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TKR Getting somewhere at last!

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Larosser said:
I've come to the conclusion that "we" (the people with the new knees) and "they" (the people who set the standards for recovery) just aren't talking about the same thing.
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Spot on! Books written by people who haven't had knee replacements... right, good.
Larosser said:
Walk up stairs? Sure, if I were dying of thirst and that's where the water was.
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This kind of analogy can work. Walk up stairs? Sure if I were desperate and at the top of the stairs Catherine Zeta Jones on the other hand in this kind of analogy madness lies eh Roy just let it go what?
 
There is some humour in the situation. I wish you could see.my husband and I trying to put those surgical stockings on! Laurel and Hardy could do a better job! If it wasn t so sore it d be hilarious. Gotta laugh!
 
speccybecky said:
There is some humour in the situation. I wish you could see.my husband and I trying to put those surgical stockings on! Laurel and Hardy could do a better job! If it wasn t so sore it d be hilarious. Gotta laugh!
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hose TED hose were horribly difficult to put on---i was outsmarted by them on several occasions!

My wife and I laughed about ti, too!
 
Only 3 weeks out - heck, I was still high on Percocet until week 4. Seriously, don't push it. The joint has been cut, hammered, pounded, split, etc., it'll move on when it's ready to. Not only is there the physical recovery, but the mental aspect, too (i.e., crying, impatience, etc.). Take a look at the amount of energy that your body expends toward the joint via the chart Josephine has in the articles area. I'm confident you'll see that the entire body (physical and mental) can only do so much when vast amounts of energy are being spent on the healing process. Makes a lot of sense when you see the charts....Keep the faith. :thumb:
 
Hi, speccybecky....what a fun name! Welcome to BoneSmart.

I'd say that booklet would make a good cover for the bottom of the bird cage! Don't let ANYONE push you into times or goals for recovery. Your knee is your own and it will get better on its own schedule.

You are right that the USA does tend to do more therapy as a routine thing after surgery. This can be good and bad, because we often have therapists who push and shove tender knees and cause them to swell and hurt. The best thing you can do for yourself is to rest, ice, elevate and take your pain medications on a set schedule. Each day you should do some gentle stretches and bends to keep the knee moving....actually do this several times throughout the day. You'll do just fine with this!

Are you having any pain? I'm curious also about what pain meds you're on and how often.

Three weeks is SO VERY EARLY in recovery. The doc who said you would be back at work in 6 weeks did you no favors. That's not likely and a more realistic timeframe would be 10-12 weeks....and then you would start gradually with days of rest in between work days.

Here are some threads in the BoneSmart Library for you to read to start you off. I suggest you spend some time going through the threads there and in the recovery forum and you'll have a better idea of the recovery process.

The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
How Long Does Healing Take ......
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevating your leg to control swelling and pain
Using ice

Discussion on managing pain in TKR surgery
Work “Smarter” and not “Harder”
About recovering a knee - from one who knows!
Some suggestions for home physio (PT) and activity progress
Myth busting: The "window of opportunity"
 
Thanks Jamie, I left hospital on 27 jan after op on 23rd taking 8 paracetamol and 8 tramadol plus 2 aspirin to thin blood and was doing ok . When I left nurse said not to try and reduce these. At 2 weeks, hospital phoned to ask after me. Told me not to take tramadol as routine, just to take paracetamol and only take a tramadol if after an hour I still had pain. Now routine had fallen in to - take paracetamol first thing, wait in bed half an hour do exercises. Wash and go for a 30/40 walk on 2 sticks. weather permitting. Come back and ice. Then more paracetamol, lunch, exercises,, sometimes another walk, sometimes I fall asleep! Then same meds and dinner, walk around house ,ice, meds ,exercises and bed. Usually take 1 tramadol early evening and again at bedtime. Often take one in the early hours too. By the way that book also says not to sleep during day which is not realistic if you've only slept 3 /4 hours in the night!
 
speccybecky, Please listen to your body. It will tell you how far to walk, sleep, take easy. and don't forget ice. You had a very big surgrey and your body is doing the best it can so just back and remember while your reasting read a book, movie or just call a friend; remember you can come here any time you want and we have lots of information and excellent people so please keep posting and let us know how your doing. :doggieshmooze: tashia:yes 4:
 
Hi Speccybecky, and welcome to Bonesmart. You have gotten some great advice already and every word is gospel. Be patient, rest, ice, medicate, and remember that you will get there eventually. I am almost 6 months post op and am no where near recovered, there is still improvement ahead for me. I have felt very challenged by this surgery as you are being challenged now. Just try not to compare your progress with others, and celebrate the small victories.

