TKR Apricotpie and his right TKR

[ApricotPie]

I find that the line between doing and over-doing is very thin and also a moving target. Every time you step over the ODI line, your knee with whine and swell up to tell you how unhappy it is. Ice, elevate, and back the activity off for a few days. I agree that it is intensely frustrating.

Yes. It is a very thin line. And sometimes you don't know you stepped over it for several hours, then OUCH!

 

[sistersinhim]

Sometimes you can even do something in your sleep that you aren't aware of that will aggravate the knee. It can be a big mystery. Just listen to and obey it and you both will be happier.

 

[ApricotPie]

I have just complete 5 weeks since my surgery. The good news is that the incision is healing very nicely. A few inches of it have some scabs that need to fall off in their own time, and some of the sutures are poking out a bit, but the rest looks very nicely closed up.

I continue to be plagued by swelling in the knee joint. Sometimes the swelling extends down to the ankle and foot. I am fighting back with icing. I now have my icing gear prepared ahead of time for immediate use after I take a walk, do some PT or take a few spins on my stationary bike.

Earlier this week I raised the seat on my stationary up about 3 inches. I need a small stool to get onto it! At the bottom of the stroke the knee is extended straight out. Not exactly a power stroke. But, I can get it to rotate all 360 degrees. The first one takes a bit of time, back and forth, gently pushing it a bit further each time. After the first rotation is done, the rest start to come more easily. By number six it's easy, and I do feel a good stretch throughout the knee, but no pain. I have learned to limit my rotations to 20 slow ones. Then I stop, no matter how good the knee is feeling at the moment. Then ice!!! I wish I could do all my PT on the bike.

I also try to do at least 15 minutes of walking each day. I take my cane with me for as needed support, just in case the knee acts up, or I find myself feeling unstable for any reason. But, really, most of the walk is done with my own two feet. I force myself to walk normally, heel to toe with a nice bend before taking the next step. Otherwise, I tend to fall into the peg-leg gait. Right after the walk I ice for 30 minutes.

I am off my daily aspirin for blood thinning. I am hoping that may help the swelling of my knee. My theory is that the easier the blood clots, the less fluid that will be dumped into my poor knee. Time will tell.

Swelling continues to be my #1 problem. It is making my return to things like driving very problematic. One new problem is the 'flash' pain that pops up in the knee, lasts for 1-3 seconds then goes away. It can suddenly hit just about any part of the knee, there is no pattern I can identify. It's not a big problem like the swelling, more like a nuisance.

 

[sistersinhim]

One new problem is the 'flash' pain that pops up in the knee, lasts for 1-3 seconds then goes away. It can suddenly hit just about any part of the knee, there is no pattern I can identify.

That's what we call 'zingers'. To me, they felt like lightning bolts going through my knee. My OS said it's the nerves reattaching and healing. My whole leg would actually jump up sometimes! They hurt! The swelling is a pretty common complaint. You can try doing less and icing an elevating more to try and reduce it. Swelling is usually an indication that you're doing too much for your knee at this time in your healing.

 

[Pecanpie]

My OS said it's the nerves reattaching and healing

This makes me feel so much better !! I had this yesterday ...felt like I had 'caught' a nerve somehow in my knee...couldn't stand on it for a few minutes
It's always great to hear that things are normal

How long do these zingers last?

 

[sistersinhim]

How long do these zingers last?

I still have very mild ones once in a while. Of course, I've had 6 surgeries on this knee. The bad ones lasted only a few months.

 

[marieltha]

I recently got a voltaren (declofenac generic ) anti-inflammation gel for my foot injury and am surprised that (if I follow the directions LOL), it helps reduce the swelling. The pamphlet says it is also good for hands and knees, and in the last few days, when we had rain and low pressure, I tried it on my knee and it helped there as well.
My OS usually doesn’t recommend topicals other than for the benefit from the soft massaging of applying it, but he did say he thought this would help—if I used the correct amount and used it 3x day.

 

[ApricotPie]

My doc ok’d me to use Voltaren on my knee as long as I keep it off the incision that still is healing. I’ve used it before whole traveling overseas and found it worked well for me. Why we need a scrim for it in the USA is beyond me. It’s OTC everywhere else.




