TKR liam2015: 1 Year Anniversary, Life Goes On!

[SusieShoes]

Do get the blood work. Find out what you have... and also what you don't have. No use worrying unnecessarily.

I acquired a UTI after my BTKR surgery. Can't explain how, and not happy to have one. Treat it and move on.

I have knees to get up and runnimg.

 

[Jennszoo]

It could be the antibiotics? Messing with our natural flora. I took 3 days worth of prophylactic abx after surgery.

 

[flyaway79]

If you haven't been eating yogurt or taking acidophilus while taking antibiotics to put the good bacteria back in it can cause yeast type infections too.

 

[becticu]

Good morning, I too had an UTI after replacement. You probably do need to get checked. I felt like I had to go all the time. They put me on microbid for 5 days and within 2 days the symptoms were back. Then I was on Cipro for 10 days. That drug is scary to,me. I was fine for a week and then it was back. I've never had a problem with UTI's in the past so I couldn't figure out why. When talking with my MD we determined it was bubble baths! Because my incision was healed I was taking 3 or 4 a week and just soaking to help all the aches and pains. Now I am on Bactrum and hopefully that and no more BB's will end all this. Make sure you are on a good probiotic if you are on an antibiotic. My right replacement is June 5 and I have to be over this before then or surgery will be cancelled. I hope you are feeling better soon.

 

[liam2015]

Thanks everyone. I just made an appointment to see my family doctor for tomorrow (Wednesday) at 2:45 p.m. I don't remember if i had an antibiotic while in the hospital (I seem to remember the anaesthetist mentioning it) but definitely not when i came home. Will let you know how it goes. Have a great day.

 

[sistersinhim]

Thank the Lord you are going to be checked out. How is your knee feeling overall?

 

[liam2015]

thanks for asking. my knee is feeling quite strong with minimal pain. i'm walking around the house sometimes with no device but i keep the walker nearby as i've been feeling so weak. i try to bend my knee when walking but haven't been doing the exercises, ie. heel slides, etc., so my r.o.m. has not improved. however, i can straighten my leg. i really feel something isn't right with this feeling of unwellness.

 

[Celle]

Have you been to your doctor yet? Do let us know how you get on there.

 

[sistersinhim]

You are really blessed that your extension is in. That's usually the harder of the two to come in. Your ROM will improve as time goes on. It just happens on it own!

 

[liam2015]

thanks celle. my dr. appointment is tomorrow (Wednesday) at 2:45 p.m. will update.

 

[liam2015]

Update from dr. appointment: She really doesn't know exactly why i'm still having the nausea but thought it could be connected to the constipation (and of course the Oxycocet) and she gave me some tips about eating. My b/p was a little low 106/60. I had bloodwork done, will wait for results. She said it would be okay to go back to taking the Celebrex to help with inflammation and pain and also Tylenol; also recommended a powder to be mixed with water for the constipation, Restolax i think it's called, not sure. Finally she suspects I might have a yeast infection or u.t.i. and gave me an antibiotic for that.

It seemed to be a long and uncomfortable, painful at times afternoon. My son took my car to drive me, but my passenger seat doesn't go back as far as my husband's. I had a bit of a wait for the dr. and a longer wait to get bloodwork done, but it's done and i just have to wait for results.

The silver lining is that I have my son staying with me for 3 days to look after me and the dog (Liam) until hubby returns. He lives and works in another city and we don't see him that often.

 

[sistersinhim]

Be sure in have food in your tummy before taking Celebrex. That's hard on it. Your surgery was just a month ago and your body is still out of rack. And it seems like UTIs aren't that unusual with this surgery. Hopefully, all your tests will turn out good and that it's just the shock of your surgery. I took Miralax, (generic), for my bowel problems. It worked well for me.

 

[liam2015]

thank you for the advice sistersinhim. this morning i had around 4 tbsp. of unsweetened apple sauce and around 6 dry shreddies before taking the celebrex and other pill. i hope that would be enough as that's all i could manage. i had a call from dr.'s office (but i was half asleep) saying my bloodwork was normal except for my liver and i thought she said that was consistent with a virul infection, but that can't be right as i'm taking "Nitrofurantoin" which is for a u.t.i. (bacterial). it wasn't the dr. that called so maybe the caller just made a mistake. she said to come back if i still wasn't feeling well.

