TKR Birdy's Recovery Thread

[Jamie]

@Birdy .... I have moved a group of post-op comments (from you and other members) over from your pre-op thread to this one. This is your official recovery thread now. It's the place where you'll post any questions or concerns and give us your updates. As you continue to do this, you'll have a really good journal of your recovery. Best of luck to you! Just take things nice and easy for a while. Read those article links provided for you and you'll understand a whole lot more about the recovery process.

 

[Birdy]

Change dressing



Thanks @referee54 @Celle, you are really considerate as I was wondering how to get my operation days shown on thread. Will write more as unfortunately nausea serious today, I can even type ,close my eyes and micro sleep.love you all.

 

[Celle]

@Birdy Do you have a prescription for anti-nausea (anti emetic) medications? If not, ask for one. There's no need to feel constant nausea with the pain medications. Another thing you can do to help is to make sure that you always eat a little something (such as crackers) with each doseI'm going to give you teh BoneSmart of pain meds. Those medications always make me sick, so I know that I'll always need to ask for the anti nausea meds too.

I'm going to give the the BoneSmart recovery recommended reading list - all the most helpful articles in one place. most of them are short and you don't have to read them all at once, but they'll be here when you need them. the most important ones come first.

First is the BoneSmart recovery philosophy - the mantras ....
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist (PT) - to do it to you. exercise only gently.
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!
- be active as much as you need to be but not more than is necessary, meaning so much that you end up being in pain, exhausted or desperate to sit down or lie down!

Next is a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) thread.

And here are some very crucial articles
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Activity progression for TKRs

Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling

Home physio (PT) and activity progress: suggestions
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

And then some wise words from members who have shared their experiences ...
Where are you in recovery?? (TKR)
Five “P’s” of knee recovery
TKR: work “smarter” and not “harder”
Recovering a knee - from one who knows!
It's never too late to get more ROM!
It's worth the wait for ROM

Best wishes for your continued progress.

 

[Birdy]

@Celle , thanks. I will be discharged tomorrow and will be givin a list of medicines, I will go straight to rehab centre. I will post the medicine when I have list. So far the recovery is ok but just can't hold down the food. I always in the heavier side, maybe I can lose some weight?

 

[jbrooklyn]

Hi, Birdy-
Seems like if you are having nausea, anti-nausea meds are a good idea. And/or perhaps you might want to talk with your OS about trying a different medication? I was on something that made me lose my cookies every day, and the doc changed me to something that works better for me. But also, expect your body to be out of whack for a few days after BTKR. It gets better each day the first week or so, but the first few days are really rough with pain, shivers, sometimes nausea . . . week 2 is easier, and so on. Hang in there and know this is temporary . . . but also that there could be solutions to some of what is making you miserable. Good vibes . . .

 

[Celle]

@Birdy ,
This is important: Ask for something now to stop the vomiting. You need to keep down the medicines and the food.
I don't need to know what medications you are taking - I just need to know that they are controlling the pain and the vomiting. Not to put too fine a point on it, but you are unlikely to get better medication prescription at the rehab place.

You need the medicines for pain relief and your body needs food in order to heal. Don't worry about trying to lose weight now - there's time for that and it will happen as you get more active.

 

[Pescara]

@Birdy All I can say is WOW. Yours look better than my one did. Good job. Hope today finds you in a good healing day. It really helps to read the posts Josephine left for you. It helped me a lot and so have the members. Please feel free to ask anything you want and if you find you need to vent we are here for you. We all have been on the roller coaster lol

 

[Pescara]

@Birdy PS... due to husbands cooking I lost 15 pounds

 

[kneeper]

Chiming in to say they should be willing to give you something for the nausea; I know they did that for me in the hospital as the meds didn't agree with me. I think they also changed the meds to something else.

Yeah those heel slides (in a chair or on bed) are pretty uncomfortable. It's ok to be uncomfortable but not super painful. We all interpret and describe pain differently. I would call "mild pain" ok, but tears to your eyes is
The knee will be swollen and it's just only going to bend so far at first. The main thing I found helpful was to move it a bit on and off a during the day, but mostly rest, ice and elevate in that first week or so.

 

[Birdy]

Wha @Pescara I want to borrow your hubby, but I reckon mine can create the same results if he cook for 6 weeks! The nurses in Macquarie hospital were all very young, under thirty and mang still studying nurse, last night,s nurse is about 40 years old, she decided to spread out the pain killers and anti nausea med evenly, instead every different hours have different painkiller (endone, pandine forte), then this morning although not felt too blight, I am not nauseous and felt better after shower. I reckon her initiative might save my day.

 

[Celle]

Glad to hear that the night nurse had some common sense, Birdy!

 

[Birdy]

Can,t find which valued post here suggest me always has something in tummy whenever have medicine. I followed today, have white bread or biscuit when medicine time, and today is fine. Measured ROM, both 90, PT said it,s good. Is it?

 

[Celle]

It was probably one of my posts. Taking the pain meds with a little something to eat often prevents or reduces nausea.

 

[Birdy]

@Celle yes, thanks. I read through few times tried to find whose advice, but I quests my eyes are not doing a good job. Today is fine all day, happy to say. Thanks.

 

[mytrose43]

Wow 90 Rom is good keep up the good work.

Sent from my SM-T110 using Tapatalk

 

[Birdy]

The day 7 was all good, nausea under control, took valuable advise especially from @Celle and took control of pain med into my hand. Te nurses are quite good, but they not necessarily gave med per schedule, and it,s true if take pain med advance of pain, then it,s all good. Sometimes few minutes late in med really matters. Today do more one step stairs etc, now right leg ROM 95 while left remain 90 . After 2days wait in hospital,the rehab hospital has room for me tomorrow. Ambulance booked from 9 am, nurse said the problem with ambo is accident is their main job, so sometimes they don,t show up. After 8 days Post Op, I really want to go home, and I felt I can use crutch to move around, bath myself, so I asked PT (student) is that worthwhile to go to rehab for 12 days away from home, she think it is a good investment of time and I will gain a lot of improvement there. Anyone with such experience to have some input?

 

[Pescara]

@Birdy I went to rehab from the hospital and it was only for a few days. It got me ready for home PT. My first shower took it out of me and needed a nap after. Sounds like you are going great. Keep up the good work!

 

[Birdy]

Thanks @Pescara, I am reading the forum and I feel lucky to get pain and nausea under control after the first few scary days, through the wise suggestion of fellow BKR club member,s contribution. It,s 10:48 pm in Sydney Australia, and is the first time I stayed awake so late Post OP. Will took off ice pack now and go to sleep. Good night.

 

[wings]

Hi @Birdy, your knees look great! Glad to hear you're getting the nausea under control! Sending healing thoughts your way!

 

[Birdy]

Thanks @wings ,last night after I went to sleep, at 12 midnight the right knee start hurting chart 3 unexpectedly, the nurse said I can,t have my Pandine forte until 2:40' but the Endone seems used to be causing me nausea, so I didn't,t take it. 1:00 midnight, the pain remained there, so I ate some bread and Endone, went back to sleep. Now I have my Panadine forte with bread, and pain is gone, not nauseous. I thought maybe the bad thing in stomache went out of my body much easily, I may not feel nauseous as I was never too sensitive with medicine. But, I will be careful. Will write more when in rehab.