TKR Bismitmom knee recovery

[Bismitmom1]

I figured it out! Lol!

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[Bismitmom1]

I have another question...knee is doing better after first full PT yesterday. It was a wonderful experience, nice slow stretching with no pain, with the therapist being considerate of my levels of ability and telling me to work up to it if I couldn't do it all yet.

My question is this: I have regularly gone to a chiropractor for my lower back issues through the last 10-15 years, I have three bulging discs that need help on occasion. My pain today is coming from my lower back and hips, and when I asked the OS's nurse about going for chiropractic adjustment or massage, she reported back that the surgeon would talk with me about it on our appointment next week.

I understand that he would not want anyone messing around with the new joint, but I am in some pretty good pain from my back and hips and it is making me walk kind of wonkey.
Has anybody else dealt with or is dealing with the same situation?

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[Jockette]

I have low back herniated discs, also.

I went back to my chiropractor at 4 weeks post op, and since I had met my deductible, I went twice a week for a month.($9 per appointment!) She never went near my knee. She did more good for me than my PT.

Your surgeon may not give you permission, often medical doctors and chiropractors don’t like each other, which is a shame, because there’s a place for both. But it’s your body, so you can decide.

 

[kneeper]

I think I set my goals too high and tried too much too soon.

We all learn pretty quickly that we can have all the goals we want--but the knee has its own--and it wins the argument.

 

[KarriB]

I have arthritis in my lower spine, not the same as your disc issues, but all the sitting/elevating did bother my back quite a bit. After a few months when I was more active or mobile the back pain lessened a bit.

As far as TKR recovery, very few are able to hasten their recovery period. My OS said 12 weeks before I should return to work, but I thought I could do it in 8 and that’s what I requested from my employer. Live and learn, I took 12 weeks before going back to work and when I did return it was part time for 4-6 weeks so I could transition back slowly. I could never have taught 1st grade from 8:00-4:00 every day at 12 weeks. Someone would’ve had to carry me out of the building.

 

[Bismitmom1]

I went to see my OS for my first post op appointment yesterday, 13 days out. I've been having trouble with pain in my upper right side of my thigh and calf/shin, and he said that since I had an alignment issue pre-surgery, that it was my muscles adjusting to a straight leg again. Sounds reasonable enough! My extension is good, the back of my knee is now flat to the table, but my flexion is only at 66. OS said he wants me at 120 at 6 weeks! Yikes! Turns out I'm a big wuss when it comes to stretching that thigh muscle, but I try! I did forget to ask him, and maybe someone can help out here, what can be used for pain to wean off of hydrocodone? I have tylenol and tramadol, as well as mobic available. Any suggestions?

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[sistersinhim]

OS said he wants me at 120 at 6 weeks!

That's being unreasonable. The majority of OSs are happy with 90 at 6 weeks. Each knee is different and recovers from the trauma and swelling at different rates. The more you try and force that bend, the more inflamed and swollen your knee will be. Just use it in your normal life and do lots of icing and elevating to get that swelling down.

 

[Jockette]

Your OS can want whatever he wants, but your knee is in charge of this recovery, not him.

 

[KarriB]

Tylenol with the tramadol has helped lots of bonesmarties as long as you don’t go over the daily allowance for Tylenol. Keep on icing because it’s a great pain reliever also.

 

[Bismitmom1]

@KarriB yes ice is wonderful! I figured I could go back to the Tylenol/tramadol. It really worked pretty well before the surgery!

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[KarriB]

It’s great that you have the meds to see what can work for you. Even now at about 3 weeks you want to stay ahead of the pain.

 

[Bismitmom1]

Bad pain when I woke up this morning on the outer side of knee, also below kneecap. I went into the chiropractor and he fixed up my back and hips, then went to PT were they actually listened and took it easy on me today! Turns out my incision has a bunch of tight areas around it muscular Lee so the physical therapist massaged it very well, stretched it for me *some*, and after coming home and having a nap I am almost pain free. Yay! I have instructions to massage the areas around my incision to try to loosen it up a bit. Thankfully it doesn't hurt around there so that shouldn't be a problem.

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[beachy]

Massage and stretching sounds wonderful! And a nap even better.

 

[Bismitmom1]

@beachy yes that's what I thought. I was afraid it would be awful and painful, but it turned out pretty good. Now if I could get a massage from my massage therapist that would be even better!


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[beachy]

I've been massaging the area around my knee. Don't know if it helps but it feels good.

 

[Bismitmom1]

It does, doesn't it? She said I had some knots in the muscles around there and to massage it at home this weekend as well. Hard not to want to itch too though! Lol!

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[beachy]

My scar isn't itchy yet, but the muscles around it beg for massage. I'm doing that more and more trying to tame the beast.

 

[Bismitmom1]

I could not sleep last night between the nagging in my lower back and the dancing around of my thigh muscles. It wasn't really pain per se, just a naggy feeling. So I got up this morning and did the PT exercises first thing to try to get SOMETHING to make it stop, and lo and behold, it worked! I usually try to put them off until after breakfast but now I think maybe I should do it before bed too! Anybody else have those muscles in your outer thigh just spasming and acting crazy? What else is there to do for that?

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[Celle]

I did forget to ask him, and maybe someone can help out here, what can be used for pain to wean off of hydrocodone? I have tylenol and tramadol, as well as mobic available. Any suggestions?

You can use Tramadol and Tylenol in a very effective combination.
Josephine has devised a regime which I followed, with success.
Here it is:

The first chart is for four-hourly doses and the second is for 6-hourly doses.

Make sure you check any other medications you're taking, to see if they contain any Tylenol (Acetaminophen). If they do, cut back one or two of the Tylenol doses in the chart, to ensure you stay within the safe daily limit for Tylenol, of 4,000 mg in 24 hours.

 

[Bismitmom1]

@Celle, thank you! I was wondering what could be used instead of the hard stuff. Tylenol and tramadol has worked in the past before surgery, I just wasn't sure what dosage should be used as I'm getting off of the hydrocodone.

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