TKR Bionic's final op - fingers crossed<

[Carriemay60]

You sound like you are doing quite well. Getting staples out can be a bit of a pinch so I would agree with topping up on painkiller but once they are out it feels wonderful!

 

[Mojo333]

Ouch @Bionic .
You sound overall to be doing well.
I know these early days are tough.

Sending healing hugs your way.

 

[Bionic]

Leopard print is right on trend this season so at least I am getting something right

 

[Lindylee]

I had no problem with my staples coming out, just one felt a little sore. The hospital gave me what looked like a pair of manicure scissors to give to the nurse. Apparently they're designed to facilitate removal. Hope it goes ok for you.

 

[Bionic]

Yes I have a pair of those scissors for the nurse too. I guess they are disposable

 

[Kctsh2019]

Wow the bruising! I have like a light green tint down my leg. But so far that's all. Having very rough days right now. But I'm a week and a day out from surgery.

 

[Jolease]

I also have huge bruising from thigh to ankle. The inside of thigh definatly resembles leopard print lol! Never thought of it that way before

 

[Bionic]

Had the staples out this morning. OUCH......

In fact ouch 35 times

I kept my eyes closed the whole time and squeezed husbands fingers so hard I'm surprised we aren't going back to address his broken fingers

Nurse said the wound looks very good but as a couple of the staple wounds were weeping a bit she put a dressing back on. Said it can come off permanently tomorrow.
Only gentle exercise today while everything sorts itself out and then tomorrow I can start doing other exercises.

I have been having problems sleeping as there is an awful pain on the inside of the knee. If it wasn't for that I would be very happy.

 

[Lindylee]

Sorry to hear staple removal hurt. I must have been lucky! The clingfilm wrap helped my knee at night. Until my scabs came off I wrapped a piece of kitchen towel round the knee first before the clingfilm. Why it worked I have no idea, but it did......unless it was co-incidence......

I hope your pain and sleep Improves

 

[sistersinhim]

34 out of my 35 staple removals hurt, too, so I can sure understand what you're talking about! Mine also bled a bit, so I had to wear the covering for 24 hours. After that, everything was fine.

Sleeping is such a huge problem with any surgery recovery, but especially this one. It'll improve for you. As we've said, it just takes time!

 

[catkin69]

I’m scared for my clip removal now! I won’t have so many to remove though as my wound is quite small.
Are you taking pain killers at bedtime?

 

[Bionic]

@catkin69
I had reduced my pain killers to 2 paracetamol (tylenol) 4 times a day but I wasn't getting any sleep. I added some codeine back into the mix and last night 2 ibuprofen but that's not working either.
I'm just wondering what I need to do to be able to sleep.
I do have some oramorph here but am very reluctant to take it.

By the way, although it wasn't pleasant having the staples out it's been fine since and isn't the reason I'm not sleeping.

 

[Jolease]

I’m dreading the staple removal. Feels like I just had them removed! Maybe the man upstairs will feel sorry for me and i won’t feel a thing- hope you get a good nights sleep.

 

[catkin69]

Good morning ladies. Personally if it’s pain keeping you awake I would take the oramorph . Your body needs sleep to heel. I have my leg elevated in bed which I find comfy then sleep till about 1. I then find I’m uncomfortable so pop an ice pack on. I then found a comfy spot on my side for the first time! What I can’t do is lie on my back leg straight. Its too painful but it was the same pre-op.
@Jolease I have everything crossed that we have pain free removal! What day is yours?

 

[Didot]

For me, staples removal was a mind thing. I panicked as it happened one at a time - expecting the worst. Looking back, I now see it as a 10 minute (max) thing and it stung rather than hurt. Once done — relief. Another step over. No pain afterwards at all.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Bionic]

Didot is right. The staples stung rather than hurt but it was quite a big sting. Once done it was fine and I am sure I walked out of the surgery more easily than I walked in.
Don't let me put you off. It has to be done after all and does only last a few minutes.

Felt very close to tears several times during the night as I just couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep. Went to bed at 10pm, went to the recliner at midnight, went back to bed at 3am, got up again at 6am and lay on the sofa. The lack of sleep doesn't help when doing the exercises :-(

 

[Lindylee]

You're still very early on in your recovery. I think it was about 4 weeks that my sleep improved. I only had a couple of hours a night before that, which seems to be a common theme reading other posts. There wasn't any medication that helped until I took an antihistamine tablet (one that makes you drowsy) and used the cling film and pillow under the leg. I tried the antihistamine earlier in my recovery, but I still woke up after 2 hours and it made me very unsteady going to the bathroom so I left it a while.
I found it better not to stress over it, turned the light on and read or used the iPad until I felt sleepy again and just napped when I could, sometimes just 20 mins and I'd wake again. I doubt I had more than 4 or 5 hours sleep in a 24 hour period. The first time I slept for 4 hours solid was wonderful. It will come. For now, just catch up on it when you can.

 

[helenium]

Hi @Bionic. So sorry to read you had such a bad night. I've just checked my records. I took oxycodone (10mg prolonged release, every 12 hrs) for the first 25 days, and paracetamol. I still needed the occasional top up at night after that. Were you prescribed oramorph in the hospital?

 

[Josephine]

I’m scared for my clip removal now!

Speaking as one who was on the original design group for these staples, let me assure you they are specifically designed to be pain free on removal. You can see here that the removal forceps will deform the straight top of the staple and when pressure is applied, will deform the staples so the legs that were in the skin should not be out of it (pics 1, 2, 3 and 4) and the staple simply needs to be moved away.

However, there are occasions that the legs of the staple can become stick within the scab of the wound and that is what can 'sting' when it's moved off. Done properly, staple removal has no need to be the least bit painful. I've had four lots and none of them were much more than a bit of a stingy tickle!

Hope this helps. We put a lot of time and hard work into designing both the staple and the removal tool.

 

[Josephine]

Felt very close to tears several times during the night as I just couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep.

@Bionic I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?