Bilateral TKR done on Dec 2, 2016<

[hope4clay]

Help me out here too if you will.
I have a concern that if the dr was to press for "have you done therapy" ...meaning right along as directed. And I say, I've been active. (suggesting I've not followed his order) that I will be treated as one who chose to not follow as directed and therefore is ... non conforming?

I agree that it's my decision and it's my body, but I am a little concerned that it'll give the OS an attitude that might result in a return to work (when perhaps I am far from it) because I've determined that I'm smarter than the professionals. And don't need any more therapy, therefore I must be complete and whole?

Please forgive me if I seem to be over thinking this. I am conditioned to being pushed around by those in positions of authority or whatever. And have been made to believe that we have to do stuff THEIR way. Or we get the ax.

In short, I wanna do what I want. What's wisest? And get another extension of time off if I need it. Somehow I'm uncomfortably convinced that the health people whose care I am under are convinced their's only one way to recover from this BTKR. I was convinced of it until I read all of the many opinions of you all. So many that I consider to be of a good knowledgeable opinion.....

 

[hope4clay]

I have a physical concern lately if anyone can relate.
I've developed a somewhat sharp pain that comes shortly after standing....then when I can manage to begin taking steps, I get a few steps in and I get a sharp, throbbing pain in the area of my right groin area. It is specifically in the area few inches below my belt line, and off to the right of the pubic area. It thumps painful and last about 4/5 heartbeats then goes away

 

[Spex10]

You can tell the OS that you are doing PT exercises because you are. S/he doesn't need to know that a PT isn't supervising you directly.
Re your current pain: sorry I can't help!

 

[Josephine]

I think Spex10 has it perfectly. But anyway,you will probably find the surgeon doesn't press you one this at all.

I get a sharp, throbbing pain in the area of my right groin area

Can you indicate the site of this pain using this chart?

 

[hope4clay]

Thanks for asking @Josephine
The line between R2F/R3f straight down to the center of the T.
That is the closest I can put a finger on it. And its always right there.
Its stopped me in my tracks several times today. It did it once yesterday. Once I was laying in my bed. The others came a few steps into a short walk.

 

[hope4clay]

Possibly the R3F and on the T/V line. Sharp, alarming ouchy pain that lasts 5 heartbeat throbs.

 

[hope4clay]

Friends. I have another question for you all.
Is it normal that I'm so uncommonly tired after the smallest kind of activity.
I mean I have been really tired to the point of down right fatigue and its after having rested for a fair amount of time.
Its really strange and kind of alarming. I'm so drained. Its like Im drugged and I'm not.

 

[Josephine]

I think then that your pain is probably this Groin pain

Is it normal that I'm so uncommonly tired after the smallest kind of activity.

VERY normal - Energy drain for TKRs

 

[highlander]

@hope4clay Ive enjoyed reading your thread and am really inspired by your awesome ROM and courage to have a bilateral. I know one thing that will help your long term rehab and overall strength and health goals, and thats to lose weight. I know that sounds like Im stating the obvious and certainly the knees have not allowed you to exercise properly. With that said, 80% of weight loss is your diet- and I don't mean A DIET. I mean a complete lifestyle overhaul and rethinking everything about nutrition. My wife and I are both paleo people, both in our mid fifties, and follow a no grain, low carb, very low sugar lifestyle. We eat healthy meats, fish, fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds. A little bit of dairy. I recommend a great start is Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson, and visit his website at marksdailyapple.com.
Diets don't work- but total nutritional overhauls do. Imagine how losing some significant pounds gradually, will benefit those beautiful new knees!

 

[hope4clay]

8 weeks today!!!

 

[hope4clay]

Friends.
I can feel incrimental improvement daily, like today, I got up with small but slightly more noticable ease of my normal mobility, and I was excited. I was able to stand in the kitchen with my wife as she made our morning smoothies and I thought alright!...today's the day!!!
But within 5 minutes. I was alike ok. Todays not the day!! I felt the swelling begin and both knees telling me ok. Time to sit down. I'm working hard to eat more healthy and get some weight off and we are on day 5 juicing and eating smart and healthy and watching calories.
Thank you for your direction @highlander .
Does anyone else have any addl. good and effective food and supplement recipes to improve mobility? Actual literal health and weight intake ideas to directly work along side of this process of getting back to life!!
Thank you. CLAY

 

[Want2hike]

I lost 50 lbs during the 8 months prior to my surgery using a calorie counting app (Lose It!). I eat normal foods...just watch my portions.

