TKR Wrong Sized Implant?

Thank you, @Susie-Q. I shall endeavour to grit my teeth and not let other people with no experience of TKR get me down! Positivity is key!
 
@hawk2go I like the idea very much of asking my physiotherapist whether they have experienced a TKR. I shall try this on Tuesday and see what they say!
 
Yesterday, 10 days after surgery, I had 35 staple clips removed from the wound. It was the first time I’d seen the incision, and to my mind it was rather gruesome! I took several photos to remind myself later during this recovery what my poor knee has actually been through :)

The nurse was pleased with the healing and now it is covered up again, so thankfully I don’t have to look at it for a while
:wink:
 
Day 12

I did very little yesterday, other than gentle walks around the flat, as I had a friend visit for the afternoon. However, I was disheartened in the evening to see that my knee was very swollen again, back to how it was over a week ago. I had been icing and elevating during the day, as usual. Nothing different.

The staples were taken out the day before, but there was no increased swelling immediately afterwards or yesterday during the day. The swelling only appeared shortly before bedtime. Could this be a kind of delayed response to the staple removal, I wonder? My knee feels on fire again :(
 
Yes, I believe that your knee's reaction could be from your staple removal. You mentioned that you had a visit from a friend yesterday. How did you sit? Were you elevated toes above your nose? Did you ice when your friend was there? Did you offer her refreshments that you supplied? Your infant knee isn't even two weeks old yet. A visitor can bring us mental uplifting but it can also be harmful to our brand new TKRs. I believe this added to the staple removal the day before caused your increased pain and swelling. Both days were stressful to your healing knee.
 
Me too. I was surprised how much a friend visiting in the first two weeks took out of me even though I made sure to ice and elevate while she was here. I needed a nap afterwards!
 
Thanks, @sistersinhim. You’re right, I probably overdid it. I am sitting with toes above nose pretty much all the time at the moment, and icing. The swelling seems to have eased up a bit today.

@Susie-Q It was very tiring, and also I feel that ALL I have to talk about is my knee, not the most interesting subject for anyone else! :loll::loll::loll:
 
also I feel that ALL I have to talk about is my knee, not the most interesting subject for anyone else!
I have this feeling, too. Well meaning friends want me to talk about the knee (and how I'm healing) and I'd love to talk about anything but that.

The Knee certainly tells me when I've overdone it, unfortunately there is like a day lag most times.
 
Thanks, @hawk2go. I hope that once the novelty of my surgery has worn off for my friends and family, they will be as bored as I am talking about my knee and talk about something else!
 
Day 13

Nighttime is definitely when the pain is at its worse.

I usually wake at around 3.00am and the burning behind my knee and along the inside makes it difficult to get comfortable or sleep again.

I have a supply of disposable ice packs alongside the bed, which means I don’t have to keep getting up to get one of the gel packs in the freezer. I don’t know about anyone else, but you need the strength of 10 men to activate them! I have to wrestle with them for AGES to snap the capsule inside, accompanied by plenty of cursing ;)

The highlight of my day is definitely having a shower. I have a walk in shower, with an Etac shower chair and this has been a godsend, along with the sleeve to put over the dressing to keep it dry. It’s funny how things I have previously taken for granted have become such a luxury!
 
That is exactly where i got my knee pain at night. Rest assured that it does go - but it takes time and cannot be rushed!! Although my pain is very much better now i still have issues with swelling - it is this knee's real weak point. Sounds like you are doing really well, hang on in there
 
Thanks, @dogwalker2. It’s reassuring to know that others have experienced the same, and that it will pass.
 
Yes, I remember those disposable ice packs sometimes being hard to activate. I haven't bought any with this knee but I bought a bunch of them with my last knee and we've still got some around from when my daughter was playing volleyball and needed them for her knees or back.
 
@Susie-Q I think there’s a knack to activating them, which I haven’t mastered yet!
 
Often that much pain at night is a sign of too much activity during the day.
 
Thanks @Jockette. I don’t feel that I’ve done too much during the day, being very sloth-like :wink::wink:

I know it’s a strange question, but is it possible to elevate too much? Last evening the burning was so intense I felt close to tears, most unlike me. It was behind the knee and also along the inside.

I removed my leg from the Lounge Doctor pillow, and the pain did seem to subside. Or could it just be due to a change in position?

I’m pretty much elevating and icing all the time, including during the night, should I limit the use of the Lounge Doctor, I wonder?
 
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It is hard to describe, but are you using the Lounge Doctor in the proper position? I realize how that sounds, but your entire leg needs to be supported. I found that sometimes I wasn't in the proper position and I had the same trouble your describing. The entire leg supported.

As for icing too much, personally I don't think so. But then again I'm not a medical professional. Yes you should walk around a bit, move around then go back to the ice. It helps with pain also.
 
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Thanks, @eaglemom. I did wonder if my leg is in the correct position on the Lounge Doctor. I have short legs :wink: I’m trying to get the back of the knee on the first ridge of the LD, as it appears in the photos. Perhaps this is what I’m doing wrong!
 
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