TKR I'm Home

[Florida 1]

I would make sure that there's no problem with taking Tylenol PM. My doc didn't advise it last week when I was having a problem, instead prescribed Ambien. I think it was due to the amount of acetominophen I was already getting with my pain meds. Good luck - I know how awful lack of sleep is!

 

[Redbird]

Thanks Florida 1, I didn't sleep much better last night either. I will say a little prayer maybe tonight will be better, I just can't seem to get comfortable, but last night I can actually say it was the pain that was keeping me awake. I would be comfortable for a while with the leg on a pillow than the under knee pain would start Than I tried putting an ice pack under the leg felt good for a while than the pain would start again, now on top of the knee . So I had broken sleep all night. When I thought I had just fallen into a good sleep it was time to get up and go to a doctors appointment for my husband. We got the bad news he's having seizures. Ok he's given medication to take for this. Bad news it's going to lower his blood count which is already to low. He's on procrit to bring it back up. Oh well we will ge through all of this we are two tough old birds! lol. Thank you for letting me ramble!

 

[AZRoxie]

Redbird you have described my nights almost perfectly! I had both knees at the same time 6 weeks ago this week, I don't think I have slept more than 2 hrs straight any night since surgery even with the aide of sleeping pills... pain is pain and will wake me up no matter what I take.. if it's not one knee it's the other that needs to be readjusted, massaged or iced...
I know with time it will get better and it is a little better than it was 3 weeks ago, at least I can sleep on my side and stomach now, just have to roll over more to give equal time to each knee.. LOL

Good luck with your recovery and hope your hubby's seizures lessen, thats scarey...

 

[Redbird]

Hye AZRoxie, thanks for the come back. Both knees wow that's what I wanted done to begin with but my doctor would not doit so now I will have to face all of this again. I'm not looking forward to this at all! Right now I just want a good night sleep that's all.

 

[kneeper]

Hi redbird--just catching up on some posts and I see you are post tkr now. Congrats. It sounds like you're doing pretty well. Too bad your doc won't prescribe more/better pain meds. Sleep patterns will be weird for a while. Are you at least getting some naps in?

 

[Redbird]

Hey Kneeper, nice to hear from you again! Yes , I do nap but last night I slept through the whole night and I feel like a new woman today! Isn't it something what a good night sleep will do!I think what really works for me, are the ice packs and all I paid for was the alcohol and plastic bags, they work wonders! I'm so glad that I have found this site everyone here is so wonderful and supportive! I think I can actually say I want my other knee done. Talk to me anytime!

 

[kneeper]

Yay!

 

[Titianlady]

Wonderful!!! Yes, those alcohol ice bags are great!! They fast became my favorite way to ice my knee.

 

[Redbird]

tkr buddies i have a question? How long did it take before you could get that pedal to go around? I'm three weeks post op and yesterday i got on it for the first time, scarey The pt told me just sit and rock and hold and do every day at least four times a day What do think? I value everyones opinion ​

 

[skigirl]

Redbird, all of us heal at different rates!!! I am happy that you can do a full revolution on the bike. I think that is one of the things that is really individual--I could turn the bike for a full revolution three days after surgery---but, I do a lot of biking. I think really, it is not an important thing--although in recovery each success is a milestone for us. Kelly

 

[Jacky48]

Hi Redbird, For me it was about 4-5 weeks! A very triumphant day!

 

[katydid3]

I did it at 6 weeks but I had the pedals out as far as they would go and still be able to reach them. Hurt the first few times but loosened up and could do it with just some discomfort. I was so excited about it, i posted it on Facebook !

 

[t4mepam]

I was 3 weeks exactly when I was able to ride the bike, but I too rode a lot before my surgery..

 

[karmigirl]

Redbird,
I was at 3 weeks the first time they tried me on the bike, they said get on and ride, so I did. Right around the first try and for about 3to4 minutes. I think I was just unaware that you should be able to do that, nobody had told me about rock back and forth. Needless to say the PT stood there in awe as I was pedalling away.

 

[hbark]

Good question. My first visit to outpatient physical therapy was about 3 weeks after surgery, and that day I could barely get on the bike (even with assistance), and just held the pedals in the position they could go to, back and forth.

I can't recall exactly, but within a couple of weeks I was able to move all the way around. So 4-5 weeks for me maybe?

 

[Dulcimer Diva]

I'd been successfully using a recumbent elliptical trainer at the rehab center from about Day 6; I got on my recumbent bike at home on Day 15. Had no trouble making the pedals go around, but the left foot clip was torn so my foot wouldn't stay on. My home PT didn't have me use the bike as part of our sessions. At a bit past 4 wks I started outpatient PT, but the clinic/gym had no recumbent ellipticals. I found their upright bike easier to use than their recumbent bike (to the relief of patients earlier in their own recoveries).

 

[Campervan]

Hi, OS told me I could try my exercycle at 2 weeks, with seat at its highest, and just rock back and forth until I could get fully round. I went fully backwards at maybe 4 weeks and a couple of days later could go forward. And for a another couple of weeks at least I had to rock back and forth first before I could go round immediately after getting on.

 

[gman0358]

Couldn't get my seat back far enough on my recumbent stationary bike to allow a full revolution. So I got a kitchen chair and put it in front of the bike, and rode it that way since about week 6. I can now ride it normally for about 20 minutes at a time. Backwards always seems to be easier than forwards......

 

[Redbird]

Skigirl I have not made a revolution yet that's why i was asking the question. I do want to thank everyone for there imput i geuss i'm behind the times! oh well, i will get therei hope!

 

[kfriedm]

my surgery was in May and I wasn't able to go all the way around until mid-July. You are still early in the recovery process -- you will get there!