TKR Incision opened when staples removed<

[fours2many]

So much has happened since I was on here last.

GP sent me to a wound dr. That dr checked and said wound is healing nicely from bellow like it should. It has re-scabbed since then. Today I was sent back to OS and GP. Everyone agreed to release me for Pt.

I am so stiff from keeping my leg straight for nearly 7 weeks (since OS said not to bend it). OS warned me if I can’t bend by a certain degree in 3 weeks, he will have to put me to sleep and break everything up. I am definitely not up for that. I have had one thing after another with this knee and don’t want to chance anything going wrong. OS said I’m delicate... he was being a smart aleck because of the antibiotic reaction.

Anyway, I still have scabs, but am healing with no more oozing. Not looking forward to PT. I know they are going to try and push me, but at the same time I don’t want to have adhesions, or more surgery. How do you reconcile not moving 0r bending a leg for 7 weeks, and have only 3 weeks to get it to bend. I need a miracle...

 

[kneeper]

Just take it slowly and surely and don't panic. I'm glad you had the incision checked out by a wound specialist and it is healing.

 

[sistersinhim]

Two different times I was in an immobilizer, 8 weeks on the left leg, 6 weeks on the right leg when I had each kneecap removed. After getting out of these immobilizers, I got my bend back with no problems. I didn't do exercises or PT, I just walked around taking care of my household duties and myself. Your knee will bend, too, on it's own. Don't worry about it. Just use it, but use it gently!

 

[Jamie]

Thank heavens for the sanity of your GP and the wound specialist. Now....please put aside any and all demands that you reach a certain goal with your knee! It will bend when it's ready and you will most likely not need an MUA to get there. Insist that any therapist not push you beyond mild discomfort. Don't do so much activity and/or exercises that you start having pain and swelling.

You have a "miracle" already.....it's called...time. Give yourself time to heal properly. This knee has had needless trauma with all you've been through and it will just take patience as it heals. Keep remembering that the wound doctor advised you it was healing well from the inside out. This is what you want to keep happening! There is no reason to try and "hurry" things up. It's just not possible. Your body heals at its own pace and it's in charge...not you, not the therapist and not your surgeon. So setting arbitrary dates for progress is truly pointless!

 

[GingerP]

I am so happy that you are making healing progress!! Patience in this process of healing is so difficult for all of us.
I second the opinion not to push too hard, too fast just to make somebody else happy.
My suggestion would be to do a little massaging of your leg muscles and be kind to yourself in the process. Use the knowledge you have gained here and your own senses to know what really is the best in your healing.

 

[fours2many]

Sigh... I’ve been so depressed. I’m so tired of all of this already. I cry all day. I sleep maybe an hour and a half at night, wake up, then another hour and half.
Therapy is going fine. Pt is pretty nice. Doesn’t push me at all. My muscles are so tight. I swell if I do nothing or even a little. I ice and raise often. I just burst into tears. I’m so sorry I did this to myself and just see no end. My incision looks like it did a week agao. No changes. I have several stitches that came through the scabs. OS says to just leave them there. I’m talking like 6. There are still 4-1 inch scabs and my incision cracks open once in a while. Feels like a bee sting.
I am taking about 3 Percocet a day. I break them in half. So sometimes it’s less. Dr gave me Ativan to relax me. I take Tylenol 4 times a day and now aleve 2 times a day. OS won’t Rx anymore Percocet. Trying to get off them, but the swelling pain is just too much.
I just wish I could go back. I’d never do this. Ever. I thought the pain I had was bad... I could swim, ride my bike, take an aleve and deal with my pain using hot tub, or hot baths. Now nothing stops this. I’m barely exsisting...

 

[Jockette]

I’m so sorry. I had a lot of times of crying, too. Recovery seems so endless at your stage. It really, really does get better from where you are now. I, too, was sorry I did it and would have gone back if I could have. All I could do was move forward. Things will get better.

 

[jboles]

I’m sorry you’re having such a rough time. I understand about the crying at nothing. I have days like that. I had my first knee done 6 months ago, so I know it gets better, but these blue days hit all of us. Just have a good cry, sometimes that helps. Everyone heals at different rates, try not to compare yourself to others.

 

[sistersinhim]

Have you been tested again for an infection? Your incision should be healed by now. Also, I think you should be a wound specialist. I certainly couldn't hurt.

 

[fours2many]

Have you been tested again for an infection? Your incision should be healed by now. Also, I think you should be a wound specialist. I certainly couldn't hurt.

I had my knee drained 2 weeks ago and it came back negative for everything. I saw a wound dr who said it is healing from the inside out but slowly. I have lupus, which I found out can slow healing by More than 45%. Lupus dr said my staples should have remained in for at least 3 to 4 weeks for skin to even start healing properly. That’s not even the worst part... my bones, muscles and any other tissue will also take at least 45% longer to heal. My white blood count, especially my lymphocytes are extremely low. I can’t go near anyone who is or was around anyone sick. So I am stuck in the house, except for pt and walks outside away from people.

I wish I would’ve known all this before. I wouldn’t have done this, not even contemplated it.

 

[sistersinhim]

Thank God you have no infection! You've already done what you need to do. Good! When I broke my foot/ankle, I looked for something to aid in healing my bones. I bought 'Christopher's Complete Tissue & Bone' from Amazon. I don't know if the pills helped or not, but I'm finally healed! I don't know if they'd help you or not, but you could google tissue healing supplements and maybe come up with something to help you.

