TKR I really didn't know what I was getting into!

[Knees4Me]

@Red's Mom - Yes, I do remember now that you were the member who went to Hawaii! Welcome home! I did read your entire thread!! (Probably in a late-night druggy fog!) I was particularly interested, because my post-op-op gift to myself (and to my dear husband, Garry, who's such a wonderful nurse to me!) will be a trip to Hawaii!

Do you have any tips? At the moment, my RTKR surgery is supposed to be done about mid-June. But we'll have to see what my surgeon says at my six-week follow-up appointment on Feb. 15. Right now it's three weeks after my LTKR operation and I'm having a huge struggle trying to get beyond 90 degrees flexion. She demands to see about 120 degrees or more at six weeks!! I'm dreading it!!!!

Originally, I thought we'd book our trip for January 2018... But now, with all of my own back sliding and stories I hear from other bilateral patients - like you - I'm thinking we should maybe postpone until January 2019. I hear so often now that full recovery could very well take a full year or two - for each leg!!

At least if I have knee two replaced this coming summer, there will be more sunshine right here, as opposed to the damp, gloomy, dreary depressing days that seem to go on forever this month! It seems like such a long process and a long winter. Before surgery, I was led to believe, including by my GP, that I'd be back to nearly normal in about six weeks post op. Ha! Not even close!

Yes, I did get a bit of a better sleep last night, thanks very much, but it was still interrupted by my alarm ringing when it was time to take my meds, back pain, IT band pain, etc. I hope I'll get even more rest tonight, but I'll probably be awake worrying about going to physio tomorrow. Ugh!! Thanks for "listening"! -Judy

 

[jaschembra]

Hi knee-twin. I too have pretty much constant swelling. I keep my leg elevated and iced a lot but the swelling likes me! Don't get discouraged, we're in for the long haul, not a sprint. Don't you feel so much better than you did a week or two ago? Yes!!

I too would like to do my R knee this summer, but I too will wait and see how this one is doing then. If I have to wait until winter 2017/2018, I will.

 

[Josephine]

She said that Celebrex is not an anti-inflammatory! I Googled it on my iPad and showed her proof I was right! She is (supposedly) a trained and qualified nurse!

Good for you! What you experienced was inexcusable and just shows that incompetence is present in every profession! Sorry your surgeon didn't take it a bit more seriously too.

My surgeon also said that if I can't take anti-inflammatories, I should take an extra Hydrmorphone tablet, as needed. I don't like to do that but I have once or twice. Instead, I usually try to strap on my Cryo Cuff and elevate my legs to reduce my almost permanent swelling.

And your swelling will be chronic if you're not managing your pain adequately. At 3 weeks (and until 6 weeks or more) you are in what I like to call the 'angry tissue' stage when swelling will be obstinate because swelling is itself, a form of and a cause of pain. So it is absolutely essential that your pain is adequately managed and you need to use the first of your routines which includes 2 hydromorphone and 1,000mg Tylenol every 6hrs throughout the day.

The swelling makes it nearly impossible to increase my flexion higher than 90 degrees.

Please don't worry about that just yet. You're only three weeks out. Spend your time resting, elevating and icing with just occasional trips to the bathroom and kitchen on an 'as needed' basis. Above all, don't do any exercises or PT. with restrictions on your medications, you can do without that!

 

[Josephine]

I'm having a huge struggle trying to get beyond 90 degrees flexion. She demands to see about 120 degrees or more at six weeks!!

I have one word of advice for you about this - DON'T!

It's not the exercising that gets you your ROM, it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle and time to heal. One thing that seems to be missing from all the PT's protocols is that all your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen so it can show itself. In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Exercise as in strength training is counter-productive and does more harm than good. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[Knees4Me]

@KarriB - Thanks - I'll check out that list of book suggestions! The women in our book club are equally interested in getting to know more people in the building as they are in reading the books. Some of us just moved in this year. Men are welcome but none have signed up yet. We sold our two-storey house in the spring and moved into a ground floor condo specifically because I was facing two knee replacement surgeries - and long recoveries! I'm just now regaining the ability to focus on reading a book! And I'm starting to get really bored with not having my usual mobility and independence - to say the least!

 

[KarriB]

Well, I had focusing issues for 3 months. I'm a reader and was only able to read my bible. I watched a lot of Law and Order reruns and my nieces and nephews got me an Appletv so I could watch Netflix. Right now you can watch the whole season of The Crown on Netflix, it's very good.

 

[Knees4Me]

@Josephine - Thanks! Speaking of normal activity, I did reach a little milestone this afternoon. I was in my bedroom reading when "nature called". I was in the bathroom sitting on the loo before I realized I didn't have my walker with me - for the first time since surgery! I must have got up off my bed, walked down the hall - and sat down (albeit on a raised toilet seat!) without feeling any pain or stiffness! It could have been the pain meds too. I guess they're working - most of the time! I walked back to the bedroom fairly normally too, but more aware that my knee/leg was different! I'm beginning to realize that we must appreciate each little victory. At least they're starting to come!

 

[Knees4Me]

@KarriB I've seen The Crown and loved it! Must now search for other goodies on Netflix. I don't have a TV hooked up in my bedroom, but have had little interest in watching anything since January 3. Our living room has no comfy chairs - just two small love seats - and one of them is my poor husband's bed for the foreseeable future. I really owe him!

 

[Josephine]

That's the way to do it! Those are the moments when you see progress! Yayyy!

 

[Knees4Me]

@jaschembra - Ugh! I didn't sign up for the long haul!

