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Bilateral TKR Big Bend goes for bilateral big bendy knees!

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Hi BigBend: I have been waking up with achy legs (pain: 1 of 10) after discontinuing the oxycodone. However after I go to the bathroom, I take a short walk to the living room and then do 10 knee bends and 10 quad stretches for each leg. By the time I make it back to the bedroom, my achy legs are gone -- well, the aches are gone -- and I feel ready to face the new day. I'm not sure if this morning tenderness is a temporary thing or something I will have with me for a long time. In any event, for me, it's not too bad and the gentle stretches help me to get past the initial ache.

I'm glad to hear that you turned a corner!
 
BigBend said:
I'm thinking in two weeks, when you have 12 weeks of recovery behind you, you will be amazed at how good you feel. It's coming!!!
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@BigBend you are SO RIGHT!!! I have turned the corner and am feeling SO MUCH better!!
How are you doing @BigBend?? Hope things are moving along really well for you!!!
@EmptyHands my legs still feel achy!! I don't know if it's just waking up stiff from a long night, or what but mine goes away quickly too.
 
I've been offline for the last week, taking my first mini vacation since surgery (9weeks ago yesterday). Friends drove me to their timeshare about 200 miles away. We drank wine - my first alcohol in about 3 months - we walked and I had my first pool experience since surgery. Not having any outpatient PT or close access to a pool, I was particularly interested in seeing what exercises I could do in the water.

I still have discomfort in my knees riding as a passenger, but I felt better on the way home than going. I liked trying things in the pool:swim:though I might have imagined I was bendier in the water than I really was!

Other than walking and a few hours in the pool, I didn't do any of my regular knee exercises so I was a little worried I might lose flexion. I just did my regular ones awhile ago and I know I didn't lose ground. Maybe even gained some.

Things I can't do: sit on a low toilet. Things I can do: sit on a handicap toilet. Might seem obvious but I couldn't do that a month ago.

I also found that a glass of wine gave me more relief than tylenol!:beer:

@suzzee2000 , so glad you are better! I have great hopes to be where you are when I hit 3 months!

@EmptyHands , I find stretching, walking, moving helps me with the aches, too. I still have pretty tight knots above each knee. I hope to work those out soon.
 
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I'm glad you had a good time. I would think that swimming with show scissor kicks would be good exercise. I haven't swum yet. Still waiting for the river to warm up.

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@BigBend - I'm looking forward to getting back in the pool again for water walking, water exercise, and eventually lap swimming. Of course, I haven't been given permission to use a cane or drive yet, so it may be a while. It's wonderful to hear that you have taken the plunge - great going!
 
Glad you are back!!!
BigBend said:
I also found that a glass of wine gave me more relief than tylenol!:beer:
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I never thought of that I might have to try that myself! Maybe in the evening would do the trick
Being in the pool is awesome too..... !:swim: Glad you had a good time!!!
 
I can't wait to get back in the pool!

As for toilets, I agree wholeheartedly! I'm about 5'7" but have long legs and a short torso - the regular height toilets have always seemed low to me. We looked at the "comfort height" toilets to replace ours but they're only a couple of inches higher. Instead we bought toilet platforms that raise the toilet by 4" and eliminates the need for the somewhat flimsy toilet risers. I still need additional help so I'm using our front bathroom where I have a countertop and a heavy duty bath rail to push up on. I had freestanding bars in the master bath which worked fine before surgery when I only needed a little support but they're not sturdy enough for me to push up my whole body weight on them.

Your recovery seems to be going great now - congrats on turning that corner!
 
Hmmm, I'm sure I qualify for medical mj, but not interested! I survived the 60's and don't want to go back!!!! Seriously, on the wine, I cut back on Tylenol when I knew I was going to have alcohol. Didn't miss Tylenol at all. By my next social drinking occasion, I'll probably not be on any medication...that's my hope, anyway.

Funny how different pains come and go in the knees. I finally got some pain around my incisions...just the nerves waking up, I suppose. Mostly I have a heaviness above the kneecap or on the outer side that I assume is the last of the soft tissue swelling. Maybe it will be gone by 12 weeks when I intend to travel again.
 
perhaps the alcohol provides some muscle relaxing function.
 
Ten weeks ago yesterday, I traded in my arthritic knees for artificial ones. This is an interesting time for me in recovery. The early, painful days are gone. The fully recovered future is still ahead. I think I am at the peak of the period of ups and downs. One night I go to bed and sleep on my side and think, "aha, I am healed!" The next night, the same position is uncomfortable and undoable.

I do have moments when I don't feel any pain. But yesterday, I had to cut short lunch with friends because I couldn't sit up in a chair in a restaurant any longer. Then the questions: is this normal, albeit slow recovery? Did I ice enough? Elevate properly? Do enough exercises? Push too hard?

Are the hot, hard spots on the outside of my knees soft tissue swelling? Are the knots above my knees just fat having trouble hanging over the implants? :bignono: Or adhesions formed to thwart my recovery?

At ten weeks out, do I have a right to be more certain of where I am...?
I think I'll give myself a few more weeks before I expect clearer answers!!!
 
Lets see if I can spell. Haha. You will truly be amazed as you won't see any differences like you have. You will one day just think about some part that no longer aches and try to remember when that happened. Realize you have been walking up and down stairs more normally. I won't say completely normal as I have always fallen up the stairs. Even back in the early 70's when I broke my nose in college that way. It was a very fun night. So hang in there it really does get better. And the best thing is you do forget to an extent all you went thru. I give you a lot o credit doing a btkr. I don't think I would have been strong enough or sane enough! All the best to you.
 
Oh by the way above my knees was very fatty looking. My OS said I had squishy quads which are improving monthly!
 
@BigBend your bilateral was 1 week before mine. It always amazes me when I think I've turned a corner and then it reverts. But it is getting better. Reading your thread gives me hope.

I'm on Tylenol only and may try a glass of wine this weekend although my sleep is improving.

I have some knots above my right knee mostly. My PT showed me how to massage the area and said that was part of my quad. I had severe ligaments issues in that knee. My quad exercises cause some discomfort but I do see improvement each week.

Glad you were able to take a trip and use the pool. I wish I had access to a pool but my outpatient PT is great.
 
That's what fiends are for. Take care. Xoxo
 
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