Bilateral TKR Second Year Progress

Happy holidays all! And thanks again for all the help, support and feedback.
 
Yes. But now completely confused and intimidated and prob will go back to lurker status.
Don't worry about it. Just don't tag lots of people consecutively, because it makes it hard for people reading on small devices like cell phones.
Lurk all the want, but do come back to let us know how you're getting on. We're here and we care! :friends:
 
Just don't tag lots of people consecutively

Got it, thanks Celle. That's what I was trying to say somewhat inelegantly, should have used the word "tag".

Sometimes its really hard to convey information in writing, and the tone can be misunderstood. No visual or auditory cues to help out.
 
i was just looking at the photo you posted the other day and your knees look great ~ your surgeon did a very good job of the incision. i realize you have issues with the stitches, but the incisions look very neat. hope you have a wonderful weekend with your family.:gbh:
 
Hope you’re having a great weekend with your Colorado kids. :santa gifts: I just spent a week with my oldest and his family, and that’s a great start to the holiday! Next year you’ll be making that trip to Denver.

Sorry about your incision still spitting stitches. You’ve had a much nastier experience of that than most people, but I do agree your incision is looking fine. I was expecting to see much worse. Looks like you’re handling this as well as can be expected. Your surgeon sounds like such a loving, caring person, too. How could you not fall in love?

We all worry about infection, with good reason. We wouldn’t wish it on anyone, much less ourselves. Every time I get a strange symptom now, my first thought flies to my knees. Could it be an infection? Have I done something harmful to them? Is it the knee(s)? A few deep breaths and some clear thought later, I realize I need to rein in the imagination. But our knees are front and center in our minds for a good reason. You have the stitches thing, so your worry has even more basis... which makes your surgeon a knight in shining armor for being so caring with you. :roseshwr:
 
You have the stitches thing, so your worry has even more basis... which makes your surgeon a knight in shining armor for being so caring with you. :roseshwr:

Ah Susie, you are so right. You are a star with all your travels and time with grandkids. Tonight I will see not only my grand girls, but two of my three San Diego grandkids too. Their older brother who is 16 will not be able to make it, which is too bad.

Yes my surgeon is wonderful, but so is his nurse Sheri. She has been so kind, caring and patient with me. I am very blessed, but my doc did come highly recommended by an old college friend who had a bilateral TKR six years ago with my doc. And he was my second opinion doc as well. He sold both me and my son. We both liked him right away.

My left knee has been so sore this past couple of days. The right has some minor twinges, but the left was really making its presence known. Last night I had to get up and take tylenol, which hasn't happened in a long while. Here's what's probably the recent cause: The knee was hurting earlier in the evening, but not horribly. Probably a 2. But then the fire alarm went off in the building - someone had started a fire in the dumpster in the underground garage, whether accidentally or intentionally no one knows - and I had to walk down the stairs to get out, plus a lot of extra walking and standing out in the cold, plus sitting on a cold hard bench - you get the picture. I don't know why that would set off my knee, but when I woke up around 2 it was a three alarm fire in my knee - haha. Seriously though it was at least a 4 on the pain scale. Which is when I took the Tylenol.

I have not been very active in the past couple of weeks because of the oozing stitches, just been walking. Day before yesterday I tried a few exercises, and damn, the stitch started to ooze again.

Anyway, I appreciate all the comments and support. So proud for you Susie, you are doing so well. I completely relate about thinking everything is the knee. Sometimes my head gets going about the sensitivity to the stitches, and I get scared that maybe I'll start rejecting the new knees themselves. That is not a happy thought in the wee small hours of the morning.

BTW, speaking of the line wee small hours, three terrific music specials on PBS this past week. The first was Ron Howard's documentary Eight Days a Week about the early Beatles - such a great film. One of the last parts of the flick was the Shea Stadium concert in NY on August 15, 1965. I was there! I was one of the 56,000 screaming teenagers. I begged, pleaded, nagged, sulked until my father got me two tickets for that show. My friend Jane and I went to the concert and sat in the nose bleed section. The fab four were tiny, tiny specs, and we never heard a note of the music. But we sure had fun. Then we took the train into Manhattan and hung out for a while by the Warwick hotel, hoping to catch a glimpse of the boys when they returned. We never saw them, but we continued to have such fun. I was 19 years old. Those were the days.

