Bilateral TKR Got out of surgery at about 5pm 6/4/2013

[skigirl]

Really by 4 weeks, I was feeling better--no pain meds and by 8 weeks, I went on a 20 mile bike ride. Don't worry--you cannot rush recovery, it will happen though.

 

[Titianlady]

Yes, just like the others said, it differs from person to person. But usually by 8 weeks, you will feel some better..by 12 weeks you should feel human again. By 6 months almost there. By 1 year most folks are not thinking of their knees.

Some folks do take longer if they had issues, but even then, it does get better with time.

You seem to be doing very, very well!! I have a feeling by 3 months you will be feeling better than ever.

 

[bottomshollow]

At 19 months post op, I go for hours everyday without thinking about my knees at all. Needing to squat, going down steps and having to kneel are the major reminders, but not enough of a problem or discomfort that I dwell on it.

 

[Organist]

Welcome to the group.

I've only had my right knee replaced (April 10, 2012). However those who have had both knees replaced often have different experiences from one knee to the other -- each one on its own "schedule of recovery". I was soooo glad to be able to go to the mall and start mall walking again after the first month that I was already glad that I had it done. I was on the pain meds until the end of June - about 3 months. However in June (with my knee in charge of the schedule), I started taking less and less pain meds over that month -- something before I went to bed and something in the morning. Of course, some days it was helpful to take something mid-afternoon. Your knee will let you know when you can ease up.

Everyone has given great suggestions.

 

[referee54]

You would think that, having both knees replaced at the same time, would allow for both to recover at the same rate. Nope---my right knee was always the "problem child" and was always either lagging behind, stiffening up, or just acting up now and then.

 

[pdx]

The first month to six weeks can be tough indeed. Stick to your prescribed exercise program, ice & elevate, and treat yourself kindly. Some people rely more on painkillers than others. (Here's where I disagree with the Bonesmart mantra.) First, while it's important to stay on top of pain -- don't wait until you're really hurting to take your pill -- there's no sense in over-medicating, either. If you've been prescribed OxyContin, try to step down from it, or use less than the maximum dose, sooner rather than later. Yes, it works for pain, but it also has side-effects galore.
The same is true for all the opioids. "One or two every four to six hours" doesn't mean "take two every four hours" for everyone. The analogy would be whether a 130-pound 5-foot-4 woman can drink the same amount as a 250-pound 6-foot-2 man & have the same blood-alcohol level. Don't think so!
OK, so that's my rant. I certainly didn't switch to plain Tylenol on Day Two. But I truly believe that there's a difference between pain & some discomfort, and the side-effects of opioids just weren't worth it to me.
Aside from that, what Roy said is spot-on.

 

[gazelle7777]

I just got home from hospital yesterday. I had my surgery on June 4th. This is what they sent me home with to take:

OxyContin 5 mg---2 every 4hours

Tylenol 500mg ---2 twice a day

Stool softener and warfarin

Do you think this is a good combination for pain? I notice people on this board taking different things.

Also: They only sent me home with enough pain pills for three days?... So now I have to call and ask for more. What is up with that I wonder? I have PT starting next week and I can hardly get up and down my own stairs the pain was so bad.

Thanks for listening. I am having a very restless night AGAIN. I really have not slept well since the surgery.

 

[bottomshollow]

gazelle7777, I have merged your four recovery threads. We prefer that you keep everything about your recovery in one thread as we have all your information in one area. This makes it much easier to answer questions or discuss concerns about your situation. Thank you so much for your cooperation. And if you'd like a new thread title, just let me know and I'll make the change for you.​

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If you want to be sure a new question will be answered in the most timely fashion, tag admins or moderators to get their attention. To tag a forum member, all you have to do is to type @ directly in front of their user name with no space between the @ and the user name. Be sure that you correctly type the user name or it will not work. To be sure that the member is tagged, look at your post after you have clicked "Post Reply"; if the tag worked, the user name will now be blue and underlined.

Do not follow the user name with a hyphen (-). The computer recognizes this as part of the user name, which it is not, and the tag fails. Also on occasion if the @ is the first thing on the line, it may be necessary to indent a couple of time to get it to work. This is why it is necessary to check your post after you have clicked "Post Rely" to be sure the tag has worked.

