TKR Cry baby

Senny

junior member
Joined
Jun 19, 2018
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33
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74
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United Kingdom United Kingdom
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Hi. I've just joined this impressive site. I've been reading it since I had my tkr on 25th May. I am 69 and have managed since day 3 to shower on my own, live on my own with family visiting. Stuck to pt. The pain management in hospital was not successful. I could only tolerate paracetamol which isn't strong enough so suffered much pain. When I came home GP gave me tramadol which helps.

I thought I was doing really well until today when the pain in my new knee was so bad, plus feeling nauseous, got too much and I just cried and cried - even my arthritis didn't hurt this bad. My pt has gone out of the window. All I can do is just walk about. Ice and elevation didn't work. I had to take extra tramadol to stay sane and have been drinking chamomile tea.

Is this normal. I've had off days but today I truly regretted the op.
 
Yes, you can have bad days for seemingly no reason. But often you have done too much of something--probably because you were feeling pretty good. It doesn't take much this early on.
You are doing the right thing by taking your tramadol and not doing much at all to let it settle down. Are you icing and elevating?
I found that even though they don't say you have to take pain meds with food, it does help the stomach.
 
To be honest, I think you hit the nail on the head. I am a bit too independent most times. I still have a full time job (obviously on sick leave now). I do every thing except shopping. And I'm moving in a week's time. Trouble is I don't feel as though I have overdone it because I do rest a lot. I'm not sure I should be doing the same physio I was shown in hospital . I missed my last two appts because the taxi fare was astronomical. I feel I should be doing different stuff. When sitting in a chair my rom is 120 but it doesn't feel like when I am walking about as my knee is stiff and numb. I do the ice and elevation but it wasn't helping today.

Thanks for replying so late at night
 
Welcome to Bonesmart!

It’s only 7 pm where I am. :flwrysmile:

I felt like you did, that I was being a baby about the pain of PT! I thought they must be right about the no pain, no gain theory.

Then I found Bonesmart! :roseshwr:
People who understood what I was going through and offered a much more sensible and gentle recovery approach. Bonesmart also offered information about recovery which I was sadly lacking.

I cried lots, over little things, and big things and just for nothing. Then I found out, from Bonesmart, that crying was a normal part of recovery from this major surgery. What a relief.

Best wishes to you, hang out with us, we want to support you through your recovery. We have all been through knee replacement!
 
That's the beauty of an international forum. It's not late here but more like dinner time. :) Usually there's someone around.

I'm sure it doesn't feel like you're doing much but that's in non-tkr recovery measurements. :wink:

I did some exercises, but fewer repetitions than they suggested usually. Also, if I was having a bad day I didn't do much. Do let friends and relatives help.
Hope you can get some sleep tonight. :console2:

If you feel up to it, go ahead and set up a signature for yourself. It keeps your surgery date on all your posts so advisors and other staff can refer to it going forward. Or perhaps @Jamie or another staff member can get it set up for you. May 25 2018
 
Thanks for your support. Here in uk it's 00.16 am. What I like site much about this site is your are all so nonjudgementall and honest.

I will do the signature 2mo. I am feeling quite tired as I missed my siesta and the pain is bearable now, thanks to my friend tramadol.

Good night from me and wish you all well.
 
It sounds like you have been doing too much for that newborn infant knee of yours. I will leave you our recovery articles to help you in your healing journey. If you follow our guild lines, you will a quicker and 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
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

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.
 
Many of us never took formal PT or did exercises. I am one of them. I had 11 knee surgeries, 2 of them kneecap removals and 1 tkr. Even after those I never took PT. But, I didn't just sit around and do nothing. I took care of myself, my house and yard as my knee allowed me to do. As I healed, I did more. But, my knee was always in control! This was enough therapy for me and would be for any tkr patient. All the awful pain of PT is so unnecessary.

All you have to do is use it in your daily living! Your knee knows how to rehab itself and doesn't need anyone telling it how. Just use it and it will come back like new! You have to be patient, though, it doesn't happen quickly! ADL,(activities of daily living), going to the bathroom, brushing your teeth and bathing, fixing a light meal, getting something to drink and or a snack, those kinds of things will be all the exercise your knee needs. If you just use it daily in your living, you will have a quicker and less painful recovery. We know what works, we've been there!
 
@Senny
Hi Senny,
Welcome to Bonesmart.
I know the nausea and pain can be hard. Many of us can relate! The good thing is that this is a worldwide forum so we are up at all different hours and there is always someone to see your post and care about you.

I hope you will read the Bonesmart articles as they are most helpful. We look forward to you turning a corner soon!
 
Thank you ladies all.

I am relieved about Sistersinhim's comments re physio. Here in UK it's a big thing, carved in stone. You're made to feel if you don't do it, you won't recover. I bought into it and have carried out all pt since day 3 until this week when the pain increased; doesn't make sense especially when you are told each day the pain decteases. I an fine walking about, and bit stiff and slightly ungainly but it don't hurt. It's when I go to bed it starts. I love my bed - there's nothing like clean bedlinen, a hot water bottle ( only when it's cold) and a good read - but it's become a torture chamber.

