Home After BiLat TKR

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SteveB3

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Hello to all came home on the 30th after Bi Lat Knees on the 18th, had to stay an extra day because of blood issues but that was cleared up. Nothing like being back home. Everyone was surprised I did both at the same time, yes it was a lot of pain to deal with at once but if I had to make the same choice I would do both again, all the hassles with the hospital and then I went to rehab for a week. I have my flex pushing 100 deg but my leg straightness is at 15 deg which needs to be 0, so that is what I am working hard on. In home therapy 3 times a week for 4 to 5 weeks. Using a walker and my Dr said use it until I feel 100 % comfortable without it, then a cane. He said he had a patient quit using the walker too soon and fell and broke his incision open. I do not put any weight on the walker just a safety. Each day a little more movement and a little less pain. What a great feeling to walk and not have that constant bone on bone grinding pain. I will deal with the surgical pain as I know that will be gone over time. Good luck to all
 
A double welcome to you, Steve....welcome home and welcome to the forum! It sounds like you are well on your way to feeling better and having your mobility back. Let us know how things go for you!

I moved your post to its own thread so that you would be more likely to get your own responses. I'm sure you'll hear from others very soon.
 
Way to go Steve!!! And Welcome! The worst is behind you!!! Now take your time healing!!! :)
 
I had my bilats done in November of '07. Things are going great now---back then, though, the therapy was really, really, tough---I worked my rear end off; it was worth it, though...I got my life back.

I, too, came home on a walker---then to crutches, then to a cane. I am umpiring basebal lnow and riding a bike . Life is good. Hang in there; there are much better days a head. Wait until the "sleepless nights" hit. They will eveuntually run their course.

Good luck to you.

Tim C.
 
Steve,
I know you are very happy to be home after your BTKR. I had my BTKR September ’08. It has been seven months and I am doing great. It was pure hell for me the first two weeks and then it was all down hill. Use plenty of ice and to get your extensions, just put your feet up on your walker while watching tv. I used the walker the first two weeks, then the cane for the next week and after three weeks I was on my own. As everyone who has had knee surgery can attest too, ride the bike to increase your rom. I am a rocking chair person and I used a foot stool and rock back and forth which helped to increase my rom. Hang in there, “THE BEST IS YET TO BE”

God Bless,
Rick
 
I had my knee done on the 17th so am just a day ahead of you. You sound like you doing very well considering. Please keep us posted on your progress. We all want to know!
 
Steve,
Welcome to the forum. I too had BTKR last June. It was the very best decision for me as I did not have a good leg to stand on. I am 59 and wanted to get my life back participating in; downhill skiing, walking, hiking, gardening,and even dancing!
I returned to skiing on Feb. 1st of this year, and have been out skiing 8 times. I am currently waiting for the snow to leave so I can begin walking and building up my stamina again.
Hopefully the walking will also help me on my weight loss journey. I have put on about 2 pounds/year over the last 13 years and need to take those off and about another 10 besides.
The extension will get better as the flexion improves. I do believe the extension is harder to achieve than the flexion. It was amazing the first time I realized I had locked my knee when showering. I had not locked my knees in years!
Enjoy your recovery and getting your life back. Pace yourself, and keep us posted on your progress.
Best,
Crystal
 
Welcome to the site, Steve. I had a LTKR on 2/23 and plan to do my RTKR on 6/8. I thought about doing them at same time but couldn't bring myself to that event. I wanted to come directly home instead of rehab. At 5 weeks, my LTKR is doing great (a little foot problem surfaced) but I've got good motion, sleeping well, and little pain. I hope your recovery continues to go well. My best to you.

Hope
 
STEVE WELCOME

I had BI-TKR inNovember of 08 and I still find new things that I would not have done before the surgery. I have found it very hard to explain to people even my wife just how much pain I had before the surgery. Two weeks after the surgery my wife made the statement that it was like being married to a different person and she never thought the pain was effecting me as much as it had been. It's also hard to explain jsut how good it feels to do ordinary things without pain some people don't understand what I am so happy about all of the time. I guess if you have never had that kind of pain you take forgranted everything. One last note while I was in the hospital PT on the second day while I was walking (with my walker) I just stopped by a window and stood there for a few minutes looking out (tears) and 3 PT tech came running wanting to know what was wrong? I explained that there was nothing wrong but it had been 10-15 years since I had stood and gaze out at the world without pain. I have a new life and you will to.

I wish you good luck.

