TKR JoJo's Musings

[Josephine]

I tried to take bold off, but I must be doing something wrong

I looked too but cannot find out how you got it so emboldened! I'll have to ask Rich but he's off sick right now. I created this article for you How to change the appearance of your post text.

If I am reading the chart right the painful area is at the right at center of D almost at left front 3 close to but not at bottom of incision.

Did you not look at the smaller image that tells you how to do this?
I need 4 characters - 1 indicating a row and 3 indicating a column.

1. Pain level 4, just took pain med 2 hrs ago.

But what is your pain level generally. For instance, something like "between 4 and 7"

2. Hydrocodone 10 mg, every 6 hours (was taking every 3 to 4) and for break thru pain, usually at night, 4 mg of Dilaudid.

And what are you actually prescribed, what are the instructions written on the packet?

5. Well, activity level hectic due to working in afternoons. Get up in morning, tidy up bed, fold blankets, get ice and coffee and ice for at least an hour. Then go upstairs, yesterday walked up and down steps to take shower put make-up on and get dressed for work.

Okay. So no cleaning, changing sheet, laundry, yardwork?

6. Exercises not as much this week due to work, except on Monday and Tuesday

But what do you normally do? I need a description like "leg lifts from chair - 10 to 15 once a day"

So you want to try all that again?

 

[Quasi]

@Josephine

Chart.. Pain located DLF3

1. 0ain level between 4 and 6

2. HYDROcodone, 10-325 mg, take I to 2 tablets every 6 hours as needed.
Dilaudid 4 mg, take 1/2to 1 tablet at night, may repeat in the day if needed.

5. No housework other than taking dished to sink and rinsing them off and folding blankets on my bed in morning. In afternoons at work, working at desk on computer, lifting charts and filing, includes some bending, walking to front office making copies and faxing for approx 3 to 4 hours.

6. 10 leg lifts sitting in chair greet on floor, back to back of chair.
Thigh squeezed 10 to 15 2 times a day
heel slides in bed, 5, 2 times a day
Bike, 10 minutes once per day (was doing 2 times a day, cut back)
Walking with walker heel to toe, 5 to 10 minutes 3 times a day

I hope this is better and gives you the information that you need in order to help me understand where the pain in the bump is coming from. Thank you for all that you do for me and everyone else on this forum. You are appreciated, I apologize for your inconvience of having to get further verification from me, I know it makes your job tougher.

 

[Josephine]

THAT's better! Thank you!

so pain is about here then?

That would seem to me to be either Pes anserinus tendinitis or Patello-femoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Not sure which and you need to see a chiropractor to define it. Or you could try this yourself . Either way, you need the massage to encourage the muscle spasm to dissipate, you need ice to calm the inflammation down and obviously you need pain meds!

1. 0ain level between 4 and 6

Yeah, that's a bit high even for 4 weeks.

2. hydrocodone, 10-325 mg, take I to 2 tablets every 6 hours as needed. Dilaudid 4 mg, take ½ to 1 tablet at night, may repeat in the day if needed.

Okay, so you need to take this amount and not cut back as you described before. I'm never quite sure why people only take half or less of what they've been prescribed and then complain of pain!

5. No housework other than taking dished to sink and rinsing them off and folding blankets on my bed in morning. In afternoons at work, working at desk on computer, lifting charts and filing, includes some bending, walking to front office making copies and faxing for approx 3 to 4 hours.

Far too much for week 4. Did you read this article Activity progression for TKRs?

Now your exercises:
- 10 leg lifts - 2 times a day, yes? Just do 5 once a day
- thigh squeezes 10 to 15, 2 times a day - 5 is plenty, once a day
- heel slides in bed x5, 2 times a day - best if you do a few of these several times during the day, like 4 or 5 every couple of hours but never to the point of pain, only ever to discomfort
- bike, 10 minutes once per day (was doing 2 times a day, cut back) - that's okay
- walking with walker heel to toe, 5 to 10 minutes 3 times a day - with what you are doing in 'work', going to the bathroom and kitchen, etc., you don't need to do any extra so leave this out.