I listened to all the perky, smiling people (who obviously didn't really know) who said things like "you'll be out running around on your new knee in no time." My GP said six weeks until I'd be "back to normal" and post-op I started hearing recovery could take from one to two years! :(

No, I don't really feel a whole lot better yet. I'm still nearly bed ridden - icing and elevating (though a tight IT band makes even that painful and tiring). And my flexion is only at 90 degrees: no progress since I left hospital on Jan. 6. I still can't sleep because of the pain because I can't find a comfortable position. My mood isn't good because I'm sleep deprived and I have no energy to do two hours of rehab physio twice a week, let alone exercises two or three times a day at home, which my surgeon wants. Actually, she wants me to do them four times a day.

So, no, I'm not where you are yet... and I don't know when knee two will get replaced. Apparently, my surgeon cancels your second operation if your flexion is not up where she wants it for knee one - about 135 degrees - by your six-week visit. Mine is Feb. 15 and I fear she'll do an MUA for my first, stiff knee rather than giving me a date to replace the second.

Can you take Celebrex for your swelling? I can't, so I'm at a disadvantage with the awful inflammation. Sorry to gripe, but I'm still very frustrated and discouraged.

 

[RMasano]

I'm a little behind you but I feel your frustration. I am starting to realize that this is a long journey that needs a lot of patience. I think you ROM is great!!! I am trying to keep positive but sometimes it is hard. I just keep picturing myself, when summer is near, being able to start living my new life, without worrying about how much I can do because of a bad knee. I always had to plan ahead of how my outings would go because I didn't know how much my knee would allow. Actually, I am not your OS, but from what I've learned about knee replacements on bonesmart, you are doing pretty good!!!

 

[Knees4Me]

@RMasano - Thanks for the positive vibes! This is such a roller coaster: up and down, up and down. Scream! Wait a minute ... Did you have both your knees replaced at one time?

 

[RMasano]

No, had my right one done on January 9th. I still have some time for the left. I have had knock knees for years and when I fell in October it just sealed the deal for my replacement.

 

[Arttie]

I was on vacation earlier this month. One of our tour group said that his 2 new knees were the best thing he ever did. Chatting with a couple behind us in line waiting to board our 8 1/2 hour flight I was grousing about standing on my sore knees. The husband volunteered that having 2 new knees was the best thing he had done. I predict you will have a wonderful trip to Hawaii.

 

[Knees4Me]

@artie - Thanks! That's encouraging! How long before the trip did the husband have his knees replaced? And I don't understand if you've had yours replaced or not. What does Nov. 14, 2017 refer to?

 

[Arttie]

I did not find out when these 2 men had their knees done but the first thing they said "Best thing I had done!" We have several friends that have had theirs done and I have not heard any complaints.

I am scheduled for my 1st this coming November. Today I talked to the office and said that my right one needs to be added since it is fast catching up, in fact many times it is more achy than the left. I am on the cancellation list so the date may move up. My surgeon does the second knee 3 months after the 1st.

 

[Knees4Me]

@Arttie - We know people who've had TKRs too and have been been happy with them. However, they must have short memories about how painful the knee and leg are after the surgery. And I know a couple of people whose mothers had their knees replaced, but they are still stiff because they didn't keep their new knees moving after surgery. One said she regretted having the operation.

I just had my first done on Jan. 3 and the pain, insomnia, physio and dependence on others is way more intense than I ever thought it would be! I cannot say that I'm glad I had it done yet. I'm still mostly bedridden after more than three weeks. I only get dressed to go out to physio twice a week.

I now hear that each knee could take one or even two years to recover. Pre-op patient education should be way more detailed. But maybe if it were, far fewer people would sign up to have replacements done. My other knee is also almost as bad as my first. But my surgeon doesn't replace #2 until 5½-6 months after the first one. I guess she wants to make sure you're happy that you had the first one done. I hope your two TKRs go well! Stay tuned...

 

[KarriB]

My dad had both knees done and had no problems at all. He only took prescription pain meds for a week, then he took nothing. I, on the other hand, had a lot of problems. You never know how recovery will go, every knee is different.

 

[Red's Mom]

@Knees4Me Judi, do you plan to island hop,or enjoy one island? How long are you going to stay in Hawaii? What kinds of things do you like to do on holiday? I'd love to share our expertise on the Big Island with you. We stay 5 weeks in Waikoloa Village every winter. We're still here for 2 1/2 more weeks! The big island gives you the best of everything IMHO!

Congratulations on your trip to the loo! That is a milestone!!

This recovery is bizarre today I woke up with my toddler knee 12 weeks old stiff, hot, swollen, sore and at 90 degrees max. I have no idea why it is . So back to ice, elevate and rest all day and some too. And some Tramadol, thought I was done with that.

We should probably move the vacation stuff to PM so we don't get in trouble for fluff in your thread! I hope you sleep better again tonight.

 

[Knees4Me]

@Red's Mom - Sure, let's move the vacation stuff...but to where and how? It actually is a part of my recovery story and will be a test of my new knees. We want to do everything in Hawaii! My husband's a history buff, so we'll start in Honululu and Pearl Harbor. Maybe Maui too. All hotels, I'm afraid. So cost will dictate how long we'll be there. No less than 15 days, for sure. I'd love to stay a month, but our 25 year old daughter may join us for the week in Maui and I suspect she'd want us to pay for her - or, at least, subsidize her. I'm obsessed with surfing, although I can't even swim! And I love pineapple! This will be a trip of a lifetime!! I feel more positive tonight. We'll see how physio goes tomorrow. My mood can turn on a dime these days, depending on how my knee is doing. Interesting how each knee is different. I'm just praying I don't need hip surgery too! Then I'd never get to Hawaii! Do you know how to move this post/thread? Hope you're cranky leg settles down.