Just Do It!

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u do not want to go into any type of surgery w/uti. Although I have comeout of surgery with uti.
Sheryl, how long did you have the catheter in place?

I'm torn between wanting not to have to use the bathroom (which I have to do with annoying frequency) and not wanting to get a catheter-induced UTI! I get them so often and am running out of antibiotics I can take (allergic to sulfa drugs and penicillin, so options get more limited); I'm scared to death of Cipro but that's what I usually end up taking. :eeeuw:

Thanks so much for your kind thoughts!! :flwrysmile:
 
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And recovering from a TKR or 2TKRs is worth the time it takes. How long have you put up with not being able to do many of the things that make your life worthwhile? How long before you will become unable to do the things you're managing to do now?

When you consider how long it has taken you to need knee replacement, it seems to me 3 months to begin to feel okay about the surgery, 6 months to feel almost "normal" and 12 months to be recovered for the most part is short by comparison. It's mostly a matter of how soon you'd like to have your life back---and the longer you put the surgery off, the worse your knee becomes; the worse the knee, the more complicated the surgery and the longer the recovery.

And please do not work up expectations that neither you or your body can meet. After surgery, you will have a new knee, but the rest of you will be just what it was before----you will not suddenly become 20 years old again! And you will have additional aches and pains for a while as your body gets adjusted to its new alignment from surgery. Things will not be perfect---they never are---but they will be better----much better.

And practice positive thinking---patients with positive attitudes make much better recoveries than naysayers. When you catch yourself getting negative----make an effort to look for the positive things about this. I mean, really, ladies, IF NOT NOW, WHEN? Work on your JUST DO IT! frame of mind and stick to it! we care1.jpg
 
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:goodpost: :iagree: :thankyou:, bottomshollow, you are an :angel:. That about says it all. I am going to print it out and paste it where I will see it every day until I have it memorized. You are so right.

I was a medical social worker once upon a time before I taught and I remember my supervisor saying "Accentuate the positives!" no matter how dire the situation. I'm in a pretty good situation and am really grateful I have insurance, people to help take care of me, and Bonesmarties like you to push me forward when I need it.

I want to be able to garden again, go to the Wellness Center, climb the stairs, stand long enough to cook again, go shopping, sit up/down/kneel in church, take long walks with my husband and dog...these are reasonable expectations. And worth working to achieve. No more pity parties.
 
:goodpost: :iagree: :thankyou:, bottomshollowI want to be able to garden again, go to the Wellness Center, climb the stairs, stand long enough to cook again, go shopping, sit up/down/kneel in church, take long walks with my husband and dog...these are reasonable expectations. And worth working to achieve. No more pity parties.


You will be amazed at how great you feel and what you will be able to do. I have to admit that, now, after five years, I can honestly forget for days that I have to "new" knees. You will be aable to forget about the new knee, too!
 
Lucia, I read in one of your posts that you might be taking some antibiotics that had been prescribed to you previously out of fear that you might still have a UTI now. I want to caution you about doing that. Any medications you take should be prescribed by your doctor for THIS particular situation. Please, please don't save antibiotics and then take them later without conferring with your doctor. To do so puts you at risk for having MORE problems with an infection than if you didn't take them at all. I know you're worried but you must trust your medical staff to properly treat you. It's never a good idea to self medicate.
 
Lucia, I read in one of your posts that you might be taking some antibiotics that had been prescribed to you previously out of fear that you might still have a UTI now...
Thanks, Jamie, I appreciate the advice and agree with you. I planned to call the urologist Monday to be tested to make sure the URI is gone and ask his opinion. The old preventative antibiotics in question were prescribed for me about five months or so ago...but I have also just finished another course of antibiotics (Cipro 10 mg x 2/bid for 10 days) for my most recent UTI.

OK, I said I wouldn't whine any more, but now I am worried about something else.

:eeeuw: Last Monday, I finished that mega-course of antibiotics for the UTI (not the old meds, these were just prescribed). About five days later, I noticed a bright pink rash that itched. The rash has spread and still itches. I think I have developed a yeast infection, of all things. I've never had one before, but after looking at on-line pictures and reading descriptions of symptoms, I think that's what it is. Back to the doctor for me.

Would this be cause for a "No Go" for TKR??

Thank goodness I have small window of time to try to get rid of it.

Sorry, I seem to have more questions and complications than should be the case.
 
Of course your surgeon would have to make a determination on any rash, but I'd say it could be an issue for you. It's a good idea to get to the doctor quickly to see what's going on. Where is the rash located? and is it spreading?

You know, one thing that's always a good idea to do when you're on antibiotics is to eat active culture yogurt daily....like Activia or Dannon. The medication kills your system's good bacteria as well as the bad ones and things can get out of balance.
 
Of course your surgeon would have to make a determination on any rash, but I'd say it could be an issue for you.

Jamie, you and I are on the same page. I'm a big fan of probiotics and take supplements regularly, plus I eat active Activia for breakfast daily. It is located in my groin area and does appear to be spreading. I thought it was heat rash until tonight, it when I showered, I noticed it was looking worse, so I went online and had one of those "Oh no!" moments because images and descriptions matched to a T.

