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Revision TKR Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery

I had a couple of good hours today where the pain actually went below a 6/7/8 or 9. Home Health came out, did all my lab work, filled out paperwork, etc. PT begins tomorrow. Nurse made some medicine changes as we still have been unable to get my pain under control. OS says the only thing we can do if the new meds and routine don't work is hospital inpatient IV meds and I really don't want that unless I have no other choice.The pain meds helped for a couple of hours, then I walked to my deck (right outside my DR-not very far and takes about a minute at my current crippled rate...lol)) and sat looking at my garden for a couple of minutes. I got very tired and began to ache so decided time to go in. The walk back is where the pain really started and it has continued. I just had to wait for my 9 pm meds. (because we just started a new med routine, I didn't want to change it and add a pill-I probably could have/should have, but decided to wait this one time.) If this routine works I'm going to be able to do some mild PT; if not, I will have to bite the bullet and call my doc tomorrow and go to the hosp. for IV pain meds, get the pain manageable, then start the PT again. I was hoping this recovery would be better than mine usually are, but so far this seems to be taking a long rough weedy path...:boohoo:The other problem with my meds are the total sleepiness, grogginess and fuzziness yet I am unable to sleep more than a minute or two-if you can call closing my eyes for a minute sleep.........Like everyone else here it seems, I have yet to sleep, other than one time at the hospital where I actually slept for a few hours. It's almost impossible to find a comfortable spot so I am constantly squirming in pain and needing to move but can't find a comfy place. I'm sure this is pretty normal, just no fun.:yawn:
 
Anyone here have episodes of jumping? I will be lying in bed either resting or sometimes dozing, when either my knee will have a spasm causing it to kind of jump, and causing awful pain. The other thing that happens sometimes is same thing, when my body will startle, causing me to jump, same end result. What causes this and is there any way to fix it?
 
Spasms are a form of pain, mention them to the OS and the home health nurse.


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Pumpkin is absolutely right! My neurologist told me my night time leg jumping was a form of pain. This surprised me as it wasn't actually painful as annoying. Talk to your doctor who may want to give you meds for this. I take gabapentin for nerve pain (I have neuropathy) and a very mild muscle relaxer at night to help. Take care!


RTKR - 9th December, 2013
 
I seemed to startle really easily the first couple of weeks but I was also having a lot of dreams of falling, getting my knees hit by something, etc. so I just attributed it to pain meds and/or anxiety. Both have gone away thank goodness. I know those first days of severe pain traumatized me. My fear of more pain was as bad as the pain itself and made me hesitant and afraid to trust myself as I began to be able to do more. I'm still fighting it a little. I had to make myself stop using the walker and switch to the cane and then I realized I really only need the cane for help getting off the potty, so I'm forcing myself to do without it except when I leave the house (which so far has only been to go to PT and a short drive). I've had several other major surgeries without so much pain so this one really "did a number" on my psyche! :yikes:

I sure hope they get your pain controlled better for you.
 
Thanks Vancouver. I'm glad you are walking so well. I'm not allowed to walk without my walker until I see the doctor at 6 weeks post-op. I understand the fear of more pain-I'm at that place too, esp. since I really didn't expect this blast I took. I am glad for others who have an easier time of it-thank God I only needed one knee repaired. I know you went through a rough time of it.
 
I had a better day today-the first day I actually backed off a bit on the meds. :yay: Instead of both the Dilaudid and Tramadol, I just used the Dilaudid, however using the CPM on the lower proved to be too much so I'll up the pain meds again later when I use it again. I'm also getting up and down a lot more easily. I'm hoping each day will get better now, but I know there will be steps forward and steps backwards. How are the other April TKRs doing out there? I've tried to keep up but find it difficult so I'm hoping to catch up more thoroughly.
 
Great up date, glad to hear things are looking up.
Hard to keep up with all the meds etc.
I am finding I answer a post and then forget to post the reply. I scratch my head wondering what happened, I am sure I responded. :scratch:
 
I have similar problems, Pumpkin. Not being used to anything stronger than Motrin, it really messes up my mind and body. How are you doing?
 
