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TKR I'm back again

Please do not put iodine on your incision. It is not intended for deep wounds like this and it could cause problems. I could only find one study that even hinted this might help improve a mature scar, but even that was sketchy. If you don’t trust our opinion, I suggest that you speak with your surgeon about using iodine after surgery.
 
Hi Layla. A lady called Valerie Anne Smith. Health coach. South West Ohio. She's on Twitter. @valerieanne1970. A friend of mine who always seems very well informed on medical issues passed me the information. At the appt I felt very rushed. He was NOT kindly or particularly interested. Even got the monthly of my op wrong.. I was already upset at the way my knee was and had had the long travel..but you're right of course.
 
Hi Jamie. It's not to put on the wound but to take internally as a supplement.
 
Sorry….my misunderstanding. Still be sure to coordinate taking this or any supplement with your GP, though. It’s always a good idea. Iodine supplements can impact your thyroid functions and it does interact with several medications. You can also talk with your pharmacist providing that person is aware of all medications and supplements you are taking.
 
Hi Dolphin,
I definitely support speaking with your PCP about taking Iodine supplements due to the effect it may have on your thyroid. If you have normal thyroid function, taking Iodine can lead to thyroid dysfunction and you run the risk of it impairing your healing, not helping it. Please speak to your Primary Care Physician about this first.

One day to go! Will be thinking of you tomorrow and hoping for the best possible outcome. :thumb:
@Dolphin5
 
Thank you all, so much. Yes I'll check about the Iodine. I'll be in touch when I'm able. So hoping to wake up with my knee on the CPM machine instead of the brace. Thank you.
 
Hi all. I came round from surgery at about 2pm yesterday to see this thing sticking up in front of me. IT WAS MY KNEE. Mr Osborne told me he'd got me 90o so of course the tears came and lasted some 15-20 minutes. With my knee being like a block of concrete, and permanently stuck on 45o, for over 19 weeks I'd convinced myself it would only be about 60o or 70o if I was very lucky. The knee was already on the CPM machine at 70o.

BUT 3 hours later the machine conked out. Died. Kaput. The nurses tried for over an hour to get it going. So the consultant Mr Osborne comes in. He can't get it working either. In the meantime I'm doing my bit, heel slides continually. Plan B is to put a brace on my leg. Off goes Mr Osborne only to return about 90 minutes later. Apparently the brace was in a locked cupboard and someone had to travel 14 miles to bring the key! Well it was Sunday. I'd had to stop the heel slides, my groin was hurting. But I still had ROM of 90o.

Leg brace on, but it's max is 70o which Mr Osborne was ok with. It was a very long night but now it's 6.45 am and I'll be seeing Mr Osborne soon and a physio. Hoping the ROM is still at 90o though it may have diminished a bit with any swelling in the knee. I'm staying in until Mr O is happy it'll stay like that and the scar tissue won't return and get back to where I was before.

I said to him that at times over the months I'd got cross with my knee and told it off, but mostly that I felt sorry for it and it still trying to heal. He said perhaps it was too good and quick at healing and therefore the scar tissue had formed early on. Well never know but of course I did have excessive swelling in the whole leg after surgery which did make the heel slides difficult to do. Who knows.....

I'll update you once I've seen Mr O and the physio.
 
Good news so far! I'll be watching and following with interest.
Best Wishes for a good day, Dolphin!
@Dolphin5
 
This is great news. It definitely sounds like you had adhesions. They actually are not a very common thing (although people seem to think they are), but the fact that you had a lot of early swelling (inflammation) may have contributed to their development. The trick now will be to keep swelling mimized. You might ask your surgeon if he would prescribe an electronic device called the Geko that dramatically reduces swelling and keeps it off. It’s a 10-day treatment that is used by UK surgeons. The product is just now starting to be used in the USA, but it was developed in the UK and has been in use there for years.

Ice will help as well if you can get the hospital to allow it for you. Our experience with UK hospitals is that they many times will not provide it. But once you get home, plan to ice your knee and elevate it as much as you can.
 
I’ve used it and it does work. The expense sometimes is an issue with the NHS, though, I think. But it’s always worth asking about. You can go to the website and print off some information.

