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TKR Cindy's new knee

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Hello Kneeper,
Today wasn't a good day. When I take the full dose of pain meds, I am so nauseous that I can't do anything. I had to cancel PT because I couldn't take the meds because I was so nauseous from the previous dose. I slept almost the entire day. I hate to give up hydrocodone because I am able to sleep at night when I take it. But on the other hand I am sick during the day and accomplish nothing. One good thing that came out of today was when I was sitting at the kitchen table for dinner, I looked down and my foot was flat on the floor and at about 90 degrees without pain. 1st time for that. I'll take it!
 
I'm so sorry for what you've been going through... it's certainly been a rough ride for you.

What does your PT have you doing and how often?

Hang in there,
Jacki
 
Hello JackiFL,
PT comes 3 times per week for about an hour. We usually start out going for a little walk. We stand at the kitchen sink and do 10 to 15 leg lifts to the side then lift the leg in front. 10 lifts on the balls of my feet. 10 times rolling back on my heels. Last time she had me do 10 little squats. (very little squat to it.) No pain. Then we sit in a kitchen chair and do heel slides trying to get it to go back further. I try to straighten my leg out in front of me about 10 to 15 times. I lay on the bed with a towel rolled under my knee and do leg lifts. Leg slides to the side. Regular leg lifts. She always wants to end with my heel in the big cube to get a stretch to straighten my knee. I noticed today when I was laying on the bed, that my knee is touching the bed. Woohoo! I only do all of that when she is here. The only thing I do everyday is the CPM machine 2 hours, 3 times per day, little walks, foot pumps. When I am sitting at the kitchen table, I try to pull my foot back as far as I can. (Also when I am sitting on the toilet.) I have no idea if I am doing enough. Don't really feel like I do very much. I know my OS would say it isn't near enough but if it would have been up to him, I would have been at 120 degrees before I left the hospital with no pain meds. Haha
 
Texan said:
I have no idea if I am doing enough. Don't really feel like I do very much.
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You're doing more than enough for 2 weeks out. Little wonder you're exhausted. I'd say you only need to do a selected few when she doesn't come. I wasn't allowed to do any exercises for three weeks after my TKR and I did just fine. There's no rush.
 
You poor thing. I'm with Kneeper in that your OS is nuts randomly assigning you to gain 40 degrees on your bend in 2 weeks. I'm also sorry your PT told you to 'suck it up'. I might have just told him to 'suck it'. But that's just me. I'm sorry that your pain meds make you nauseous as well. That's no fun. Ask your OS to call in a script for an anti nausea med to counterbalance that - I take Zofran as pain meds make me sick as well and I haven't had any issues. Please take it easy on yourself. You're just 2 weeks out and you shouldn't be 'pushing' anything.
 
Texan said:
I had PT today and she told me I am not where I should be. What a disappointment. She told me to quit icing while using the machine for range of motion and use it afterward. Very frustrating. Had a good cry after PT today.
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I think you have a very tough PT. I ended up "firing" my PTs. PT is not suppose to be painful! It is OK if it is a little uncomfortable, but it shouldn't be painful. I sometimes think these PTs like torturing people. I have been through multiple surgeries in my lifetime. When you have been through a traumatic surgery such as this one, and tkr has got to be one of the worst (any surgery involving bone is bad vs. a soft-tissue surgery), it takes time to heal. A traumatic surgery such as this one is going to take you a year to recover.

It's OK to stick up for yourself. It's OK to tell that PT they are not allowed to hurt/torture you. Forget ROM - just absolutely forget ROM. You have plently of time to work on ROM later.

Take a look at some of the very informative Articles the BoneSmarties have in the Library on this website. (Look at the top of the page under Library, in the grey bar. Thank you again, Josephine, for those IT Band exercises.)

My OS doesn't like to use CPMs.

After a month of PT where I had been hurt bad twice, I came home and got on the computer, and did some research to find out whether therapy really had to hurt that bad. That was when I found the BoneSmarties - I really wish I had found them sooner. I finished my PT at home, myself. There are some really good exercises that can be done at home; also, at home, I have: stretchy bands, weights, stairs, stationary bike, etc., etc. I don't need to go to therapy some place where the PTs stand around gossiping about the latest fashion trends and then yell at me for not getting to the ROM they want so they can get a good evaluation.

Please do not let that PT hurt you. Therapy does not have to be torture! And if your OS supports your PT, I would give him a piece of my mind too! (Along with the address of this website.)

Sorry - I got all fired up. I just hate to see people that have just been through surgery, tortured. Please take care.
 
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Thank you Josephine. I needed to hear that! I've been really nauseated the last couple of days. Not sure if it is the hydrocodone or what. Still no appetite. Today I have been eating small servings of fruit every few hours and sipping on gingerale. Feeling a little better.
 
