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TKR LTKR April 1 - bending knee hurts

The US recommends a safe daily limit of 3,000 mg in24 hours because of caution and the fear that people won't check their other medications.

The safe daily limit as recommended in the UK, Australia and New Zealand is 4,000 mg.

Check all other medications you're taking, to make sure there is no Tylenol/Acetaminophen/Paracetamol in them. If there is, scale back one or two of your regular doses, so you stay within that safe 24 hour limit of 4,000 mg.
 
I had my left knee replaced the same day you did, and it still hurts to try and lift my leg although I can do it better today than yesterday and by lifting I mean slightly off the floor.
 
Well, I've been doing great late yesterday and today, but this afternoon my calf started killing me. It has gotten steadily worse and now I'm in the ER where my blood test came back indicating DVT. They are getting the ultrasound tec
To come in to do
An ultrasound to confirm. I'm guessing it's positive as this feels very different and way
Worse
Than anything so
Far.
 
The ultrasound turned out negative, which is great. I think this was a self caused problem. My wife used tape to hold gauze in place over my incision, and she wrapped it all the way around the top of my calf below my knee. I also had her wrap my leg from ankle to hip with elastic wrap to control the swelling. My leg must have swelled during the day and the tape acted almost like a tourniquet, cutting into the swollen calf and affecting circulation. By the time I went to the ER the pain in my calf was excruciating and unlike anything I've felt before.

The whole thing was avoidable and so stupid. But, all seems ok now.
 
Thank God it is not a DVT! I'm glad you figured out what caused the pain and won't be doing that again.
 
What a difference a week makes! I'm still in full-on recovery mode, but I feel like I've shifted from recovering from the trauma of having my leg cut open to recovering from a deeper trauma of having implants put into my knee. While that doesn't sound a lot different, it feels like a big change to me.

I saw the surgeon today and he said I am doing well and all looks good. He also lectured me about overdoing it as I told him I ditched the walker a while ago and that I went outside for a short (maybe 200 yards) walk on Saturday. I also have been kept awake by pain the last two nights (ever since the walk outside) and he pointed out that that walk didn't make me more fit, but it clearly caused more pain that was keeping me awake. He stressed that my job for now is to heal, including more rest, elevation and icing, and that there will be a time to get stronger and more fit later on. He also said if I have another job, it is to increase extension to 0. I'm close, so hopefully that won't be a big problem, although he reminded me that I wasn't at 0 before surgery.

I can tell this recovery is going to take a while, but every now and then I get a glimpse that I won't be in recovery forever, and that sometime in the not too distant future I will be able to move again with less pain than I've felt for years.
 
SkiBikeHikeDude said:
I can tell this recovery is going to take a while, but every now and then I get a glimpse that I won't be in recovery forever, and that sometime in the not too distant future I will be able to move again with less pain than I've felt for years.
Click to expand...
Yes, this is a year-long recovery. That's how long it takes for all your tissues to heal. You can't speed up recovery, no matter how much you'd like to - we all felt that.
But if you consistently do too much, you might slow down recovery, so follow your surgeon's sensible advice and try not to rush things.
 
SkiBikeHikeDude said:
I saw the surgeon today and he said I am doing well and all looks good. He also lectured me about overdoing it as I told him I ditched the walker a while ago and that I went outside for a short (maybe 200 yards) walk on Saturday. I also have been kept awake by pain the last two nights (ever since the walk outside) and he pointed out that that walk didn't make me more fit, but it clearly caused more pain that was keeping me awake. He stressed that my job, for now, is to heal, including more rest, elevation and icing, and that there will be a time to get stronger and more fit later on.
Click to expand...
I wish more surgeons thought this way. There would be a lot less pain and swelling after this surgery! You are blessed to have him as your surgeon.
 
SkiBikeHikeDude said:
I also have been kept awake by pain the last two nights (ever since the walk outside) and he pointed out that that walk didn't make me more fit, but it clearly caused more pain that was keeping me awake. He stressed that my job for now is to heal, including more rest, elevation and icing, and that there will be a time to get stronger and more fit later on. He also said if I have another job, it is to increase extension to 0. I'm close, so hopefully that won't be a big problem, although he reminded me that I wasn't at 0 before surgery.
Click to expand...

Not the easiest message to get and understand @SkiBikeHikeDude, but you can't rush healing. You are not rehabbing an injury, but healing from major surgery. You don't rehab a broken leg until the bone heals right? Same idea. Rest, elevation, ice, gentle movements, and patience are your best friends right now.
 
