TKR FitGal’s Recovery

[FitGal]

Well, yesterday I got a new Right Knee! Now it’s Day 1 with new knee!!! Still in hospital, PT today and this afternoon. Even though I had a spinal, I threw up for the first 12 hrs after surgery....uhhhh. Now that is controlled and trying to stay on top of the pain. Due to all the nausea, pain, and lack of flexibility on the knee - I’m staying one more night in hospital. Praying it gets better from here - but the knee feels like a concrete brick!

 

[Celle]

Hello @FitGal - and to recovery at last.
Please will you tell us the full date of your knee replacement, so we can make a signature for you? Thank you.

You were going to have your Right TKR in July. Was it postponed for some reason?

Here is your recovery reading.
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

the BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity progression for TKRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Care In Hospital​

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.

 

[FitGal]

Hi! I got my RTKR surgery yesterday, July 23rd. Thank you for the above info and links!

 

[Atlas_aus]

Hello,

Welcome to the other side. Lot's of great information here.

7 weeks post BTKR and the best advice I can give is REST, ICE & ELEVATE. Don't worry about trying to do too much else. Moving around home is more than enough exercise. Once you have healed then you can worry about exercising.

Good luck.

 

[snowdrop]

Oh, you’re definitely in the right place here! Congrats on the baby knee! Now it’s time to pamper it. Read all the articles given to you as they will help immensely! Cheering you on!!

 

[FitGal]

Note to self - do NOT wait 5 hours between pain medicine!!! Not sure why hospital delayed in giving me some last night...I guess they just wait for people to ask for it....

 

[Chemist]

Hello @FitGal:

Congrats on the new knee. This site is a great place for information and for support when you need it.

Try to be patient (do as I say, not as I do - I am terrible at being patient). Recovery is a long haul. There will be ups and downs along the way but I hope in the end you find that the surgery was a good decision.

Take care and good luck

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Congratulations on your new knee! Reading the recovery articles Celle left for you is a good start to recovery. Remember, this recovery is a roller coaster; the ride won't be easy but it will be worth it down the road. Get lots of rest, ice and elevate while you're resting and read the activity progression article often as a reminder not too do too much, or too little, as you recover. Good luck and please keep us posted!

 

[Ladyala]

to recovery! Praying you can keep the pain at bay...the first week for me I set alarms so I didn't get behind schedule.

 

[FitGal]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes and advice. I am finally home from the hospital after a two night stay. My BP was really low while I was in Hospital along with the nausea, so they kept me a second night. I am now in my recliner at home and moving to the bed soon. I am icing and elevating... but interestingly, my temp is elevating a bit too. I am thinking that it might be the recliner and blanket increasing my body temp along with no IV, but it is like 100.4 degrees. I will start worrying if it goes higher than that. In the hospital, my temp stayed around 97 - 98 degrees.... so, hmmm. Praying it is nothing!

 

[kbbroiler]

Taking it like a champ! As far as the nauseua small complications like this does happen after surgery. Want to hear mine? Well they put me to sleep for the surgery so what happened when I got up guess what happened after 8 hours? I could not pee so had my very first cathetar. I took that like a champ as well. I work for the same hospital to where I had my surgery so I used cringe when I used to see men walking with these things. Then getting one guess what? It wasn't so bad. I still see the same nurse who gave it to me. I even bought her a coffee for her fine job when I came back to work. I like to say I gained some super powers after that experience because it was something I was afraid of. Then going into surgery I knew this was a possibility and it happened but it was not bad at all. When they took it out, I laughed and said wow that was long. They tell you to take a deep breath going in and coming out. I didn't have any problems peeing after that but that's my post surgery drama. I had my surgery almost 2 years ago in November of 2017. I was back to work in April of 2018 and back to full duties in May and right now I'm typing this message from work. So good luck to you with your new knee and I do love the fact I can do things now with out pain and you will love it too!

 

[luvcats]

Welcome to recovery! Sorry to hear you had so much trouble with nausea.

 

[FitGal]

Hi All - I have weaned off of the Percocet during the day and taking just tylenol and advil. The swelling is getting worse by the minute..... had no idea my leg (knee, calf and quads) could get this swollen. I've been mostly in recliner all day with ice and elevation. Any advice to get the swelling to go down?

 

[Benay]

I'm definitely not an expert by any means, but I think it's time, icing, elevation, rest.

 

[FitGal]

Thanks @Benay - definitely hoping it reduces tomorrow. I pulled the FNB out today - so maybe that was assisting in reducing the swelling - not sure. Looks like you and I are both SoCal girls!

 

[lovetocookandsew]

My guess is that because you're only three days out, it's more likely normal post surgery swelling, but I'm going to tag @Josephine to address your concerns.

 

[Benay]

@FitGal OC

 

[FitGal]

@Benay RPV

 

[Benay]

Luv it.

 

[Chemist]

Howdy:

I was in a recliner and didn't initially elevate enough. I needed to readjust things so I was elevating properly (followed the provided info). That seemed to help a bit with my swelling.

Good luck