Take everyone's advice and don't let pt hurt you. I had home pt for the first 3 weeks and she really wanted to push me. All it resulted in was a more swollen knee and less progress. My outpatient pt is much different. I am having my other knee done in September and plan on using only my outpatient ot and skip the home pt. Hope you are feeling better soon.
 
Please take a look at the BoneSmarties' Library. Especially look under "E" for Exercise, and "P" for Pain.

Your PT should NOT be torturing you. There are a LOT of PTs. You are perfectly within your rights to "fire" this one and get another one. There are some of us that have just done therapy at home, ourselves.
 
I "fired" my outpatient PT yesterday for many of the same reasons that you've outlined. I won't get into the particulars here because they're listed in my recovery thread.

Hang in there ~ listen to the pros here and listen to your body as well.

Hugs,
Jacki
 
I had home PT today. We went a little further on our walk. It was so nice out today, I really enjoyed it. It got up to 86 here today!!! Didn't have therapy until 5:30 so it was around 75 degrees out. My therapist doesn't torture me. She is always asking my pain level and it is usually a 1. The only time it goes beyond a 1 is when we work on straightening the leg. I won't do anything that is going to hurt me. I am a little worried about going to PT after next week. You hear stories about therapists forcing your leg on the bike to make a rotation and I am so scared of that. I really appreciate everyone's well wishes. This website has been a life saver for me. So thankful I found it.
 
Hi Texan, it's amazing how some of these O.S. have not a clue about the post op pain. I thank God for the Bone smart mantras.
We should not have to beg for pain med. to get us to the flex. they want. I am getting to know what is working for me and my knees.
Ice and elevate, ice and elevate! Pre- med before exercise and sleep. Keep moving and rest and let the knees heal.
Is that hard to understand? Why can't surgeons and some P.T.'s get it.?
I find myself weepy at odd times, and I am trying not to apologize every time my family helps me with something.
I've read that some people feel that their 3rd and 4th weeks were some of the hardest. I am trying to just take a day at a time.
Getting my staples helped me move better, and I have graduated to a cane, which I only use as a security blanket.
We can just get through one day at a time, and try not to project where we think we should be. Or where others think we should be.
Take care, and be kind to yourself.
 
It is good to hear from you Fawkes! I am very impressed that you are using a cane after BTKR at 17 days. Way to go! I am being lazy today. I went to bed at 11:30 last night and my husband woke me up at 11 a.m. Haven't done any exercises today other than foot pumps. I've taken meds so I can use the CPM machine in about 20 minutes. You were the smart one doing both legs at once. I am having serious second thoughts about going through this again even though I don't feel as if it has been as difficult for me as some of the other people on this site. Maybe tomorrow I will feel differently about it. We will just have to wait and see. I hope you have a pain free day.
 
Thanks. Same to you, pain free!! I am also resting today. Glad it is not a P.T. Day. Keep up the good work, and be good to you.
( p.s. I have questioned many times these weeks if doing both is wise, but it is what it is, and it will all be good in the end.)
Take care
 
The good thing about doing both at once is that you will have 2 beautiful new knees in the months to come. I can back out and still have terrible knee pain even though I have one functioning knee. Hang in there!
 
Texan said:
PT comes 3 times per week for about an hour.
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I agree with the others---I think PT three times a week is too much, especially where you are now right after surgery. You had your TKR done a tad over two weeks ago, and what you are doing---and what is expected of you by the PT---is too much.

Draw the line in the sand, so to speak, and let the PT know what you will do and not do.

Remember, this is not a case of working harder---it is a case of working smarter that will allow the knee to heal and to recover.
 
Today has been one of my better days. I have cut back on pain meds so I am not sleeping all day anymore. I am taking 1 hydrocodone pill every 5 or 6 hours and 1 Celebrex daily. My husband and I delivered dishes back to friends who have brought food. I just sat in the car and he did all the delivering. It was nice to get out. I had a steak for dinner and it was quite good. Haven't had any appetite so I was happy something tasted good. Kind of getting into a funk tonight. These mood swings stink! Hate to ruin a perfectly good day with one of these now!
 
Hi Texan, I also had a rough day. The elevating hurts after a while, and I get so stiff if I stay in one position too long. I am taking oxycodone every 4-6 hours, and a muscle relaxer before bed. Nights are tough, having to reposition frequently. I think it is typical to feel a little overwhelmed about 3 weeks out. Progress is slow but steady.
I hope you are resting well, and not overdoing it. Food is also starting to taste good to me. I guess some of it is the anesthesia, and pain meds.
Hang in there, and know that we are getting there. Take care, and take care of yourself.
 
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