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Bilateral TKR Heathme1's BTKR trouble

My OS is on vacation but a medical doctor came in again and I did get to tell him how insensitive he was for not reading my chart and telling me to just get up and go to the bathroom instead of using bed pans. He had not reviewed chart to see that PT never had time to dedicate to me. I will tell my OS of the horrible service (or lack of) I was given.
 
When you get to rehab make sure to demand pain meds on schedule or they will wait till you ask for it and you wil be behind the pain again. Also instruct them on how to elevate your legs and how to keep them iced correctly. Take charge, you are the boss they are the workers. Rehab can be good or bad depending on what you tell them to do. And don't let their PT hurt you either. Hang in there, it does get better.
Did you read about the depression that comes with this? It's natural to cry and be down, but it will pass too. Don't be too hard on yourself.
 
@heathme1 Good Morning! How are you feeling? Today you get to go to rehab, right? I hope you have a good experience there. It has to be better than the hospital you are in. Just be sure they don't hurt you. The rehab I was in was set on trying to bend my knee and get good numbers. Also, I did have to keep on top of the nurses for my pain meds. I was in a busy rehab, and learned I needed to speak up for myself. And don't hesitate to ring for ice. :ice: Best wishes for you!!!
 
I congratulate you on your two new knees! You are now a member of the exalted World-Wide BTKR Club, complete with a super-secret handshake.:snork::snork:

I am appalled to read of your treatment---that is absolutely horrible---when you are out of there and out of rehab, let them know how lousy your treatment was!

Hopefully the rehab will have better care for you---and you will be moving forward in your recovery!
 
@janway @referee I am in the rehabilitation place and they know all all about my horrible experience and have been very accommodating so far. My first therapy session is at 10am today, I am scared because they are talking strenuous and pain and this no pain no gain. I don't want to curse anyone today. I will come back to let you know how it goes.

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heathme1 said:
I am in the rehabilitation place and they know all all about my horrible experience and have been very accommodating so far
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that is wonderful news!!!
heathme1 said:
My first therapy session is at 10 am today, I am scared because they are talking strenuous and pain and this no pain no gain.
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Please remember that the PT folks actually work for you---tell them up front what you are willing to do and do not let anybody ever push you or bend you past the point of discomfort. "Draw the line in the sand", so to speak.

Please let us know how the session went when you are able.
 
I am so sorry to read about what you have been through. I will tell you my story and hope that it helps a little bit. I had BTKR on March 15. I was in the hospital for four days on the orthopedic floor where we went to physical therapy once a day. I was the only one of a dozen that had both knees done. Everyone else but me could stand and walk back to their room by the last day. For me standing was excruciating pain...mostly in my left knee. It just was not going to happen.

Let's back up...on my first day I was on a bed pan and had a pump for pain meds that I could ask for every so often. The next day it was bedside commode. Standing me up to get on that was so painful I cringe to think about it. After four days everyone else went home. I asked to go to a rehab hospital since I could not stand on my own. I was there for 10 days. We had PT for three hours but it was not over the top physical and they did not push me. By the end of it I could get myself to the bathroom without help. I was able to come home. My insurance paid for a hospital bed. The up and down feature was so helpful. Also I got a wheelchair. It helped a lot if I needed to roll to the refrigerator and fix something to eat. And it was one chair that I knew I could get out of and I could lock it and it was stable. So if your insurance pays for it don't decline it.

Every day things got better. Tomorrow is 10 weeks out for me. I know the pain you are going through and I want to assure you that it will get better and you will be so glad you had both knees done and don't have to go through it again.

Now I can walk without walker or cane inside the house. I use the cane outside for safety. I have zero pain. That is huge considering where I came from. I could drive myself to outpatient PT after four weeks. Now I can go to the grocery store or whatever I need to do if I take it easy and plan it out. I go to a small store so that I can park near the entrance and use a buggy for stability.

