TKR Knee replaced 6/2 ouch!!!!!!

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

Thanks. I'll let you know. He'll be here soon.

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

PT guy was great.....whew.....I'm tired but ok. How the heck did you do both at the same time? How are you?

 

[Lovestoread]

Hopefully you didn't have to do squats today! That's awfully early in your recovery to be doing those! Hope the pain is a little less today…..remember to keep icing!

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

Thanks. Yes ice is my whole world right now. No pain meds is pretty tough.

 

[Cargirl47]

I'm 5 weeks out and I agree it's a hard experience! I had to leave the hospital with a catheter and bag due to spinal anesthesia issues. Had to go to a urologist at 5 days post op and then self catheterizing for a week. Thank God my bladder started working on it's own because the med they gave me for that delayed PT. It made my blood pressure so low I felt awful for a week.

My knee is doing well now but my PT wants my flexion to be better (it's 106) extension is 0. She has always pushed my knee until the pain level is a 10. This week she had me lie on my stomach and pushed my knee so far that the pain was excruciating. I'm no wuss, I've had 5 kids with no meds, had severe sciatic pain for 2 mos, had shingles pain but this was the worst pain ever. By the time I got home I could barely get out of the car and limped for that day and the next, the knee swelled as well. I'm an RN, and my family includes a neurologist, 2 PharmDs, a NP, and 12 other nurses. We all agreed that, it's just wrong to cause that kind of pain not to mention it's counterproductive. It set me back!

My next PT was yesterday and I just told my therapist that I would not allow that ever again. They get so hung up on the numbers and it's just common sense that pushing an already injured joint will cause further injury.

Hang in there., don't allow them to hurt you If necessary go elsewhere or do your PT at home. I have a whole routine including a recumbent bike, that I do at home. I still go to PT, but I believe my recovery so far is due to my exercising at home.

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

OMG. I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm only 11 days out and I can't imagine going through that kind of excruciating pain in addition to what I have now! I know what you mean, I had four children no drugs at all. And this is nothing like that...... Way way worse!! What is your home routine? My PT guy has been pushing. But I'm doing okay. He said he thought I would be okay to do my own routine at home in a couple of weeks instead of going out to PT. He does not push me to any extreme pain level. I usually wind up doing it to myself anyway. Then I find that I feel worse and have to ice ice ice. I've been feeling really really weak as well. And they finally figured out my blood pressure was way too low. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Do you ever skip a day of doing PT to rest and just ice? Yesterday when I was feeling so dizzy I didn't do a lot of PT by myself and by the end of the day actually felt better.

I'm just beginning on this journey. So I'm not going to give you advice but I really hope you feel a lot better soon

 

[NightQuilter]

Just catching up here @Las Vegas Grandmom. To you and @Cargirl47 - as everyone on here will tell you, you absolutely should not be using a PT that bends and forces the knee to pain. Josephine will explain it far more articulately, but the gist is this: pushing to pain is arguably fine for those trying to get into shape. You are not! Your knees have been traumatized and need to heal. Pushing to pain is just ripping all those tender new tissues apart and may ultimately create even more scar tissue. If your PT does not understand that, get thee to a new PT FAST!

If you want to work on bending your knee, use a belt or strap under your heel laying flat on your bed and gently pull your foot in. No knee bends at the counter because you are adding all your body weight. And what if you lost your balance or fell!?

For those whose stomachs are reeling from pain meds, I tried to avoid adding more chemicals to my system. Instead, try shredding some ginger root into tea and letting it steep. I find that helps my stomach a lot - I do it daily to keep my indigestion and reflux under control. There are also some organic tea brands out there that have ginger tea.

Things will get better and there are a whole community of BoneSmarties to support you during your recovery ... and you WILL recover. Good luck and adhere firmly to the mantra: Rest, Ice, elevate and (for those who can tolerate) stay ahead of the meds!

 

[icep707]

Try standing in front of a few steps, place foot up on the first step , and ever so gently bend knee forward and back , nice and slow. That was my saving grace as I hated heel slides early on . My knee was swollen internally , not so bad externally. And do not allow PT to set you back in recovery as we are the experts. There is a fine line. @Cargirl47 , that goes for you to. Do not allow PT to hurt you. Go with the gentle approach , but bend that knee often . Best of luck . Iceman

 

[lovemynewknee?]

I am a sensitive med taker. After 3 weeks of alternating Percocet with Tramodol I realized my nutty daydreaming were in fact Hallucinations........ I was not taking full doses and freaked out and went cold turkey and had 4 days of withdrawals.......but needed to stop the Hallucinations. Norco doesn't do that to me. I also had my Gallbladder out just two yrs ago and have your issues but I don't let my tummy get empty and always take any pill with lots of water and keep crackers by all my hangout chairs,and bed. Take heart it is an individual learning experience but you have lots of help and love on this site. I love the great people on here and all the help.


