TKR Bring it on!!!

[SusieShoes]

Sounds like you're having a fine journey so far. A little movement, a few walks, lots of nice chats and I bet you'll be taking more than a few naps. Tomorrow will be interesting, what with stairs and cars. PT doesn't get much more useful than that!

 

[skigirl]

I am so opposed to stronger meds for PT---that is an easy way to injure yourself. If your swelling is up, you have been doing too much walking about!! For the first two weeks, I did no PT and spent most of my time on the couch or in bed with my leg elevated.
Elevation is the key to controlling pain and swelling

I slept a lot and it is hard to control this pain with just tylenol and ibruprofen!! If you don't want to use opiods, there is a drug called Tramadol which is not as strong and which does not have as many side effects that you might try.

My first two weeks were painful and I took Percoset every four hours and promptly fell asleep after each one. Be careful with PT, right now you need to heal your soft tissues, you can work on your rom later.

 

[sistersinhim]

I second what skigirl said, PT shouldn't leave you hurting and swelling. If it does, then you did too much. Your knee is a newborn infant and needs to be treated as such. Your number one concern for the next few months is to heal. ROM will come much easier as you heal more. If you force it, your recovery will be set back. No pain=more healing and more ROM!

 

[VonnieN]

Out of bed about 5 o'clock ish and just sat in chair and showed how to use walking frame.

Had dinner and just sat in chair just chatting to other patients in my ward, 4 bed room and visitors from six till eight. Numerous visits to toilet walking with frame, accompanied by a nurse. Had to pee in a bottle every time as they measure all liquids going in and out.

back into bed about 10.30pm and was encouraged to try and get some sleep. This didn't happen as we were all still chatting then through the night there were all the usual checks done every hour or so and there was medication rounds every four hours. Also because of all the liquids taken in it had to come out which meant about six accompanied walk to the toilet.

Morning came and everything on the ward sprang to life about six with coffee, buscuits, medicines and the usual checks of blood pressure, temp, stats etc. More blood taken as well.

A quick trip to X-Ray and then time for breakfast. Surgeon visited and said everything had gone perfectly, the X-Rays were good and I am making good progress. Just Had morning session with physio mainly bed exercises, chair exercises and walking with frame. All ok but he says we have all done enough for today. So looks like we are in for another night as he is going to do crutches, stairs, car transfers etc tomorro.

Leg quite swollen and a lot more painful since physio so may have to have stronger medication next time they are round as I have managed with Paracetamol and Ibruprofen so far.

So waiting for Doc now and will try and post another update soon, and maybe some photos.

I have same issue they took the drain out and it has got stiff will talk to Pt person today. will post a report on my thread

 

[Coalminer]

Had some stronger meds and got ice on now. There are four of us on this ward and we are all feeling the effects of this mornings physio and realise we are only beginners at this and should take a bit more notice of bonesmart members advice. Should be goin home tommorrow so should get a bit more rest.

 

[sistersinhim]

Home is the best place for you. I hope you can go tomorrow.

 

[nuttybrunette]

That’s great you had “social hour” to meet others in the same boat. Photos? Really? LOL. Okay. Let’s see it!!!

 

[Coalminer]

Another day arrives after what I can only describe as the most painful day/night that I have had in my life. Pain is mainly in the thigh area with some in the knee as well, and really stiff. All four of us on this ward had same surgery same morning and we are all exactly the same. Some are blaming the physio but I'm not so sure because when he came yesterday all we really did was to go through the exercises that we are to start when we get home on the bed and in a chair. The ones we did yesterday were very 'mild' with just five sets of five each and only as far with each as YOU wanted to go. I think that it is the case that, and it certainly is with me, that because the day before there was a certain amount of painkiller in the leg/knee from the spinal etc so because of this I had overdone the walking about etc. Also with me, and against all that I had read here on the forum, I took the minimum or no pain relief when it was offered as I did not feel I needed it. The majority of advice on here says take your relief,as prescribed, even if you feel you don't need it, as it is much better to get ahead of the pain than to try and catch it up when it is too late. Lesson well and truly learned and I will now listen to all of you who have been through this and know what you are advising about. Maxed up on the relief for last twelve hours with plenty of ice as well and only walking to use the toilet etc. Got to see physio again after breakfast to start crutches, stairs etc and if they think we can manage hopefully we can go home today. 50-50 chance with me I think and I'm sure that they will say "no" to one of the others in this ward as he is struggling a lot more than myself and also has a few other medical issues. SO anyone reading this remember don't think you know best,listen to those that have been through this and are kind enough to spend their time passing their valuable knowledge onto us newcomers. I will keep posting updates.

 

[VonnieN]

good advice. i have done some ealking today mosttly to the toilet and have just done some exercise and have used a LOT of ice today. have paced myself and have regular pain relief. remember it is not a sprint. good luck

 

[DebCoz]

Check with a nurse to ask about the thigh pain. Mine was from the tourniquet they used during my surgery. It was awful and lasted about two weeks.

