TKR Is this as good as it gets?

[Jamie]

No sweat, sweetie!!! Actually we are a very informal forum. You can chit chat and post whatever you want! The only thing we ask is that you keep your updates, questions and concerns regarding your own recovery in your one recovery thread. It makes it ever so much easier for us to know what has gone on in the earlier weeks and months with your recovery. You'll get the hang of it very quickly and your BoneSmart family will always be here to give you a big ol' hug when you need it.

Remember that the blues are very, very common following surgery. It's a factor of the trauma you've been through plus those much-needed pain medications....a "perfect storm" if you will. It will pass. Don't hesitate to post here when you're feeling low. Or when you're feeling great! We celebrate even the smallest milestone!!!

 

[BigBend]

I'm glad you decided not to give up on this forum @Baby billy . Lots of good advice and sympathy. Everyone here understands about pain and depression. I found it hard to navigate at first, too, and I had the advantage of discovering it before surgery and the brain fog that came with it! You'll get the hang of it.

 

[pippi]

Good to hear from you and glad to have you with us we work our way back together on this roller coaster ride to knee recovery.


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[icep707]

Its a tough recovery, but it will be worth it in the long run. Im almost 3 months and could not be happier. Stick around !!!

 

[Josephine]

No worries, my dear girl! And I am very very glad you came back!

I think there is such a thing as post surgical depression

Without a doubt there is! Read this Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it. Also this which I think might be one of your problems too Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?.

And take your time answering the questions. Answer them one at a time if it helps. My only aim is to help you get a more tolerable and more effective recovery.

I suppose you're right about this being more 'formal' on here but only inasmuch as we have a professional advisor (me!!) who will help with the many problems people experience after knee replacement. I know because I've had one! It's no picnic and we need all the help we can get.

 

[chestnc]

Hi @Baby billy, and welcome. I sent you another welcome note, but I don't if it went to cyber heaven. I hope that all is getting better with you. It does take some time to get used to navigating the cite. I know when I first started, I had a bit of difficulty. Hope you are feeling better and getting stronger everyday. You do meet some very good folks here.

 

[cafecortado]

Hi Baby billy, well done on coming back. There is so much support on here, it's the best thing. I know how it feels to be posting and crying at the same time. Things WILL get better, I promise you, hang in there, answer the questions when you can and let the experts help ;) Blessings, Bernie x


Bernie UK
RTKR 22nd January 2014
LTKR 2nd April 2014

 

[hopefaith]

Wow @Baby billy I can so relate to what you are saying. I am a little over 3 weeks out and I still need pain meds sometimes at night. I have Fibromyalgia and I didn't realize how much it would affect my recovery. I, too, tried to not take one of my long acting pain pills and I ended up having a lot more break through pain. I don't have any answers for you but I sure get what you are talking about. I wish there was a lot more emphasis on POST op issues. I feel my OS and PA have left me to figure out pain management after the surgery and it isn't going so well. I will be thinking of you today and hope you feel better. we are here for you.

 

[Phil75070]

@Baby billy Glad you decided to stick around. You'll find lots of great information and support to get you through this.

 

[kneeper]

Glad you're sticking around. We're here for you whether you're happy, sad, melting down--whatever.
I know my attention span was for the birds early on. I didn't get down much until a few weeks in--I expected the first weeks to be hard but around week 4 or 5

 

[Baby billy]

I will be trying to answer the medical questions tomorrow. I've just read all if your new post. I've been away from internet access so I hope I can use it tomorrow. You are all very kind . Josephine I appreciate your forgiveness. It's so strange to me I'm usually very upbeat and try very hard to stay happy I'm used to pushing past my RA pain and problems but it's like this is really out of my control. When I cry there's no stopping until I'm done. I hate the meds. Hope I can get off as quick as possible. I do think I am absolutely sleep deprived I'm still waking up sometimes from pain and find it hard to get to sleep a lot from pain. RA and knee. But I will try to fill in more blanks tomorow. Thank you again every one I wish us all the best.

 

[Celle]

It's all normal, @Baby billy

The weepiness and emotional roller-coaster are something almost all of us have had, so we understand. It's the result of trauma from the surgery, plus drugs and sleeplessness. Your body is putting all its energy into recovering, so there are no reserves to keep your emotions stable. This, and the depression are all part of the "joy" of recovery. Don't worry - this, too, shall pass!

I remember screaming at my poor husband, just because he didn't read my mind and know instinctively what I needed. Poor, wise, fellow - he took refuge at the other end of the house!

 

[JustJeff]

Also I I know I need to walk with my leg straight but I keep walking with my knee partly bent which is causing me lots of other probs.

Here's what I do for that same issue. After standing and before walking, I take a moment to extend my legs and stand upright. By stretching first, is easier to move that way. I take my first steps slowly, feeling for the normal stretch in the backs of my knees. After that it's just step one, step two, repeat.

