Revision TKR Elaine’s slow-as-a-snail revision recovery

[eelainea65]

Quick question: As predicted, I spoke too soon. Have any recent TKR-ers (original or revision) experienced a spike in pain 9 or 10 days post-surgery?

Perhaps unrelated, but bruising is now remarkably noticeable. *owww*

Having to up the meds

 

[Irish471]

@eelainea65 , once that bruising appears, yes, it definitely hurts more I am sorry to hear that friends are surprising you with their lack of concern. I experienced that, but with my daughter of all people! She's a senior in high school and over scheduled like no one else I know. My Mom was in town to help and my daughter went to her Dad's house for those first 2 weeks. It would have been nice to have gotten a text message every now and again checking in on me. I'm over it now, but I was really hurt at the time.

 

[jboles]

@eelainea65 my first LTKR and this last revision I had very little bruising, but my entire leg was purple when I had the original RTKR. it was the most painful one. So I feel pretty sure the bruises could be the cause of your increased pain. Take your pain medicine on schedule and ice as much as you can. Hopefully it will subside soon.

 

[sistersinhim]

I bet you are a little more active now and that will cause increased pain. For every hour you are up elevate and ice for at least two. This formula worked well for me for the first few months. We single people have to really pace ourselves or we'll cause us extra pain and swelling. Slow and easy is the best way!

 

[Celle]

The bruises have been there ever since your surgery. They didn't just happen, but they may be more visible now, since your knee swelling has decreased. From their colour in the photo, they are well on their way to being absorbed.

I agree with sistersinhim, that the increased pain is possibly because you are being a little more active.

Have you seen some of the examples of bruising in this article?
Bruising after surgery

 

[eelainea65]

@Irish471 TY and I’ll PM you later.
@jboles Wow, sure didn’t expect this. @sistersinhim I did have a couple outings in the first week that wore me out. When you say “up,” do you mean awake or on my feet? Because there ain’t no way I can be standing/walking for an entire hour at this point! O_o But, yeah, slow and easy works for me!
@Celle Past 24 hrs have been a struggle. Bruising is looking darker and puffier. Thanks! I’ll check out your link. Just feeling a bit paranoid about clotting.

Had gotten a bit cocky before this bruising appeared. Was forgetting to take oxy (made it to eight hrs) and was even able to sleep on each side versus my back. Two steps forward, one step back. Time to shift gears. *sigh*

I know each day is a gift, but I’m sure wishing I could fast forward.

Elaine

 

[Celle]

Had gotten a bit cocky before this bruising appeared. Was forgetting to take oxy (made it to eight hrs)

I think that's your answer to the increased pain. At this stage, you still need to be taking your pain meds on a regular schedule, or else you'll be playing catch-up with the pain.

Just feeling a bit paranoid about clotting.

Those bruises aren't a sign of clotting and if you're worried about a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) you're more likely to feel pain from that in your calf.

 

[sistersinhim]

When you say “up,” do you mean awake or on my feet? Because there ain’t no way I can be standing/walking for an entire hour at this point!

I was just using that as an example. When you are up and walking around you should rest, ice and elevate at least twice that amount of time. In your early stage I was up only long enough to get a drink or food, get more ice, brush my teeth and wash off, things like that. We call those ADL, (activities of daily living). That is all I did. When not doing one of those things, I was down icing and elevating on my lounge doctor.

 

[eelainea65]

Twelve days. Should it still hurt *this* much?! Even while in recliner, adequately medicated w/ oxy and tyl, and with ice pack atop?! I feel like a wuss. =‘( ADL are barely manageable. Getting socks on is almost impossible. Can’t even imagine formal PT yet. Neuropathy in foot is maddening (ice cold/tingling/buzzing)? ISO: a magic pill/elixir or secret remedy to feeling infinitely better right NOW. In the meantime, any late April/early May lurking TKR-ers care to brief me (provide insightful tidbits, not underwear) on your current status? (Pronounced stā-tus like Jean-Luc Picard—the only man I’d attempt a heel slide for just yet)
P.S. My knees greatly appreciated elevation the first time around. This time—nope. Downright uncomfortable.
P.P.S. Lest my post sound disproportionately negative, I will concede I no longer need to hoist leg into bed with towel/belt, I don’t require walker or trekking poles at home, and continue to be blessed by regular visits from the Poop Fairy. =P