In summary, you are doing too much and not taking enough pain meds. Take them as prescribed because you need them. And always make sure you have at least one day off completely, no exercises, no work, just rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds.

 

[hopefaith]

@Quasi thanks so much for those quotes. LOVE them. If they could sink in deep........
I hear about the crying. That is part of this arduous recovery. (you probably have figured that out by now...sorry) It is really just hard. You are not doing anything wrong, it's just so hard. How is work looking for you this week? I will pray for you.
~hopefaith

 

[Quasi]

@Josephine

Greetings across the pond! I wanted to give you a heartfelt thank you for your prompt replies and your professionalism! I don't know how you do all that you do, with a job and helping all of us on this forum, but I will tell you that God has given you a gift and I am so thankful for you.

I read with great interest both articles that you sent me regarding the possible cause of the very sore area on my knee. Well, it just so happens that I had my post surgery check up with my OS this morning. We addressed my recovery, and I wanted you to know that I have been following the advise as much as I can of this forum,and not so much my PT. The OS said I was a exactly where I needed to be at this stage of recovery and gave me the option of how often I go to PT ( due to financial restraints!). So the days I don't go to PT I will be doing a lot of the exercises on this forum.

Now for the informational news. I wanted to validate your experience knowledge and expertise is the Ortho field so before leaving hope this morning I showed my husband both of the articles you hs want me regarding possibilities of the cause of my knee pain. I told him that I was taking my iPad with me so I would have your info.

as soon as I told my OS of the area that is causing me pain in the knee, he stated to show me on my knee how the tendons run across your knee. Yes, Josephine, I have tendinitis! He explained that I had probably overworked it when the PT put the weights on my ankle. His suggestions were the exact same as yours! Rest, ice, elevate
and massage.

"Blesses are the givers, and blessed are the receivers!"

 

[hopefaith]

@Quasi I hope your day went well/okay with lesspain.
~hopefaith

 

[Quasi]

@hopefaith,

How are you doing? You have such compassion for other people! That is a gift , did you know? I am also like that often to my own demise. I will do every thing I can for others but often don't do anything for myself. I try to follow most of the threads here because it is so interesting getting to know others, especially starting out with only one thing in common- Knees! But after a short while, I find myself wishing I lived in the same town I
so we could hang out together. I
Please tell me truly how you are doing. Are you having much pain? Are you down, fatigued? I sense something is not right and I don't know what I can do for you, I do pray for you. Please let me know when you can!

Remember whe I told you of the pain I was having in a certain area of my knee? You said that it sounded like a "Josephine" question. Well you were right. She is so smart.she asked me some questions and then got back to me yesterday with two possible explanations /diagnosis of my pain. Well, went for almost my 4 week checkup today with my OS (who did not ask about my numbers !) and he said I was exactly were I should be at this point in my recovery. He definitely does not want me going back to work, but understands. So he gave me a return to work for 4 hours on Monday, Wednesday and Friday's but warned me if I started swelling, etc to go home.
He diagnosed the area of my knee as one of the two that Josephine had written me about, I have a swollen painful area near lower end if my incision... It is tendinitis! He said it was probably due to the ankle weights my PT had put on me middle of last week and had me do 15 leg lifts! She used 2and a half pound weights, which is apparently a no no. Sooo he ordered rest, elevation, ice and extra pain meds (sound familiar?) for the next week, then I will start outpatient PT.

So there you have it on the update with my progress, I can not wait to get back to a normal life. I was up until 5am and then my hubby woke me up at 7am to get ready for my OS visit. Came home and slept till 8pm.
I am so fatigued,but OS gave me diff med to try which he said would help me sleep. I I'll let you know how it goes.

Looking forward to hearing from you. May God bless you and hold you in His loving arms today, and everyday.