Keep on pressing through this and you will soon be over the hump. You are in my prayers!
 
I hope things are going better for you. Hopefully they're helping you get up and walk a little bit and not being overly aggressive with the PT.
 
I was livid when I read that the PT tickled your knees---how dare anyone do that?? are you five? is he?

And if someone comes in and says no pain, no gain suggest that they take additional training in how to rehab a TKR. That is no longer the way that is recommended by surgeons and PTs. Gentle stretching and exercise is the way to rehab a knee. Don't let anyone who is not trained try to talk you into letting him/her hurt your knee.
 
@heathme1, I was wondering how you are doing? I'm guessing you are still in the rehabilitation facility...?
I hope things are going better for you. This is a tough operation with a long road to recovery. But each day, I see improvements, and you will too! I hope you are able to get a lot of rest, ice, and meds!
 
Hello BS Buddies!

I came home yesterday from rehab and had to go back because my 12 yr old cousin noticed the staples and not the doctors, techs nor therapist even noticed these staples.

Last night was the worst because I could not get comfortable and my chairs are to low. I plan to rent a recliner that lift me out of chair and hopefully get sleep.

Any suggestions for a peaceful sleep.
 
@heathme1, I bet it feels good to be home! How was the rehab place you went to? I can't believe they forgot to take your staples out. Do you have home health aids coming to your home now?
My chair was too low too, so we bought bed lifts from Bed, Bath and Beyond and put them under the chair and bed and it made life a lot easier. I wish I had suggestions for a good nights sleep. It took me some time to be able to sleep through the night. :bored:
 
Hi All.. I have really been going through and I am still experiencing major pain and have had two MUAs and this last MUA did not work or they could have broke my leg (OS words). My right leg is bent and it's cause foot and ankle pain.

I have to decide on cutting scar tissue away or replacing the spacer (left knee spacer is 12 and right knee is 14). Replacing spacer is what he suggested last year before I returned to work. I am looking for information on anyone that has had a spacer changed out or do nothing and live with watching on my tiptoe.

I am a basket case and if I wasn't taking care of a parent with dementia I would be in someone's psych ward... I cry all the time because I am in same place as I was before surgery. It's not even a year ugghh!

Can anyone help me with any information on spacer replacement or cutting scar tissue.

Thank you for any input and suggestions.




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Oh My. My first reaction would be to go and find a revision specialist to check you out, one who has no connection to your original team. To be in a bad way so long after surgery is just wrong.
 
Roy Gardiner said:
Oh My. My first reaction would be to go and find a revision specialist to check you out, one who has no connection to your original team. To be in a bad way so long after surgery is just wrong.
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Thanks for your response, finding a revision specialist will be something I will look into.


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I agree completely. if you pull up the websites of the practices near you and then look at the bios of the doctors, you will find the ones who handle revisions. Get a practice separate from your surgeon's. I know that the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC specializes in joint replacements, if all else fails.

I have had a spacer replacement, but I would not allow your surgeon to touch your knee again---you need new eyes on the problem. I had fairly normal rom, but you could pull my tibia forward a very little bit---thus the spacer was a little small. The spacer replacement was nothing compared to the tkr---but I really doubt that the spacer is the problem with your knee. Two MUA's is extreme====Please have someone else look at the knee.
 
I had what is called an "open lysis of adhesions" which is a removal of scar tissue. He also did a spacer replacement---he felt that the small spacer caused some motion in the joint and that motion had made the adhesions worse. I was in pain for two or three days, spent a lot of time on the couch!! I did no pt for 3 weeks and then very gentle pt for 8 weeks. I do have good rom---but your problem is more and I am not sure that the spacer is the problem. I would like to hear from a revision specialist.
 
Thanks @skigirl, I need to start looking into another surgeon that specializes in revision because I need to make sure this is what I need and not trial and error.


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I'm not smart on any of this I just wanted to send hugs and prayers ✝
 
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