TKR Casuals recovery thread

[Casuals]

Well, had my surgery on July 11th. I was so afraid, still am that I'm going to mess it up or hurt myself, like today getting out of the shower. But everything went very well. No complications yet of any kind. Had my first physical therapy, he was really nice. Said we just need to get the swelling down, and I was doing well.

 

[Celle]

@Casuals - how about starting a recovery thread here - https://bonesmart.org/forum/view/knee-replacement-recovery-area.9/ ?

Then we can advise you and talk about your progress.

 

[Casuals]

Sorry, Just can't figure out how to use this site. I get lost and eventually just go away. Think I will just lurk and read others posts. Lol. I can't figure out where to post things.

 

[Celle]

Hello again @Casuals
I have moved your posts and started a recovery thread for you,
From now on, please post about your recovery in this thread.

It's really not hard to manage BoneSmart, once you get used to it. We have this section, with lots of articles on how to do things.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/view/how-to-use-this-forum.74/
The articles are written for using a web browser and going to the main web site -
https://bonesmart.org/forum/

If you are using the app, stop using it and use your web browser instead. At the moment, there are several things that the app can't do. The technicians are aware of that, but it may be a while before it can be fixed.

Now, here are the BoneSmart guidelines for your recovery:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now; they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

the BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for TKRs


The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key

Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

Please don't be overwhelmed by the list. The articles are not long and they and contain information that will answer many questions and help you make your recovery much easier on your knee and on you.

We are here to help in any way we can: answering questions and concerns; supporting and encouraging you from start to finish.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[sistersinhim]

Welcome @Casuals! That's a fantastic bend you have already! Great news that you have a good therapist! Just make sure you don't let anyone push on your knee or leg or cause you any pain. That will set your recovery back.

 

[Casuals]

Thank You Celle, and sister, I won't - not after reading on this site. This site has really helped me, I was terrified of this surgery, still have to go through one more in a couple of months. Still scared. But not as bad.

 

[Casuals]

Well I'm on my 3 rd week. I feel so grateful that I have had such a pretty easy healing. But early on because of this forum. I decided that I was not going to do anything but take care of myself. But I am wondering about nauseous feeling I get starting in the afternoons. It goes away at some point. But always comes back. The fatigue I can see is normal. ImI not taking any narcotics right now, unless I have an especially painful day. Just Maloxicam for inflamation, Tylenol, low dose aspirin, and pantaprazole to protect my stomach. I finally will see the surgeon on Wednesday, so I will ask him also. Everything seems to be doing well except for fatigue and being sick toy stomach, oh and headaches sometimes.

 

[Casuals]

I keep coming back to this site and reading, it helps get through all this.

I'll be 2 months on the 11th. I had to stop therapy 3 weeks ago, the pain behind my knee was so painful, it seems the stretching and using exercises were way too much for my knee.

It's getting a lot better now, back to my pedals, nothing more to speak of. I need to start walking again. But I feel like all the exercise, was causing me to go backwards not forward.

Keep thinking, I should be doing better by now. So I come on read, everyone here has been such an inspiration. Getting my right knee done in November, not looking forward to going through this again. I'm up at 3 am, because I just couldn't sleep.

 

[Josephine]

You seem to have discovered how to navigate this site now, yes? Well done!

As for your pain and such, did you read the articles Celle left you in the fourth post of this thread? It's important you do because there is so much information in them that you need.

 

[Laurenkate]

After having two tkr's and reading so much here, I'm not sure if there are any "shoulds" in this recovery other than letting our knee dictate our lives for a while. Just saw a neighbor who had her surgery about a month after mine; her leg won't bend and mine won't entirely straighten....each recovery is different and we have to gather as much info as possible and do what's best for us, don't you think? Try to take each day as it comes and don't have any expectations about tomorrow except the pain will eventually be better than the grinding, wearing bone on bone pain of a bad knee.

 

[Casuals]

Thank you both. Mine is still 2 extension so it won't straighten all the way, which is what they were trying to get with all the straightening excersizes and pushing on it. But my knee went from great to not being able to move, quickly. So I stopped for a couple of weeks, now I'm doing them again, but not all everyday. Josephine, I have read the info on here, a few times now. Thank You!

 

[Celle]

An extension of 2 degrees at only 2 months post-op is so close to full extension that it isn't worth worrying about.
Both flexion and extension can continue to increase for at least a year after surgery, sometimes even longer, and it's not at all unusual for extension to take longer to achieve than flexion.

You can help increase your extension gradually if you take longer strides when walking. That stretches the back of your leg.
Extension: how to estimate it and ways to improve it

 

[SusieShoes]

Walking with longer strides is a wonderful way to stretch the back of the knee. Walking is also good for building up your leg muscles gently and painlessly. And good for the heart and spirit, too.

One thing I did to aid extension was press my knee flat against my ottoman (I used one for the longest time) and hold for maybe 10 seconds, then release. I’d do that a few times here and there. Just whenever I felt like it.

My left knee took 4 months to get to 0 extension. It’s not how fast you get there but getting there without causing setbacks or pain.

 

[sistersinhim]

A 2 extension at your stage is remarkable! I was 10 for about 3 months. I helped mine by using my walker and stretching out my strides walking heal to toe. It was somewhat uncomfortable, but it brought it in. Not overnight, though, it took a few weeks with slow improvement. Doing it this way kept my swelling and pain down and gave me great results!

 

[Casuals]

Thank You, I have been starting to feel really down lately. Haven't gone back to PT, I guess I should call them. I am still working on getting my leg to straighten, just not as ruggedly, as they were. I think it's doing well.

 

[Jockette]

Most of us felt really down around 8 weeks. I mean, it’s been 8 long weeks and we think, this is all as far as I’ve gotten? The tunnel seems longer than ever, and no light in the distance.

Know you’re not alone, all of us are with you in spirit and we understand.

You are doing well!

 

[Laurenkate]

@Casuals - it's easy to start feeling a little down in this part of the recovery. That initial post surgical pain is almost gone but people start to question why you aren't (fill in the blank here) yet. This sounds trite but here's what I've been reminding myself the past week to get over this hump:
1. I don't have an incurable disease.
2. It will eventually get cooler and I won't be wearing these same ugly summer clothes forever.
3. I don't live in North Carolina, haven't lost everything I own and have no idea of what to do next.
4. And my new favorite one....the Huffington Post has a feature at the end of each week which lists the "20 funniest tweets from women" of the week. Last week, someone wrote something along the lines of "If Fleetwood Mac can record "Rumors" while on a month-long cocaine binge while breaking up with each other, I can get through this week".

If none of the above work, I look at gorgeous, expensive shoes online and/or reserve a light, fluffy, beach type book at the library. Or read baking recipes....can't wait to make some nice bread if it ever gets cooler!

 

[Casuals]

Laurenkate, Than You! This made me laugh and cry. Haha. I don't cry could be part of my problem. I do have a new question. My Hubs was massaging my leg and I have two points on top of where stitch was top and bottom, he was rubbing everything was wonderful and all of a sudden a burning pain was at the bottom point. When I bent my knee it would come back. Icing it now. That was scary for both of us. Have any idea? If it doesn't go away in a couple of days, I guess I hope back in. I hope not! It seems like it is going to be ok, terrified me so fast. It was quick and intense. Lol

 

[Casuals]

I had surgery on July 11th, so it's been almost 4 months, but getting towards night, both of my legs start to get achy, when I'm sitting in my chair, so I end up coming and laying down in bed for the rest of the night and taking 2 Tylenol. It works, but yes , you kind of get tired of pain. Have to start all over again in Nov. Just venting.

 

[Jockette]