At first when you feel liking sleeping please do. You had a big surgrey and you are having pain so the body needs the rest. Remember to take it slow. Take care. Tashia
 
Hi everyone. I'm doing a little better overall. Had a pretty good day yesterday and moved around a little bit more. I also did some heel slides (ugh) and a few other things I can't remember the names of. Nothing that caused me pain, and no more than a little discomfort. I'm able to get in and out of bed quite easily, but getting my leg up on the pillows takes help from my support band (I don't know what those things are called). I can turn over pretty well, and I can walk with a heel to toe walk on my walker-it isn't pretty but it's better than the last few years of some kind of an excuse for walking. I haven't learned how to go up and down steps yet, nor have I figured what to do as my steps aren't as deep as my walker and I am not allowed to use crutches. PT should be here tomorrow. I can put a little weight on my leg-not quite all but I can tell the difference between a few days ago and now. Today, my knee was pretty painful, I don't think I overdid it yesterday, so it's likely normal ups and downs. I just took an extra pain pill to help with the break through pain a short time ago-if it helps I want to use my CPM which I haven't today yet. I really love that machine but I don't listen to hubby when he tells me where he thinks I should be on it-I am exactly where I should be and no one else can tell me where I should be. I'm at -5 and 70 (if my memory serves me correctly-I know I'm at -5 but could be at 65 instead of 70. The machine is across the room and I'm not going to go look at it) and am doing pretty well at that level. I'll raise it as I can and as I feel a little discomfort and NO PAIN. I am still having more pain overall if I try to lower my medicine doses at all so am staying at my current level of meds even tho I can barely keep my eyes open all day, and I have to edit my posts a hundred times before I post them...lmao. Had a nice family visit today-it was exhausting but worth the tiredness after. I hope everyone is having better days; post and let me know and thank-you all sooooo much for all your care, concern, support, etc. Kim
 
You are a mere 12 days out from your surgery. I'm wondering if you read the links that Josephine provided for you in Post #10. If you did, try going back and reading them again....especially the ones about pain and how long it takes to see real progress. You are so very early in your recovery!!! You are having pain. Please don't try to cut back on any meds. I know they make you feel sleepy. That's the point. Your body heals when it's resting; not when you are up doing things.

You need very gentle bends and stretches right now a few times a day. But really nothing more. When your therapist arrives, be sure they don't push you with a bunch of exercises to do several times each day. Also, anything they do or ask you to do should be only mildly uncomfortable...no pain!! The therapist can show you how to navigate your steps if you need that. You just won't be doing them normally for a while....you'll do one foot at a time.

It's also way too soon for most people to do steps normally. Don't worry about it. It comes much later. And....if hubby tells you you're not where you should be, you definitely have the right answer!! You are right where your body says you should be. Good for you!
 
I agree with Tashia, sleep whenever you feel like sleeping. We heal best when we are resting like Jamie says in her post above.
I am not even thinking about cutting back my pain medications, I woud pay a terrible price in increased pain shortly there after.
A friend brought over cookies this afternoon, Yummy. I had them with a glass of milk, comfort food at its best.
No worries, your ROM is just fine, you will keep gaining as the swelling goes down.
 
I read back through your thread and didn't see any mention of icing. Are you doing that? It's very critical and you should be icing as much as possible during the day and through the night. Apply the ice to both front and back of your knee any time you aren't standing up. You cannot overdo it with ice providing you keep a cloth between your skin and the ice source.

I believe you may have some fairly significant swelling because of your mention of not being able to place full weight on your operated leg. Swelling can make your whole leg tender. This is even more reason to keep up full doses of your pain meds and ice constantly. You must get the swelling down to get pain relief. Remember, that you may not even see swelling. The knee compartment is very small and it doesn't take much fluid to make things hurt.
 
Hi Jamie. I did read everything she sent me, many more than once. I am on quite a lot of pain meds and would like to take a little less as soon as I am able, but not forcing myself to do it if I still need them. All I am doing are gentle in-bed things like slides, and stretches, etc. Nothing strenuous or painful. I have a hard time explaining things right now-I am pretty doped up and sleepy. I'm not up doing a single thing except walking 5 minutes a couple of times a day or going to the toilet. Hubby brings me everything I need. I have all the links set up on my desktop and refer to them all the time. My PT will show me how to get down my steps as I barely made it into the house and will eventually have to go to outpatient PT and need to get to my car (hubby will drive me....)I have had a walker before but for the life of me can't remember how I got in and out with the walker as it is too big for the steps' depth. I'm not trying to push myself any more than to do what feels right-with no pain. But I am enjoying being able to walk a bit more 'normally' on this foot than I have in years. I know it's not anywhere near what it will be one day, but it's exciting to me so I brought it up. Thanks for your advice and care.
 
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