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

[truckinguy]

I too had mine done June 2nd. It is a tough surgery. Up's and downs. Seems with me the first week drains me down bad then I start to improve. It's a fact most folks don't go back for the second one after the first.
The first week with Oxy and Tylenol I had nausea and pain. Last Monday (1 week post) he switched me to Vicodin and a nausea med which was much better. Vicodin is different the Percocet. I don't get the nausea much at all now.

 

[Phil75070]

It's a fact most folks don't go back for the second one after the first.

If anyone was thinking that it should be me! I awoke in recovery practically screaming from the pain - not in the knee but in the calf and hamstring! Turns out they could not give me a spinal nor an epidural (arthritis in the L5 area) so the only pain help I had in surgery was the femoral block (great for the knee but nothing else) and whatever local injections they gave me (lidocaine?) around the knee. It took them two hours to get my pain under control. Having gone through that I know the next one can't be any worse and I am more than willing to suffer another two hours like that in exchange for the lifetime benefits of having it done.

I think the right one was going to be the tougher of the two. With a valgus (knock-kneed) deformity he removed both the ACL and PCL. My right knee has a varus deformity (bow-legged) and the PCL, if healthy, will be spared. I don't know if removing or leaving the PCL is a contributing factor or not, but I am hoping that is the case. Plus, knowing I can't have a spinal nor an epidural going in he may be able to address the pain in some other fashion this time.

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

Thanks for the reassurances Josephine. I just feel pretty miserable with my back aching, my butt hurting and all the other side effects of sitting around icing my knee. I tried to get up and walk around as much as I can. But I get so exhausted, then sitting gets so tedious and painful.....oh man I never thought about all the other things that will be affected.

 

[Texan]

All of this will pass and you will be happy you had it done. I went through the same feelings on my first TKR. I have been feeling better after this TKR but I went to take a shower tonight and it wore me out and made me nauseous. Thankfully my doctor had given me a prescription for anti-nausea meds and I had them on hand. I am only 4 days out and hoping for a smoother recovery this time around. Hang in there.

 

[kneeper]

Las Vegas Grandmom, I hear ya! I'm a June 2 person too. For me it seems like changing position frequently and napping when I can helps. Not to mention the drugs. Sleep at night when you can't move around much yet is trickier--at least for me. I keep reminding myself that I do know from experience that it will get better.

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

Thanks Texan and Kneeper, hope you both are doing good. I'd say great but let's not get ahead of this.....
Had a rough day. It seems every time I think I'm gaining the next day is hard. Tried wearing shoes and felt so lopsided. I asked the PT and he said it will be that way till I get the other knee done. OMG this is crazy. I'm wondering how other people coped with Lopsidedness and feet hurting?????
I put an insole in the right shoe but it isn't enough. I'm getting very frustrated because there's no way I'm doing this again for awhile. I thought I was prepared but I guess I wasn't.
All in all 2 weeks out I feel like a baby complaining with all the people who had 2 done at the same time. God bless them!!!

Hope everyone heals quickly

 

[Texan]

@Las Vegas Grandmom, I, too, am amazed at the people who have bilateral knee replacement. I am too much of a wimp to go through all of that at one time! I felt like I turned a corner at 7 weeks. Before that I didn't think I would ever have the other knee replaced. Once the first knee started feeling better, I became more active. With that came terrible bone on bone pain from knee #2. It was a no brainer to get the second one done. It will take time before you start feeling better. No one told me that this was a long recovery so I am telling you now...this is a long recovery. IT WiLL GET BETTER!!!

 

[Pumpkin]

The PT should be able to help you determine what size lift you need to make your shoes more comfortable.
Things will change as you heal, your feet will start to feel better.
You are still early in recovery, this is the hardest part, waiting for our knees to heal, kind of like watching water boil.

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

You are amazing. I hope I get the courage to do the next one.
Much luck to you. I guess the second time around you atleast are prepared. I've been keeping a journal on my ipad. It'll probably scare me to death when I contemplate the next move but I'll be fully prepared.

I just made an appt with a nice foot doc. Maybe he can help me get thru to the next TKR.

I was thinking as I walked around today that the darn doctor made this leg longer so I wouldn't have any choice.....

Meanwhile I so look forward to when I can feel somewhat normal.

Thanks for your responses. We only have our daughter to come visit out here and she has a 4 month old baby so I'm going stir crazy as well. My poor poor husband!

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

Hi Pumpkin...boy this is such a nice way to get reassurance and hope!!!!

I will ask the PT for some advice on a lift for my shoe. When did you get yur knee done?

