TKR Cflower's recovery

[highland pony]

Good luck I hope you continue to have an uneventful recovery

 

[Cflower]

Went home yesterday (Saturday) three days after surgery. Taking two hydracodone at a time. After getting home I walked around a little. Tried to get walkers through bathroom dor. Doesnt fit so I have to go in sideways. Will fit in my main bathroom but not toilet room. Did some exercises then took two more pills and a two hour nap. I took pills at 12 and again at 5 and slept great. I used one of my long pillow sham and put it lengthwise on bed with another small pillow under foot for elevation. Pushed pain med to 4 1/2 hr should have taken at 4 because the pain started. Will keep on topof it from now on. just felt little dizzy for first time and I think it was because I hadn't eaten anything. Will be glad to see what happens at first pt tomorrow.

 

[Nyland]

What a great first day home! Good job! Sounds like you have found the key of meds on time. I will definitely remember that. I hope today is fantastic for you!

 

[Janet2012]

Welcome home, you are doing very well, but DoNotForgetToEat!! Don't take those meds on an empty stomach! I have kept fiber bars by my side since surgery, so even if I take meds at odd hours, I can at least break one in half and have something in my stomach. Plus they are fiber...

 

[Nyland]

Hi Janet,
Thanks for the fiber one bar tip. How are you doing? Have you been able to relax outside at all?

 

[grabbit97]

Sounds like you are doing great... wish my recovery went so smooth as yours... be proud.. and take that fiber, that is what killed me.. I had to take mirilax, and milk of magnesia and other stuff, nothing worked, was stopped up for months, ate prunes, nothing worked, finally cleared up on its own, so don't forget your fiber...
Good Luck

 

[jancat]

Congrats on your new knee, CF!
I had the same walker problem, too. Easy enough to turn it sideways, just added interest to the day : )
Caveat- if the prune cure does not work, and if your appetite is WAY down, as mine was, and you decide to use Miralax- only use a half packet at first- you can always take the remainder later! I forgot that I was eating less, and so when I needed to 'go' since it had been a few days (and me being a very regular type ; ) I resorted to Miralax but took a whole packet, and regretted it later.
Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[bottomshollow]

Cflower's HOME! Ain't it grand?

Now, be a good girl and follow that BoneSmart mantra--pain meds on a schedule, lots of rest, elevate and ice, ice, ice; and all will be well.

Take care of yourself and keep us posted.

 

[Janet2012]

Hi Janet,
Thanks for the fiber one bar tip. How are you doing? Have you been able to relax outside at all?

Other than the medication yuckies, I'm doing great. It has been very hot and humid here lately, like so many places, so I'm in my air-conditioned bubble. I did sit out this morning on the deck for a chat with my neighbor. (Condo life - it's a plus to like your neighbor!)

 

[Cflower]

SpoKe too soon. Had great nights sleep but I think I moved around in kitchen too much. I poached some eggs did a few exercises then sat at bar. All of a sudden I felt hot and lush and stomach upset. I dad nit eaten yet I think was the problem. Itook pill 30 min late and haven't caught up with pain yet 2 hr later. So icing with our homemade ice packs --slush tat my husband read about on bone smart. They work great. My leg is hard beside the knee and shiny. They told main the hospital That the hardness is normal. But that scares me. Hoping I ont get stopped up ant more. Normal for e is 2-3 times a day. I have a big bowl of pecans that helps o. Oes anyone lse have the tightness.

 

[Cflower]

Surgery was last Wednesday everything great I guess. Just getting revision about the tightness on sides of knees. Almost rock hard. That may be a little extreme of a description but my eg is shiny, are and tight. And I don't want o start thinking blood clots. I'm on 7 mg warfarin at night. Is this normal for the leg to be so firm feeling?

 

[Janet2012]

Swelling is normal, and that's what's causing it to be shiny and hard. It's like over inflating a ball or balloon. Keep it elevated properly as much as possible, keep it iced, and take your meds. You can gently stroke the surface, only in the direction of toes to hips, to help move the extra fluid towards the heart. That's all normal. I think a blood clot would appear as a very painful spot on the calf, usually, painful to the touch. Others would know more about clots, but what you are describing sounds normal, but should be cared for, as mentioned above. Good luck!

 

[Josephine]

Oh gosh yes! My leg was like tree a trunk for weeks, huge and solid and shiny!

Just keep resting, elevating and icing like usual, not forgetting to take your pain meds on time and preferably before you get any break-through.