The other two PBS shows were great as well: The Everly Brothers, my earliest teenage idols, I remember their songs being played at the Friday night dances at St. Ignatius, run by Father O'Pray. (What a name) He'd come around when the slow dances would play and tell us to leave room for the Holy Ghost. So funny now that I think of it.

The third special was Frank Sinatra. I wasn't such a fan of his, but always liked his music. However I have two much older brothers, and they loved him and played his music all the time. I still know all the words to many of the numbers. Frank Sinatra was an icon, immensely talented and interesting.

So if any of you can stream any of these shows, they are well worth it. What I didn't realize about the Everly Brothers was how influential they were on the artists that came after them. Their harmonies were incredible, and apparently they did stuff on their guitars that were ground breaking. I used to listen to their songs on my transistor radio.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Best,

ML
 
i was just looking at the photo you posted the other day and your knees look great ~ your surgeon did a very good job of the incision. i realize you have issues with the stitches, but the incisions look very neat.

Thanks Liam. I will try to focus on the neatness of the stitches for sure. Some of them are actually behaving normally, and I am focusing on them as well, and telling them how beautiful they are.

All best,

Mary Lou
 
Great tips on the PBS shows! I grew up listening to Frank Sinatra as my mom was a big fan. I like the Everly brothers when I hear their songs, but don't know anything about them.

Sounds like you're doing pretty well. But yes, that trip down the stairs for the fire alarm would have made your knee :tantrum:
Some good TLC with ice and elevation will help--as will the Tylenol. :thumb:
 
Good morning bs peeps. I hope all is well with all. :) We are dealing with heavy fires here in SoCal, but so far in my area we have not been affected, although the air is a bit murky.

I am at just over 12 weeks post bi-lat TKR surgery, and I wanted to check in. I am still dealing with healing stitches. My doctor has assured me that although my sensitivity to the suture material is more than he has seen in a while, with more of the areas on my knees affected, I do not have infection, and that they will heal eventually. I must continue to clean them every day, apply anti-bacterial ointment and keep them covered. I have to say that it is time consuming and I don't enjoy doing it, but then a lot of this post-surgery stuff is not enjoyable. Deal with it ML.

However, I am finding myself in some amount of pain in my left knee, (about a 4 sometimes, then backing down to a 2, then back up to 4), which has been my problem knee all along. I really notice it today, after a week-end with my family, doing quite a bit of walking, in and out of cars, sitting for long stretches. Plus Monday and yesterday I resumed work, which involves me sitting at a desk working one on one with a student for 60 minutes at a stretch - one session Monday afternoon and four yesterday. None today. And to top it off, the air and the winds are so bad from the fires I have been unable to get outside and walk. I did two periods of elevating and icing yesterday in between students, and I've already done it once today. The pain feels like it might be bone pain in the right quadrant of my left knee, and sometimes the pain radiates down my shin and up into my groin. It all feels better after icing of course.

I am hoping it will ease up in a day or two with continued icing and elevation, plus I have been taking two tylenol every eight hours. Has anyone else experienced this? Plus, on top of that, the skin on my left kneecap is so sensitive, tingles sometimes, and then sometimes burns. I am wondering if that is nerve related too. Plus itchy - omgoodness the skin under the bandaids is so itchy. I sound like a hot mess.

Does anyone have any feedback?

Best,

Mary Lou
 
My skin/incision area was sensitive for months and I was only able to wear soft pj pants during that time. TKR was Oct/Nov and I didn’t wear jeans until April.

At 3 months post op many have pain, especially after being exceptionally active. It might be your knee telling you to slow down you’re expecting too much from it at this point. A full TKR recovery can take 12 months, I know it did for me.
 
It sounds to me that your left knee pain is most likely due to your increased activity. My left knee was a problem child also and at three months it too would occasionally act up. It acted up on some walks, and once when I jumped away from a dog, and if I sat overlong playing board games. You were sitting for a long spell (I'm seven months out and if I sit for a long time my knees get stiff) and just generally being more active, it sounds like. Elevating and icing should settle it down (and it sounds like that's working for you).

