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TKR I think I have pes anserine bursitis. Is it OK to do modified zumba?

I wanted to ask how different the first TKR was to the second? Im getting my second done in June. I remember the real pain was when the PT person tried to get me to do something I couldn't do. I ended up having a manipulation done. :no-fin:
 
Well, actually, the 2nd knee is a bit stiffer and slower to come around than my 1st knee, even though my first knee was in worse shape! I guess I was a bit more prepared for the pain and sleeplessness the 2nd time around. Every knee is different, even on the same person! If you follow the BoneSmart guidelines, you should do fine!
 
Tomorrow marks the beginning of Week 2 and this adventure is much different than my first TKR, which I thought went well considering I did not know what to expect.

Pain management, which was never an issue for Knee #1, began on Day 2. I was prescribed 5mg Percocet every 4 hrs for moderate pain, 10mg for severe pain. At the max dose I was still in excruciating pain and was given 1 mg dilaudid for breakthrough pain. I would take 2 percocet and two hours later would take a dilaudid and two hours after that take 2 more Percocet. I did this through the night and it still wasn’t enough. One theory was my nerve block pump might not have been placed exactly in the right spot, thus the higher pain levels.

The doctor‘s office called the next day to check in and when I mentioned it wasn’t quite working as expected they also wondered why I didn’t have Narcan on hand. It was explained to me that the Percocet/dilaudid combo could cause respiratory suppression, excessive sleepiness, etc. I told them that even on all the medication I was currently taking I wasn’t even tired and was, in fact, unable to sleep longer than an hour or two.

The mention of Narcan, however, freaked me out and I stopped the dilaudid immediately and backed way off on the Percocet, eventually stopping that medication on Day 4. My pain levels have been all over the place, which I can’t understand at all. I haven’t hit Level 8 again but bounce between Levels 3 and 5/6 all day long. I feel fine, like tylenol is working on it‘s own and then I get really uncomfortable.

I need ideas for a pain management strategy. I’m trying to do short walks in the house, knee slides and knee straightening and I don’t feel as though I am overdoing it. At this point I just want to be comfortable enough to sleep at night. The dr will not prescribe any sleep aids even though I’ve not taken Percocet for the last two days.

Thanks for listening
 
6+ weeks out and still can’t sleep with or without pain meds :hissy: . I think it’s just goin to take TIME. Nap when you can during the day. Have things you can do at night to take your mind off of it: reading, watching a movie, listening to music, etc. Eventually it will get better, but seems like most people here have struggled with sleep issues for many weeks post-op.
 
Day 5 of tkr #2. Does anyone experience lower back and sciatica pain? I’m moving around decently at the surgical site but the nerve pain is excruciating. No way to get comfortable. They sent me home with oxycodine and Valium. Has been miserable and then depression sets in. Will be so thankful when I have at least a month of recovery under my belt!
 
Jlc66 said:
Day 5 of tkr #2. Does anyone experience lower back and sciatica pain? I’m moving around decently at the surgical site but the nerve pain is excruciating. No way to get comfortable. They sent me home with oxycodine and Valium. Has been miserable and then depression sets in. Will be so thankful when I have at least a month of recovery under my belt!
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It would be great if you’d would start a Recovery Thread and tell us a bit more about your situation. Our members are here to support you. Here's a link to Starting a new thread and posting .
 
Ugh....this is my second time around...why do I feel soooooooo tired?
 
ihavetwins said:
I need ideas for a pain management strategy. I’m trying to do short walks in the house, knee slides and knee straightening and I don’t feel as though I am overdoing it. At this point I just want to be comfortable enough to sleep at night. The dr will not prescribe any sleep aids even though I’ve not taken Percocet for the last two days.
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Since you've stopped taking Percocet, what are you taking for pain relief?

Have you tried taking Tylenol on a regular schedule?
The most effective way to take Tylenol is 2 x 500 mg tablets (Tylenol Extra Strength) 6-hourly, to a total of 4,000 mg (4 doses) in 24 hours. You need to take it regularly, to keep up the levels in your bloodstream. If you just take the odd dose now and then, it's far less effective.

Check all other medications you're taking, to make sure there is no Tylenol/Acetaminophen/Paracetamol in them. If there is, scale back one or two of your regular doses, so you stay within that safe 24 hour limit of 4,000 mg.

Sleep disturbance is a normal part of this recovery, I'm afraid. Try to take daytime naps, to make up for sleep lost at night.
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

ihavetwins said:
Ugh....this is my second time around...why do I feel soooooooo tired?
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You feel tired because you're recovering from major surgery and most of your body's eneergy is still being directed towards healing your knee. There isn't much energy left for anything else.
Energy drain for TKRs
 
twins, I’ve had both knees done as well recently and there are days - most days, really - when I am totally wiped out! I still don’t sleep well, so you’re not alone in this.
 