 

[GingerP]

@fours2many , I'm so sorry you are feeling so 'blue' right now. I think you have come across much of the reason for the slow healing since you mentioned that lupus can slow healing for you.
I'm sorry too that you have stitches coming out of the incision. I have one spot myself that seems kind of pointy and the OS told me that the internal stitches may take a couple of months to dissolve. I'm hoping that happens.
When I had my first knee open on the incision line, I was told to take zinc by the wound doctor. I have continued it into my second tkr as well.
I wish you the very best in your recovery. I'm struggling with sleep myself at 4.5 weeks. Sleep is very important in healing, my pt told me the best healing happens when we sleep, so do your best. It sure helps the attitude as well!
My prayer for you is that one day you will be past this very tough part and thankful to no longer have the pain.
You did the right thing by checking for infection and seeing a wound dr. too.
Be good to yourself.

 

[Jamie]

@fours2many .... I understand your frustration at the "slowness" of everything right now. Just because you know the "why" of something doesn't always make it any easier to endure! I wish I had a magic wand to speed things up for you, but this is just going to be an exercise in patience for you. That said, we've had other members who had similar problems. They got through them and their life was better with their new knee. You will get there too. I know it must seem like your old pain-filled life was better, but you know the arthritis would only have gotten worse with time. You did the right thing getting your knee fixed.

If at all possible, try and get outside for a bit on a warmer day to enjoy nature and the sun. That can help lift your mood. Can you call a friend or two and have them bring lunch? I'm sure you've already explored movies or other hobbies you like to do....anything to take your mind off your knee.

As for the pain, be sure you are icing as much as possible. Since your doctor doesn't want you to continue with Percocet, ask if he'd give you a prescription for Tramadol. Using that with Tylenol Extra strength can do a good job on pain for most people.

If you find yourself feeling a bit low, come here and post! You have lots of friends who will rally 'round you and cheer you up. You are part of our BoneSmart family, you know, and we care about you.

 

[fours2many]

I just read about and watched the video on Saran Wrap at night time. Does this really work? Since I have scabs and a few threads I know lotions are a no no, but could I use paper towels and the wrap? I getawful nerve pain in my incision and it wakes me every couple hours. I’d love to have a night sleep withought waking in pain. Also, the way that man was able to move around only 3 weeks post op, and he looked like he had no swelling. Gosh, to wake and be able to bend easier...

Ahh... is this too good to be true?

 

[Angiebabe]

When I tried it my knee got very hot and sweaty which kind of freaked me out as I still wasn’t completely healed and I had visions of it being a bacteria oven! Ok you all know how your mind works when you are worried.
So not keen personally

 

[SusieShoes]

You’ve wisely noted you shouldn’t use lotion, but I’d be concerned paper toweling might be irritating to the incision. Because of the trouble you’ve had with your incision, you should wait until all the scabs are off before trying this. I’ve never tried the Saran Wrap myself, but many members have and it seems to work for SOME of them. Your main issue is to heal that incision first.

Also, the way that guy moved at 3 weeks post-op and his lack of swelling... not due to Saran Wrap. Any number of things contribute to stellar healing and recovery —genetics, fitness, relaxing environment, good nutrition, excellent pain control— but Saran Wrap, if it helps at all, doesn’t improve swelling or ROM.

The best way to get to better movement is to decrease swelling by resting, elevating, and icing. So keep on with those. You’re going in the right direction!

 

[sistersinhim]

I had better luck covering my scar with a 8" long bandage, knowing that it was sterile I had nothing to worry about. I had to do that only a couple of weeks. I got too sweaty with the Saran Wrap, too.

 

[Celle]

I just read about and watched the video on Saran Wrap at night time. Does this really work? Since I have scabs and a few threads I know lotions are a no no, but could I use paper towels and the wrap?

No. You shouldn't use anything on your knee until all the incision is healed, with no open areas or scabs. The saran wrap treatment is designed to keep the skin moist - and that would not be good for your incision at this stage.

 

[fours2many]

I have a question concerning exercise and PT.

I finished my first leg of PT. I’m at 0-125. I go back to OS on Monday. PT wants me to come back for “strength” training. I still can’t walk up or down stairs, my quads are weak and PT thinks they can help with this. On Thursday PT had me try a leg press, ride the bike, try and climb steps, used a box to do “heal touches” (like stepping down with my left leg while pulling myself back up with my rtkr leg. It was extremely hard to do. Like I had to use my arms because my leg is so weak.

Well, yesterday I was in excruciating pain, could barely walk, spent the entire day with my leg up and ice on it. I had my husband massage it twice. I took pain meds... nothing helped. Last night I finally upped my medication doses. I slept an hour here and there all night. Today the pain is less.

Anyway, I really don’t want to do this strength training if it is going to cause me this much pain. Are there exercises I can do at home to increase muscle strength that isn’t going to lay me up for days? I’m so tired of crying, so tired of pain... I’m just tired. If I take a break will my leg stiffen like it did when I couldn’t bend it?
Hopefully I’ll be able to go in the pool soon. I have some sutures that haven’t fallen out yet, but my incision is finally looking good. For Now though, what is the best options leg strengthening wise?

 

[SusieShoes]

Oh my. Your knee has just told you something: now is not the time for strength training. You don’t need PT for that; it’s too soon for aggressive strength training.

Of course PT wants you to continue. They may be well-intended or they may be looking to continue the billing session. You don’t need PT for ROM, so they offer this. But you tried the exercises and your knee isn’t ready for them.

I’ve found as I have progressed in recovery that my quad needed to get stronger to be better at stairs and rising from low seats. What I did that worked for me was lots of walking (I walk two or more miles as a daily walk now) and more stair climbing. I just walked up and down extra times every day. I focused on how I did steps, making sure my quads were doing all the work, not my arms hauling me up using the handrail. You can find other exercises here on the site.

It will take a while to get those quads back up to speed, but you HAVE time. Gentle does it. Getting stronger doesn’t have to mean being in pain.