Max
 
Steve -- and all you other BTKRs -- my (proverbial) hat is off to you! I have one really good, muscular leg plus the now getting much stronger TKR one. It's hard to imagine what it must be like to stand and walk on 2 artificial knees!! YOu folks are fantastic! Max -- I know exactly what you meant about gazing out at the world without pain. I didn't have resting pain in my bad knee but for the last year or so before surgery it was hard to walk any distance and my life was circumscribed by worrying about how I was going to walk the 3 blocks to work from the garage or do the subway steps or even walk from the far end of a parking lot to the store. I kept up at the gym though with bike and weights and it paid off after the surgery 10 weeks ago because I can do just about anything I want to do now - even do some hiking with steep hills -- and I stop and marvel every day that I am "me" again. As Max and Crystal and the others said, Steve --it will be a new world and life for you too very shortly. It sounds like you are well on your way!
 
Steve and everyone-
Thanks for all the postings--they keep me focused as a await my BTKR on May 18th. I just sched. the MRI's for next week and I have moments of terror. You guys are REALLY making a difference for me and, I'm sure, many others. Thanks to all!
Blessings,
Irene
 
Hey, Steve, Welcome to the forum, you couldn't have found a better place to be for information and encouragement. Had my BTKR in May 08 and have been doing great for such a long time it is hard to remember when it hurt. I hope you and everyone else reading this post has as easy a recovery as I did. Hardest part to overcome for me was the energy. My mind was raring to go but my body wouldn't follow. Just try to remember that you have had really serious and major surgery and it will take time to do all the things you have been waiting so long to do.

I can really relate to the statement that the wife felt like she was married to a new person after the surgery. I would never have believed that knees could cause that much pain until it happened to me. OUCH!!!

So you newbies, remember Jo and Jamies mantra, rest, ice, elevate and take those stool softeners. Good luck to all. Rowdy
 
COMPRESS, too!!! RICE,,,, Rest, Ice, Compress & Elevate!!! :)
 
Hello to all. It has been 4 weeks since the BiLat TKR. Extension is at about 10 deg and flex is about 110. Home therapy still 3 times a week. Most of my pain is still in my thigh muscles when I exercise. Have to put ice on them two times during the night, as they get stiff and ache real bad, but I can tell the pain is less every few days. Good luck to all
 
Well, that's pretty darned good, Steve. Well done you!
 
Steve the quads (thigh muscles) probably aren't used to being exercised and that's why they hurt -- unless you had the quad -cutting type of surgery. Which I assume would make them hurt until healed. The tightness will get less and less and the more you walk and do stairs and bike and work your quads -- the less they will hurt. If you keep up weight training later -- there will be a good kind of "burning" during your last reps which tell you you're working those muscles hard. It's a different feeling now for me than what it was even a few weeks ago when it just hurt -- for want of a better way to describe it. I'm almost 3 months out now. So keep up the good work and it will just get better and better!
 
Hey Steve. Welcome. Had BLTKR in July 08. LIFE IS GOOD! No pain Just like Max and Roudy said. Everyday is a good day and is getting better. Yea it was tough for a few months but it gets better after that. You will see what we mean. Keep moving! Keep bending!
 
Irene,,,,the waiting is the killer!
Steve.....Good Luck to you! And every day is a new source of joy! :)
 
Update 11 weeks post opp on BLTNR, off all the narcotics for 3 weeks now. Using Motrin for pain management. I am taking a sleep aid which helps as when I quit taking the narcs I think I got 4 hours sleep in 3 days and had to up my dose of Ambien from 5 to 10 MG. Riding a bike for 20 minutes a day, still using ice a couple times of the day. My therapist said he read a very large survey that was conducted on knee replacement patients and the one thing that really up the pain was walking or standing for long periods. He advised me to ride the bike or swim. I know everyone is different but I really feel the pain after walking a lot which is a quick trip to the grocery store. My scar is still purple so there is still some minor swelling in there, upper scar is darker than the lower. My pain is mostly in the lower thigh right above the knee and mostly at night which everyone said that would be the case.
I lost my job in Oct "08" and that is why I decided to go in at that time, I live in SW Florida, in the construction industry and the job market is dead here. But I do not think I could sit and concentrate on a job at this point in time. In a few more weeks I will hit the job hunting alot harder. Good luck to all and keep at it ! God Bless
 
Sounds like you are doing well Steve - stay positive! And good luck with the job hunting once you are fully recovered! :thmb:
 
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