 

[mechellec]

I sure hope your nausea ends soon and hope you get relief from the meds for your uti. You don't need all that on top of your knee! I'm sure you've tried a lot for the nausea but I did find Emetrol is what helped me out when nothing else did. Take care @liam2015!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[liam2015]

I turned a corner today at 4-1/2 weeks. This is the first day since surgery that i haven't had nausea. I had a little more energy, (no nap as i got a text from my niece saying she was on her way) heated up a vegan chilli i made for my niece visiting, wore a dress, did some kitchen chores, carried a bucket of recycling to the blue bin at the curb, forgetting about my walker, but being cautious with my knee.

I still have hurdles to jump, ie. bending my knee more and getting the bowels moving. I'm not having too much pain and not taking the Ocycocet (Percocet), just the Celebrex and Nitrofurantoin for the u.t.i. I use a variety of ice packs throughout the day when i'm sitting and elevating and a bigger one through the night while sleeping. I have Tylenol 325 tablets to take if and when the pain starts, probably when i start physio. (so glad i haven't been bullied into going.)

Thanks for the very helpful information that i've learned from this site and also the members' threads and their experiences. Have a safe Victoria Day Weekend Canada and members from all over.

 

[Jennszoo]

Yay. Awesome update!

 

[sistersinhim]

What good news! And your baby knee is a month old today! And remember, PT is not supposed to hurt!

 

[liam2015]

it's getting near my 6 week post op date, tomorrow to be exact. today i felt well all day and did a few more things. i got hubby to help me down the stone stairs to the garden (no railing) to take photos of a beautiful white flowering shrub and all the greenery which has grown in while i've been housebound; i've been mostly inside for the last 6 weeks. after hubby went back to work, i went downstairs to the basement, carrying 2 dog beds and a dog blanket, which i washed and dried plus i cleaned the plastic liner in Liam's crate. we have railings on each side of the stairs, 6 steps, a landing (to the side deck), then another 6 steps and landing, so not too steep. i made hubby's lunch and dinner and also our bed. i didn't feel the need to take a nap or two today, just didn't feel like it. i'm also eating more of a variety of foods since the nausea has subsided; at least today it did, i've still had queasy days, even though stopping the oxycocet 3 weeks ago. i'm hoping my bowels are getting back to normal, but once again, 3 or 4 days without...sigh!

i'm experiencing the annoying achiness in and around my knee which i'm managing with icing, elevation and tylenol. like others, it seems to be worse when i lay down at night, hard to get to sleep, then always awake between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m.; not sure what wakes me up ~ the pain or my bladder. the last few nights i've been able to get back to sleep. i'm walking all the time without any device as my knee feels strong and solid. i found the cane to be awkward for me. i'm sure my r.o.m. is way below what most of you have. i finally made an appointment to go to a physio clinic (this thursday at 2 p.m.), first for assessment. i'm a little terrified as i'm not good with confrontation if i have to debate with the therapist about treatment. the lady on the phone assured me that they would not be aggressive and would respect my wishes.

i have a couple of questions. (1) is it normal for the area around the incision to feel warm/hot? it is still moderately swollen. (2) i get achiness in my thigh above the incision, as others have mentioned and it really bothers me to have my laptop sitting there, even when i put a pillow underneath. i was thinking of getting some kind of tray with legs when using my laptop. does anyone else use a tray? thanks for any information.

 

[Jennszoo]

I still have a warm swollen knee most of the time. So I'm hoping its normal.

For your second question, I use mostly my iPad. I have barely touched my laptop in 6w. Doh!

It's funny how different we all are. I've got great ROM, but my knee doesn't feel strong or stable. It feels very weak, I still use a cane bc it locks or buckles randomly. And I walk so slowly. This recovery is sure a crazy ride.

But what a great update! So glad you got some time in the garden.

 

[liam2015]

thanks Jennszoo ~ good to know the warm area is probably normal. it is funny how different we all are, some better in certain areas than others. i sure wish i had your energy and enthusiasm. i got a new car right before my surgery and have only driven it twice; it's a station wagon so bigger than my little honda fit, which i gave to my daughter. i'm not looking forward to driving since i have to sit up so close ~ not sure how my knee will feel being bent to that degree. i know...patience, patience.