TKR Here goes knee #2 - looking for another success story

[sandbar525]

@spihaven Bravo!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

of course exercising causes swelling which can lead to a throbbing kind of pain - but that is easily handled with ice and elevation

Please see the wise words below...

my knee is totally in charge and if it is tight or sore at all I DON'T DO ANYTHING

...and cut back on any exercise that causes any kind of swelling or pain, it's not helping.

 

[spihaven]

So - I am now 24 days out from surgery - went to my first outpatient physical therapy and had no real problems - my current ROM is 0 dgs and 118 dgs - so things are progressing nicely. I have pretty much weaned myself down to 2 Norco (10/325) a day and supplement with a couple of Tramadol if needed - sleeping quite well and I now have allowed my dogs back into bed with me - which makes us all very happy. I could walk quite easily without a cane if it were not for my bad left knee (which will be replaced in April 2015) but since I still have a lot of pain with that knee I am choosing to use the cane and will continue to do so. I have been cleared to begin working on the recumbent bike and when I see my surgeon on Thurs I am pretty sure I will be cleared to drive. I have little to no swelling - but continue to ice and elevate 2-3 times a day and especially after activity. I have now dropped all the weight I gained from swelling and IVs and am back to my prehospital weight -

So - things here are moving along quite well - I will post another update after I see the surgeon on Thurs.

 

[sandbar525]

@spihaven Congratulations on your continued success. You've obviously got things dialed in!

 

[Angel1978]

Hi all - As with most people I was very afraid of my TKR surgery - but I have to say - I am doing GREAT 1 week post op - the hardest thing for me with this surgery was the nausea and vomiting due to the heavy pain meds - so - after the first day in the hosp I am only on Norco 10/325 and am having no pain except when doing my exercises. I heard the horror stories of not sleeping, severe pain and inability to function - Happily I am not one of those patients. I am sleeping 5-6 hrs at a time, walking with a normal gait (of course with a walker), eating anything I want (including Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie) and have already attained 90 dgs of flexion and -8 dgs of extension. I am slowly getting back to my household routine and I was able to send my sister back to her house last night (6 days after surg). I have home PT twice a week at the house and then in 2 weeks will be going to outpatient PT.

Of course things can change and I may not always be this upbeat and I may run into problems later on - but I really wanted to give some hope to those who are afraid of the surgery and all the issues that come with it - that was what I was looking for when I was reading all of the forums and doing my research - I wanted to KNOW there were people who were not living in hell with their recovery.

I am not much of a forum poster but I will try and post at least once a week to give updates on my journey -

Way to go. Sleep is not me lol. Good luck. I get sick off Meds to. But have been given zophran so I can tolerate better.


SonnysWife

 

[LondonLady]

Great posts! Celebrate all the minor milestones! (Like back to normal with the canine companions)!

 

[vinny]

Glad to see you are doing so well....I did cancel my surgery once because of fear of becoming addicted to pain meds and postponed it twice by convincing myself my legs were getting better as if we can grow cartilage ....I hope your recovery continues onward and straight upward.....

Vincent

 

[spihaven]

Well - here it is 31 days post surgery and I have to say I am doing quite well - I saw my OS last Thurs and he is very pleased with my progress - I still have 0 dgs extension and now 125 dgs flexion. I have had only 3 home visits from PT and 1 out patient PT (more of an assessment) and I and the OS see no reason to continue PT - I belong to a gym and yesterday was able to go and get on the recumbent bike - Only did 5 minutes on the bike but had absolutely no problem getting the pedals to go around - I stopped there as I wanted to see what the results of that would be on my knee - and I am happy to report that I had no untoward results - so now I will be going to the gym 3 times a week and SLOWLY, SLOWLY work my bicycling back up to my usual 5-6 miles a day over a 30 minute period - but I will probably not get to that point for at least 6 weeks as I really want to do gradual incriments to judge the swelling and pain factor. I am basically only on Tramadol and Tylenol at this point and once in a great while still take a Norco 5/325 if I have to - but this is rare now.

I can go up and down the stairs like a normal person but choose not to because my left knee is so bad (this will be replaced sometime in April 2015). So my journey continues to consist of gentle exercise, elevation and icing and continued assessment of how I am doing with any added activity. Tomorrow my sister and I will be going to a local casino for 4-5 hours for an outing and of course my knee will swell some with that but that is ALL I am doing tomorrow - so when we come home I will once again ice and elevate.

I have read so many posts where people have had so much pain and trouble and I feel a little guilty that right now (knock on wood) my recovery has really been pretty easy. But I really have to say that I have followed the BS Mantra of letting my knee dictate what I do or don't do and with that and icing and elevation I have just had no real problems.