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[lovemynewknee?]

Be sure your dizziness isn't low blood pressure which my meds caused. i had to back off my BP meds for a couple weeks and drink lots of water!


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[BigBend]

I never could, and still can't, do heel slides. I do the step exercise @icep707 described and one where I
sit in my chair and use my arms to push my body forward while my feet remain planted. I judge my progress by the chair exercise because I can feel how far forward I can sit. Hard to explain but I repeat the advice: be gentle on those traumatized knees!

 

[Texan]

I was extremely sick to my stomach after the first TKR taking Hydrocodone. This time I am taking Percocet and Tramadol without any problems. You could ask you doctor for Zofran. It is for nausea. I can't imagine having this surgery and not being able to take the pain meds. Good luck with your recovery.

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Got a question for all.

When I walk My new knee leg feels longer than my other leg. Does that go away? My other knee needs to be replaced. But doesn't hurt half as much as the one I got replaced. So I am not planning on anything soon after all this!

 

[Texan]

You are really early in your recovery. I said I wouldn't have my second knee replaced at 2 weeks also. Had it replaced last Wednesday at 4 months. It will get better. Hang in there!

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

Wow!!

I'm thinking 4 years/centuries......
You are amazing!!!!!

Did you feel a little off when walking with your first? And did it improve? I'm wearing a light slipper on the opposite foot to balance out.

 

[Texan]

Does your right knee straighten out completely? My knee was 17 degrees away from being straight. That could have something to do with it.

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

I think so. I'll ask the PT guy. It's weird to feel a bit lop sided.

 

[NightQuilter]

Las Vegas G'mom, about the feeling your "new " leg feels longer - it actually may be. If you had developed some bend in the knee(s) due to the deterioration, that effectively shortened them slightly. It could be your OS when he did the replacement straightened that leg, thus making it seem a bit longer. Weird, I know, but consider this:

I had developed a pretty bad valgus in both my knees (thus looking knock-kneed with my feet out further than my knees). The right was worse than my left because the deterioration was more severe, so my back was even contorted with the right hip being lower than the left. In discussing this with my OS pre-surgery, he said he would be able to straighten my legs by cutting things at the proper angles. Had I had them done the same day as planned, all would have been fine. But my blood oxygen levels did not cooperate and I had to wait 7 weeks to get the left side done. Weeeelllll, my OS was so good at straightening my leg, the right leg was effectively longer than my left after the 1st surgery. That was enough to tilt my hips in the other direction and set off back and sciatica issues because of the stenosis in my L4-L5! Oh, my - it was a mess!! I was trying to strengthen myself as much as possible before the 2nd surgery (so I would have a leg to stand on!) and I was in such pain. There was no doing PT! Trying to see my back doc to get an epidural to relieve the pain at Thanksgiving time was almost impossible!! Finally I did, and it was enough to allow me to heal more before #2. Fortunately, my OS straightened the left leg as well and the back was put back to where it was pre-replacements. Whew!

So chat with your OS. Some knee deterioration may also cause a bow-legged look (I forget the medical term for that). Of course, few who experience the "longer leg" feeling will have the issues I did; mine was only because I had a bad back as well. You will get used to it, I suspect. I think there is an article in the Library here about valgus and the other "v."

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

I'm glad you are back in shape!!! What an ordeal. I understand what you're saying. I am hoping some of it is swelling and bruising which have been slowly healing. I look like a kaleidoscope still. I just can't imagine doing this again.

 

[Josephine]

Why do the PT's want to keep pushing you so hard. After squats on Wednesday I've been a mess. I hold on to the sink and do a few. But honestly I'm telling him today no.it's just wrong to cause that kind of pain not to mention it's counterproductive. It set me back! My next PT was yesterday and I just told my therapist that I would not allow that ever again. They get so hung up on the numbers and it's just common sense that pushing an already injured joint will cause further injury.

All these snippets I've taken from you post have it in a nutshell! I am very pleased you called time on that PT. Heavens only knows why they think this is a good way to rehab a newly operated on knee! Do remember (though I'm sure you need no reminding!) that there is the question of consent. If you tell anybody (doctor surgeon, nurse, PT) that you don't what that particular treatment or therapy, they cannot touch you thereafter and if they do, that constitutes an assault, yes?

When I walk My new knee leg feels longer than my other leg. Does that go away?

It's quite possible you had some varus or valgus deformity which would make your leg shorter. Thus having the replacement would correct that and make it feel longer. It's amazing - it might only be a few mm but it can feel like an inch! And yes, you will adapt in time!