Just Scoped Very Warm Knee

[JudyS]

I don't know where to put this thread, but had my scope on WED. lots of pain meds at the surgery center, went home.
Thursday I took a percocet in the am. Did not take anything else, no knee pain.
Friday I woke up with pain. Have been taking percocet on a 4 hour schedule. My knee is painful and very warm. Even right after I take ice off it is room temp , then warm. Is this normal????? The doc did microfracture on the femur /trochlear groove and a lot of cleaning out of scar tissue , I think just under the kneecap. The warm area is red also.

Thanks for your help everyone
Judy

 

[edk]

I think warm is probably resonable considering you just fractured your leg (even if microly). Your body is still going "Oh My God, she hurt her leg" and mobilizing all kinds
of healing goodies and rushing to the area. So I would expect some swelling and low
grade fever.

 

[beachcomber]

Did you go to play in the snow yesterday? Too much activity could have caused increased inflammation. It is easy to underestimate the trauma of an arthroscopic procedure because it doesn't have a big scar. Stay "down" today and ice and elevate.

 

[JudyS]

Thanks guys
Yes I did go to the snow yesterday. I think the most painful part was the car ride there and back.
I guess you are correct Beach. It seems so minor the next day I was at my daughter's Christmas production for a few hours , only half sitting down.
I am just going to lay around today with the ususal , ice, elevation and pain pills on a regular schedule.
Didn't think a scope would be like this. I only took pain meds for 3 days after my hip scope which also included microfracture!!!

I can see the future tears in pt when trying to bend this bowling ball!!!!!

Thanks again
Judy

 

[Josephine]

and a lot of cleaning out of scar tissue

Don't forget this bit ... it makes your knee heat up as well as it's tantamount to the surgeon taking a miniature sander around the inside of your joint. It creates heat!

 

[AlaskanTKR]

Judy -
YEP! I always had lots of heat and swelling after the scopes. I was red only around the inscisions. Not like the tkr red I experienced this year. The heat did not last long, but revisited frequebtly when I was silly and got carried away. You are right. Big difference in proocedures. I hurt more with this hip scope but actually can be more mobile. Sitting is painful but laying is ok. Totally stoned on so much hydrocodone but OS said to stick with it through Christmas - if not the post op otherwise I would be miserable. Wes said he did a lot of grinding lots of excess bone, in the groove and on the hed or something. He keeps trying to remember. Stick with your ice and elevation. Did you ooze when you had your hip scope? I never oozed with the knee scopes but I think I may be oozing under this badage. Seems damp and hubby says it is slightly tinted red. I can take big bandage off tomorrow - very black and blue around it. This is all different - but I can bend my knee!! I feel for you right now - I remember the first days and trying to step in adn out of the shower. UGHHH My heart goes out to you!

Ill check in with you later - relax and get off your knee girl!

Marianne

 

[Simon]

Judy

Being warm and having a red area concerns me as the red could be an indication of infection. Watch it carefully and if the red area grows or gets warmer call the doctor.

Roberta

 

[Josephine]

Not after a mere two days, Roberta. An infection takes at least a week to show up.

 

[JudyS]

Thanks Jo as this was my big worry for my new hip. I see the doc at 1 week post op, so that will be perfect timing.
Judy

 

[Doug]

Judy,
Behave and stay off that sucker for awhile...

 

[JudyS]

I am going to try to behave... Funny right now everywhere I look something is sleeping. The cat, curled up on the couch with my oldest daughter, my dog curled up on the loveseat. My youngest, birthday girl, is asleep upstairs, of course Mr Snake, all sleeping. It is 4 in the afternoon, I need to be sleeping.
I am going to work on adding myself to this picture tomorrow afternoon.
We do have to go out for Becka's birthdaY or I would join them now.
Judy

 

[Rowdy66]

