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TKR Benay's Recovery

LOL!
I was grateful my surgical team warned me there'd be clicking.
My left knee - aka The Metronome - is so reliable that I told my surgeon he should have implanted a step counter :heehee:
 
I just searched the site for the Saran/cling wrap night pain assist. There's lots of positive comments going way back. How many times do I wrap it, how loose? Can anyone give tips and guidance, I'm planning on trying it tonight. The night hours are definitely the worst part of this for me.
 
Benay said:
How many times do I wrap it, how loose? Can anyone give tips and guidance,
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There's no right/wrong way to do it, other than you don't want it too tight because it will press on the incision. Also, you don't need a lot, because it's purpose is just to keep things from rubbing against the incision.

I wrapped mine loosely 3 or 4 times around the leg. Since it sticks to itself, but not the skin, you want the wrap to be fairly wide (above and below) so it doesn't slide off during the night.

Experiment with it and see what works best for you.
 
Midway through my 3rd week and looking forward to the 4th. I'm sleeping much better and depending on the day (or even time of day) feeling somewhat less pain. For the past few days I've been working hard on the less is more recovery and maybe that's helped. I'm prone - like my same date op friend @Linda1 - to overdo. I'm trying to rein the tendency in.

Overall it hasn't been a as smooth or easy as I'd hoped (planned) but here we are.
 
Happy Monday!
You're doing well and I like your shift in attitude regarding less is more in recovery.
May each week feel a bit more tolerable than the last. Just as with your first TKR...you'll get there! :yes:
Have a great week!
@Benay
 
Benay said:
I'm sleeping much better and depending on the day (or even time of day) feeling somewhat less pain.
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I'm happy to hear that it is slowly improving. Sleeping makes a huge difference I'm sure!

Seems to me that week 3/4 I felt better and could do more...but then got frustrated with my bend and this and that - progression was slooooow. In hindsight I think my knee was still pretty swollen in there.

How would you say this knee compares to your other knee surgery? I'm having knee #2 on Wednesday and my first one was back in January 2024 so not so long ago. I've been back to read my thread from that knee and got some laughs - which I'm sure won't be so funny in a couple of days!
 
I reread my whole old thread a few middle of the nights ago. Couple of things struck me. First of all there was a much bigger group of us round the same surgery time and so much more interaction in fact I'm still friends with one of them in NY. I miss that. Also I think my mindset was better possibly due to Oxy 5ml every 4 hours on the dot. I am using Tylenol which I think doesn't help much at all. I had 30 Ox and probably have only used 10 of them. So the pain has been a struggle this time around. Not sure why the reluctance to indulge but it's there. Frankly hate to admit but I can't wait for this to be over and be able to get back to the things I love.

The upside, I've lost 5 lbs since surgery but hoping it's not just muscle :snork: So that's me. Good luck for Wednesday, stay in touch - I'll be looking out for you @selketine :)
 
Benay said:
I had 30 Ox and probably have only used 10 of them.
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Wow...yeah that's not a lot. I'm surprised you've gotten by on so little. My surgeon was pretty conservative with the pain meds (every 6 hours was the way he started me out) and I thought that wasn't quite enough the first few days. Every refill he would make it every 8 hours then every 12 hours. Tylenol seems like a placebo - I don't know that it has ever done anything for me. NSAIDs work - but I get terrible stomach problems with them.

I think overall - most people have gone over to social media discussion groups (Facebook especially but Reddit too) and dedicated discussion boards are not turned to as often. I joined Bonesmart a very long time ago - my knees were bad and should have been replaced probably 2018 - especially one of them - maybe earlier (my HMO refused due to age - a whole other story). I don't see the quality of advice anywhere else that I find here that's for sure. I can barely stand to read the FB groups.

I wouldn't mind losing some weight that's for sure - all I did last time was gain weight. I think smelling food makes me put on pounds - haha!
 
We have found through the years, that Bonesmart slows down in the summer months, so noticing this now is nothing unusual for us. When cooler weather comes, we will pick back up if things follow the same path that they have for years.

Sleeping better us such a blessing! Most of us didn't have that in the early days like you have. Enjoy it and be thanful!
 
2nd to last home PT this morning. He eyeball measured me at 115 and 2. I'm not really into the numbers but it gave me a benchmark and a feeling I'm improving even though I don't really notice it day by day.
 
I totally forgot how first recovery went and I'm still unable to decide if this is worse, better or the same. 4 week mark tomorrow and I'm hoping I'm through the hard part . I'll update :snork: The weather is cooler in California now I put a light duvet back on the bed (my sanctuary). I'm up to 3-4000 steps per day and even cleaned up a patch of the garden this morning. Life is broadening a little beyond MY KNEE.
 
So glad to read that you are feeling well enough to get out into the garden, @Benay! And 3,000 steps/day at barely one month post-op is outstanding.

Just be cautious and listen to your body. You don't want to end up on the ODIC (overdid it club) bench!
 
Thanks for the reminder, I've been there, done that. No repeats!
 
I've noticed after a shower my knee feels so much more comfortable, less stiffness and movement is much more fluid
 
Watching TV, elevated knee glanced down and saw an insect (maybe a small mosquito I'm not sure) about 1/2" from the top of my nicely healing incision. It's definitely some sort of itchy bite. What's the best thing to do? Maybe a small bandage with Benedryl underneath? Or nothing underneath. Ughhhh IMG_9225.jpeg
 
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If you can shield your incision during application, a Benadryl spray may give good relief.
A bandaid mainly will make it harder for you to scratch the bite - a good thing!
 
Benay said:
Might check if I'm ok to use an NSAID,
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I was on naproxen before my PKR and continued it for some months after (increasingly for my back/ sciatica rather than my knee). I found it was the one NSAID that really helped me. I know these drugs have their issues but as a step down from opioids - I think they are really useful.
 
Hi @Benay ....I remember you from years ago, and I think you were about a month behind me then too. My L TKR is this coming Thursday (9/19). Unfortunately, I DO remember too much of the last one and am dreading it. I'll be glad to have it behind me though, as I knew it was coming these last 5 years. I'm sure I'll be keeping up with your thread and remembering why we decided to go through it all again. :) I agree that there seemed to be a lot more of us back then too.
 
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