We are all here to offer support and encouragement, so post away!

Best,

Dawn
 
Doc assured me I'd dance at my son's wedding in September,depresses me that maybe I won't after all :((
 
speccybecky said:
Doc assured me I'd dance at my son's wedding in September,depresses me that maybe I won't after all :((
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Yes you will.

You are only three weeks out, you have eight months to go.

As of today, you rest, ice, elevate. Exercise is (a) extension stretches, if you need them (b) ROM stretches. Nothing that hurts! As long as you don't put force through the knee, the stretches won't hurt.

You say Wash and go for a 30/40 walk. Is that minutes? I bet your knee swells up afterwards. No need for walking 30 minutes, or even 3 minutes come to that.

Relax, watch telly, take it easy. If you did that for 4 months, you've still got another 4 to get ready to dance. If you overdo it now, recovery will be inhibited indefinitely.
 
In hospital I was told by physio that after I slide heel as far as I can to bum I should hook a sheet round my foot and pull up as hard as I can to extend stretch ? I can move it a bit further doing this
 
You will dance speccybecky! I had my TKR in June and I danced at my son's wedding in September. You have a long way to go and it is so early in your recovery. You will see that things will change in a couple of months.
 
Ripken4233 said:
Not only is there the physical recovery, but the mental aspect, too (i.e., crying, impatience, etc.).
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Oh, geez, the mental aspect. My mom had surgery the same time I had mine (she lost part of her foot to diabetes) and I stayed with my parents for a couple weeks (their house is fully handicapped accessible). We were both on oxycontin and my dad would walk into the room and we'd both be sobbing in our ez-lift recliners. Could have been anything- a TV commercial, a sad moment in "NCIS", talking about my childhood, or the fact we had soup for lunch. My dad walked in one time, we were both holding our Nerf guns and crying. I don't remember why now, but all he did was shake his head and walk back out. And he didn't bring us our Nerf darts. (hey, it was entertaining to us!) :wink1:

speccybecky said:
Doc assured me I'd dance at my son's wedding in September,depresses me that maybe I won't after all :((
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Yes, you will! My recovery was rife with setbacks and a five and a half months out, I walked all over the renaissance faire- in period garb!- without my cane. It was my first "big" outing since the surgery.

You might not be slamming out a breakdance routine, but you'll be dancing. :thumb:
 
Please be patient!!!
You need time and rest to recover from this. I pushed myself to get ROM and strength, but always got smacked down. I just didn't learn. don't make that mistake!!!
You will dance. You have tons of time to heal before the wedding.
Please don't force your knee to do anything except heal!
Best,
Sandy
 
Originally Posted by speccybecky https://bonesmart.org/forum/showthread.php?p=285976#post285976
...By the way that book also says not to sleep during day...

Not sleep during the day?
Roy Gardiner said:
:hysterical: The book is not in charge. Your knee is in charge -- and it knows it! (And so do you :thumb: of course)
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Roy is so right. The knee knows. If your body tells you to sleep--sleep. I'm a big believer in the power of sleep in healing. And I think Josephine might even say it's scientific--your body needs rest to focus on the healing.:scratch:

it sounds to me like you're doing fine.
 
Specckybecky, Please listen to these wonderful folks. I had My RTKR on Jan. 9, 2012 and I am so much better since I have started heeding their advice. I am doing short days at work now when I can, elevating, ice, ice, ice! Gentle exercise. My life has changed.
Lilly
RTKR
Jan .9, 2012
 
Any suggestions for the middle of the night when have used up doses of painkillers till the morning and ice has melted
 
Get some more ice. Maybe do a little walk around the house. If you have an exercise bike, you could do a few turns on it. You might try a heating bad at the small of your back.

But....what you really need is proper pain medication. Your comment tells me you are not getting it. Most pain meds (over the counter and prescription) are only effective for about 4 hours. So what's happening is that it wears off and you wake up in pain.
 
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