Bilateral TKR I am on the "other side"

[Lu.winslow]

Day 16 and finally at home! Got home on Wednesday, after a major set back! Last Saturday the wound care nurse wanted me to take of my bandage. So we took it off, after my 2 hours on the CPM machine we noticed some wet spots and decided to put back om the covering, the surgeon used steri strips and glue. So as the nurse was getting ready to cover, I said you know I am allergic to adhesive , she said yes, and that her supervisor said this was ok. I thought it looked different than the original, asked again and she said it was ok. I got back on the CPM machine and almost immediately I noticed it feeling sensitive, I started lightly touching the tops of my knees with a sock, it was really starting to get uncomfortable, the edges of the new bandages were coming loose while on the machine so when I got done they were just hanging on. I got up in the middle of the night to go potty and my knees were so stiff and swollen I could hardly walk, I knew something was wrong, I pulled off the bandages to look and my knee's were outlined with a 2" red inflamed welt , on both sides. I had a allergic reaction to the adhesive! Today is one week later and the welts have finally gone away! I have the worst luck! It feels really good to be home.
Still no pain, I am taking the pain meds before I do my CPM and PT, I have noticed that I sure cry easily, feeling so dependent on other people is really getting old! Yesterday I started light therapy, has anyone tried that? My sister is a massage therapist , and she uses it to reduce swelling, I must admit it relieved the stiffness! I was very doughful, but I can see and feel the difference!

 

[vallee]

hi shame about your allergic reaction, these things really sets you back. I have had a few problems with clips coming out and the wound not pulling together properly, I had my TKR on the 16th like you, so am not allowed to bend knee much, got really tearful yesterday so I completely get the emotional thing. sounds like your sister is a blessing how wonderful that she can relieve your stiffness. good luck with the recovery

 

[Lu.winslow]

Thank you, I can so live without the emotional thing! Your Dr used clips? Wow I have the glue and steri strips, and I can bend how ever much I can! Which seams like nothing! I started getting the Cpm machine to 100, but it still feels sooo tight! Are you still really tired? I just feel so drained!

 

[vallee]

hi
I haven't used a CPM machine. emotional thing took me by surprise I really thought I would just bounce back.
my knee is still very swollen so yes still tight. I had my 1st trip out today to a garden centre I really wanted to go out without it being a medical apt it was so good but oh so tiring leg swollen upon return but iced and elevated felt much better, I have been very lucky that I sleep well at night and the tiredness seems to be passing
fingers crossed we have a good recovery from here on in

 

[kneeper]

Sorry you got the wrong adhesive. :( I'm glad things have cleared up for you.

 

[Lu.winslow]

Few days shy of a month, still feeling good! Little or no pain, still taking 1 Norco after breakfast, before 2 hours on cpm and finish with stretches. By then it's lunch, and start all over again, machine 2 hours , stretches finish with 2 more hours on machine. 6 hours on machine seems a lot! Tomorrow is my last day of rental on the cpm. I read a lot of post and people talk about so much pain, I wake up occasionally with muscle and hip aches, so I take a muscle relaxer and norco. My pain med's I take during the day are to prevent pain during therapy!
I had my first outing today, I must admit I was scared, my last Dr visit had me in tears, my legs muscles spasamed so bad! Same thing happen when I left rehab! So I took a muscle relaxer and norco, waited a hour and was good to go! We went to breakfast, went to my work and visited. Then went to the hospital to visit a sick friend. We were gone 3 hours, came home an took a nap! I have only had a few muscle twinges, but it was worth it! Everything made me feel so good! I just started wearing shoes this week and what a difference it makes with stability!
My only question is when will the tightness go away, I feel a difference every day, but I swear it is like you start over every day!

 

[kneeper]

The tightness can take a long time to go away, but it should be starting to get better bit by bit,

 

[bottomshollow]

@Lu.winslow, That tight band around the knee feeling can last for several months slowly, and I do mean slowly, going away---so slowly that one day you just sort of realize out of the blue that it's gone. It's annoying, but at least it's not really painful.

Once recovery is complete and some additional time has passed, you won't think about all the things you're going through now unless prompted to do so.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[Lu.winslow]

Hi Everyone, have not posted in a long time! I can not believe what a difference a month makes! I started driving at week 5, it was easy since I was down to little or no pain med's, and only had minor discomfort. My husband had to go back to work and it was time for outside PT, so I needed to drive. My life was very boring, my exercises were my my only job, I had lost almost 15 pounds, so I was happy! I am way over weight, January I weighed 200 lbs! I am proud to say I now weight 170! The routine of all day exercising was very hard to get use to, I limited friends coming over because I had my routine, exercising, icing, resting, I started when my husband went out the door for work and quit when he got home 10 hours later. It was so nice to have the pt coming to the house. I used the cpm machine for one month 2 hours a day 3 times a day, and then exercises, but now I don't think of them as that, I think they are really gentle stretches! I really like my outside pt, his way is very gentle, but is very strict about my activities, rest, stretch, ice, use my walker in house and out! He did not want me to use a cane, he said it would make me favor one side. Did not me to walk on my own, walker only!
I am really bad, I don't do every thing he says. I had stopped the walker at 5 weeks, but he wants me to use it all the time! I used it mostly after sitting for long periods, when I stood up I was pretty shaky until I moved around a little, and at night when I had to go potty! At 6 weeks I started using my pool and spa, it is so great I love my spa, I did turn it down to 95, it's great to stretch out your muscles. My ROM is 120 on my left and 115 on my right. My pt said we are only going for ROM not strength, that comes later. Last week he was not happy with me, I only gained a little rom, he asked about my routine, I had added the pool, and morn and nite spa, and reduced the stretches. He was not happy, he wants stretches 6 times a day, pool/ spa are extras. So this week I am back to his routine, with the pool and spa as my extras, and I know they make me feel better. So I hope I gain rom this next visit.
I start back to work next week part time and gradually get to full time by October. It's really wired but at 3 weeks I was ready to retire, I could not believe I would ever be able to go back to work. Now I look forward to Monday!
I could not of survived the last 2 months with out of this web site and all I learned! Thank You Bonesmart, and all of you who shared your stories, It was so reassuring to know I was not alone!
July 16, BKTR


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum

 

[kneeper]

I think stretches are definitely good. Plenty of time to gradually work on strength. Your ROM is actually pretty good and I bet it will continue to improve. Thanks for the update.

 

[tiredwife]

@Lu.winslow Sounds like you are doing good. ROM often stalls out, sometimes it will even take a step backwards. Nothing to worry about. It will get there. 120 is enough to do pretty much anything you would want to do.

 

[Threads]

Thanks for the inspiration, @Lu.winslow! It was good to read another positive outcome as I get closer to my big day. Thanks for sharing and giving an update. It certainly helps those who are following behind, like me.