The only thing that really gets to me at times is the band feeling just above the knee - which I assume is that tight band feeling that others have referred to - but it is not painful at all - just annoying and I know in time that will disappear.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year - I will post again in a few weeks to update my progress

 

[kaw205]

@spilhaven, I am inspired and encouraged by your recovery posts. Well done!
Karen

 

[SuperSnapper]

Excellent report. Glad you are doing so well. I'd love to go back to the gym and get on the bike but don't see my OS until 20th Jan to get the OK. I'm so pleased for your success.

 

[spihaven]

I have to say that finding BS and reading all the material and really listening to the ups and downs of others as they progressed through this surgery has been invaluable. I have learned so much about this recovery and I believe the reason I have done so well is that I have not tried to PUSH through this and instead just listened to my knee and SLOWLY increased activity and exercise and then evaluated what the results were the following day on my pain and swelling - and - I have to admit I have not been focused on my ROM numbers. For me that is detrimental in that I would be pushing to get MORE and MORE range and I know (from all that I have read on this forum) that in time with slow progression and decrease of swelling it will come - but if I don't get any more I am just happy right where I am - because I can do everything I need to with this ROM.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

:iagree: Perfect attitude, IMO.

 

[spihaven]

@Orthodoc -Hi - I have a question for you. I have been cleared by my OS to exercise in the pool - but I forgot to ask him about using the hot tub - do you think it would be ok to have limited use of the hot tub - I had surgery on 11/21/2014 and am doing great - but I would like to get in some warm water therapy

 

[vinny]

Spihaven it is nice to see someone else enjoying a rapid recovery...My OS told me to stay out of the pool and hot tubs until my incision was completely closed with no scabbing....I did not question but guess is would have some entry point for bacteria and risk of infection......Continued success and best wishes.

Vincent

 

[Orthodoc]

Hot tub is ok when the incision is completely healed and also you are confident enough to get in and out of the tub without slip or fall.

Orthodoc

 

[Angel1978]

Glad to know ;). I hope all of your recovery issues is met and u have a smooth one. Good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum SonnysWife

 

[spihaven]

Thanks @Orthodoc - My incision is totally healed now and so yesterday I ventured into the Jacuzzi - wow did that feel good - no problem getting in or out of the Jacuzzi - I am now also using the gym recumbent bike and have gotten up to 2 miles in 20 minutes (far cry from my usual 6 miles in 30 minutes but I am going VERY slow in order to make sure I do not stress my knee). My left knee is really a mess and that one will be replaced in April 2015 sometime - and I can't wait - i have to say that my recovery from my right TKR has been pretty uneventful. I can go up and down stairs like a normal person (except when my left knee is bothering me) and have resumed pretty much all my regular activity - again I take things slow, continue to monitor my swelling and ice/elevate as appropriate - I am off all pain meds except for Aleve, tylenol and when needed a Tramadol - given that I am approximately 40 days out from surgery I would say that is pretty good....

 

[spihaven]

Hope 2015 brings everyone some good healing - I continue to be doing pretty good - did over do it I believe at the gym the other day on the bike as the inner side of my knee is sore - not horribly so but enough I have had to ice and elevate more than my usual - the jacuzzi also is helping with that and I am sure in a few more days it will be fine - I am now noticing some clicking in my knee but I think from what I read that is somewhat normal - but hope it stops soon as it is annoying - anyway today is a football day for me and my family as has been our tradition - so it will be a day of rest, elevation, ice for me (though since it is very cold here in S. Calif in the low 40s ice does not sound so good right now - we are not use to that kind of cold - but feel guilty for even saying that with so many people in much more colder climate) - anyway - Happy New Year to all

 

[vinny]

Spihaven if you have ever seen the TKR surgery you will know that it is a pretty rough procedure with lots of banging and hammering and bones get bruised...painful and long time to heal compared to a bruise under the skin.. I also have clunking in both knees more so in the morning and not all day and I am told it is fairly common and can disappear in time as healing continues but may also be permanent....I understand as long as it is not painful not to worry...I ice every day regardless of lack of pain and always after a round of golf.....best wishes..

Vincent

 

[spihaven]

Thanks Vincent - that is exactly when my clunking happens - You and I are pretty close in proximity of surgery - though I did not do bilateral - my left knee will be done in April - I feel my recovery has been pretty uneventful and with only being 6 weeks out from surgery I consider myself one of the lucky ones with very minor issues - I would be playing golf myself now if it were not for my bad left knee - but that will have to wait now for awhile. My walking is also limited because of the left - so I do most of my exercising at the gym on the bike - which of course will help my quads on the left for that surgery.....Here is hoping 2015 brings continued success for all of us.