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Revision TKR Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery

The bad thing about being in the hospital when you aren't really ill is the boredom between visitors. But I will likely be feeling worse when the epidural is removed after 4-5 days unless the next block works well. But it can only stay in for about three days so I am worried about pain control after that.
 
You may find with such good early pain control, your knee may have settled down a little and will be better than you have experienced in the past. Especially with that irritating nickel being gone.
 
Welcome to the other side Kim … again! It is interesting about the opioids - the doc who did my husband's back surgery in January (and my back and neck fusions) was saying then that he had recently been to a conference about them and one of the things he learned about how they formulate them, is that they actually intensify the feeling of pain! He had stopped giving them to patients and is finding they have a much better recovery. The Sainted Joe (my hubs) had a far better time with his recovery than I did just a year earlier.

Good luck with the nickel-free knee - I have a strong nickel allergy and so glad my OS paid attention to that before both hips and knees replacements.
 
Hi lovetocookandsew how are you today? Its 11.55am here in Scotland. Been thinking about you and wondered how you were getting on.
 
So far so good except for the headache. They did give me Motrin but it didn't help. The consensus is it's likely a spinal headache which will eventually just fade away. Right now we're working on lowering the rate of the epidural to take away the leg numbness without giving me too much pain so I can get up and walk. They said since the epidural is working so well they may push it to 6 days, but we'll see what my OS says when he comes in. Either way I'll still be here a while. I'd rather be home but as my OS said the other day, me taking opioids "just isn't worth it". So we're just taking it a day at a time and the plan is to try to get me home needing only Motrin if at all possible. Oh, and it's 5:15 am here.
 
I am attaching 3 new pictures of my knee x-rays and my fat foot. My OS took the pics using my phone this am. I was surprised at how long the rods had to be this time around. The upper rod is longer than what would fit in the picture.
 

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When my OS was here this am, he said I'll be here in the ICU until at least Tuesday, then move to my room in ortho. He's doing some kind of block for three days or so, then we'll see where I am. I'm really worried about the pain level then, but I suspect if it's unbearable he has some more ideas for that.
 
Kim,
Thanks for the x rays, wow your foot is swollen, should start go down when you are up and about, and can elevate.
My rods are 175 mm, they make for an interesting x ray.
Did he put a hinged knee in?

Hope weaning down the epidural goes well, and you can walk a bit.
 
It sounds like your surgeon is really looking out for you and taking good care of you.

Hugs and prayers! :console2:
 
It's good to read your update. It sounds you are really being looked after . I hope that you aren't going to be in too much pain when they reduce the epidural. I can't imagine what so intense pain would be like I have the smallest pain threshold out there. I just can't cope with it. You are one very brave lady. Your foot is very swollen. How long before you are able to be up? Hope the headache is easing. Thoughts are with you.
 
Thanks all for the support, care, prayers and concern. I too hope my pain doesn't become unbearable after the epidural is removed. We turned it down another notch today so I can now feel some pain, but it's bearable so far except when moving around-then it goes above what I can stand. Yes, I am being very well looked after. :)

@Mollymax I just got out of bed for the first time to use the bedside commode as I don't do bedpans unless I have no other options. Yay, no elusive visit from the special fairy needed. I had to pivot on my left leg, as my right leg is still quite numb, but my left leg is just a little numb, above the knee mostly. I had to have help from 2 nurses and the PT guy, plus a belt around me and a walker to lean on. My oh my was that an exhausting ordeal! The good thing is it was my workout for the rest of the day so the PT left after helping me back to bed. My pain threshold is pretty low also, so we shall see what happens when I let them knock the epidural down another notch. My headache actually has decreased some-it's not gone but is a little better.
The anesthesia doc just came in and wants my epidural up a notch as both he and my OS would rather the pain is controlled and are less concerned with me walking right now. Thanks again everyone!
 
I second the Outlander series as a good read.
I'm sorry we missed you with the BoneSmart post-op reading, Kim.
Here it is now:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now; they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.​
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for TKRs


The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key

Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

Please don't be overwhelmed by the list. The articles are not long and they and contain information that will answer many questions and help you make your recovery much easier on your knee and on you.

We are here to help in any way we can: answering questions and concerns; supporting and encouraging you from start to finish.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
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