I had my first PT session today, and it is almost like the PT and OS both read bonesmart. The PT measured my extension and flexion, but said it was just for reference (10 and 60 before any stretching or warming up). Then he gently manipulated my leg to lightly stretch and increase range of motion, but said his goal was no pain and mostly he just wants to allow everything to heal and to teach me a few exercises to help. He said for the first four weeks (especially) I need to be very mellow and not ever push to pain - he knows I'm likely to get antsy and want to do too much. I left in less pain than when I arrived. I feel like I'm in good hands.
 
sistersinhim said:
SkiBikeHikeDude said:
I saw the surgeon today and he said I am doing well and all looks good. He also lectured me about overdoing it as I told him I ditched the walker a while ago and that I went outside for a short (maybe 200 yards) walk on Saturday. I also have been kept awake by pain the last two nights (ever since the walk outside) and he pointed out that that walk didn't make me more fit, but it clearly caused more pain that was keeping me awake. He stressed that my job, for now, is to heal, including more rest, elevation and icing, and that there will be a time to get stronger and more fit later on.
Click to expand...
I wish more surgeons thought this way. There would be a lot less pain and swelling after this surgery! You are blessed to have him as your surgeon.
Click to expand...

Hello ~ I'm day 6 post-op TKA right, and have had very uncomfortable pain and swelling for afternoon throughout night.
After reading info on this site, it appears I've fallen into the 'did too much' trap.
I'm very frustrated because the surgeon's team and the two home PTs who've seen me at have encouraged too much activity. Praising me for meeting the 2 week goals at 5 days.
I could really use some support right now.
Thanks
 
mpruch said:
Hello ~ I'm day 6 post-op TKA right, and have had very uncomfortable pain and swelling for afternoon throughout night.
After reading info on this site, it appears I've fallen into the 'did too much' trap.
I'm very frustrated because the surgeon's team and the two home PTs who've seen me at have encouraged too much activity. Praising me for meeting the 2 week goals at 5 days.
I could really use some support right now.
Thanks
Click to expand...

My PT's words to me today were to go slow to go fast. He stressed over and over again that the worst thing I could do right now do was do too much, as it would swelling that would set me back. He said the first four weeks I should walk only enough to get around the house, but should not walk or stand unnecessarily.

So, listen to your body -- it is telling you to take it easy. Go slow now so you don't set yourself back when you could be ready to do more.

I'm sorry about your pain. Rest up and know everyone here has your back! I'm 12 days post TKR and just starting to understand that pushing through pain in this recovery is bad. I hope you sleep well tonight, and elevate and ice as much as you can.
 
Thanks so much for the response, much appreciated. My gut and body are trying to convince me it's too much... but I was letting my competitive brain take over.
This is my first experience with joint surgery and I have to accept taking it slower.
Glad to hear your surgeon's given realistic parameters!
 
I've now had 2 PT sessions and I'm a huge fan. I feel better after PT and am finding my knee is more flexible and less painful because of it. My PT is very gentle and wants to avoid pain, so I think that makes a huge difference. Anyway. Just wanted to report I'm coming along well and can tell by standing that I'm getting close to 0 degrees extensional it feels much more natural to stand. PT is helping that.
 
SkiBikeHikeDude said:
I saw the surgeon today and he said I am doing well and all looks good. He also lectured me about overdoing it as I told him I ditched the walker a while ago and that I went outside for a short (maybe 200 yards) walk on Saturday. I also have been kept awake by pain the last two nights (ever since the walk outside) and he pointed out that that walk didn't make me more fit, but it clearly caused more pain that was keeping me awake. He stressed that my job for now is to heal, including more rest, elevation and icing, and that there will be a time to get stronger and more fit later on. He also said if I have another job, it is to increase extension to 0. I'm close, so hopefully that won't be a big problem, although he reminded me that I wasn't at 0 before surgery.

I can tell this recovery is going to take a while, but every now and then I get a glimpse that I won't be in recovery forever, and that sometime in the not too distant future I will be able to move again with less pain than I've felt for years.
Click to expand...

Wow, that sounds exactly like my surgeon! I am a little further along than you. I had a total right knee replacement on February 3, 2021. The surgeon I used also utilizes the CPM machine and I am VERY glad that I used that for two weeks. Anything other than ROM physical therapy was recommended against. No strengthening, no rubber bands, and no weights were clearly written in the PT script.

I was a fan of the PT too. Just make sure that if it hurts stop and let the therapist know.
I did in home PT for two weeks then at an out patient place for six more weeks. I finished up that a couple of weeks ago. My therapist was great and while she did not agree with everything the doctor prescribed (particularly no strengthening) she helped me tremendously. She got me back to feeling comfortable on my own two feet. I am sure that you will be there soon!
 
Koz54 said:
Wow, that sounds exactly like my surgeon! I am a little further along than you. I had a total right knee replacement on February 3, 2021. The surgeon I used also utilizes the CPM machine and I am VERY glad that I used that for two weeks. Anything other than ROM physical therapy was recommended against. No strengthening, no rubber bands, and no weights were clearly written in the PT script.

I was a fan of the PT too. Just make sure that if it hurts stop and let the therapist know.
I did in home PT for two weeks then at an out patient place for six more weeks. I finished up that a couple of weeks ago. My therapist was great and while she did not agree with everything the doctor prescribed (particularly no strengthening) she helped me tremendously. She got me back to feeling comfortable on my own two feet. I am sure that you will be there soon!
Click to expand...

I'm curious how you are doing now as you are roughly 10 weeks past surgery. Are you still pretty limited in what you can do or are you getting back to normal activities and ideally better than before surgery? Does your knee still swell if you do too much?
 
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