The skin over the kneecaps can get hypersensitive, as can incisions. You already have an annoyed incision, what with the stitches, so I can only imagine how irritating it must be to have the kneecap skin act up too. People do different things to desensitize the skin. Because of your incision avoid using a washcloth in the shower (a popular method), but you can try lightly rubbing it with your fingers to see if that helps. It might not, if the sensations are due to nerve pain, which sometimes occurs. Someone will likely come along with advice on how to deal with that.

I can't give sound advice about using products near your bandages or incisions. I'll tag @Josephine to see if she has any good ideas to give you relief. :fingersx:
 
I didn’t wear jeans until April.

Yes, yes, yes. I agree that jeans sound so harsh and painful on my poor, sensitive knee, especially lefty. I'm not going to Denver for Christmas this year, but before I decided not to go, I wondered what the heck I would wear while there. I knew I wouldn't be able to wear jeans, and Denver is too cold for yoga pants - lol. Then I got real and decided to put the visit off until March or April, and the jeans issue disappeared. We are having such warmish weather this month I could get away with shorts. Thanks, KarriB.

My left knee was a problem child also and at three months it too would occasionally act up.

I remember you saying this Susie, as I read much of your thread a while back. When I was at the doctor last week, he said I had an outbreak of some kind of dermatitis due to the bandaids, in addition to the stitch problem. I went to CVS today and purchased some sensitive skin bandaids, so that may be a little better and help the itching. I can't put any anti-itch cream on it because then the bandaids won't stick to my skin. I can tell you one thing, I never focused on or thought about or spent money on bandaids like I have done in the past four weeks since this problem with the stitches started. I should've bought stock in the band aid company. Thanks for the feedback Susie.
 
he said I had an outbreak of some kind of dermatitis due to the bandaids
I have this problem too. The only way to get around it, I found, was to use a bandage - either crepe or cotton, doesn't matter. But I could not and still cannot apply any surgical adhesive to my skin for more than 24hrs.

Is you 'dermatitis' like blistering?
 
@mlwreader I. am 10 months out from BTKR and my knee skin has been very sensitive. I find it is worse after a long day and my knees are a little swollen.
I have had great success with plastic food wrap/cling wrap. A little bit of moisturiser over my knees for initial stick and then smooth on a piece of wrap to cover the scar, I use about 3/4 inches wide. No need to wrap it right around your knee. Your body heat with help keep it stuck.
I have found it stays put under jeans and all night if you find the bedclothes are irritating.
 
Is you 'dermatitis' like blistering?

Not blistering, no. Red bumps though. It's feeling a little better today with the breathable bandaids. Also overall the entire left knee is feeling better today after a couple of days of consistent icing and elevating and resting. I feel encouraged. Thanks for the feedback Josephine. :)

I have had great success with plastic food wrap/cling wrap

Deb: I have read others describe the cling wrap solution also, but I don't think its a good idea for me until my stitches stop the oozing and the sensitivity to the suture material has run its course. I thank you for the suggestion. :)
 
Yes you are quite right definitely not until completely healed up!
But keep it in your ‘bag of tricks’ for later.
 
But keep it in your ‘bag of tricks’ for later.

You bet I will, Deb. My doctor gave me a refill of Tramadol today only to use at night. Also he prescribed an NSAID cream, which I'm not sure why, because the instructions clearly say not to use on broken skin. Also they told me to leave the bandaids off the red bumps, so maybe the itching will improve.

I am going out with my girlfriends tonight for a couple of hours to a local spot where another friend of ours has a singing gig. She has a great, smokey, bluesy voice, and it will be so fun to hear her and to hang with friends. My knees aren't feeling great tonight, but I'm pretty sure getting out with friends is good for the soul. They are picking me up so I don't even have to drive.

Plus I have a tiny live tree from Trader Joe's with a string of lights, and Christmas music on, so feeling pretty mellow and festive.

What's everyone else doing this week-end?

