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Revision TKR Hmm. Not thrilled with the revision yet

:console2: I hope you have a good day tomorrow.
 
I am usually so in control of my emotions and frankly everything. Today - that's all gone by the wayside.
I've cried, been upset, cried some more and pain isn't under control. Feel like a mess, oh wait, I am!

I have 6 full strength pain pills to last until Wed. This makes me furious. I can call and get some ordered, but it will be Tuesday evening before I get them. My appointments Wed morning - I don't see a point. I'm taking two smaller pills hoping to make up the difference and Tylenol.
I'll make do but I don't have to like it.

Current complaint over. I'm putting myself to bed with elevation and ice - that just has to help.
 
:console2: :console2:

It truly is unfair the way pain management after major surgery is these days.

Cry and vent here all you want, we’re here for you.
 
Today's been a better day. I have an appointment with the surgeon in the morning. Can't wait to get these staples out. Oddly the top 3 are itchy - none of the other ones.

I think he'll be pleased with everything - at least I am. I know I'm bending at 90+ which is huge for me. I am concerned though how hot to the touch the knee / leg really are. That's on the list to ask about tomorrow. I'll have my 'true' numbers tomorrow.

Staying down, elevating, medicating and icing are simply all I can do. Anything else and the swelling gets swollen!! I'll report in after the appointment. The friends that are taking us were thinking we'd be having lunch out after the appointment. I'm thinking that's too much. But we can order in. We'll work it out.
 
Surgeons visit today. Removed 49 staples and now have steri-strips. No showering or anything for 48 hrs. Then I can cover them with saran wrap and shower. I am exactly two week post surgery and I was 7 and 89. He was very pleased. I'm already better at two weeks post than pre-surgery.

I have quite a bit of swelling overall, and medially a huge amount of swelling. He went over you can't ice too much. And the importance of elevation. He wants me still using the walker, and maybe next week at home I can transition to a cane. If out of the house a walker 100% of the time. I ask about how hot this leg is and he said that's because its mad, and my job is to make it happy, with? You guessed it, elevation and ice. He had no problems handing me a prescription for pain medication - but that start spreading the time out. He also said instead of taking 2, break one in half and see if that would do.

He reviewed that just because the staples are out I'm not 'healed.' And that staying down now is absolutely vital. Walks around the house then back down. He kept saying give the knee the gift of recovery. So............that is what I shall do. We briefly chatted about mood, depression, constipation and said I'm to call if anything changes from how it is right now. I was please as was he. He watched me walk out and down the hall and said "that's a remarkable improvement, keep it up and rest."

I'd hoped to get lunch out - but I was ready to ice and elevate afterward. :loll:

The other thing is to not forget about the knee. When Its feeling good and I overdo, that's a setback he doesn't want me to go through. Very pleased with the progress. Next appointment is in 3 weeks.
 
I like your surgeon!!!
 
@eaglemom I am so impressed with your spirit and attitude even after everything you have been through. Congratulations on that. Sounds like you have a fantastic surgeon. The jury is still out on my surgeon because she definitely didn't have me resting the first two weeks. She had PT visit my home the day after my BTKR and had them cracking on me. Grant it, I had to still elevate and ice but I was disappointed at how many threads were posted saying how they were told to rest, rest, rest.

Sorry to hear about the pain management issue. I had my BTKR July 2 and my MUA August 7 and she only had me on Percocet and Tramadol. She just only changed it over to Vicodin a few days ago after I was complaining about having a difficult time sleeping.

Hoping the pain meds your OS gave you works great for you... you definitely deserve a break!!
 
I wish everyone had a surgeon like yours!
 
I agree with the others that I really like your OS too. He seems to have adopted the Bonesmart approach to recovery.
 
It's been a couple of rough days since I last posted. The day after the surgeon's visit was miserable. Of course I was up & on the leg more, then a car ride and walk into the appointment, etc. We've all probably had rough next days.

I've been stretching out between pain meds and sometimes its okay, then others I'm really hurting. Poor hubby, I'm not one prone to emotional outbursts but the last two days haven't been really fun!! I've been down, but I'm really having trouble elevating. It hurts just under my knee cap. I am elevating but maybe not as high as I should. That's today's goal.

Last night the pain got out of hand. Today is my 3 week mark - I mentally know how great I'm doing, but my knee is protesting!!! As many knee surgeries as I've had, this is by far the worst recovery. Of course it was also a bigger and longer procedure. I'm hoping to turn a corner. This is wearing me out and I'm worn out already. I know everyone here totally understands that statement.