 

[Texan]

@Las Vegas Grandmom, I remember the feeling of cabin fever. I was more concerned about that than anything else for the second one. I was the biggest crybaby EVER! Nothing tasted good, I didn't feel good, and I had no idea it would take so long to recover. But I did recover, and it was nice to be able to get back to a normal life for awhile.

 

[Josephine]

I'm getting very frustrated because there's no way I'm doing this again for awhile. I thought I was prepared but I guess I wasn't. All in all 2 weeks out

You are expecting too much of yourself and of the surgery. Or were you seriously thinking you were going to 'take up they bed and walk' immediately after?

You just had a major battering on your knee and are surprised that it hurts? Dear lady, please don't let yourself get into such a fret! Of course you won't think about having this done again right now - you're only two weeks out which is about the worst time. So don't even think about it now.

And you never did answer my questions I posted last Wednesday. If you don't answer them, I cannot help you

Here they are again
I'm going to ask you some questions and it would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't compare this with the bone-on-bone pain you had before surgery!

)

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how often are you icing your knee and for how long?

4. are you elevating your leg, how often and for how long?

5. What is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

6. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

7. what kind of PT/exercises are you doing? How much and how often? (and detailed details would be appreciated, please! Reps, sets and session and all that)

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

Hi Josephine,
Here's my rundown.
1. Pain is good considering I'm on no pain meds. 3 when resting and icing. 5 or more when doing PT

2.no pain meds tried Percoset 10, Tramadol and Norco they had no pain relieving value for me at all.

3. I'm lucky to have a cold therapy machine so I ice non stop in between my exercises and walking around.

4. I've got it elevated when icing.

5. My ROM is 115 and don't know the number for straightness but the PT guys says it's good.

6.i get up every hour or so and walk, we have a one story house so I am up to 20 minutes at a time but slowly
Using a cane and not doing any house work or cooking to speak of. My hubby takes good care of that.
Just finished my routine and icing and am going out for a drive for the first time. Hubby driving

7. Here are the basics of the exercises I've been doing.
Sitting in a chair leg out in front of me stretching hamstrings.
With the leg straight raising it and holding for 10 seconds 10 times
Sitting in the chair kicking the leg out in front of me 20 times
Sitting in chair sliding leg behind me as far as it will go and holding for five seconds at least five times
Sitting in chair sliding leg behind me then leaning forward trying to put more bend in it
When PT guy is here we use bands as well

Standing at the sink I do heel to toe roll ups
Standing at sink I do marching in place about 15 on each leg trying to raise the leg as high as the good leg.
Then I do kickbacks with the bad leg 15 reps.
I put a stop to the squats because it was actually hurting my hips

Trying to do all these 3 times a day

I have a recumbent bike. Went on it yesterday with the PT guy for 3 minutes. No resistance.

I hope this helps you evaluate me. I am feeling a little better. I have a bunch of other issues that I'm dealing with I guess because of just sitting all the time.

1.My back is sore but I'm working on that

2. I had my gallbladder out last year so I have acid indigestion all the time.

3.When I walk I'm lopsided and my feet and right heel hurts so the PT guy suggested wearing shoes which I wasn't doing.....I guess that was stupid. I started wearing shoes today and am putting some lift in the right shoe. But it's very cramping on the whole foot.

I wish someone had told me all the side effects of getting this done. Maybe I could've been more ready to offset some of them.

Thanks Josephine

 

[kneeper]

Good for you for stopping the squats. WAY too early imho.

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

Hi lovemynewknee? And anyone out there with no gallbladder.......


Trying to rehab the knee has been challenging in itself. But in addition I have other issues and right now my stomach is the biggest outside of the KNEE

I wanted to ask all of you about the gallbladder issue. My mom always said if your stomach is bothering you everything is going to bother you. How right she is

I've had issues with acid reflux or whatever the heck it is after the gallbladder but nothing as bad as it is now.
I've been trying all sorts of home remedies from a nutritionalist and They are not working.

I try eating a few cracker......no deal.....Tums....no.....nothing works.

I'm taking Nexium. And Zantac. I called the family doctor today. She said try taking 2 Nexium. And of course she wants to see me. And then send me to another doctor. And boy I tried going out today just for a ride with my hubby and I am so so so tired. My knee aches and my stomach is on fire.

CAN ANYONE OUT THERE SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS BEFORE I COMPLETELY GO CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Thank you all for listening. I pray you are all doing well.

 

[Celle]

It's a fact most folks don't go back for the second one after the first.

I hope I get the courage to do the next one.
I guess the second time around you at least are prepared. I've been keeping a journal on my ipad. It'll probably scare me to death when I contemplate the next move but I'll be fully prepared.