RTKR July 15, 2019

 

[ApricotPie]

My meeting with the doctor was interesting. Apparently the extra work he told my relatives about was to correct the fact I was somewhat bow legged as a result of 40 years of wear and tear on the knee. That explains the hot spot pain on the inside are of my knee. Lucky me!?!?!?!?!?!?


RTKR July 15, 2019

 

[Jockette]

Lucky me!?!?!?!?!?!?

Yes, lucky you that we live in a time that this can be corrected. Many years ago it could not and people suffered for the rest of their life.

Where you are now is not where you will end up.

 

[kneeper]

My meeting with the doctor was interesting. Apparently the extra work he told my relatives about was to correct the fact I was somewhat bow legged as a result of 40 years of wear and tear on the knee. That explains the hot spot pain on the inside are of my knee. Lucky me!?!?!?!?!?!?


RTKR July 15, 2019

This is why it's a recovery process, not a recovery day.

 

[ApricotPie]

5 weeks and a few days from the TKR......

Walking up the stairs yesterday, without thinking about it, I automatically started to step up with my surgical knee as one normally does when healthy. I stopped and thought about it for a few seconds and then, hanging on to the railing and my cane, stepped up using just the surgical knee (no leading with the good knee and dragging the surgical knee up after it). It worked. Later in the day, I lightly gripped the railing and lifted my body up a few steps with just the surgical knee doing the work. I did it. Granted the knee was a bit sore when I did step up, but no serious pain or weakness.

Going down the stairs? Ummm..... I will saver this victory and fight that battle in a week or so.

 

[Jockette]

Going down usually takes longer.

 

[kneeper]

Awesome victory on the "up" stairs!

 

[Steelergal]

Congrats on walking up stairs! I started practicing on a 6" step at PT this week. It's getting easier, but I still need significant support at 4 weeks (and a few days). I may not be able to bend my knee much, but it is getting stronger!

 

[ApricotPie]

Speaking of flexing the knee, my Dr told me that getting to 90 degrees is the hardest part. After that other goals like 110 or 120 degrees come easier and faster. Has anybody else heard that?

 

[Jockette]

I haven’t heard that but it makes sense. Getting to 90 involves the early days after surgery when we have a lot of swelling. As time goes by our swelling decreases and our leg heals, so yes, I would think those later improvements would come “more easily.”

Just to let you know, my ROM is still improving and I’m 2.5 years post op. So don’t believe them if/when they tell you that you must get your ROM back now.

Right now the number is just that. A number. Due to both my PT and my surgeon force bending my knee painfully, to measure, my records show really good “numbers”. But, I didn’t have the healing to actually have those ROM numbers benefit me, and they were false anyway, as I couldn’t get them on my own.

My leg continues to relax and feel better which truly gives me better ROM as time goes on.

 

[luvcats]

Woohoo! Conquering the first part of the stairs is a big deal! I felt so proud when I managed it. It took another week or two before I started going down, and I'm going down very carefully with my 4-footed cane to support me on the side with no handrail. But it gets a bit easier every day.

Go you!

 

[ApricotPie]

Yes, it feels good not to slog up the stairs.

Did I mention I can now sleep on both my left and right sides with little if any discomfort? And I can walk farther and stand longer without nasty pain. Discomfort yet, but not the nasty pain of three weeks ago. There is something about that 6 week mark that is feeling good.

 

[cleartoday]

Apricotpie, I had my left TKR on August 5th. I have been following you as I an right behind you on the healing process. I seem to be doing pretty good. I am trying to back away from the pain meds. So, a med at night, over the counter starting when I wake up. As I have read above not moving it at night wakes me up. I like to bend my legs at night and this thing wont let me. Ive not had a full nights sleep yet. I walked quite a bit yesterday, and I am putting it to the test today. I have to get out of this chair and moving. This morning I fired up my smoker, and put on 4 briskets. My wife is helping me for the first time, and I feel I will need it before the day is over with. Thanks for posting up, your progress is helping me get past the learning curve.