I'm going to attempt to get a picture. I do have swelling, which is expected. But I have an odd area that just looks weird to me. Its just to the left side of the bottom of the incision. Its a pocket of swelling? That's my guess. I've tried wrapping it but it really doesn't help.

Back to bed for me. Hoping everyone is hanging in there. These knee surgeries aren't a piece of cake - oh cake, now that might make me feel better!!! Think I'll just grab a cup of hot tea and place myself on the bed.
 
I’m so sorry that this recovery is worse than the others. Your leg must be so upset at being assaulted again. Sometimes all we can do is endure. :console2:
 
Better days are ahead for you, I'm sure. Look at what all has been done to that poor right knee. No wonder it's protesting. You might need to stay on your pain meds a little longer. You know all about the icing and elevating, but maybe doing more of it will help. Are you able to elevate toes above nose? That should help with that extra swelling. Swelling adds to the pain level. Getting it down some should lower that pain.
 
Oh my goodness and what in the world? This leg has a mind of its own. I didn't sleep well, just couldn't get comfortable, but this morning I'm miserable. My thigh is screaming at me - like all of the small muscles are rebelling against any movement. The knee itself is sore and stiff. Let's toss in the shin - its tight also. Ugh.

I did nothing different yesterday. Matter of fact I was down more yesterday than I had been being. Absolutely nothing different in my day and now this awful feeling. I get it, we'll all have good days and bad days - just seems to me I'd have done something for this amount of pain.

I'm going to walk around the house for a couple of minutes then putting myself back to bed. Elevation, ice and medication. Let's hope some relief happens quickly.

I certainly hope everyone else is having a wonderful pain free (or almost pain free) day. I'm even more convinced that knee's have a mind of their own!!!
 
You might want to consider a call to your doctor today to let him know. I’m sure by now with all your surgeries you know what’s par for the course and what’s not. And if it doesn’t improve by tomorrow, definitely call, just to check in with them.

I’m so sorry you’re in so much pain. :console2:
 
Tell me what medications you're taking for your pain. Name of the med, strength, dosage and when you take each dose in a 24 hour period. It isn't necessarily abnormal to have the pain you're experiencing this close after surgery, but it is important to get it under control. Be sure and use your ice as much as you can for the pain and swelling. Just keep a towel between you and the ice source for your skin's protection. Please tag me when you respond with the medication information so I'll see your post quickly. You do that by typing the "at" sign (@) followed by my username with no space .... like this .... @Jamie
 
Jamie I have Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen 10-325. Prescription says 1 or 2 tablets every 4 hours as needed for pain. (I've tried stretching the time out farther between taking them, every 6 hr or so.) I usually have Tylenol 500 mg taking 2 at a time 3 times a day.) I don't have many of the hydro's left.

I have Flexeril 10 mg that I take 3 times daily.

Through this entire recovery period its been very uncomfortable to elevate as high as I need to. I'm icing in the morning an hour or more. Then in the afternoon I stay down icing several hours.

The swelling is quite the problem. I'd say its excessive.
 
I do think its a good idea to give the surgeon's office a call. I know this will hurt / be uncomfortable for quite sometime. It just seems to be much more painful than any other surgery. As we all know, once the pain is uncontrolled it takes forever to get it back under control.

I only have a limited number of pain med's, which of course concerns me. Surely they will prescribe more, or even something else. I know I need something. 2am seems to be my always painful time. It wakes me every night. The entire leg feels tight and sore. I usually just massage it and within the hour I'm able to get back to sleep.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. This recovery has had a mind of its own.
 
I've heard the pain from a knee replacement is worse than having a baby. I agree.

I hope your doctor will give you some more meds.
 
This was an interesting turn of events. I sent my surgeon my concerns and a request for pain medication. My phone rang within 10 minutes of me leaving my message. The nurse went over everything I'd written and said. She asked some questions, etc. Anyway she wanted me to have a Doppler since I have such swelling. I mentioned I didn't think that was necessary and she responded she thought it was necessary and she'd call me back with a time. Not ten minutes go by and she's got a place near our house & the appointment is in 45 minutes!

They did the testing, etc and sent me home. We weren't even home yet and my cell was ringing that the doppler was negative, which was good. She gave me some idea's on the soreness. Then later on the surgeons private nurse called making certain I knew everything was fine and that a prescription for pain medication is waiting at the front desk.

The nurse said to try to keep stretching the medications out, but that my knee had been "assaulted" with the surgery so it would take awhile to feel better. Check that off the to do list. Now, to find a friend to take us to pickup the prescription.
 
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