TKR Jeanienewknee's Recovery thread

Jeanienewknee

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Surgery went well, with the spinal. Lots of nausea postoperative. Trying to get that under control. I’m a cheap date. Up to the commode twice, get a little ortho static and nauseous. Can’t wait to get home Tomorrow.
 
I'm glad your surgery went well, @Jeanienewknee .
When you feel up to it, please will you start a recovery thread, here:
Knee Surgery Recovery Area
Then we'll be able to follow your recovery in the post-op area.

Thank you. :flwrysmile:
 
Well, I ended up having to get a bolus for hypotension, and the spinal is slow to wear off to fire my quads. Can’t lift my leg yet but I’m walking, having minimal pain, worked with PT and OT. Home tomorrow, can’t wait!!
 
Hi @Jeanienewknee - I've moved some posts and started a recovery thread for you.

Please write about your recovery in this thread from now on.

Here are our recovery guidelines for you:

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary.

People are all different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for YOU.“ Your doctor(s), physiotherapist(s) and BoneSmart are here to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

5. Try to follow this

6. Access to these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
 
It’s very normal to not be able to lift your leg yourself right after surgery, so don’t worry about it. It was a couple of weeks before I could, and none of my medical team made a big deal about it.
 
Post op day three. Doing my exercises, icing, elevating. Recovery is a full time job. I’m taking scheduled Tylenol and meloxicam which are enough for me, although I’m sure everyone is different in their pain control requirements. After my postoperative nausea and hypotension resolved, I’ve felt so positive about everything. Good luck to those nearing their surgery date. The fear of the unknown was great for me, but I read everything I could to help with that, I had a wonderful anesthesiologist and care in the hospital. Here’s to recovery so I can get my other knee replaced and back to activity and travel.
 
That's a great Range of Motion (ROM) for so early.
In these early days, your ROM will increase and decrease, according to how much swelling your knee has.
 
I was over a year before seeing those kind of numbers @Jeanienewknee! you are doing great, just keep it slow and easy to keep that swelling under control.
 
Day 5 post op. I didn’t feel like I did too much and was encouraged by PT to take it slow, but increased swelling and muscle soreness today. Currently icing and elevating, but is this normal?
 
Absolutely normal. You had a big surgery to your leg that takes all of your weight regularly. Elevate and ice regularly. Generally it sounds like you had an incredible result but don't forget to give your body time to heal!!
 
Only 5 days out of major surgery @Jeanienewknee . Ice and elevate as much as you can. Your body is recovering from major trauma.
 
Post op day 8. I started so well, but I’m feeling a bit discouraged. About day 6 I noticed increased pain, swelling and stiffness, plus all the operative bruising started to show up. I’ve lost my flexion, can’t make it to 90, but my extension is still zero. I’m icing, elevating, doing gentle exercises, walking around the house but definitely needing the walker. I have PT again Friday. I’ve been massaging my leg, which feels great. I’m hoping this is a normal part of recovery??
 
Absolutely normal so early in recovery @Jeanienewknee. Swelling decreases ROM and it's very normal to have swelling this early in recovery. Are you elevating and icing regularly? At your point in recovery every minute that I wasn't up to go to the bathroom, get a snack etc. was spent elevating and on the ice machine.
 
Thanks but yes I’m icing and elevating all the time. Feels like my knee will pop open at any moment. Ugh.
 
Very normal. I am 4 weeks out and besides doing some light activity around the house, going to outside PT twice a week, etc., it is mostly elevate and ice.

You had major surgery and your knee needs time to heal and recover. As much as we would all love to have an incredible and immediate recovery, it takes time. Months not days or weeks. And your recovery will not be linear, it will be up and down. Try to take it easy and let your knee heal. Boring but having gone through this two years ago with my other, know that it just takes time.
 
As much as I read and prepared, the ups and downs are tough. Thank you, I need lots of validation that something isn’t wrong. I will continue to ice and elevate. Patience is not a strong suit of mine.
 

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