Celle, thanks for reminding me about the Tylenol! I do take it sporadically and find it doesn’t work as well.
 
ihavetwins said:
I’d be interested to hear from others who have skipped formal PT.
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This is what one of our members, TortiTabby, experienced:

(Just so you know, ADL means Activities of Daily Living.)

“At my six week appointment this is what my OS wrote in my visit summary: "She reads an online website called Bone Smart which states to not push through pain following knee replacement. If she were to follow this direction, she will have to learn to live with a knee that only reaches to 85 degrees of flexion. I believe this website is very misleading."
It has now been 20 weeks and all I do is ADL and this is what my ROM has done:
3.5 wks: 75
6 wks: 85
7 wks: 90
10.5 wks: 95
14 wks: 100
17 wks: 105
20 weeks (where I am today): 110
I am so thrilled it keeps improving and improving and I know now that I will get to my goal of 120 (or even better, dare I say!) :egypdance:
So, if a OS or PT bullies you into thinking your ROM will not improve over time they are wrong. By the way, I haven't been back to see the OS since that horrible appointment at 6 weeks, but I sure am going back when I reach 120 just to say, "Ha! You were wrong, BoneSmart was right!" :yes:“

And,

“Just an update for those who are apprehensive about gaining ROM:
It has now been 26 weeks and all I do is ADL and this is what my ROM has done:
3.5 wks: 75
6 wks: 85
7 wks: 90
10.5 wks: 95
14 wks: 100
17 wks: 105
20 weeks: 110
26 weeks (where I am today): 120!!!
I did it! My goal of 120! No "pushing through pain", no PT after the first 3 visits, and most importantly to me: No MUA! My surgeon who said I would never get beyond 85 ROM without pushing through pain was wrong, wrong, wrong. I'm excited to see if it gets even better. :happydance: “
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Yay, Jockette: I thought I recalled a couple of folks who had great results despite no PT.

I have done PT but on MY terms, IHaveTwins..., and I LOVE your pen name here!

I really had to set up a rigorous schedule for my meds so I would take them ahead of the build-up of pain. It doesn’t seem to work well to be chasing the pain, I found with TKR#1!

I created a spreadsheet that I update every few days, so I know when I’ve changed med patterns. I’m 1 month out today, and over the past two days I’ve been “forgetting” doses which means I don’t really need them. By taking Tramadol and Tylenol very regularly, I was able to transition off Tramadol at about day 16, and I’ve just now gone to only 3 doses (2x 500 mg) Tylenol a day. I cannot take Oxycodone or higher potency opioids apparently, as they do NOT help with pain in my body. That was the lesson learned in TKR#1! So, this time, I told them I would take none of that stuff and I never needed it. It seems counter to the scuttkebutt but, not everyone tolerates them! I was miserable, in pain, depressed, unable to heal with opioids. And, my OS no longer routinely prescribes them because there are a lot of us out there!

Other tools I have access to are a magnesium gel that I used (not needed now) for the nerve zingers I had for the 1st two weeks, and a locally-produced (and legal in my state) herbal/CBD salve that I massage onto my leg near the incision. Before I just drove the first time, I did use the salve and it acts a bit like lidocaine, slightly numbing the achiness.

So, IHaveTwins, we are HERE to help!! The wonderful people here helped me through TKR#1 so I’m doing so well with #2 I want to help in any way I can!!
 
The CBD salve is a great idea! I also had a lot of success with edibles at night for sleep. The Percocet never made me drowsy and sleeping was awful. Once I stopped the Percocet and tried the edible it has been amazing.

Nice to meet you!
 
Oh, good, IHaveTwins! I’m so glad you have these sorts of options, too.. I had trouble with edible stuff, kinda made me sick to my tummy... but there is also a tincture of herbs+ that I can use for breakthrough aches.
 
If you decide to use any CBD products orally, please be sure and coordinate their use with your GP as you should do with any herbal medicine or supplement. They can interact with other medications that you take and your physician should be aware of your use of them.

It's fine to discuss CBD products here on the forum that do not have active THC (or only trace amounts) in the product. But we do not permit posts about products containing THC as it is not legal in all states and countries served by BoneSmart.
 
ihavetwins said:
I need ideas for a pain management strategy.
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Are you icing and elevating enough? I did both whenever I was sitting or laying down hours at a time. As long as you have a thin cloth between your knee and the ice pack, you can not overdo it. This was great pain relief for me for at least a couple of months.

ihavetwins said:
The dr will not prescribe any sleep aids
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Melatonin helps many as does Benedryl. You don't have to sleep only at night. You can sleep whenever and wherever you can. Sleeping is what counts, not when or where. I took naps off and on all day until my nighttime sleeping improved.
 
@ihavetwins

Thank you for your interest in other members of the May Marvels surgical team group. In an effort to keep the monthly team threads as a record of surgeries for the month only, we ask that you share updates or messages on the Pre-Op or Recovery Forums, so, I have moved your post to your recovery thread.
 
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