I will see my GP this week and the urologist if they can fit me in...I don't have a dermatologist in town (well, there's not one in town, lol). We moved here a year ago and I'm still haven't replaced all the different doctors that I had in a larger city. I think I'd better see what GP and/or urologist have to say before I see my surgeon on the 24th. Maybe they can help me knock it out.

I can't help but think of Gilda Radner's Roseanne Rosanadana: "Well, it just goes to show you, it's always something--if it ain't one thing, it's another."
 
Lucia I sure can feel for you on those uti's I have Interstitial Cystitis, and they plague me often.
Sometimes its just microscopic blood in the urine and no infection, very difficult to tell. Most of the time I I always feel like I have a uti, even if I don't I hope your Dr will get down to the of the cause of rash, prayers are with you. Sorry, I have not followed since the beginning of this thread. But did want to welcome you, and wish you luck.:flwrysmile:
 
Do let us know how things go!!!
 
Lucia I sure can feel for you on those uti's I have Interstitial Cystitis,.:flwrysmile:
IC is something I've begun to wonder about...have you found anything that really helps? I went almost 8 months without a UTI and had begun to think they had gone away. Then the antibiotics cause another problem, so round and round and round we go. :sick:

Appt. w/ dr. tomorrow:yes!:
 
Sheryl, how long did you have the catheter in place?

I'm torn between wanting not to have to use the bathroom (which I have to do with annoying frequency) and not wanting to get a catheter-induced UTI! I get them so often and am running out of antibiotics I can take (allergic to sulfa drugs and penicillin, so options get more limited); I'm scared to death of Cipro but that's what I usually end up taking. :eeeuw:

Thanks so much for your kind thoughts!! :flwrysmile:

I didn't like the idea of a catheter, either, but it turned out to be a great idea----it let me not worry about trying to get out of bed too soon and I actually didn't know that it was there.

As for your fears about a UTI and the resistance to antibiotics, I would make sure that your OS and the others are certainly aware of this.
 
As for your fears about a UTI and the resistance to antibiotics, I would make sure that your OS and the others are certainly aware of this.
You bet I will, lol! It's not just building up resistance to the ones I can take, it is the reactions they cause. I have been had to take way too many antibiotics these past few years.

However, I can certainly see the advantages for the immediate post-op period and am glad to hear the pros and cons! Thanks for sharing :SUNsmile:
 
Will put in my two cents and this makes absolutely no good sense medically..and I know it. I dont let them take out the cath. I will be darn if I am going to run to the bathroom FAST after surgery and they are pumping all those fluids in me. I understand about infections..I cannot even take oral antibiotics but they know me by now..Legs closed..I wont let you near me.
Probably the worst medical advice I can give you..so its personal..Please take it at that.

BTW, I developed patellar tendonitis (knee) from CIPRO. Not an uncommon side effect from this drug but usually not this tendon..Just be aware. There is a black box warning that comes with this drug.
 
I will be darn if I am going to run to the bathroom FAST after surgery and they are pumping all those fluids in me...

...I developed patellar tendonitis (knee) from CIPRO. Not an uncommon side effect from this drug but usually not this tendon..Just be aware. There is a black box warning that comes with this drug.
:gaah: Good heavens, Merry, I forgot about the IV fluids...I can't go 15 minutes without having to use the bathroom when on an IV. BUT you have given me an idea...maybe they could put some preventive antibiotics in that IV. I have had gentramycin and keflex by IV and did OK. I don't think I will fight that catheter!!

Yes, I am very aware of the dangers of Cipro. When you can't take penicillin or sulfa drugs, the options narrow. It is a scary drug as are many of the fluoroquinolones. I hate to hear you had that bad side effect.

I do love your disclaimed about giving me probably the worst possible medical advice, but it's advice based on your experience.

I have to make sure I'm clear of this last UTI and am going in tomorrow for retesting, etc. Better to deal with complications now than regret later. I have yet to find anything very scholarly about risk of infection specifically from a UTI...but I suspect there has to be a risk with any infection.
 
Sheryl, how long did you have the catheter in place?

I'm torn between wanting not to have to use the bathroom (which I have to do with annoying frequency) and not wanting to get a catheter-induced UTI! I get them so often and am running out of antibiotics I can take (allergic to sulfa drugs and penicillin, so options get more limited); I'm scared to death of Cipro but that's what I usually end up taking. :eeeuw:

Thanks so much for your kind thoughts!! :flwrysmile:
The catheter was for a hysterectomy, and it was as painful as all get out , about 24 hrs, I kept begging them to take it out, and they kept saying pump the morphine and i kept saying take the morphine and catheter out, they both are killing me. i hate catheters. Hope you don't have to have one. Good Luck..Sheryl:flwrysmile:
 
Hrrumph. Drove to Birmingham last week to see OS and do pre-admit work for hospital. Came down with flu the night before all this was scheduled and couldn't move out of the bed. Next appointment available is something like Feb. 28. Frustrating and discouraging. :hairpulling: :gaah: :hairpulling: :gaah: :headbang:
 
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Lucia! And so sorry you've got the flu. Life can just seem so unfair at times----and this is certainly one of them. Take care and get well soon. Keep us posted about things. We care.
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