TKR Cherie's Post-Op TKR Questions and Observations

[Celle]

Does anybody have a good response for a well-meaning spouse who keeps telling me my knee wouldn't bother me as much if I did more exercising? At this point he's a bigger pain than the knee is!

Anyway, I can't seem to find a way to tell my spouse to leave it alone. I did try going to the gym for a while after PT released me at 6 weeks, but it always hurt so bad the next day that I decided I was doing more harm than good and maybe it was too early for the gym. Bless his heart, I know he means well and really wants me to get better, but he's driving me nuts.

Have you had him read any of the articles her on BoneSmart? He's like a lot of people who haven't had a knee replacement and expect you to be completely recovered by about 6 weeks. It doesn't work like that . You had major surgery that takes a full year for complete recovery.

Also, like a lot of people, he has bought into the idea that post op exercise will fix everything. Well, it doesn't , as you know all too well. So don't get persuaded into doing more exercise.

I suggest you have him a read a few of the articles and then tell him, firmly, that you know he means well, but that you and your knee know what they are doing, so please don't keep on telling you what to do. Then wear ear plugs, ear buds, or head phones!

 

[little red canoe]

Well yes I do but it's unprintable and not very apt to make your husband agree with you. I suspect he has never had this surgery nor anything like it with long healing times. It is understandable that spouses get stressed too during the long recovery, so its not his fault.

Maybe you can compare pain and swelling during PT/gym and now.. and relate that to him. Maybe someone else can mop and vacuum and you two go for a little walk just the two of you to use your energy in productive ways( house cleaning is actually recycling)

 

[newlybionic]

Agree with him that exercising is what is needed and then hand him a pair of sneakers and his keys!

 

[ACDCJen]

@cslasor

First, thank you so much for posting your honest updates. I think you are doing amazing!!

Now, the question about the well-meaning, yet uninformed loved ones...if I'm feeling snarky, I ask them when they had their knee replaced...

But, if I don't want them getting hawky and defensive, I just briefly explain that the leg is essentially cut off at the knee, which doesn't require exercising and training right away, but healing. I use the analogy of not exercising a broken leg, so why do the same to a traumatized knee? That usually gets the point across. Luckily, I've had wonderful support from my loved ones.

I hope to keep reading about your progress.

Jen

 

[DebM]

Very helpful comments. I am yet to have my BTKR but I know my husband who has personal trainer certificate will be on my case about exercising. I am trying to slowly brainwash him about how long I'll be out of action/basically cutting leg off/giving time to heal/ etc

 

[FlaGranny]

I took my husband with me to my first appointment and he sat there while my surgeon explained that the first 3 months would be tough, and that I would be back to my regular life by 6 months, but not fully recovered until at least 12 months. They key here is "back to my regular life by 6 months." Six months for a regular life, though, is not "fixed." It's a bit different for everyone.

 

[zzevi]

Yes, I have a husband like yours. Who in the beginning was helpful, but with in a few weeks thought I should be all healed, or following the p/t orders to achieve better results. Deep down I was doing the best I could and was trying to please everyone. I must admit I have a hard time wrapping my mind around how long this recovery process is taking. And for the most part I felt pretty good most of the time, didn't realize that swelling and stiffness were forms of pain, I thought I also was able to do more than I should have been doing. I don't have the answer for you, I think they mean well as does other family members they just don't understand.

 

[KarriB]

@DebM make sure your husband remembers you aren't rehabbing from a sports injury. If your leg was broken everyone would be just fine with you staying off the leg and letting it heal. Since TKR is cutting, scraping, drilling the leg it's just as important to let the knee heal before pushing exercise.

 

[sistersinhim]

Print off the activity procession chart that is on here and tape it somewhere where your husband can see it daily. Maybe that will help him understand your needed activities. So many people asked me if I was doing the exercises. I tried to explain that no, I was doing it on my own and using my knee in my daily life. Finally, I just smiled and nodded my head. That made them happy. Maybe you could do that for your husband. Just smile and nod your head and thank him for caring. If he wants you to do them when he's there just tell him that you have already done your daily exercises. People who haven't had this surgery and have not used this site do not realize how extensive this healing is. I'm 6 months out and just 50% healed. Even though I want it now, I know it ain't gonna happen! My body and knee are in control of the timing of my healing, not well-meaning friends or spouses! You push it too much and it rebels with swelling and pain.

 

[Red's Mom]

I'm still icing at night, though I sometimes turn off the ice machine when I get up (also due to MY cat!!) around 3- 3:30 am. I tend to swell alot during the day as I'm on my feet alot, so icing at night has been my life-saver! I also had a foam cushion that was really probably too big for me (I'm just 5' 1/2") and I now just use 2 pillows, but they can tend to fall apart in the night if the cat gets on my and I try to convince her to sleep of to the side of me.

Those cats are sure causing a lot of us to lose sleep! Mine gets in the way of my heel slides too!

