TKR At home TKR recovery questions<

[Bebita]

Dr was thinking about givingme a prescription for prednisone tof help with the swelling. No shots just pills. Said I had to think about it.

 

[KarriB]

Let's ask @Josephine what she thinks of prednisone after a TKR. She is the expert.

 

[Bebita]

Thanks hoping to hear soon. Haven't taken it as of yet.

 

[KarriB]

Is the script from your OS or PCP? @Jamie can probably help with the question about using prednisone.

 

[Jamie]

Jo is off the forum for a few days as her shoulder (that she recently had surgery on) is acting up.

I can tell you that you've gone back to a stressful job way too soon. You are just a little over 2 months out and we really suggest folks not start phasing in until around 12 weeks. But....I understand that you needed to do it. This is the problem with your swelling. You are overworking your new knee. The best cure for that is to rest it, ice it, elevate it and take something for any pain you have. I would not suggest you take Prednisone, but that decision should be yours and your doctor's. Even if it did help, the result would only be temporary because you are overworking your knee. The swelling will return if you keep up those long days with no breaks.

I suggest you listen to your boss and not to the grumbling people around you. This is not your fault! You have had major surgery to correct a medical problem and you must place your proper healing above everything else right now. If you're to be on half days....only work half a day. I know it's hard, but when time comes to go home, pack up and go. Anything that's urgent will get done and the rest will be there when you return.

During the day when you're working, be sure you get up and walk around for at least 5 minutes every hour. Set your phone alarm if you need to so you are sure to do this. Sitting at a desk is the worst thing for a new knee and results in stiffness, pain and swelling.

Bring in a small cooler with some ice packs to put on your knee every so often. Take a 15 minute break, put your leg up and ice. Or prop your leg up at your desk so that you can place ice on it while sitting.

If you have to go to other areas of the school during the day for some reason, find a student or office assistant to do that walking for you. Get permission to park right in front of the door closest to your office. Use handicapped spots if necessary to get you closer (with permission, of course).

No errands after work. Have someone else prepare meals or do other home chores. No exercises or therapy. Your only job right now is to do whatever work is absolutely necessary and then get home. Ice and elevate immediately when you get home in the afternoon or evening.

Remember (and remind your coworkers and family) this is only temporary and that the more you allow yourself time to properly heal, the sooner you'll be back on the job at 100%.

 

[mamazipp]

Bebita, Jamie is spot on. Please listen to her wise counsel. Take care of your knee and your needs so that you can be healed and able to then fulfill your job, and home, responsibilities.

 

[uva55]

Jamie is right, I'm a perfect example, I was making sure to get up and walk around every hour, this week we were very behind because we were off Thursday and Friday last week do to the hurricane, I barely moved from my desk on Tuesday and Wednesday, didn't even take a lunch break, I got home and my knee was swollen, I had to ice it, it had been over 2 weeks since I needed ice. Slow down and take care of your knee.

 

[Bebita]

Jamie and everyone thank you. I have not taken any prednisone. I am making sure to walk around a little every hour. My coworker that sits next to me has been picking up the slack and doing the running for me. I feel so bad. I have to tell her I have to walk every hour as she'll say hey what do you think your doing. I ice during work and as soon as I get home. By the time I get home I can feel my leg is tight and getting up the stairs is a chore. I go back to the os Tuesday morning.

 

[Bebita]

Hi, hope everyone is doing well. Just came back from os appointment. He says I'm doing far better than a lot of patients he's had. Says my extension is perfect as well as my bend and without pe, except for home therapist that came when I first got out of hospital. . Said unfortunately I will have to deal with the swelling, stiffness and pain because that all comes with the territory and can last updated to 6 months. I asked him about the ripping sensation I get as well as the pain behind knee (which gets extremely tight and sore). He said ripping is scar tissue and pain behind knee can be a ham string that I strained or part of the knee recovering and I feel it inside. The ankle pain and bruising he said from knee being overworked and gravity pulls it all down.

He gave me a refill for pain meds and a note stating I can only work part time for an additional month. He said I can work longer if I'm up to it but only if I can handle it, otherwise the note covers me. Called me a trooper and told me most people at this stage have not return to work at all yet. I go back in month unless something happens.