Judy: Glad you are home but sorry you are hurting. You have a long, hard road ahead and you are just going to have to take care of yourself. Sometimes you have to let things go. I can only give you a few of my tips as they come to mind. The most important one is to never clean wearing your glasses and to never go into a room when the blinds/curtains are open. Do not let anyone touch any surface that may need dusting as dust, evenly distributed gives a home that warm, lived in glow. Once touched there is only one thing to be done and we don't even want to start thinking about that now. I have not worn glasses in my kitchen in so long and today I forgot to take them off before entering. I can only say it is not a pretty site but one that with patience I think I may be able to adjust to. Oh, and never, ever make the bed. It can be smoothed and the crumbs swept out but the only time it can be made is when you change the sheets and then only in an inviting manner, i.e., pillows nicely fluffed and top sheet and blankie folded down and back as if to say, please, lay down, you look tired. There are only a couple of things that you have to keep done at this time and since you mentioned an older daughter at home I am assuming there may be a younger daughter and possibly a middle daughter. This could be the perfect time to begin therapy to discourage early marriage and to make furthering their education a neccesity. I know it is irritating to listen to them fight and complain about all they have to do and who did what when and whose turn is it. You absolutely must block all such conversations out and instead focus on the future when they will be praising you and your wonderful mothering skills for without you showing them what it meant to take care of a family they would not have become so dedicated to furthering their education. I am sure I will think of more as the days pass and I will pass all my tips on to you. If nothing else I can guarantee my posts will become progressively boring and rambling and you will no longer need sleeping pills. Now, if you are still awake, which I doubt, it is time for you to elevate your leg and apply ice. Do you have the polar pacs? Oh, and whatever you do take your pain meds and your STOOL SOFTENERS.

Will keep you in my prayers and look forward to reading your posts. Rowdy

 

[Linda2]

LOVE Rowdy's post!!!

 

[JudyS]

Rowdy I love your tips. I am usually pretty good about ignoring stuff. Right now on crutches it is very annoying as there is stuff everywhere on the floor. The husband seems to be acting overwhelmed with life (He is having to do my role!!!).

I am just worrying that scar tissue is forming where it was just removed!!! I think that because my knee is too swollen to bend.

Is muscle cramping normal after a scope? Or are my electrolites off? I am being good and have spent most of the day in the recliner, no leaving the house today.
Thanks and Rowdy I do enjoy your posts
Judy

 

[Josephine]

Muscle cramps can be a problem, possibly because of the use of the tourniquet but also maybe because of swelling which can act like a tourniquet! Get your husband to gently massage the calf to help it relax.

 

[beachcomber]

Judy,

This is your knee having the last word---- you did too much the first days after your scope. They have a way of "getting even" when we don't behave.

I did the same thing after my right knee scope--- going to see Charlotte in the hospital before she died the day after my surgery and driving home--- and I paid for it for a few days after. It was worth it to say goodbye to her--- but I did pay.

You really *do* have to stay down and keep your leg iced and "up". Take it easy and it will ease up.

Beach

 

[AlaskanTKR]

Judy
My knee scopes were always followed with spasms. It was a package deal. I kept hoping bananas would help (wishing it was a potasium thing). I was on the flexirile for 3 months after the tkr. The hip seems totally different. I have had some cramps/spasms but it is way different. I learned a lot from my tkr so I am totally being a couch potato this time. Sleep munch and watch tv and sleep some more! AND LOTS AND LOTS of ice!!!! Tomorrow is my first day out and it is just to pt then back. With the med issue I cant really do much more.... seem to be falling asleep ALOT!

Off for another nap
Marianne

 

[JudyS]

I know you guys are right. Helps to hear it instead of just ignoring my brain telling me.

Something to do with those little holes for surgery!!! Of course when I was having my first surgery (cervical spine diskectomy and 3-level fusion) I thought that would be no biggy either. I actually had reservations for 3 weeks after surgery to go hiking in Yosemite. Just a llittle crazy.

Getting up to get a bagel and a bag of ice.
Thanks everyone
Judy

 

[gayle]

mine was always like that after scope due to the inflammation post op, just keep icing it etc...