Reading the replies from you lovely ladies is a godsend as you have all 'been there.' I do all those house things and I feel liberated knowing I don't have to get anxious cos I can't do physio when I'm in pain. Last

BTW I don't know what you think of arnica. I took it up til day 7 as according to some sites I should discontinue after that. Any experiences regarding this? Is it ok to carry on?
 
Hi all

I took arnica before and after tkr but some sites say it should be stopped after 7 days. Has anyone else tried arnica, or have information on usage.
 
moved 11.jpg
above and merged it into your recovery thread, @Senny.
We like to keep our members' recovery posts all in a single thread. That way it's easy for us to go back and read your history before responding to a question or concern. In addition, the thread becomes a journal of your recovery for those who come along later and want to read about you. So, please post in this thread from now on when you want to give an update or ask a question. If you have questions or concerns that need an immediate answer, please tag an admin, a mod, or other members or all three.

If you decide you'd like a different thread title at any point, you can just post what you want here and we'll get it changed for you. THANKS!


If you are having a problem locating your thread, here is a link with how to do it: How can I find my threads and posts?
 
Here in UK it's a big thing, carved in stone. You're made to feel if you don't do it, you won't recover. I bought into it and have carried out all pt since day 3 until this week when the pain increased;
I don't think you can generalise about whether or not PT is "carved in stone" in any country. It all depends on the particular surgeon's protocol. There are many places in the UK, and in the US, and in NZ and Australia where PT is strongly recommended, and other places where it is hardly done at all.

When it comes down to it, it is your choice. It is your knee and you are the only one with the right to say what will happen to it. Others can advise, but you have the right to choose whether or not to accept that advice.
You are the boss in that situation.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?
CONSENT: what it means and how it can be used

It's not exercising that gets you your ROM - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen, so it can show itself.

There's no need to rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a knee replacement. There isn't any deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

By the way, pain at night time is usually the result of two things: Inadequate pain relief medication, and doing too much during the daytime.
 
I live in New Zealand. I know of 3 surgeons in my own town who all have different ideas about PT. after a knee replacement.
One recommends intensive PT, one advises moderate PT, and then my surgeon doesn't allow any PT at all for the first month after a knee replacement. He says your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. For that month, we rest, ice and elevate our leg, and walk around the house.
After that month, we just go to PT once every 2 weeks, where we are shown a few new exercises to do at home.
His patients all do well and achieve good ROM, as I did, and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the past 4 years. I think that speaks for itself.
 
Hi Senny! I actually use Arnicare Gel on my knee. I don’t think it’s helped much, but just started this week, so we’ll see. I’m very curious about taking Bromelain to help with swelling. Also looking into massage for the quad muscle.
 
It's when I go to bed it starts. I love my bed - there's nothing like clean bedlinen, a hot water bottle ( only when it's cold) and a good read - but it's become a torture chamber.

@Senny Oh my gosh I so relate to this. I love and adore my bed, but in the early months I would dread the nights. My caregivers would leave after dinner and I'd have to go into the torture chamber, formerly known as my wonderful bed. I couldn't even stand to have the sheet touching my knees. What saved my sanity was my iPhone and audible books and my earbuds. I listened to some really great books for hours on end to get through those awful nights. And when I got tired of that I'd listen to a podcast. So now I'm back to loving my bed, my knees do not bother me at all in bed, and it truly is a miracle. I am a little over nine months out, so I recommend you stick around here, you will get lots of support and advice. And there is little that can't be posted about from the poop fairy to nausea to bowling to grandkids, to pt, to os's, to aggressive and obnoxious pt's, and on and on. I feel like this site saved my sanity. Hang in there.
 
Gosh Senny , just sounds like me and most others post surgery . For three weeks I was a blubbering baby , usually such a strong person reduced to a blubbering sleep deprived mess .Then all of a sudden you turn that magic corner . I didn’t do massive PT , just kept the analgesia up which was Tramadol and panadol cause I could not tolerate Endone and did normal walks and had massage to area for fist several weeks .It gets better and easier each day . Good luck .
 
I dreaded going to bed every night with knee #1 because my leg ached from the very top to the sole of my foot. I didn't sleep for seven weeks. I bought a TENS machine before knee #2 was replaced. I use it every night when I get into bed. It feels wonderful and I haven't had problems sleeping with knee #2. Good luck to you and welcome to Bonesmart!
 
I think I need to get s tens unit to see if it helps “wake up” my quad muscle!

As for sleeping, I listen to different sleep meditation/hypnosis. My favorite is anything narrated by Michael Sealey. I especially like the Hypnosis for Self Healing- although I don’t recall ever hearing the ending lol

I just googled it & listen on my phone. He’s on YouTube.
 
Hi Senny nice to meet someone else from UK. Where are you? I am in Fife. I look forward to reading your recovery. My op is next Wednesday and to say terrified is an understatement. I don't do pain on any level. My pre op pain isn't bad. Much worse at night. I just can't walk properly as I limp constantly and get tired due to the gait. So post op pain is worrying me. Good luck with your recovery.
 

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