When the tag works, the member will get an alert at the top of his/her page, and by clicking the alert will be taken directly to your post.

 

[gazelle7777]

So every question I ask concerning me has to be only in this thread from now on? Hmm..O.K.

 

[bottomshollow]

Yes, gazelle, it makes it easier to answer questions and concerns when all your info is in one thread. Sort of like your medical file containing all your info---just think how hard it would be for your doctor if each thing was in a different file.

FYI: It is not necessary to use the "Quote This Message" to reply to a post. This feature should be used only when there is a post or several posts on another topic between your post and the post you want to respond to.

To reply to a post, just put your cursor in the dialogue box and start typing.

You can quote a sentence or a section of a post by simply highlighting it and clicking on the "Quote Me" oblong that appears in gray at the end of the highlighted selection. This is frequently a better choice than quoting a whole post.

Please do not be upset by this bit of info---many new members have this very same problem---so you're in very good company---and we're not mad at you---just trying to keep the forum neat and tidy.

 

[skigirl]

gazelle, most of the time, it is hard to reply to a person's questiion without all the info. It is good to have the ability to scroll down and see if the person, for instance, has had the same problem before. If you have a question that is very important to you, you can change the name of your thread---just tag one or two moderators and ask them to do that. To tag someone just type an @before the name they use on bonesmart. For me, it would be @skigirl---the tag turns blue after you post it. Most of the time, a prompt comes up while you are typing with the official name of the person. I have trouble with MaryO sometimes---so, if I type MaryO---her official name which is MaryO51 pops up for me. Let me know if you don't understand any of this!

I took exactly what you are taking---one or two 5 mg Oxycontin every 4 hours when I first came home from the hospital. But, it sounds like that might not be quite enough for you since you are having pain. I would call the OS office and ask for the 7.5 which is the next up strength---tell them you are having pain despite the drugs.

Most OS offices are rather stingy with pain meds. I would get enough for 10 days. I finally protested because with my insurance it was the same price for 10 or for 50. Finally, they gave me 25 at a time. If your OS office is far away from you, have them mail the script---you have to get a physical script for narcotics which are Class II. So, call now before you are completely out of them---ask for the nurse, it is faster or the PA if your doc has one. It was so much easier for me to deal with the PA---he would give me 50 at a time!!

The first two weeks are a critical time for pain---I mostly lay with my knees elevated on three pillows with ice packs and took one 5 mg Oxycodene every two hours for the first few days. ( one every two hours is the same as two every four hours) Then one every four hours, then one every six hours.

Also, in the beginning, pt is mostly massage and gentle stretching of your knee---I had no pain at all in pt and never took pain meds just for pt. Do NOT let the pt hurt you or your knee--it is not necessary at all. In fact, it is counterproductive if their actions cause additional swelling. For now, your goal should be to get the swelling down as much as possible. Anything that interfers with your goal is not to your benefit.

Don't worry too much---but call right away about the pain medications. If your OS is uncooperative, your GP might help.

 

[gidem]

I've been reading your posts and thinking of you. You seem to be on the right road to recovery. Do you have a someone at home to help you in terms of getting perscriptions filled etc. ?
Remember not to do too much and ice/elevate!!!
I'll be joining you on this journey beginning June 24th.

 

[gazelle7777]

Skigirl..... thanks so much for answering my question so perfectly! I have enough meds to get though to Monday (they gave me 5 days worth?????) so I will call first thing Monday morning and ask for 120 instead of 60 of the 5mg. I am taking a total of 10 a day right now. I do not want to go higher as the 5mg makes me dizzy and very out of it already. That with the tylenol is a good blend for my pain right now. In hospital they gave me a timed release Oxycontin with made me so sick!

As far as making threads and all that you wrote... on these drugs I could not put two and two together.LOL! Maybe I will figure it out down the road and read it when my head is clear.... and until then I will just only post on my thread. The main thing I am not getting is SLEEP. I am up and down all night -- it is awful. I asked my husband to please go sleep in the other room so he could get rest... but he says no. He is a trooper that is for sure!

