PKR Catkins recovery from PKR!

catkin69

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So I have just returned from my partial knee replacement.
My legs are still lovely and numb following the spinal.
My first cup of tea tastes like nectar after such a long day!!
The surgeon says all went to plan. I was planning on a one night stay but it may be two as I am late back (I’m in the uk) whatever is best I will do.
I hope all my date buddies have had a good experience today.
 
Welcome to recovery! I’m glad everything went well.

I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful 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. At week 4 and after you should follow this
Activity progression for TKRs
6. Access to these pages on the website
Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Closure

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

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 the 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 the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
 
Welcome to Bonesmart! I hope you have a very good night. Be sure and read the articles Jockette left for you. You'll find them quite helpful in your recovery.
 
It’s 2am in the uk and I’m still wide awake!! Getting a bit sore now but have managed to walk to the toilet a few times! Flotrons are driving me a bit potty!!
 
So I am up, washed and dressed. Bloods taken and dressing down. Waiting to go for X-ray and see the physios to see if I can go home
 
@catkin69, from one PKR survivor to another, welcome to the other side. As you know from our conversations pre-op, the recovery for PKR will be much like that for a TKR. In some aspects, things might go a bit easier, but most likely not.

Make sure you ice (a lot!) and elevate as often as you can during these early weeks. Having patience, listening to your knee, and remembering that the secret to gaining your ROM or flexibility back is not exercising your new knee, but time, healing, and letting the swelling go away. Minimize the activities that aggravate your knee and cause swelling. The stretching activities (I don’t like to call them exercises) like heel slides are great for keeping your knee moving without a lot of stress. As swelling goes down, you will gradually see improvement in how much flexibility you’ve gained.

Lastly, stay positive! Letting yourself get down does no good.
 
Well I have had a good 4 hours sleep and now I know about it. Have slept with it bent and it is really complaining. Have elevated but the thought of going down to get ice is not appealing. Hubby is in the spare room and I don’t want to disturb him. Have had a shot of oramorph so hopefully that will kick in soon.
 
@catkin69, you weren’t sent home with a cooling machine? I had the blessing of having one for my first 3 or 4 weeks, then switched over to freezer gel packs. I liked those as I could wrap them around my knee. I had a sleeve the pack would fit into that could be velcro’d around my knee. Hated dealing with ice.
 
No we don’t given them in the UK. Just sleeves to freeze. May have to order a cryocuff bucket from amazon.
 
Hope you got back to sleep ok. I bet he would rather you woke him if not. On my first night home, after lying awake for 2 hours feeling really hungry, I had to wake mine to fetch me a banana. I felt bad, but reached desperation point.

How's the knee this morning?
 
Thanks for the reply @Lindylee. I did get back to sleep but pain dreadful today. Was so good yesterday it’s frustrating but I did expect it. Ice , elevation and all the meds I can take will be the order of the day x
 
@catkin69 I had my revision done the same day as you. The cyro cuff is a god send. I bought mine off amazon worth every penny. Sounds like your doing fairly well. I didn’t get more than a doze here there in in hospital. I got 3.5 hrs last night but took last dose at 8 pm so went almost 5 hrs without pain meds,alarm will be set from now on as I am in major pain.It’s 2 am here in Canada, this will be my norm for awhile. P.s I hear you on not wanting to wake hubby I felt bad waking him to bring me more water but he doesn’t mind at all,it’s me Mrs independence. That has to go through recovery. Hope you have a good revovery. Xx
 
@catkin69 I didn't sleep in the hospital much either, had a heck of a time getting pain under control. Since being home there are times I have no problems with the pain and others that it seems unbearable. I'm using the Mango Health program to keep me on a good time schedule.

Purchasing the cryocuff was well worth it, I highly recommend it.

How are you doing now? Looking forward to seeing your continuing recovery!
 
@JV15 I use medisafe which shakes a pill pot to remind me! 3am here now. Have rested since I came to bed but not really sleeping. Am staying on my back as don’t want I get stuck on my side again! Still very swollen and sore but I think my head is now more accepting of it which is making it easier. Just sat for ages staring at the en-suite! Literally a few steps away but had to psych myself up to go. Using the foot hook is a godsend!!
@Jolease how are you doing now? I am so used to doing everything for everyone it’s really hard sitting being waited on isn’t it!
 
@catkins69 I’m super swollen and in lots of pain. The incision is bleeding a bit right on the knee bend. All I’ve been doing is icing and elevating. The skin is very warm which I know is part of the recovery. I’m having a hard time not to freak out with what’s going on right now, all the wonderful people on this site are helping with that. I take a high dose of pain killers and it just takes the edge off. Time and patience is what I need. Being my third time in just over 16 months I am taking all the help I’m offered and have been asking for things instead of getting them myself. Honestly I have no choice at the moment. I agree the foot hook is a god send! Hope your swelling and pain improves soon.xx
 
@Jolease sorry your going thru so much pain.call your Dr I'd your meds are not working. My Dr gave me oxycodone tramadol and Tylenol. Pain is still there but I can tolerate it.
@catkin69 i took a nap in my bed yesterday it was hard getting in and out so stayed in bed he recliner last night got 6 hours off and on.
Hope all of our recovery starts improving soon
 
@catkin69 Good to see you over here on the other side. The process can be frustrating as I am finding out as well. Just remember, this too will pass … albeit not much in the process seems to go very quickly. We will make it through this together... hang in there and focus on the eventual goal... which will be a new arthritic free knee... all the best in your recovery!:thumb:
 
Thanks @JDinCT I have had a much better day today. I have been very disciplined in elevating, icing and snoozing followed by some gentle exercises. I even made my own lunch! I have also taken the oramorph if it’s sore rather than shied away from it. It’s only day 4 so a very long way to go but very few tears today
 

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