You need to read these again
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
How Long Does Healing Take ......
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevating your leg to control swelling and pain
Using ice
Progression of activity for TKRs

 

[Cflower]

Day six from surgery. Yesterday was my first therapy and it went well. I did hurt in the afternoon but I think I may aven been on my feet a little too long. I was late taking a pain pill and paid for it. I'm not sure if I'm suppose to be taking pain med around clock but I set mt alarm for twice during the night. Not sleeping with leg elevated but been sleeping pretty well. I had to have blood test today. I left in tears. I hate needles. While in the hospital two aides drew blood on two different mornings. Around 4-5 am. I woke up the next day with a pitchfork bruise on each arm. I asked a nurse what was up with that and she said they must have "fished" for a vein. Never again will a aid touch me with a needle. The lab had a hard time finding blood. She tried both arms then both hands and insult to it. I was crying by then which is kind of embarrassing. The lab tech said after they messed up the veins it was hard to get blood out of them. Will they repair themselves?

Therapy went ok today. I got the cpm machine yesterday and got to 82degrees but could do that on my own at PT.

IM FRUSTRATED WITH The hardness and tightness/swelling of leg. I know it has got to get better. I've got to learn to pick up and bend my operated knee.

 

[bottomshollow]

Cflower, what you've GOT to learn is to TAKE IT EASY. You need to be elevating and icing and letting the swelling in your knee have a chance to go down. Your knee is not going to bend if it is swollen. And it will get better if you follow the BoneSmart mantra without fail for the next 2 weeks; I repeat---take pain meds on a schedule, get lots of rest, elevate operated leg and ice, ice, ice. Only easy and gentle stretching and bending--only to discomfort--NO PAIN ALLOWED. Your knee is in charge--if you are not kind to it, it will NOT be kind to you. You absolutely cannot force the issue here. It's going to take as long as it's going to take, and your only choice is to roll with the flow. Liftng my take some time--quads like to give you a hard time after surgery sometimes---TIME & PATIENCE---TIME & PATIENCE---TIME & PATIENCE--is the only answer. You have to give everything TIME, and you have to dig down deep and find the PATIENCE to let your knee heal.

Done fussing--take care of yourself--follow the mantra--it works--keep us posted.

 

[Josephine]

Day six from surgery. Yesterday was my first therapy and it went well. I did hurt in the afternoon but I think I may have been on my feet a little too long.

Then don't! Read this Progression of activity for TKRs

I was late taking a pain pill and paid for it. I'm not sure if I'm suppose to be taking pain med around clock but I set my alarm for twice during the night.

Very definitely you are! And setting alarms is a great way to make sure.
The mantra is "REST, ELEVATE, ICE AND PAIN MEDS BY THE CLOCK"!

Read this too The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart

Not sleeping with leg elevated but been sleeping pretty well.

Then that's okay. Just make sure you rest and elevate LOTS during the day!

I had to have blood test today. I left in tears. I hate needles. While in the hospital two aides drew blood on two different mornings. Around 4-5 am. I woke up the next day with a pitchfork bruise on each arm. I asked a nurse what was up with that and she said they must have "fished" for a vein. Never again will a aid touch me with a needle. The lab tech said after they messed up the veins it was hard to get blood out of them. Will they repair themselves?

That's nasty. I so hate to hear of people who cannot draw blood properly. And your veins will heal, just like your knee!

IM FRUSTRATED WITH The hardness and tightness/swelling of leg. I know it has got to get better. I've got to learn to pick up and bend my operated knee.

No, you have got to learn to obey the mantra "REST, ELEVATE, ICE AND PAIN MEDS BY THE CLOCK"!
Nothing else matters except that you also read these, study and absorb ...
How Long Does Healing Take ......
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevating your leg to control swelling and pain
Using ice
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Knee Replacement - Where Am I in Recovery?
So What Is It Going to Take? The Five “P’s” of Knee Recovery
Work “Smarter” and not “Harder”
About recovering a knee - from one who knows!
Some suggestions for home physio (PT) and activity progress
Myth busting: The "window of opportunity"

 

[Debbie_joints]

I decided to peek in at the "other side" and read your posts about your surgery. I love when people document what is going on with them and it will help me out when my day finally comes. Good luck to you and I will keep reading with interest.

 

[Cflower]

What speed do you run your cpm machine. In the hospital mine was set so slow you could hardly see it move. My pt today said I should run it at a little faster speed than that. I now have it on 30%. Also how long do you use it (weeks) how many hours at a time and do you normall start at a lower percentage and work back up to where you were.

 

[skigirl]

Cflower, I never used one---if your rom is over 90 they don't do much good. So, if you want to use it set it where ever it is comfortable to you, it really does not make any difference at all.. K

 

[RestAssured]

Hi CFlower. I had to use the CPM for two of my surgeries, and 2 I didn't. This last surgery the nurse thought she would put me in it for 8 hours At 90 even though Dr. Maale had not left instructions for it. I told her after 2 hours, to take it off, and I did not let them set it to 90.

She said I would hurt my recovery. And I just laughed and told her to take that thing away.