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TKR Hopefaith's Ups and Downs of Recovery

Re: cabin fever. My OS pa said that once I could hold my right leg up straight for 20 seconds while sitting and be stable standing, I could drive. I passed standing in front of her and she gave me the go ahead, cautioning to start out with local streets or parking lots to ensure I had a good feel. By asking at 3 weeks out and being reasonably sure about my progress proved to be the way out of cabin fever!

The moral? If you feel you have the stability, flex and endurance to drive, don't be afraid to ask. Standard times for recovery are general, but you, your bodies and needs are yours alone.

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Re: dreams. On percocet at night I have some very vivid dreams!

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Hi @hopefaith, and welcome to this side. I read one of your post in another thread and realized that I am actually having similar issues to you. I am at the 6 month mark as of two weeks ago or so. I still need pain medication too gas I have RA and had a TKR. I have have been dealing with for the past ten years or so and been through loads of meds. So there are times I am taking the pain meds to keep the RA AT BAY!. I have taken Lyrica before, it helps to relieve pain at the nerve endings and I thought that it would help a bit with RA but not really. I have been through so many and dmards and biologics I have almost lost count. So sorry you are also dealing with a double whammy as well. Remember for those who are on Percocet to eat plenty of fluids and vegetables :sos:. Prunes warmed helps as well to get peristalsis moving. Please keep us posted in your thread. Good luck you .
 
@Just Jeff, I actually started driving a fe days before my appointment at 4 weeks here I as officially okay to drive. It as by no means a long trip, short, just to the next town from mine. I as okay, but it took me a while to drive 10 miles on the highway without the stiffness an the soreness. Even when I went back to work I had to just learn to deal with that and have an ice pack ready for the knee when I got to work as knee would be sore with the back and forth of from gas to break in stop and go traffic. I am still sore at times no at the 6 month mark. But when I got the go ahead from the OS at the 4 week mark I did local short trips which included taking myself to PT 3 times a week. And that was enough for me. Each doctor has their own guidelines for when they want their patients to drive. 4 weeks sounds average, but some folks it may take longer, and some sooner. We must each go at our pace....
 
I agree. . That was my foremost worry; fatigue. I've, like you've said, only taken short trips but I feel great. Also, psychologically, the freedom is a huge reward.

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@JustJeff and @chestnc Good morning to you and all. Yes chestnc, it is a double whammy having fibromyalgia and then the sciatic pain. The sciatic pain has all but let up. I changed positions with icing and actually iced my behind where that nerve had become nice and angry. It helped SO much. Has anyone heard of going to an accupuntuist (can't spell that) for knee pain/swelling? I heard someone say it can really help in the recovery of a TKR. I want to drive SO bad. I think a lot of my crying spells comes from the complete dependence on someone to get me somewhere. It has been 4 weeks today and I am SO ready to drive. I don't see my doc until the 19th, so I need to see what he says. My right leg is quite strong now. I need to test it in a parking lot to see its strength from gas to brake. I will be very careful! So how is your pain from day to day? I have never taken Lyrica. Gabapentin has helped my fibro. I hope you have a really nice day.
 
Just checking in on you, you had stopped by my thread..... :) Nice to meet you!! I didn't drive until 6 weeks....I wasn't ready and I was still taking some pretty strong stuff :)
 
@Karringtyn Yea, I was following you pre op because of reading how hard it was. I had to go back and read how you said "a 5-7" that would have been nice. (or however you said it) because when that freaking block wore off, I thought "I had two kids, one "natural" and I have NEVER felt pain like this. I was not medicated properly to prepare for the absence of the block and I was shaking and crying. ANYWAY, I am today at 4 weeks, not driving yet, but think I am close to. I really enjoyed your threads. I hope you are continuing to do really well. This is quite the recovery. I have felt a lot better the past 2 days but I know it is up and down. Nice talking to you. Be well.
 
@busylizzie I hope you slept a lot better last night. I did. I was SO wiped from the night before. I have a lot less pain which I guess I keep saying, but having that sciatic nerve pain let up, I feel So much better. Have a good day.
 
@Pumpkln how ARE you today? Are your pain levels still okay? I really want to decrease my pain meds. so I can drive, but I know I need to do it slowly. Thinking of you today and hoping you are continuing to feel better. So, is a revision a complete TKR again. ( I may have already asked you that....sorry if I did)
 
and
@Karringtyn I have to chuckle at my thoughts before surgery, because there is not a pain scale anywhere for that level of pain.
 
hopefaith said:
So, is a revision a complete TKR again.
Click to expand...
They took out the old prosthesis, and put in a hinged prosthesis, with stems. They also took out a significant amount of scar tissue. Yes, it is a bigger surgery. I actually have better ROM at three weeks than I did with the primary TKR, go figure.
Pain levels staying about the same, unless I ODIC, or am late with the pain meds.
No rush for me to drive until I am off the meds, they effect me too much to drive safely.

I think your pre surgery pain levels were, "I need anesthesia for this pain".
Hope you are seeing small improvements.
 
Hopefaith, I cheated last night and took a sleeping tablet:sleep:. I don't do it very often and didn't take any whilst on strong narcotic pain meds, but just one night's sleep is heaven!. Tonight will be a different story, back to :bored: being awake most of the night I expect. One day I'll get a surprise and have a good night's sleep

Glad your sciatica has calmed down, the Gabapentin must be doing something.
I haven't driven since my knee threw a wobbler a few years ago. I know what you mean by having to be chauffered around.
 
:cry:So, I can go two days and not cry. Then the pain starts and I start in again. The pain meds have kicked in so, hopefully I get a grip soon.
 
So sorry you are till in a lot of pain @hopefaith. You are around a month's time. Still so much more to deal with. I went back to work at three months though mentally and physically I felt I as not ready as could be. But had I not gone back when I did my and my younger sons benefits would have stopped and I would have had to do Cobra which for the two of us would be US $1500.00 a month for both of us to have the same coverage as I have now. @hopefaith, hang in there and hopefully you will be feeling better soon and using less pain medication as time goes on. Hang in there girl!! Even at 6 month I am still having pain and not feeling well with knee pain. I figure it is just all part of the healing process and it certainly helps to know it is a year before complete healing occurs. We all just have to be patient. :angel:
 
@chestnc I know. Cobra is SO expensive. We are on that. I want to get back to doing things I love, and it feels so out of reach right now. It is amazing (not in a good way) how much the knee reacts to anything that is too much with swelling, stiffness. I know that is the way it communicates, but mine it is so soon after I do anything. Thankfully I have no problem taking an ice pack where ever I go. I don't think people understand that this recovery takes up to a year, so I am perceived as something is wrong. I feel so down. Are you working full time? How do you do it?
 
@busylizzie I would like to hear more of what you'll be going through on June 2. That's coming right up, huh? will be thinking of you. :SUNsmile:
 
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