Sent from my iPad using broken link removed: https://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=75543

 

[Red's Mom]

Have you had him read any of the articles her on BoneSmart? He's like a lot of people who haven't had a knee replacement and expect you to be completely recovered by about 6 weeks. It doesn't work like that . You had major surgery that takes a full year for complete recovery.

Also, like a lot of people, he has bought into the idea that post op exercise will fix everything. Well, it doesn't , as you know all too well. So don't get persuaded into doing more exercise.

I suggest you have him a read a few of the articles and then tell him, firmly, that you know he means well, but that you and your knee know what they are doing, so please don't keep on telling you what to do. Then wear ear plugs, ear buds, or head phones!

Bursting into tears for twelve hours sure backed my hubby off!


Sent from my iPad using broken link removed: https://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=75543

 

[Red's Mom]

Have you had him read any of the articles her on BoneSmart? He's like a lot of people who haven't had a knee replacement and expect you to be completely recovered by about 6 weeks. It doesn't work like that . You had major surgery that takes a full year for complete recovery.

Also, like a lot of people, he has bought into the idea that post op exercise will fix everything. Well, it doesn't , as you know all too well. So don't get persuaded into doing more exercise.

I suggest you have him a read a few of the articles and then tell him, firmly, that you know he means well, but that you and your knee know what they are doing, so please don't keep on telling you what to do. Then wear ear plugs, ear buds, or head phones!

My hubby of 30 years is much better behaved since my all day crying last Saturday. From some of the things he has said I think he did read the BoneSmart articles I sent to him.... Be patient with him but STAND YOUR GROUND!


Sent from my iPad using broken link removed: https://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=75543

 

[cslasor]

Thanks for all the great replies. It does help to know my husband isn't the only one who seems to think exercise would cure all my problems. So far it helps a little to tell him I'll go to the gym if he'll go with me - that shuts him up for a while.

Now the other thing he nags me about, and maybe he's right on this one, is I still take Percocet at night to help me sleep. It's not for pain since I don't have much of that, but it helps with the knee spasms that keep me awake. I spoke with my doctor's nurse about 6 weeks ago asking what I could take to help with the spasms and her response was to take two Percocets before bed instead of one. That actually made a big difference and really helped but it seems like Percocet isn't the right solution for that, plus my doctor can only prescribe it for 90 days so there's a limit on how much I can get. I have a checkup with him in a couple of days and will ask if he can prescribe a muscle relaxer that I can take instead. Me and hubby will both be happy if I can get off the opioids.

 

[little red canoe]

Are you drinking enough water? Being even a little dehydrated can lead to muscle spasms.

 

[cslasor]

Are you drinking enough water? Being even a little dehydrated can lead to muscle spasms.

I drink a lot of water so I don't think that's it.

 

[McKelly]

@cslasor
Your thread is how I found this forum, because I was googling "knee spasms after tkr" so I thank you for sharing here!
Today I'm 6 weeks out, my spasming started at night on week 4. My OS has me taking Flexerall, just at night, and it seems to help, though they haven't gone away completely.
I have noticed they're worse if I've done too much during the day.
I'm looking forward to hearing more about your progress!
[emoji3]

 

[sistersinhim]

My PA told me to try heat on the quads when I had problems like yours. It didn't help. I found out that 2 Benedryls were causing my legs to keep moving. It felt like bugs were crawling inside. Since stopping those, I've not had anymore problems.

 

[cslasor]

My PA told me to try heat on the quads when I had problems like yours. It didn't help. I found out that 2 Benedryls were causing my legs to keep moving. It felt like bugs were crawling inside. Since stopping those, I've not had anymore problems.

Too many Benedryls do the same things to me, as well as too many Tylenol PMs, Ambiens, or anything else like that. I can take them 1 or 2 nights but if I keep taking them after that they make me "antsy", like I've had too much caffeine. Right now I'm just taking the Percocet at night and occasional Tylenol during the day. My husband keeps telling me the spasms and jitteriness I get at night are because I'm addicted to the Percocets, but I don't think I've taken enough for that to be an issue. It still would be good to get off of them.

 

[cslasor]

@cslasor
Your thread is how I found this forum, because I was googling "knee spasms after tkr" so I thank you for sharing here!
Today I'm 6 weeks out, my spasming started at night on week 4. My OS has me taking Flexerall, just at night, and it seems to help, though they haven't gone away completely.
I have noticed they're worse if I've done too much during the day.
I'm looking forward to hearing more about your progress!
[emoji3]


Sent from my iPhone using broken link removed: https://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=75543

I'm sorry to hear you're having the spasms too, but hopefully now that you know it's not uncommon you at least aren't worrying about them. Maybe Flexeril will help me too - we'll what the OS says.

 

[newlybionic]

You are not addicted to Percocets. You are only taking them once a day. That's OK. I was prescribed a muscle relaxer every 6 hours as needed to help with the spasms in my quads. I was given Robaxin but there are several different medications that are returned are repairable. You can try to call your OS office again tomorrow to ask for arerevailav muscle relaxer again. You could also try your PCP and see if he/she will write a prescription for one.