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TKR DLR recovery #2

@beachy i am better today I got about 5 hours sleep through out the night. PT was here this morning she is happy with extension but would like more flexion, however she said she would not use for e as she could see my pain level. She gave a couple more stretch exercises to work on flexion and wants me to bend my knee more when walking. She also suggested trying just Tylenol 3 every 4 hours to see if I can get on top of the pain, rather than using extra strength and arthritic Tylenol.
@Laurenkate thanks..my mom is here today and we are vegging watching an old Disney movie Parent Trap...simple laughter good for my pain.. in between we get up and play a round of dominoes. Hubble comes home tonight, will be glad when he is safely home from the 12 hour drive
All in all not a bad day thanks for checking in I appreciate the encouragement
 
@DLR glad you are doing better. I stopped the Oxycodone during the day yesterday but took some last night. I tried sleeping in bed rather than the recliner last night. It went ok but not great. I actually sleep better in the recliner but it is bothering my neck and triggering migraines. I hope you find a solution to better pain control. These days the reality of a long slow recovery with plenty of ups and downs sinks in.
 
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Rough night, knee pain , nerve pain, couldn’t get comfortable even in the recliner. But happy my husband made it safely home. This journey truly is a roller coaster...smooth flat stretches, high hills, deep valleys...moments of saying get me off this...but like a child I will then say let’s do it again when they give me my 2nd knee date.
Till then I will ride the ride...btw I hate roller coasters lol
 
DLR said:
PT was here this morning she is happy with extension but would like more flexion, however she said she would not use for e as she could see my pain level. She gave a couple more stretch exercises to work on flexion and wants me to bend my knee more when walking. She also suggested trying just Tylenol 3 every 4 hours to see if I can get on top of the pain, rather than using extra strength and arthritic Tylenol.
Click to expand...
Knee pain at night means you have been doing too much for your knee during the daytime.
You only had this major surgery less than 2 weeks ago. The best way to get on top of the pain is to do fewer exercises and treat your knee to more rest, ice and elevation, not to be fiddling around with medication doses and doing more exercises.
In any case, your PT is not qualified to advise on medication.

What medication regime was prescribed by your surgeon?

At this early stage, it doesn't matter if your knee doesn't bend at all. It is wounded and swollen, so it can't bend much anyway.
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.

In spite of what your PT may say, 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

Bear in mind that this is your knee and you are the only one who has the right to say what happens to it. Remember this, from the article we gave you:
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.

You are in charge of your knee's recovery - not your surgeon and not your PT. They can advise, but you have the right to decide whether or not to accept that advice.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?
CONSENT: what it means and how it can be used
 
@Celle the OSgave me a script for 30 Tylenol 3 ... 1 or 2 every 4 hours as needed.
Other than that the instructions were no anti inflammatory until I finish th blood thinner. I am allowed to continue with my arthritic Tylenol so I know I need to keep the total to 4000 mg.
PT is being taken with caution. When she told me I needed to increase ROM before staples are removed because once they are removed healing speeds up and you lose ROM...I knew her knowledge is limited. I qualify for this home PT but she flies in and out in 5 to 20 minutes...
I will continue to ice elevation rest. Thanks for the encouragement to keep listening to my knee. I have had a couple well intentioned people ask if I will be at church today since they knew people whowere out at 2 weeks post TKR...I responded NO I know I am not ready to sit that long in one position and I ave nothing to prove..learning to stand up for my needs :)
 
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DLR said:
When she told me I needed to increase ROM before staples are removed because once they are removed healing speeds up and you lose ROM...I knew her knowledge is limited.
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She certainly doesn't know much! That's a load of misinformation.
DLR said:
I have had a couple well intentioned people ask if I will be at church today since they knew people who were out at 2 weeks post TKR...I responded NO I know I am not ready to sit that long in one position and I ave nothing to prove..learning to stand up for my needs
Click to expand...
Good for you! That advice was well-intentioned, but also misinformed.

Listen to your knee and the messages it gives you, and do what is necessary to keep it happy. You won't go wrong if you do that.
 
Atta girl! Sounds like you have learned the Bonesmart way! Why do PTs harp on ROM when you’re 2 weeks out? Would they do that to someone with a broken leg?
 
@DLR. Good for you for speaking up when people who know nothing about TKR have an opinion.

I think you would find if you talk to the person who had the TKR you would hear a different story entirely.

I think from reading others threads on here that everyone has issues of some kind to deal with.

Everyone told my family how good my bend ( flexion ) was and it was good.
I could sit with my feet on the ground forever and step up onto high chairs.

But I didn't like putting my leg straight out and that made it very hard for walking.It also took almost 5 months for the muscles and tendons in the back of my leg to stretch out.

I think it is important to be honest about this recovery so others know what to expect.I wish I had been on this forum before my surgery.

The one good thing about my recovery was that because my flexion was good everyone left me alone.:rotfl:
 
DLR said:
When she told me I needed to increase ROM before staples are removed because once they are removed healing speeds up and you lose ROM...
Click to expand...
:doh:That doesn’t even make sense.
No PT for me next time! :bignono:
 
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@Nigella2 i agree...people make assumptions on the tiny glimpse of your life. I am sure my neighbors would tell people I am fine doing great as they see me walk up and down with my crutches on the sidewalk...but it is only a small picture of recovery they don’t see the sleepless nights, the pain and frustration...which is why I love the honesty here. It makes me feel less alone and not entirely crazy lol. Thanks for being real!
 
DLR said:
I have had a couple well intentioned people ask if I will be at church today since they knew people whowere out at 2 weeks post TKR.
Click to expand...
I wanted to go to church today but Righty said a resounding NO. Maybe next week.
 
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Woohoo... 8 hours sleep according to my Fitbit. First hour in my bed the rest in the recliner. I tried taking 2 Tylenol body ache PM (1000 mg Tylenol) 1/2 hour before bed. Thanks for the idea of Tylenol PM @Laurenkate
 
Fabulous! So glad it worked for you.....the effectiveness tends to wear off for me so I'm going to try to only use it once a week.
 
@DLR, I am envious. So much wishing for that “ longer than two hours” sleep. So far, my worst pain is at night, so I have been trying to get in a long nap in PM. Even my PT’s cheery “so, how are you doing today?” when she calls to set up a time for coming to the house gets on my nerves.
I so much wish the pain would lessen more. Sigh!


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
@Kathy0427 i understand, that’s why I tried the Tylenol Body Pain Pm...it’s just Tylenol with a muscle relaxant. Seemed it stopped the cycle of pain waves down the leg that was keeping me awake. Hope you find something to help, sleep really affects our whole outlook
 
@DLR , is that Tylenol Body Pain the same as Tylenol Arthritis pain? If so, I will try it as I have some. If it is some other specialized formulation of Tylenol , I will have to have my Hubble look for it at Costco this afternoon.


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
Hubble lol... it is a different form of Tylenol
Tylenol Body Pain Night ( I took 2 tablets a half hour before bed, each tablet has 500 mg of Tylenol in it plus muscle relaxant )
Just looking online but not sure the US carries this one, but perhaps the Tylenol Extra Strength PM would work. It is basically Tylenol with benedryl
 
It was back to the recliner for me last night as well and I slept much better. So I guess that's where I will stay for awhile.
 
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