While I was recovering, my doctor recommended that I put my diet on hold for the first 12 weeks and just maintain my weight, and to make sure I was getting enough protein, good fats, and vitamin C in my diet. At my 12 week visit, I was cleared to resume losing weight. If you have weakness, I'm not sure losing weight this early in recovery is best for you, although I think further down the road it will be easier on your body.

 

[hope4clay]

Is anyone else having trouble sleeping long enough?
I haven't slept well since surgery and I've tried everything I can think of.

 

[KarriB]

Sleep deprivation is quite typical for TKR. I didn't sleep for more than 2 hours at a time most nights for three months. The only thing that helped was going back to work because I was just so exhausted. You can try taking Tylenol PM, it may help your body get back into a rhythm.

My OS wanted me to eat high protein diet to help with healing my soft tissue. I don't think there's a food to help with mobility though.

 

[Josephine]

Clay - did you ever read the recovery articles we left for you? There was on in the list on sleep deprivation.

 

[hope4clay]

hi friends,
Josephine, KarriB

Today was a rough day. I started off good, actually feeling better than most days, but by mid morning I began having an untypical pain and swelling in my right knee area, odd because my right has been my better knee but today it went the other way, the wife and I set out to go run some errands, hit the Y and ride the bike for 10 minutes, walk a little but I couldn't do any of it.

I was trying to get on this site but my phone signal was unable to connect me, I was getting concerned about my leg as it seemed just a little too messed up than I had thought was normal. I got home, called the ortho center where I had my surgery, connected with the phone nurse, explained my concern, and just I had previously been worried about, the nurse went head on into, when was my last PT? (it's been 8 days ago), and I told her it was a week ago, ...she got my chart, read that the Dr had ordered 2 PT sessions per week for the next 6 weeks and basically scolded me for not doin all this week. I told her that I had taken the advice of a family member (ortho nurse with 50 yrs experience) to back off the PT because my ROM had been met and I needed to let my tissue take a break from all the extensive exercises.

Well that didn't go over very well. I told her also I had cancelled for at least 2 weeks because I need to go out of town for a family issue. She wanted to know who or where I was getting this alternative advice and I felt like tellin her it wasn't any of her business. I didn't, I went with the family member nurse story, but anyways, we concluded that I needed to ice and elevate more, and if I need to see the Dr I could come in and we'd figure out whether I could or should adjust or end PT all together.

Towards the end of all that I did mention, honestly, I'm not drawing a paycheck, if I can save some money and do the pt at home that makes sense to me, especially when I can do all the junk they are putting me through and I don't wind up all messed up the whole next day. I asked...am I allowed to choose in a situation like that?? She said oh, most definitely, but the best bet is to follow the advice of your Surgeon. So I said I'd monitor it and if I needed something I'd call the on call or see them Monday at the ortho walk in clinic.

Darmnit!!!! the last thing I needed or intended to do was get into a pissin match with the phone nurse.

 

[Josephine]

Well, you handled it the best you could under the circumstances! I think you did very well! I loved that you asked her outright if you had a right to choose and she had no choice but to say yes!

 

[sistersinhim]

It sounds like a one track mind, pt, pt, pt. You already have an excellent bend. That's what pt is needed for, not for swelling and pain relief. How frustrating.

 

[hope4clay]

2nd part of previous post:
I just want to do the right thing without breaking the temporarily unfed bank and I shouldn't feel like I have to go to PT if it's something I can do at home.

Now...I admit this, I HAVE kinda wimped out this week and done basically nothing but ADL, and seriously that's about it. I did walk a super long way yesterday visiting a friend in the hospital and really think the distance was too much, but other than that I haven't done any exercises since my PT last week, and I've only Iced once. I wanted to see if I could be ok, as I'd read from a post from one of our leaders here that they did basically NO exercise and no PT. Please instruct me on what I need to do from this point on, I am needing bonesmart direction, lol, thank you

 

[sistersinhim]

Ice and elevation is the best thing you can do. I am one of those that never did exercise or PT and I'm doing great! After a really busy day, I still ice and elevate. It is the best thing for pain relief. Good luck.