It was good to hear I'm doing good and beyond where I should be in my recovery but that doesn't make me feel better when the intense pain, stiffness and swelling kick in. Though it's a great report I still get down at times because of the pain etc. As well as the things I still can't do yet.

My granddaughter asked me what amputation was and when I explained it to her she said well technically wasn't your knee amputated since they removed everything but small portion of knee cap. Told her that I never really thought about it in that way.

 

[sheliac]

Congratulations on your excellent report from OS. I'm in awe that you are back at work.


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016

 

[Bebita]

Thanks Sheila,
It's rough and I certainly pay for it when I get home, especially when I attempt to work 8 hours instead of the part time hours I was told to do. I just I was totally back to normal. I know it's still early though. I see that light at end of tunnel just can't get there fast enough.
I'm in awe that you had both done so close together. I need the other one done as well but was trying to give it some time. I hope everything is going good with you.

 

[KarriB]

I'm glad you had a good OS visit and now you know everything your feeling is normal. Like your granddaughter, I've also related my TKR to an amputation in my mind. My leg was taken apart, pieces removed, holes drilled and foreign parts put in. I actually had dreams about amputation before the surgery. But that's quite a lot to recover from and that's why it takes our bodies longer to recuperate.

 

[Bebita]

Karri, thanks for all the support you and everyone always give me. It was good to receive a good report but as you know already I get inpatient. Told os I can't deal with the scar tissue pains. He said unfortunately I will be dealing with it for up to 6 months.
Back to work tomorrow, have to remind myself repeatly not to overdo it or I'll pay for it at night.
Have a great evening and I'll talk to you soon.

 

[mamazipp]

Bebita, out of the mouths of babes. Amputation is a good word for it. And in that light remember to take it easy.

 

[Bebita]

Hope this post finds everyone doing well. I'm hanging in there. Knee starts off very tight and stiff but as day goes on seems to be loosening up more than before which is nice. Not perfect yet and kills me at night but I'll take as past couple of days have been better than before. Coworkers say I'm moving faster than I was right before they yell at me to sit down. What I have noticed is both yesterday and today my left knee has been bothering me more. Hurting and giving at times. Is this normal since it's picking up slack for other Leg?

 

[kneeper]

My OS told me at my checkup that he wishes they had never used the term joint "replacement" as it is really a "resurfacing." Not that it's not still a major operation.

 

[KarriB]

Yes, especially because you're not even 12 weeks out yet. It can take up to a year for a full recovery, you are still early in recovery and working part time, so pain can be expected.

 

[Celle]

It was good to hear I'm doing good and beyond where I should be in my recovery but that doesn't make me feel better when the intense pain, stiffness and swelling kick in. Though it's a great report I still get down at times because of the pain etc. As well as the things I still can't do yet.

You're doing very well, but do remember that this recovery takes as long as a full year, so you are still less than a quarter of the way through it. As your granddaughter said, you did have an amputation, or sorts. The ends of two large bones were amputated and the remainder re-shaped. You have two, large metal objects hammered and cemented into the ends of those bones.

That's very major surgery. You can't, and you won't, bounce back quickly from it.

What I have noticed is both yesterday and today my left knee has been bothering me more. Hurting and giving at times. Is this normal since it's picking up slack for other Leg?

Yes, it's not at all unusual for that to happen. Your "good" leg is taking more strain and doing more work than it usually does.

 

[Bebita]

Hi everyone, it's been a awhile since I last wrote. I've been busy with work, grandchildren, everyday things and of course my recovery.

It's about 3 1/2 months now. Can't believe it only that long, thought it was longer. I've had my good and bad days, like everyone here. My knee has been extremely sore and stiff. Don't know if it has to do with change of weather or not. Colder, rain etc. Don't know but I want to scream as I try to straighten my leg out, making sleep very hard.

Had my monthly appointment today. Dr says I'm doing great. He says that it could be weather change. Swelling has gone down alot. Says I'm pushing myself too hard though he admires my determination. Everything I'm experiencing is part of my recovery. Just taking a little longer as a result of me pushing myself. Gave me a refill for pain meds and extended my part time status another month. Said he expects me to do part time. Have to go back in another month.

 

[KarriB]

Take the time you're not working to rest that knee, otherwise it'll still be sore when you go back to full time. Work really is all you need to do with your knee at this point.