TKR In between staged 1 month replacement both knees

[Celle]

PT says you can't really overdo, it just swells if you do, but he's telling me to try to push it before the next TKR in 11 days to get the new one as good as possible.

Your PT is wrong. If you overdo it and make your leg swell more, it will irritate and inflame your healing, wounded tissues and that will slow down your recovery.

You cannot make your first knee heal faster by working it harder. Your leg has suffered a lot of trauma during the knee replacement and it needs time and gentle treatment, so it can heal.
Think about it - does constantly irritating a cut on your hand or arm make it heal faster? No. It takes as long as it takes, to repair the damage.

The first knee replaced doesn't need to be super-strong when you have the second replacement. After all, people manage well who have two knees replaced on the same day. You will be having a period where both knees are recovering at once. That's all.

 

[Suz]

@tpellerin, all I did after the few PT experiences I had was watch my knee swell, hurt and lose flexion! I mean, I deliberately cancelled a scheduled PT two days prior to seeing my OS last week because I wanted as much flexion as possible during his examination. And well, I jumped 40*s in the 2wks prior to seeing him last and was no longer considered for an MUA!

It's ultimately our decision how we handle our recoveries. But I can promise you this, it's less painful recovering our knees naturally following the Bonesmart mantra's! And as a bonus I got movement back in my knee faster!

I hope you will continue to update us as to how things are going for you! Wishing you the very best as you approach your next TKR. You're going to have both of your knees in optimum health & out of pain hopefully soon!

Happy Independence Day!

 

[tpellerin]

Funny,
Gotta go with the you vets.
7 more nights without the pain meds (outside of tylenol) and then it will be interesting to have two of these people to medicate (and a relief)..thanks for the advice on PT and that tidbit about folks doing BTKR and doing just fine.
BTKR people always say that staged TKR is insane due to the trepidation of going back under the knife so soon....but my hospital has awesome lobster rolls....I had one and a piece of blueberry pie 2 hours postop for the first knee....I'd like to smuggle a cold IPA into the hospital to wash the next one down (totally kidding).
I hope everyone's summer is as nice as the one we're having in Maine!

 

[charmed-life]

You have an additional issue with pain meds - cutting them out for these couple weeks allow them to work better after the second one. I've had to do that before. Take it easy and you'll get there!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[tpellerin]

Thanks for that uplifting comment charmed-life...I just saw a video posted about wrapping the TKR leg in plastic wrap with hand creme on the knee at 2AM...I've got to get that approved by my doc but it sounds like it might quiet down night pains some.

 

[Suz]

I happened onto that video before I found bonesmart @tpellerin! I was quite impressed and bought 'I think' the same wrap he used at Amazon! Allot of wrap for the price!!

https://tinyurl.com/zjpdzuo

 

[tpellerin]

Did it work, Suz?

 

[Suz]

Well, to be honest I purchased the wrap prior to my TKR and never had the strange pain like he described. So, I've never felt the need to wrap my knee for pain relief. But others here on BoneSmart have and said it helped them! Hopefully they will come along and give their thoughts!

 

[KarriB]

@tpellerin dont try the Saran Wrap trick until your incision us totally healed with no scabs at all.

 

[tpellerin]

Thanks...I haven't got the guts to ask the docs office about that solution, it sounds very random.
KarriB I lapswam for 4 years prior to TKR but ended up with a rotator cuff surgery last November, I hope like crazy to get back in the water. I hope you're able to do it.
I'm laying low today, no long walks, no spinning and I'm hoping that it helps.
Next Monday TKR # 2, 6AM.

 

[Choc chip]

Hi! Mass General Hospital hands out Kodiak Bregg ice machines to tkr patients. I recommend an ice machine and also those big ice Cold pack ice packs. There is supposed to be a way of using frozen water bottles instead of ice in the ice machine but staff did not know what I was talking about. I have had wicked good peanut butter whoopie pies at EMMC . lobster rolls? I have never seen those at a Maine hospital. Those are good on brioche bread from Standard Bakery. Enjoy some strawberry rhubarb pie! Good luck!

 

[KarriB]

You may have to lay low a couple of days. You can't use the Saran Wrap until you're scar is completely healed. Search YouTube for TKA+Saran Wrap.

 

[tpellerin]

Wow, skipping the long walk and spinning made my day great. I even had a chance to barefoot it in the ocean a bit. I am Hoping to get 6 hours sleep tonight which will be the equal of the last 2 nights together

 

[Suz]

SO beautiful-!! I just had a nice virtual visit to Maine-!!

 

[tpellerin]

Choc Chip,
I went down to the "Other Maine" to MMC. They have whole wheat lobster rolls! Everything else was cafeteria yuck food.
So, by exercising less, I slept much better, no shooting pains, maybe total 7 hours. However, got up at what I thought was 2AM to take 1g acetaminophen ...took them, went to change the ice pack and, yucko, it was only 11AM and only 2 hours since the last 1g acetaminophen. Had had a beer that night (that needs to be watched when on tylenol) and got worried about wrecking by liver (my doc's first patient was a tylenol accidental overdose/death), called poison control, turns out it is ok to ramp up the amount in the bloodstream for a few hours. Phew.
Just another day in the life of a TKR.

 

[Happydale]

Aw, what a trauma you had. Nights are just nasty while recovering. I'm always so happy when morning arrives. I smiled when I read about you eating a lobster roll on your surgery day. I can't imagine how you could stomach that, but bravo for you! The hospital I was in had excellent food and room service. Patients can order whatever they want to eat whenever they want it, but about all I could muster was broth and jello! Such a shame. When I first saw how close your surgeries are, honestly I thought you were nuts. But now that I'm almost at 3 weeks, I'm shocked at how much better I'm doing, and how much easier it is to move around, get in and out of bed, etc. Based on that as well as the fact you're just on Tylenol now, I'm sure you'll be good to go for your #2.

 

[Choc chip]

I will be thinking of you. Great surgeons there. dont forget to bring your crutches for afterward so you can get up without waiting. I just did the spinal - no nerve block. An easy snack at home is deli roast beef around a home grown cherry tomato with maybe some onion. I also threw in parsley for the vit C into soups etc and fresh basil.
Stop by Toots ice cream for a pig pen shake. Hope you are soon navigating Hamiltons Marine, LL Bean, your favorite trail, pool and Maine lake, and Hannaford! I just saw an amazing time lapse video on Acadia on 207.

 

[tpellerin]

Wow.
Three days to go and 3 hours sleep. Methinks Happydale is right, one month staged TKRs seems a little crazy at this time of the morning, but then again, there will be pain meds after the 2nd TKR...that's gotta help a bit. Makes be wonder how folks do so well with the BTKRs, perseverance?
Maybe that little trip shopping a bit much?
ROM around 107/-6, not too great at 3.5 weeks out, really changing v slowly.
My doc doesn't quad-spare, so PT doesn't include any lifting of the leg yet, so I'm wondering how I'll be able to get around post LTKR if the right leg isn't allowed to be picked up?

 

[KarriB]

ROM of 107 at three weeks is good. I suggest a leg lifter, it helped me when my quads weren't firing or my leg was just too tired to lift on its own. Rest over the weekend to prepare your body for what's coming.

 

[Happydale]

I think your ROM is wonderful now. Soon your pain meds will make both your legs more comfortable, so hang in there. Plus there is your special bonus, which is that you will be able to live the rest of your life without having a future TKR hanging over your head. Since those with bilateral knee replacements are doing well, you will too.