One of my other main issues is stairs. I never did good on them during PT in the hospital. When I got home yesterday going up the two flights of stairs at home was AWFUL Pain, I felt uneasy and very unstable. Maybe Monday when I have to go back down the stairs to leave the house for getting my blood checked, I will feel better...I sure hope so.

Again your wonderful posts are so helpful I so appriciate you! please forgive if my post seems spacy

 

[gazelle7777]

I've been reading your posts and thinking of you. You seem to be on the right road to recovery. Do you have a someone at home to help you in terms of getting perscriptions filled etc. ?
Remember not to do too much and ice/elevate!!!
I'll be joining you on this journey beginning June 24th.

Gidem, hello! I have my Hubby home helping me. He took off two weeks of work to be my nurse. What would I do without him?? I feel my Dr. Is very aggressive with PT. yesterday--my last day in hospital before coming home , they pushed me so far that my knees were like balloons and I could hardly walk. Then I had to go from the car and up two flights of stairs....into my home. I have been resting and elevating all last night and this morning and my knees look and feel so much better. I am going to take today off of PT, as they were pushing it so hard on me from day one. Mt first PT session is Wenesday. . I know how important it is. I just do not want aggressive PT.

Is this your first surgery ? Write me anytime about how you feel. It was my first time in hospital, so I was very nervous. Please stay in touch with me --- I have a lot of time on my hands right now

 

[Nanners]

Some people need so much pain med, and another so much pain med. Treat YOUR pain to how YOUR pain is. We are all different in that aspect. I took pain meds for 3 months for my LTKR. I am still on pain meds, but I suffer with chronic pain, fibro and Crohns Disease so they are a must in my life. But I am not on the stronger ones I was taking when I had my tkr. Good luck to you! This is a slow ride, but slowly and surely you will get there. Hugs!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

I just do not want aggressive PT.

Do not permit them to hurt you. Tell them in no uncertain terms.

Goodness knows where these people get the idea that they have to push so hard, it is simply THE WRONG WAY to treat TKR.

 

[Nanners]

100% agree with Roy! I honestly think some of things my PT did have slowed down my recovery. With the way my body reacted the next day, I knew it was too hard. Slow and easy is best. Hugs!

 

[skigirl]

Do you have crutches at home? Stairs are easier with them. If not, just take it easy--if you have to, go down on your butt!! Now is the time to rest and recover and get rid of the swelling. It is not a time to have aggressive pt--speak up for yourself, so that you don't have increased swelling.

 

[bottomshollow]

Actually, gazelle7777, at this point in recovery PT is not important. Healing is what is important. Resting, elevating, icing, taking your meds on a schedule are important. Doing easy ankle pumps, leg raises, heel slides, quad and glute squeezes, and walking to get to and from the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and your special nesting place are all the exercise you need.

You could do this for the next couple of weeks and then start PT and probably be much better off.
As long as you have swelling, both flexion and extension will be affected. But there is no time limit and gaining ROM. And considering the trauma your knees have just undergone---they really need a lot of TLC not exercise. Remember, you OS not only used a scalpel but also a hammer, a drill, and a saw. Bone tissue, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and soft tissue all were assaulted and need time to heal without further assault.

I repeat what everyone else has said----DO NOT ALLOW PT TO CAUSE YOU PAIN!!!! These are your knees and you are in charge of what others do to them. After all, the PT is working for you not the other way around. It will pay to have a conversation right off the bat about the BoneSmart way and how you want to do things. If the PT doesn't agree---get one that will! It's you and your insurance that's footing the bill for this. Don't pay someone to hurt you.

Would you please put your surgery date in your signature, as well as what surgery you had (i.e., LTKR, RTHR) like the rest of us do? You can find the instructions here: How to create a signature. But please also remember that our membership is international and for clarity use the International Date system being Jan. 10, 2013 or 10 Jan. 2013 rather than 1/10/13 or 10/1/13. Thanks so much for your cooperation. It is helpful to have it at the end of each post when responding to questions and concerns.​

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Take care, sweetie, and keep us posted. We care.

 

[gazelle7777]

I just followed the instructions to add my day of surgery to my signature. If it does not show up...I must have done something wrong.