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[Celle]

That's a good point, @JustJeff
Even though it's more than 2 years since I had my TKR, I've realised that I still stand for a minute and straighten my legs, before I start to walk. I probably don't need to do it any more, but it seems to have become a habit.

 

[Tamsmom]

Billy...5 weeks today for me and I still cry on a daily basis! Not as much but even last night as I was settling in for the night I broke down for a few minutes.
Don't be too hard in yourself and if you have people in your life that do not quite understand the emotional roller coaster you're on give them the articles to read and funny enough the thing that got my husband to realize what a major surgery is was he watched one on YouTube! Since then he has been unbelievably tolerant, caring, and helpful.

He is a contractor and he loves to joke with me and tell me he has all the tools in our garage to do my next new replacements and is pretty sure if he watches this video a few more times he could do it for me! He is a funny boy.

When I answered the questions that Josephine asked she really enlightened me that even though I thought I was not doing much I was doing too much and even though I thought my pain was under control she gave me suggestions for better control.

I hope you have a good day today.


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[Baby billy]

Okay, I'll ask you the questions again. It would really be nice (and polite) if you would answer them this time

I'm going to ask you some questions and I need you to answer each one individually in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't compare this with the bone-on-bone pain you had before surgery!

)

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how often are you icing your hip and for how long?

4. are you elevating your leg, how often and for how long?

5. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

6. what kind of PT/exercises are you doing? How much and how often? (and detailed details would be appreciated, please! Reps, sets and session and all that)

Okay, I'll ask you the questions again. It would really be nice (and polite) if you would answer them this time

I'm going to ask you some questions and I need you to answer each one individually in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't compare this with the bone-on-bone pain you had before surgery!

)

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how often are you icing your hip and for how long?

4. are you elevating your leg, how often and for how long?

5. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

6. what kind of PT/exercises are you doing? How much and how often? (and detailed details would be appreciated, please! Reps, sets and session and all that)

I don't know if I'm doing this right but here it goes.
1) Average pain levels are probably 3 when resting with leg up and goes up to about 6 or 7 after therapy or when leg is down or walking for a while

2)I was given hydrocodone 10-325 and (demerol 50mg ) for break thru pain when I left the hospital but at my first Dr visit he changed it to oxicontin 10 mg 12 hrs and oxicodone7.5-325 4-6 hrs also lyrica 75 mg 2 times day and robaxin 500mg 8 hrs now I have been tried a few times to just take the pain meds when I get into bad pain but then it's harder to get under controll I vary though between 4 or 6 hrs.

3) I ice and elevate as often as I possibly can I have an ice pump machine that I bought it really helps it applies compression and ice. When I'm home I ice every hour for about 30 min.

4)if I'm sitting at home I elevate always.

5) activity is increasing. Small stores I walk in. larger stores and the mall I use my wheel chair. I have more issues than just the knee. My other knee is bad along with my hip. I had to use my chair before the surgery. I'm able to cook easy meals my daughter helps my laundry is downstairs my only restroom is upstairs so I do what I have to do.but try to get some help. I did vacuum my front room today and it did hurt.

6) physical therapy is twice a week for about 1.5 hrs. I do the recumbent stepper for 10 min. 4 resistance. Then the leg machine that extends (-20) and bends for me (107)for 10 min.then the same machine I have to push up and back for 10 min. And electric therapy where I contract muscle for about 10 min then do leg raises with roll under my leg about 20 times ( I'm not able to do straight leg raise due to hip pain ) then squeeze roll between legs 20 times. Kick out from side table 30 times stand raising leg up to rear end 30 tomes after all that usually I get iced and electric stimulating for15 or 20 I think. And at home I do some if the same things when I can.

I am going on wed. For an X-ray guided hip joint injection it's the first thing to try for my hip pain. I also try to include my other leg as much as I can in therapy because in August I will be having surgery on that knee they said the stronger it is the easier recovery will be.

Okay, I'll ask you the questions again. It would really be nice (and polite) if you would answer them this time

I'm going to ask you some questions and I need you to answer each one individually in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't compare this with the bone-on-bone pain you had before surgery!

)

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how often are you icing your hip and for how long?

4. are you elevating your leg, how often and for how long?

5. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

6. what kind of PT/exercises are you doing? How much and how often? (and detailed details would be appreciated, please! Reps, sets and session and all that)

 

[Baby billy]

I tried to do the quote thing to answer the questions from Josephine but it posted twice I think does anyone know what I may have done wrong ?

 

[kneeper]

No, not sure how you managed that. I know I often accidentally hit the post button before I'm ready and I'm not even on pain meds!

 

[Baby billy]

Will Josephine be able to see my answers now? Did I do it right? If not someone tell me so Josephine doesn't think I ignored the questions again because I haven't heard back about them. I'm learning to do this site and I did read some of the articles and other posts ghat y'all thought were valuable to me and they were.this site has a lot to offer.

 

[alexthecat]

You did fine! @Josephine will see your answers in #56 when she is back online. Remember that she's in the UK and it's very early morning there now. It may be a little while before she is here.

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