I had a partial knee replacement (PKR) in 2000, and a revision to a total replacement (TKR) in 2011. In September, I'm going to have a TKR on the other knee. So, even after 2 knee replacements, I am going back for another.

Yes, I'm a bit apprehensive (that's normal) but I know what to expect, I'll be well prepared, and I don't want to live with this bone-on-bone pain in my natural knee for much longer.

In the first few months of recovery after a knee replacement, I think everyone feels as if they can't go through it again. But time and healing bring about the realization that it was all worth it. My TKR knee is now my "good" knee. It's strong and reliable and it only occasionally lets me know it isn't "real".

 

[Josephine]

1. Pain is good considering I'm on no pain meds. 3 when resting and icing. 5 or more when doing PT

hmmm ...

3. I'm lucky to have a cold therapy machine so I ice non stop in between my exercises and walking around.
4. I've got it elevated when icing.

Jolly good!

5. My ROM is 115 and don't know the number for straightness but the PT guys says it's good.

Another jolly good! Actually amazing for only 3 weeks out.

6.i get up every hour or so and walk, we have a one story house so I am up to 20 minutes at a time but slowly
Using a cane and not doing any house work or cooking to speak of. My hubby takes good care of that.
Just finished my routine and icing and am going out for a drive for the first time. Hubby driving

Stop doing the hourly walk. It's totally unnecessary. You're just tiring yourself and overdoing it on your leg.

As for your exercises: My comments are in bold
Here are the basics of the exercises I've been doing.
Trying to do all these 3 times a day - once a day is plenty and take at least one day off each week
Sitting in a chair leg out in front of me stretching hamstrings - how many times?
With the leg straight raising it and holding for 10 seconds 10 times - too much. Do 5 reps and hold for 5 seconds
Sitting in the chair kicking the leg out in front of me 20 times - don't do these, too vigorous
Sitting in chair sliding leg behind me as far as it will go and holding for 5 seconds at least 5 times - don't do this so that it makes you hurt. Be gentle
Sitting in chair sliding leg behind me then leaning forward trying to put more bend in it - don't do this
When PT guy is here we use bands as well - unnecessary. Your ROM is great, you don't need to punish for knee any more!
Standing at the sink I do heel to toe roll ups - unnecessary
Standing at sink I do marching in place about 15 on each leg trying to raise the leg as high as the good leg - bad exercise, unnecessary and you don't need it anyway
Then I do kickbacks with the bad leg 15 reps - unnecessary and too vigorous
I put a stop to the squats because it was actually hurting my hips - good!
I have a recumbent bike. Went on it yesterday with the PT guy for 3 minutes. No resistance. - that's fine

I've had issues with acid reflux or whatever the heck it is after the gallbladder but nothing as bad as it is now. I've been trying all sorts of home remedies from a nutritionalist and they are not working. I'm taking Nexium and Zantac. I called the family doctor today. She said try taking 2 Nexium

What dose are they? I'm on 30mg twice a day and still get break-through for which I use Gaviscon fluid. You need the old stuff and I get mine in sachet form so I can carry it around in my handbag and it's instant! Once in a while I have to take two!

It works by forming a raft (thick layer) on top of the stomach contents soon after it has made contact with the stomach acid. The raft acts as a strong physical barrier and helps keep all the components of the stomach contents in the stomach where they work, not letting them seep back up into the oesophagus where they cause pain.

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

Hi Josephine,

Thank you for answering all the info about my exercises. Hamstring stretch is just three reps and just hold it for a little bit so that the leg is straight. I get you about the ROM and being really good. I'm trying to back off doing lot of the walking and some other things.

I could only find the Gaviscon in a liquid and chewable tablets here. Thank you for your advice. The Nexium is 40 MG. Only been doing this for a couple days. Just praying it starts to work. I've been barely eating anything except for very bland foods. And not much of them. Went to see the family doctor yesterday. She recommended seeing Gastro guy. So she made an appointment for next Friday for me. Don't know what that will yield but can only hope for the best.

I just can't believe how many side effects happen after you have a big surgery like this. I never thought I'd be complaining about my stomach almost as much as my knee. And now my other knee,which has been taking the full brunt of everything, Well that ones starting to act up even more now. Oh my goodness. What else!

Thank you thank you thank you again for all your help. It's so nice to have this site to refer to and also to help answer other questions even though I'm a newbie.

 

[Las Vegas Grandmom]

Oh also I get up and walk around to help my back and sore bottom....... Definitely cutting it shorter though thank you

 

[Josephine]

I've been barely eating anything except for very bland foods.

Another tip - try drinking milk and yoghurt drinks. They help me!