Quasi-- (joAnne!)

P.S. I will have to tell you the story behind The name Quasi..too long now, but funny and sweet!

 

[Josephine]

He said it was probably due to the ankle weights my PT had put on me middle of last week and had me do 15 leg lifts! She used 2and a half pound weights, which is apparently a no no.

A cautionary tale for people who have total trust in their PTs. There are good ones and bad ones - sadly it seems more of one than the other.

And thanks for the kudos! Nice to know your surgeon agreed with me!

 

[hopefaith]

@Quasi I sent you a PM. I hope you got it. Thank you so much for you message. You are so very kind. I also so
wish you lived close and we could hang out. I think we would get on famously as the British say on this site. ( I love their sayings.) Yes, I have a lot going on other than my knee. I do not have a lot of pain. I take my pain meds. But I have stiffness after about 10 min. of activity. I so want to move. There is more, but I would like to hear about you. How is work going? Are you able to ice and elevate at work?
I love how your faith comes through on this site. It inspires me. Praying for you too.
I hope you got my pm. Please let me know. Your post touched me so much. I have tears running down my face as I read it.

~hopefaith

 

[hopefaith]

@Quasi (I have no idea why that previous post formatted that way...sorry)

 

[JustJeff]

@Quasi I'm just getting around to reading your story. Here are some thoughts add I go, do I don't get too confused.
I didn't have a CPM and I did fine. My OS just had me do gentle heel slides and quad sets in bed, besides wiggling my ankles a lot.
Thanks to the epidural and constant icing my pain was held to a minimum for the critical first days. That may have contributed huge in my recovery.
Currently (like right now) I'm experiencing full blown insomnia. This is my 2nd night on Vicodin. Coincidence? I think not. With Percocet of the table and Tramadol keeping me up too, perhaps I'll just go with Tylenol and let nature do the rest.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[Quasi]

@JustJeff
I just read your post and I absolutely agree with the verdict that the Vicodin (HYDROcodone ) is the culprit. In my case I actually told my OS that HYDROcodone is like taking speed to me and I have that type of reaction to most pain meds. It helps the pain but awake Round the clock. Noe you'll love this, when I went back for three week appointments , I told him again about it , so he gave me a script for tramadol. HUH!?
Sleep is elusive..I may try your suggestion! Thanks JJ,

 

[JustJeff]

... and the sleep research continues. The cure is in sight, but we may need binoculars to see it clearly.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[hopefaith]

@Quasi I have missed you!!! So glad you are back posting. I never take my Tramadol after the noon hour, or I would be crazy awake. How did your week end up? Are you very tired? (silly question for anyone who has had a TKR in the past 12 months.)
Hope this week end you are able to rest a lot.
~hopefaith

 

[Quasi]

@hopefaith,

See my recent post!

 

[hopefaith]

@good morning ....thinking of you, praying for you.

 

[Quasi]

Same to you , Hopefaith!

 

[hopefaith]

@Quasi Sent you a message. How are you? Wondering how your week is going?
~hopefaith

 

[hopefaith]

@Quasi are you okay? Missing you.

 

[Quasi]

@Josephine.

Help needed. I was reading one of the on line advisors post to someone and they mentioned some sort of ice bags that you can put around your whole knee. I am looking for something that I can put around my knee at work that will not fall off or slide down! Do you know of such a product?

Also, my tendinitis is acting up badly, of course with the work I knew it would happen. However, can you tell me anything about massage? Is there an article on how to do it or what type of person( PT) do I need to go to? I have got to get going with some knee exercises and sleep, and dang if that area doesn't start throwing darts at me about 2 and a half hours after pain meds taken. I have not had more than. 3 hours of good sleep since surgery.
I just know you told me to massage and I don't know what I need to do.
When you have time, sweet lady,pm lease get back to me ! I know you will so I am looking forward to your great advice,

Thanks much!
JoAnne