SkiBikeHikeDude
junior member
I had a LTKR early in the morning on April 1. The surgeon said all went well. He put a pain cocktail into my knee so I had very little pain that day. But I also had drop foot and numbness in my foot, so the hospital PT declared it wasn't safe to walk that day. I also developed a low fever that evening and felt a little sick.
By the next morning (yesterday) I had feeling in my foot again and could move my foot. Sometime late morning the PT came back and I got up to brush my teeth an then walk down the hall. My knee was very stiff and didn't want to bend. The first night I could pick up my leg no problem, but yesterday I couldn't move it. Trying to lift it is excruciating as the front of my thigh really hurts. While walking with the PT I started feeling like I might throw up or faint. They rushed me back to my bed and checked my blood pressure which had fallen to below 90/60 or so. The doctor and nurses thought I was dehydrated so gave me saline, but I felt I was having a reaction to pain meds.
I refused pain meds for he rest of the day and finally walked again with the PT, although it was very slow and painful. Finally I was cleared to go home as my BP had stabilized and I could walk. Going home and walking into my house was very painful as I didn't have any pain meds working, but I felt that was safer than risking getting lightheaded and fainting.
I was excited to get home because I have a fancy ice machine and I really wanted to start icing a lot to cut down the swelling. I used it for an hour and then it seems to have broken. Bummer. We can't get it to work.
I am still very swollen today and I can't lift my leg. Bending it hurts too.
My question is if it is ok if I don't walk for a few days, or should I push through the pain to try to lift and bend my leg? Standing isn't bad but sitting on the edge of the bed to stand really hurts.
By the next morning (yesterday) I had feeling in my foot again and could move my foot. Sometime late morning the PT came back and I got up to brush my teeth an then walk down the hall. My knee was very stiff and didn't want to bend. The first night I could pick up my leg no problem, but yesterday I couldn't move it. Trying to lift it is excruciating as the front of my thigh really hurts. While walking with the PT I started feeling like I might throw up or faint. They rushed me back to my bed and checked my blood pressure which had fallen to below 90/60 or so. The doctor and nurses thought I was dehydrated so gave me saline, but I felt I was having a reaction to pain meds.
I refused pain meds for he rest of the day and finally walked again with the PT, although it was very slow and painful. Finally I was cleared to go home as my BP had stabilized and I could walk. Going home and walking into my house was very painful as I didn't have any pain meds working, but I felt that was safer than risking getting lightheaded and fainting.
I was excited to get home because I have a fancy ice machine and I really wanted to start icing a lot to cut down the swelling. I used it for an hour and then it seems to have broken. Bummer. We can't get it to work.
I am still very swollen today and I can't lift my leg. Bending it hurts too.
My question is if it is ok if I don't walk for a few days, or should I push through the pain to try to lift and bend my leg? Standing isn't bad but sitting on the edge of the bed to stand really hurts.