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Firstkind Ltd, a subsidiary of Sky Medical Technology Ltd, is a UK-based medical devices company. Through its innovative mechanism of neuromuscular electrostimulation, Firstkind has developed a non-invasive, ground-breaking technology platform, OnPulse™, embedded in its industry-leading brand, th...
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Hi Dolphin,
Wondering how you're doing today and whether you're going home soon. I hope you're still feeling encouraged and your pain is well managed. We're here if you need us. :wave:
@Dolphin5
 
Hi all. I was discharged yesterday at 10am but had to wait four hours for my medication. This was in a discharge lounge. I had my leg up on a stool but wasn't really able to do any heel slides. The person who took me home came in and talked non stop for an hour before i had to ask him to leave. I was anxious about doing the heel slides, getting my dogs back, checking my medication bag etc.

Prior to leaving the surgeon said he'll see me in two weeks, and I'll see the physio also in two weeks. Exercises: the usual list but the physio said to concentrate on the heel slides. 10-20 every two hours but only holding for a few seconds. He said in two weeks time I may then hold each one for much longer. He advised icing for 15-20 minutes only and only if the knee is painful/swollen. He said too much icing can impact on the healing. In hospital the first 3 heel slides were at about 60o, the next few up to about 70 and the last 2 or 3 reached about 80o. Both the surgeon and physio were happy with this. The surgeon is confident that, him having got it to 95o during surgery, it will stay at that (presumably with me doing the exercises). I've been told it may never reach more than 100/110o. My legs have always been stiff. 100/110o is ok with me. He said that my knee was only at about 30o before he did the procedure!!!

I did 2, or was it 3, I can't remember now, heel slides after getting home and it was a struggle to get to about 80o but my leg/knee was very swollen. I'm still in bed after my coffee, slept really well despite up every hour for the toilet, so I have not done the heel slides yet. Weighing this morning 8 pounds heavier than when I went into hospital, so fluid again. I did a few exercises in bed before sleep last night.

I've been given a mountain of drugs, including morphine. I'm sure I didn't have this in hospital so i won't take unless necessary. Despite the (stooopid) anaesthetist telling me I'd be in huge pain after, to my surprise and relief, so far no pain at all. Why do they say things like that!! So I'm on 4 x Paracetamol, 4 x Dehydrocodeine each day. The rest are anti nausea, omeprazole to protect the tummy, laxatives, antiinflammatory and the blood thinners.

I wasn't going to walk the dogs today but it's forecast rain for tomorrow and I'm feeling ok so will go for it. I'll post later to say how the range of movement is with the heel slides. Walking is only marginally better as the knee is still very stiff but I'm hopeful to get the ROM to 90o or a bit more. I'll then be able to drive and get my life back. (20 weeks today since my TKR).
 
Hi Dolphin, I'll bet it's nice to be back home in your own space. Happy Wednesday!
Dolphin5 said:
I did 2, or was it 3, I can't remember now, heel slides after getting home and it was a struggle to get to about 80o but my leg/knee was very swollen.
Click to expand...
Do you mean you did two or three sets, of 10-20 heel slides, every two hours, from the time you got home until the time you went to bed last evening? Wondering if you're elevating at all for the swelling, was it recommended?

It's good any pain you're experiencing is well controlled with meds. I think they sometimes prepare you for worst case scenario so you're not caught off guard.

Wishing you the best as you begin healing!
 
Hi Layla. Yes, 2 or 3 sets. I didn't do my first heel slides until 10am this morning (too late and will start them tomorrow at about 8am). Not great. With my good foot at 90o I was only getting my 'naughty' foot to about 6 inches in front of it. Would that be about 60o? At 2pm I did my next lot and got the naughty foot to about 4 inches in front of it, so some improvement. I'm doing 20 each time. Next lot will be at 4pm. I'm hoping the knee will stretch more each time until I go to bed.

I enjoyed my dog walk much more than pre recent op. Tried to remember to try and walk normally which will stretch the knee a bit and do heel to toe. Just done an ice pack with my leg on a stool. All good so far as long as I can get the knee back to nearer 80o with the heel slides.
 
Don't forget to ice and elevate whenever you are sitting or laying down. This will help to keep you pain and swelling down.
 
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