Mary Lou
 
@Josephine I am wondering if you or anyone else is familiar with Diclofenac Sodium Topical Gel 1%, which is something my OS prescribed for me this week to help with nighttime pain. I looked it up on WebMD and it appears to be an NSAID. It is to be applied topically up to four times daily, and the tube comes with a dosing card. I am to measure and apply using the dosing card, and leave the knee exposed to air for 10 minutes after applying. The instructions say to not apply to broken skin and keep away from eyes, etc. So its usefulness to me is limited to areas on my knee that are not affected by the suture material. I used it for the first time tonight, so I don't know how effective it might be, but I was wondering if anyone else has been prescribed this medication.

My left knee aches like a son of a gun tonight, and I'm pretty sure its because I resumed the stationary bike today after a hiatus. One of the darn sutures was so juicy that it broke open the last time I used the bike, so the doctor had said to lay off it for a while. Now the suture is closing up and there's only a minimum of oozing. I only went on the bike for five minutes with no resistance, and then also took two short walks, one in the am, and one in the afternoon, of about 1/4 mile. It felt good to move around for sure, but the left knee aches tonight. I have iced and elevated three times today, and otherwise just rested for most of the day.

I feel like the resumption of tutoring this week, which involved nine hours at my desk spaced out over the week, plus additional time sending out emails, was really hard on the knees. They seem a little more swollen to me than they were last week, although last week-ends time sitting with the family probably added to the mix.

I will be three months on Monday, and realize that with the two knees recovering, there really is quite a bit more recovery to come. I value this forum so very much, as it gives me a place to vent, plus reading others' experiences really helps.

I visited with an upstairs neighbor today who had RTKR about four years ago, but who fell and landed on that knee about a year after the surgery. She had to undergo another surgery to repair the damage, and that was three years ago. The fall was right after we all moved into this brand new senior apartment complex, and she was walking across the underground parking garage to the elevator, and tripped over one of those parking space bumps, can't remember what they are called. What a horrible thing to happen. She had to be rushed to the hospital and it was a big mess. Anyway, she is pretty much ok now, and it was great to sit and visit with her and compare symptoms etc., plus she has been a great source of information and moral support, especially prior to my surgery.

One more thing - fire update. The fires in LA county are beginning to be contained, thank goodness, and some folks are being allowed back to their property. I have several relatives up in that area, two of whom were evacuated. However, they have been allowed back home, and their homes are intact, thank God.

The fire in north San Diego county rages on, and my dear friend, who herself had BTKR six years ago, and who referred me to her surgeon, had to evacuate their property with her wheel chair bound husband two days ago. She and I texted yesterday, they found a handicap access motel and were checked in. However, I have not heard from her today, and am so worried about them because the fire was so bad right where they live in a rural area. They are safe, but I can't imagine what they will do if they lose their home. So any of you that are praying folks, please send prayers and/or good thoughts.

Guess I'll go back to bed and see if my knee has really settled down with this topical gel. Thanks, as always, for reading.

Mary Lou
 
Gosh, that dreadful fire must be an awful calamity to cope with. I remember speaking on an almost daily basis with Poppet who was in Australia. They had a bush fire of almost similar proportions that actually got to the end of their road about half a mile away. They were on minute by minute alert to evacuate. So they kept their big SUV permanently packed up with all the necessaries and precious stuff, paperwork and such which she couldn't drive so the plan was that she had to ring her husband to come home from work to drive it. Scary, what?

I am wondering if you are familiar with Diclofenac Topical Gel which my OS prescribed for me this week to help with night time pain. I looked it up on WebMD and it appears to be an NSAID.
It certainly is an NSAID, it's the same drug as in Diclofenac tablets. And what is more, it is about the most pernicious of them for causing stomach problems. Adverts will tell you that this topical gel 'bypasses the stomach' but this isn't true. The substance does get into the circulation and will effect the stomach just not with the same intensity as tablets do.

Another point is the effectiveness of this gel: not so long ago I watched a documentary by a doctor who, along with scientists, explored the effectiveness of topical gels. They did this by inserting electrodes into the skin of the presenting doctor at various levels - 1mm, 3mm, 5mm and deeper still. Then they applied the gel and waited various amounts of time, I think it was 5mins, 10mins and 20mins. By 20 mins the application had reached its maximum but the most interesting finding of all was that it never penetrated more than 3-5mm into the skin. It certainly never got any deeper than that so it would appear logical that this gel is totally ineffective for pain relief. At best, one could say it is purely a placebo.
 

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