware. (I am just trying to breathe.)

My knee is doing great.

 

[NuNe4Me]

I have figured out a GREAT way to forget about your knee pain!! Develop some other health problem that is worse, and you will forget all about your knee! <This is a joke. =)

I am still trying to breathe, but since it is Day 4 of The Flu, I am hoping I will start to feel better.

We have received about six inches of snow - it is beautiful - I love snow.

 

[NuNe4Me]

Another idea that one of my therapists taught me regarding how to move my "log leg" around, is to use your cane UPSIDE DOWN. Use the hook around your ankle to aid in moving your operated-on leg, until your quad muscles strengthen. You sort of use your cane like a shepard's hook. This idea regarding how to move my "log leg" helped me a lot.

 

[NuNe4Me]

In my humble opinion, I think you just need to slow way down to give things time to heal.

I have had multiple surgeries in my lifetime. A TKR is a really, really traumatic surgery. You have been: sawed, cut, glued, stitched(?). It takes time to heal. When your flashlight burns out, you slip out the old battery and slide in a new one. Our bodies are NOT like that - you cannot just "slip in" in new knee - it takes time to heal. When a bone is broken during a surgery, it is much more traumatic and painful vs. a soft-tissue surgery. It usually takes a year+ to recover from a traumatic surgery such as this one. My TKR has been one of the most traumatic. You will need to mentally think of adding a year to the date of the TKR surgery, for a goal of full recovery.

Most PTs are in a great big hurry regarding ROM. I haven't figured out why yet; I don't know if this affects their job evaluations or what (example: I got five patients to ROM of 120 within six days). I don't know who is training these PTs but they are not doing what is best for someone who has just had surgery.

Do you really know what they did to you during your TKR? Have you really, really investigated it? Do you want to know?? I, personally, did not have the guts to look at this before my surgery. See link. (>>>Warning: very, very graphic<<<)







*****Please just take it easy and just give your body time to heal.*****


It will take approximately a year+ to heal/recover from a traumatic surgery such as TKR.



(I am not a doctor.)

 

[NuNe4Me]

I have an idea about navigating the bathtub: You know that one exercise of Josephine's that is using a stretchy band. Two stools/chairs would be needed for this. Put one seat right outside the tub. You could maybe use the stretchy band (or maybe your cane?) to move your leg over the side of the tub? Use a second seat in the bathtub (a shower stool?) - avoid getting down into the tub, sit on the shower stool - getting up out of the bathtub could be very difficult.

That is just an idea. We are all in this together! =)

 

[Ellejay]

Hi Annie, I like your idea of getting in & out of the bath. I have only taken showers so far and I'm longing to take a bath again, I might give it a go in a few days. How is your flu? I do hope that you are feeling better.
PS - I did watch some of the video, but funnily enough I WAS brave enough to watch something similar the day before my TKR, but today I just couldn't stomach it.
Lyn xx