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TKR Karena71's recovery....

Hello Karena,
You are in the very early stages of recovery and everything you are experiencing is pretty much par for the course. I hope the nausea subsides UGH! Don't rush the PT. You will find that once the swelling goes down, your knee will cooperate a lot more.
All the best to you in the upcoming days:console2: hang in there, it does get better!
 
While I was in the hospital, the nurses removed my Ted stockings and left them off because they were bunching up and leaving deep red lines. I never missed them LOL. Sometimes I think they do more harm than good.


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LTKR 8/15/16
 
My TED hose always seemed to have an 'accident' when I would get home from the hospital.. I never wore them due too the bunching in some areas of my leg. That can actually cause more problems. There are other ways to hold the glaze in place that you can use. Tape for 'sensitive' skin can be purchased at a pharmacy. You can use it down the sides of the glaze. Make sure you don't use it on the incision or staples at all. You might also be able to get a mesh that can be cut to the length you need that can easily be pulled up to cover the glaze. Check with the pharmacist for suggestions.
 
I'm getting discouraged today. Pic on left was two days ago. Pic on right this afternoon. I have not walked but to bathroom/kitchen and back. Ice and elevate all day. Why is swelling not improving???
[Bonesmart.org] Karena71's recovery....



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Are you elevating your knee the correct way with knee above your hip and ankle above your knee?
 
I think my ankle has been level with my knee.


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Try elevating it as I the pictures. I used the three pillow stack shown and it even works on my recliner.
 
Please don't be discouraged, the swelling can take a few more weeks before you seen an improvement. I too worried about it so much I started measuring the circumference of my knee and calf. Of course if it keeps getting worse you may want to call your OS office and let them know. Keep elevating and icing...you will hear that a lot from most of us here on bonesmart.
 
When my swelling was really bad I used "toes above the nose". Sometimes I would lay flat on the sofa and put my legs up on the sofa arm. It felt surprisingly good for my back and hips, it also got my swelling down a bit.
 
Don't get discouraged, in the first couple of weeks sometimes my knee would be so swollen it felt like the insicion would rip open, ice, ice, ice and elevate, it will get better. Did your OS prescribe an anti inflamatory? I took Celebrex.

I hope you feel relief soon!!!
 
Does anyone ever feel like they go several days and seem to feel like there is no improvement?


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@karena71 , Yes I have felt that way, you will make progress then either stop, or even go back a bit. It's the weirdest surgery recovery I've dealt with. Usually you start making progress and keep on improving, that's not the case with these knees. Think we've all been where your at from time to time, lack of progress and being unable to get around and being cooped up. Today is just one day of many and there will be good days ahead and happiness and joy and days of disappointment and set backs. Chin up
 
I found that with TKRs you see improvement from week to week instead of day to day. This surgery requires massive amounts of patience. Take a look at the activity progression chart in the readings. It will help you to know what is acceptable activity and keep you from over doing things.
 
Thanks @zzevi. I'm only 10 days out and know I'm rushing it. But I'm also younger and usually very active which is why I had this surgery to begin with. I'm not one to sit!

I know the mantra here is rest, ice, and elevate and I'm trying! However, I went away to college to be an athletic trainer/PT. (only made it thru one year). The younger athlete in me wants me to be working those muscles! The Pt, my mom who is a former ortho nurse/x-Ray tech, and many others keep saying get up and get moving and do your exercises. My knee won't bend. I'm really in a spot right now.



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Re Ted hose, they must have given me just the right size, because mine aren't as uncomfortable as they have been in the past. But when occupational therapy made me put them on myself, I was the most painful thing I've done yet, really hurt my leg. So I've begged my helper friend to do it for me since then.
Just to show how exceedingly kind the floor of nurses was at "joint camp," a couple of them said they would plead for an extra pair for me, since I'd be in a hotel with no driver if one ripped or tore. They got me a pair, but it didn't arrive until a few minutes after my discharge was signed and the wheelchair carted me off. A few hours later, a knock on the hotel room door, and it was one of the nurses with my extra pair.
Definitely calls for an Edible Arrangement delivery this week!
 
You won't see much difference or improvement in swelling in 2 days. The improvement is very gradual and imperceptible, to me, at least. I can see now that my knee is less swollen that it was 2 weeks ago. I am 3 weeks out and still stiff and swollen. It is correct that the improvement you will see is week by week, not so much day to day.
 
@KarriB. Thanks. I have never had patience in areas like this! That's why I'm having the problem. LOL


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@karena71 I feel for you, you have a lot of people pushing you, and you will have to find peace within yourself, it took me weeks to find that peace. I wanted to please everyone. P/T, surgeon my husband, daughter and family. But not one of those people where in my shoes at the current time, it just added to a lot of frustration and set backs. ( my husband still says from time to time, if you would have done more of this, you would be feeling the aches and pains now. ) We all manage differently, if you feel the need to push with exercising no one can stop you, a lot of us have just found that doing less has been better for us. But we all have to find our own peace with what's working for us. Were all alike in a lot of ways because of the surgery, but yet were all unique and different. Find your peace and comfort level.
 
@karena71 I am right there with you as I am younger and was active as I could be prior to surgery. My PT is pushing and saying I need to increase my ROM. I know this but the knee is just not bending and s so tight and stiff as it has a mind of its own. I try hard not to compare to others progress but it is a struggle. As many have said its all about patience with this recovery.
 
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