TKR Kayak59's Recovery Thread
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kayak59
senior
Hi All. Boy, when they say don't expect your second knee to be like your first knee, they weren't kidding! I had a horrible time with 2nd knee. The knee itself as way worse than the first -- the first had that bone spur but that just affected the quad. There was a lot more damage to the 2nd knee and my doc said I was an emergency knee replacement ready to happen -- didn't know how I could walk on it. Anyway, lots and lots of pain. They took me off the Morphine and went straight to Tramadol and something else to reduce the swelling. But they also gave me a shot in the tummy to reduce the risks of blood clots and that I think caused the whole leg to swell. My toes looked like little sausages and I never had the swelling that bad in the foot the first time. (Saying that a lot actually.) By the time I was crying in pain Friday night and they were trying to get hold of the on call doctor to get Norco, it took over 3 hours to locate him. Horrible horrible time. They kept me on the Norco 10mg overnight and cut it to 5mg in the morning because the BP was low. Did a little bit of PT and only had 60 degrees of extension. Waaah -- but not stressing over it. The ride home was agonizing because I couldn't extend my leg enough in my sister's car but made it through that. Then I was ok for a couple hours until the cramping started again. I kinda knew what was going on but was in too much pain to articulate it -- it was my calf muscle spasming which caused my Achilles tendon, plantar fasciti in the foot, and all the muscles in the shins and top of foot to tighten. My wonderful sister called my Mom who is a retired nurse and who had TKRs and started massaging my calf and shin and foot and got the muscles to start cramping. Then she woke me up every 6 hours to take 10mg of Norco -- per my Mum -- and change the ice. Couldn't have the big black ice packs on my knee because of the weight but had lighter ones. My other sister is coming home today and will spend the night too. I think the worse is over -- what a trip! Home health called but I said not to come over, no way was I doing PT today. Swelling is still pretty bad but pain is under control. And if the cramps start again, I know what to do.
newlybionic
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M sorry you're having cramping in your muscles. I've had the same thing early in my recovery and I just had to get up and walk to try to stretch the muscles to stop it. I also did some stretching by using a sheet to bring my toes up and that helped my calf. I'm glad you have your pain under control and you have some wonderful sisters to help you out.
Timetolive
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Eileen, I am so sorry things are so rough this time. I was hoping this second knee would be as easy as the first. Thank goodness for mothers and sisters! Hang in there. Each day is one you don't have to live through again and you know they do get better.
Slainte
post-grad
Yep, my second knee was not as wonderful as my first. Makes us believe all these complaints we read here! Still, it does get better. Just improves our empathy meter! Good call to cancel the PT. Time enough for that after you get on an even keel.
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kayak59
senior
I think something is wrong with one of the hamstring muscles. The pain is very isolated, in the middle of my thigh, kinda deep, starts halfway between crease and knee, maybe 6 inches long? Painful to touch but not red, near tournequit bruise but don't think that is it.. Mostly very painful when I try to sit on it -- like on the toilet. Doesn't seem to affect the actual knee. very sharp, sometimes throbs.
nerdgrrl
graduate
Oy, kayak59, sounds miserable. Take it easy! Glad you have some strategies for the cramps. Those are the worst!
The thigh pain could be a bit of inflammation. Try an ice pack on that, too.
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kayak59
senior
things are still not getting better very fast. Now, I am getting unbelievably painful spasms on the back of my knee. It is like someone pressing a red hot iron there - very localized, definitely a spasm of some kind. The pain is only comparable to the first couple times they got me up after my abdominal hysterectomy -- like a white hot lightening bolt, can't breathe, can't think, can't move, think I am just a degree from passing out. Don't know why it happens, can be mid step, standing still, can happen once or a couple times in a row. I guess this is all because of the amount and type of damage there was to this knee vs the first.
Can still barely get out of bed myself more than once or twice an hour, can't put weight on the left leg until I get it directly under the me, the right hip is still weak and shaky from the stress I'm putting on it.
Just keeping telling myself: the worst is over, the worst is over, this will pass. it will pass
Can still barely get out of bed myself more than once or twice an hour, can't put weight on the left leg until I get it directly under the me, the right hip is still weak and shaky from the stress I'm putting on it.
Just keeping telling myself: the worst is over, the worst is over, this will pass. it will pass
missiew
junior member
Yes the worst is over, now allow time for healing. I realized with my own healing process some heal quickly and others such as myself heal slowly. I've learned to accept that it is what it is. Some days are gonna be good and others will be bad. You can't have the blessings without the burden or the miracle without misery they go hand in hand!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Timetolive
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I really think you should call your doctor to get this checked out.
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kayak59
senior
Okay, so now I am feeling very embarrassed and a bit like a crybaby. My physical therapist Kristin says there is nothing "wrong" with this knee -- although yes, there was more damage and so yes, probably a little more complex repair but basically, welcome to the world of knee replacement. I was just spoiled rotten by the lack of problems with the first knee and all the other "problems" I'm having are typical -- given that just about every replacement and recovery is slightly different. Maybe a little more pain doing this, maybe a little less doing that, but basically, no different from what all of you are going through. And yes, I was sitting on the toilet "wrong". So sorry for all my moaning and groaning, people. Feeling sheepish.... but also quite relieved. Better to feel stupid than have something really wrong.
Don't feel embarrassed! We all get worried and this is the place to vent.
I'm glad your PT was able to reassure you.
I'm glad your PT was able to reassure you.
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kayak59
senior
okay....... so I was stressed out physically and emotionally and in a lot of pain and my loving family lovingly made me a couple thermoses of tea so I could have my cuppa whenever I wanted it.... and doubled the number of teabags -- using the strongest brand which I keep for special occasions. Which I didn't realize because the pain med was affecting my taste and they'd quadrupled the sugar and I didn't want to hurt their feelings because they were trying. No wonder I could not sleep last night..... sigh...... Operation Decaf starting now
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kayak59
senior
Day 6 Post op and just had my PT. Painful but making progress -- glacially. The PT verbally encouraged me to maybe do a little more than I would have preferred but not more than I could handle. I had to ask her, "OK, I know I can't compare this to my first knee but its all I have as a reference. You are saying what I am doing is Excellent and awesome but its a fraction of what I was doing before." She said yes, she used the same words but what happened before was freakishly excellent and amazing. This time around, she is comparing this day 6 post op knee with all the thousand other knees that she had helped rehab and yes, even as slowly and painfully and the minimal (to me) numbers I'm getting, I really am doing well. So okay. I can accept that. Now to get a nice cuppa decaf tea.
It sounds as if you have a very experienced and helpful PT. I'm glad she was so helpful.
Don't worry about your knee not bending much - it's so early and this knee was more damaged, so it will be more swollen and take longer than your first knee did.
For what it's worth, my last TKR knee was so swollen that it didn't bend at all for 5 days. It bends to over 125 degrees now.
Don't worry about your knee not bending much - it's so early and this knee was more damaged, so it will be more swollen and take longer than your first knee did.
For what it's worth, my last TKR knee was so swollen that it didn't bend at all for 5 days. It bends to over 125 degrees now.
Slainte
post-grad
I hear you! My first knee is a dream. My second knee is normal, I'm afraid. At almost 11 weeks it really slows me down. But gradually getting better. I had that sharp pain in the back of my knee and my PT did a magic thing. He had me lie face down, and he bent my knee up while he pressed into the back of my knee gently with his other hand. He kept straightening my leg, and then bending it again at slightly different angles, all the time pressing the back of the knee and stretching out those ligaments and whatnot. He may have also shaken some medicine beads and burned incense. Whatever it was, it helped.
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