 

[skigirl]

I made the same mistake---and suffered the same consequences!! After that I took my meds on a schedule---it helps to have a notebook near your bed and write down when you take a med as you are groggy and sometimes don't remember if you took it or not!! After two weeks, the big pain was gone and I scaled back on the meds!! But, until then take them by the clock!! I sometimes tell people I had no pain, but that is because of the pain meds!!!

 

[Oomworthy]

I missed you posting this at the time. You're sounding in good spirits and it's great to hear that the surgeon is happy with it. I hope you got your pain meds sorted but remember to ask if you need it, don't wait!


[edit]
Oops! For some reason I didn't see the later posts when I was typing my reply. I see you had a bit of a rougher day of it and had to learn a couple of lessons. Why do we find it so much more appealing to learn the lessons ourselves rather than heed other's advice? I suspect men are more inclined that way.

Hope you got home. Or is that tomorrow (Friday)?

 

[Coalminer]

Hi all. Another update. Physio came after breakfast and was still icing on the bed at the time. Checked my rom on bed with heel slides and don't think he was very impressed. Moved to the chair and tried it, I was really struggling and managed to get to what he said was 78. This was a little more than he had measured on his first visit yesterday where I had managed 76, but much more painful. He mentioned that in order to get discharged from the hospital that I needed to get it to 90. He then brought a PCM for me to use on the bed. This was set up and started. Did about 70 mins on it gradually increasing it from an initial 63 up to the 90 mark which was quite painful at each increase but gradually eased after several cycles at each No. i had also been given very strong pain relief on starting on the machine. I then moved back to the chair and managed to reach a ROM high enough that he was satisfied with. I was then given crutches and demonstrated that I did know how, and could, use them for walking and managing stairs ( because I had used them after previous sur

 

[Coalminer]

Sorry about that. Continued...
Surgeries. He was then happy to allow me home. I know from reading other posts that you shouldn't force your ROM but was desperate to get home after such a rough couple of days. I am home now taking my meds and icing and when I go back to see him in two weeks I won't allow myself to be pushed as he can't realy keep me in there.
Everything seems much better at home. Doing as much as you can etc. Gonna rest it for a few days with only the lightest of exercise as I am sure I will be suffering from this extra exertion. I will then do all my exercise and get there correctly taking as long as it takes. So pleased to be home!!

 

[Jockette]

I’m glad you’re home now where you are in full control of how much you move your knee.

I agree about you knowing better but pushing it anyway in the hospital, sometimes we have to do what it takes to get what we want, and going home was important.

By the way, I seriously doubt they keep everyone until they reach 90, for some people that takes weeks. I was almost 2 weeks before my therapist could force me to 90. (No, I hadn’t found Bonesmart yet. )

Take care of your knee, walk around a bit to give the knee some movement but if it was me I would hold off a while for any exercises because it’s not exercising that gets your ROM back, it’s time.
Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to go down.
Time to heal.
Your ROM is right there waiting for all that to happen. There is NO timeframe by which you need to have any certain number. It will happen when it’s ready. Your knee is on its own timeframe, not yours, not your PT’s or your surgeon’s. Keep that first and foremost in your mind.

Best wishes!

 

[Celle]

I'm glad you're home now.
Don't be surprised or worried if your knee flexion goes down for a while. It will be because you're naturally going to do more at home , which will increase swelling and thus decrease ROM.

The requirement to achieve 90 degrees of flexion before discharge from hospital is unrealistic and has led to you doing too much exercise in hospital. Most surgeons don't expect 90 degrees until about 6 weeks post-op. My knee didn't bend at all, not even one little bit, for about 5 days and yet I achieved excellent ROM.

What your knee needs most in the first month is rest and only a small amount of gentle movement, so it can start to heal. Just walking around the house will give it all the exercise it needs.

 

[Oomworthy]

Glad you're home, but from everything I've read in here and elsewhere, 90deg within a day or so seems highly questionable - especially if it had to be forced like that. I would be dropping the surgeon a note and asking about that.

 

[hopalong61]

I think the 90 degree thing is a UK hospital thing. I was told the same thing. I did get to 90 ish when I was sent home (after 2 nights) but my ROM decreased and I needed an MUA to sort it out. Physio appointments consist of the physio checking you over and recommending exercises to do at home, I’ve not had a physio appointment where I’ve been pushed to do anything. I was out on the CPM machine once but that was a waste of time for me.

 

[Celle]

It's not just a UK thing. We hear about it from time to time in many countries.
It's completely unnecessary, though.

 

[sistersinhim]

He mentioned that in order to get discharged from the hospital that I needed to get it to 90.

PT at my hospital said the same thing. I went home anyway. No one can force you to stay. You are the customer and can leave anytime you want to!

Get as much rest as you can for the next month or so.