Pity party still in full swing,
Elaine

 

[Rather]

@eelainea65 I'm 5 days newer to this than you and I feel like a wuss reading your post! You can lift your leg without a lifter (my constant companion), I need my trusty walker to go anywhere in the house, and the poop fairy is hanging out with you and not with me (guess I'm not one of the popular girls...). I'm sorry that your meds, elevation and icing aren't helping with the pain. Pain is not terrible for me, but I am elevating and icing about 22 hours a day as well as staying regular with my pain meds. However, I am very, very tired of attempting sleep in a recliner or on the sofa with my legs elevated. I tried a bed for one night, but that was a disaster of pain and no sleep. Basically, I'm not in a great deal of pain, but I'm not comfortable one bit.

From reading on this forum, it appears that most of us will host our own pity party more than once during the recovery. I know that I have already cried more in a week than I have done all year. And at least you don't need the walker to go get tissues

 

[DLR]

@eelainea65 @Rather ...well girls I want to tell you there is hope...at 5 weeks I feel I have turned a corner...I have slept in my bed for the last 4 nights and pain is well managed with Tylenol and Advil. Hang in there what you are feeling is normal...and it seems to take forever

 

[sistersinhim]

It is the little positive improvements that get us through this recovery. You are getting those, so you're on the way!

 

[eelainea65]

Oh, noooooo. Is this common at 2 wks post-op?! Awaiting call from on-call orthopedic surgeon. O_o

 

[jboles]

I’m glad you called your OS. Keep us informed as to what they say. Hugs to you.

 

[sistersinhim]

I'm so glad you call your doctor. Let us know what you find out. Did you do anything different?

 

[eelainea65]

Didn’t do anything. Totally random. My foot felt wet and looked down to see... Icky. Hematoma. It wasn’t a pleasant night. Hadn’t had dinner. Feet were freezing, but I couldn’t get socks on. Was scared and alone. =‘( Anytime I moved, it would start up again. Trashed the bed sheets. Don’t even want to check condition of my new mattress. O_o Anyways, I’m waiting for a ride to my 2-wk post-op. I’m exhausted and have to go down lots of stairs (3rd fl). When the on-call doctor called last night, he asked for pictures of incision. Asked if I had chills or a fever. He wrote back, ”Soft gauze dressing with an overlying ace wrap for compression. I'd normally have you be seen here, but with your appointment coming up so soon I'd prefer you be evaluated as an outpatient by your surgeon. I'm sorry this happened. We'll see you tomorrow.“
Not my most coherent post. I’m out of it. Thank you for the well wishes. I’m behind on my tagging.
P.S. Had neither gauze nor an Ace wrap, but feminine products, packing tape, and my bathrobe belt seemed to work. I should probably look into getting some. =|

 

[sistersinhim]

What a headache you have to go through just to get to the doctor. What time do you go? Please keep us informed.

 

[Lindylee]

Hope everything is ok. Thinking of you. Take care.

 

[Jamie]

I hope things are better for you once you see your surgeon today. Please let us know what he has to say and how you're doing. You did the correct thing by calling the on-call doctor. And his recommendation to wait for the surgeon to see you today was appropriate, if the amount of blood shown in your photo was typical of what you're experiencing. You were very creative to come up with feminine products, packing tape and a belt. Good for you!

Just as a hint going forward, please try not to compare this recovery with any other that you've had or with what someone else experiences. Everyone's recovery is unique. Even when a surgeon does bi-lateral surgery the recovery of one leg compared to the other can be quite different. There are too many factors that play into the process for anyone to predict how recovery will go.

 

[Irish471]

@eelainea65 , you poor thing! I also had a hematoma and had horrible pain the first couple of weeks. Mine did not bleed out like yours. I surely would have fainted! It hurt like !!! He had my stop the aspirin immediately.

Please let us know how you are! We worry