TKR Milosnanna's Recovery Thread<

Another bad sleeping night thought I might get one good one now and again but no. Awake at 12.30 and tossed and turned. Poor hubby, kept waking him and he asks are you okay mmmm no but poor thing has to be up at 6 every morning.

If only I could have one good night. I have requested for change my codeine to tramadol as I read on here - thanks to Josephine - that codeine is more for hips tramadol for knees will find out today if he will.

I cannot lay with leg straight it has to be bent on a pillow does anyone else find that at 4 weeks?

Also when I get up to use bathroom middle of night I cannot put any weight on leg and am doubled over walker just trying to get to toilet. Is this also normal? I'm so scared I am not doing things right.
 
Do you have trouble putting weight on your leg during the day? Is this only at night? When first getting onto your feet after a long time you might find the knee very stiff and also painful, but that should ease up a little as you move. I know my knees were very stiff during night breaks for around 10 weeks, after which they've been much better.

I had to have a little bend in my knees, my left knee especially, for about eight weeks. If I didn't have that bend, it hurt. I worked on extension with that leg, mostly just by walking a lot, and it's less unhappy now when flat... but it still likes it better when I can give it a bend. I think it's normal for a new knee to prefer a little bend.
 
@SusieShoes thank you for your reply I think you are a bit ahead of me and your reply has made me not worry so much - can't wait for that stiffness middle of night to go always afraid of falling but I guess you have all been there I'm 4 weeks tomorrow so early days xxx
 
I had to have a pillow under my knee for at least a couple of months. You are right, 4 weeks is very early, just 1/12 of the way to a year long recovery. You'll start now to see a little improvement each week. It does get better! But, it doesn't happen overnight. It happens over week!
 
@sistersinhim thank you.

I haven't been able to get a lounge doctor but found a way of elevating that doesn't hurt laying on the settee. It's my right leg. I lay on settee with leg up over the top of settee. It felt really good. Doesn't sound perfect but it worked - no pain and managed to put ice there too. We will see tomorrow.

Lounge doctors are not available in this country. I could get from the US but it would take so long to come I may not need it by then. And they want as much for import duties and postage as the lounge doctor itself.

I did some walking this afternoon without the frame and managed okay. About 10 minutes making dinner but when it started to pull, so went back to the frame.

Husband keeps wanting to make plans for travel but I can't even think of that yet.

Sometimes I feel that I will be the exception to the rule and it won't ever get right. I guess you have all thought that at some time or other!

Anyway goodnight from Wales sleep well - here's hoping my 1st night of Tramadol will give me a proper sleep - nervous about taking it but desperate for a nights sleep, doctor only gave me 10 so reserved for night-time.
 
Tramadol worked well for me. I hope it does for you, too. It sounds like you have figured a way to elevate really well. Good deal!
 
@Milosnanna - You don't need a lounge doctor to elevate your leg. Just use 3 pillows, like this:
Elevation - pillows.JPG

If you find the pillows keep slipping, pin them together with big safety pins (nappy pins or kilt pins).
pinned-pillows-jpg.53214
 
Better night last night first night on tramadol low dose x1 but slept from 12-4 am with little or no pain. Was worried about taking the tramadol but I guess it worked and only taking one a day. The rest of the day I take paracetamol and ice.

Haven't been out yet perhaps that will lift my spirits. My girls and hubby have been offering to take me out for a drive by I am scared of being g uncomfortable. Perhaps I will try it this weekend.

My poor baby Boston terrier is still hanging in there with me. I used to walk him every morning + afternoon and night he sleeps a lot. Now he just knows, poor thing. Hence milosnanna - daughter's dog, I'm his nanna and with him more than anyone x
 

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aww milos is adorable and will give you lots of comfort. i'm so glad you had a better sleep last night. try to make yourself as comfy as possible for the car ride ~ it might be nice for you to get out and test out your new knee; hopefully you can stretch out a bit with a pillow and icepack. you'll be back to walking your dog before too long. in the meantime take care and let others pamper you for awhile.:):flwrysmile:
 
Thank you liam2015 I know milo is so looking forward to me being back to normal.

How are you doing? I think you are 3 months ahead of me.

I didn't go out, chickened out. Maybe tomorrow, it's my 4 week anniversary today so onwards and upwards. If only I could get some of that elusive sleep.

I have managed to make dinner again tonight only pizza and salad, we are all vegetarians so it's a bit easier I guess. I really look forward to bed but then it's is absolutely horrendous after about an hour.

Today I have walked without having the walker. Really don't know if I am doing it properly as I am trying not to limp so taking it slow. Any advice on when you went without walker? Also tried one crutch to try and straighten. I think I will go and read your recovery thread xxx
 
i hope you're sound asleep @Milosnanna since it's 10 p.m. here and i think you are around 6 hours ahead. i still have a problem similar to what you mentioned a few posts back, about getting up and not being able to put weight on your operated leg. this still happens to me after i've been sitting too long, getting up in the night and getting out of the car. i find it doesn't last long if i straighten myself up and slowly get moving. i can't remember when i stopped using the walker, but i never did use the cane as i found it more awkward than using nothing at all. keep using the walker as long as you need to and same with the cane. soon you will feel more comfortable and confident walking.
 
Hi Milosnanna: You are still in a tough phase of recovery at 4 weeks so hang in there -- it will start to get better with each passing week. Can you transition from a walker to a cane? I found that to be helpful as I still needed support after I stopped using the walker. Don't be in a rush - make sure you are safe and can walk with good form.
 
I wouldn't advise you to push the walking without an aid just yet. Wait until you can walk completely normal with the walker and then switch to using a cane. You should never put yourself in a situation where you are limping even a little as that puts a lot of stress on your new knee and other joints as well. Many people (me included) used their walker around the house for months just to ensure stability and safety.

Be sure your walker is adjusted to the proper height. When you're standing straight, your arms should be slightly bent on the handles. As you walk with it, don't allow your upper body to hunch forward. Go slowly with small steps at first and gradually expand your stride as you are able to. This can all take a while.
Here is a link to an excellent guide for using a walker from the Mayo Clinic in the USA.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/multimedia/walker/sls-20076469
 
Was worried about taking the tramadol but I guess it worked and only taking one a day. The rest of the day I take paracetamol and ice.
Milosnanna - I've said before, paracetamol is NOT enough for a TKR at 4-6 weeks. That's slap bang in the middle of the 'angry tissue' stage. You got some Tramadol from your GP - has s/he told you to only take one a day? What is written on the pharmacists label? Usually it says 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours. And why are you worried about taking it? Even just take one tablet 2 times a day would be better than what you are doing.
My girls and hubby have been offering to take me out for a drive by I am scared of being g uncomfortable. Perhaps I will try it this weekend.
With good reason. You're already doing too much for where you are at.
Today I have walked without having the walker. Really don't know if I am doing it properly as I am trying not to limp so taking it slow. Any advice on when you went without walker? Also tried one crutch to try and straighten.
I suggest you don't do this. Don't make yourself ditch the walker. Time will come when you walk across the room and find you've forgotten it! And don't push your knee to straighten. It's the walking that will do it. That's it.

Oops, Jamie and I have cross posted exactly the same message!
 
Thanks everyone, will go back to walker until I can walk without limp I guess I was trying to rush things. Doctor only gave me 10 tramadol the day before yesterday so decided to just take one at night don't know if they will give me more but I could ask they did help me sleep for a couple of hours both nights, I tried going without paracetamol today - shouldn't have- these are all learnt curves.
Just finished reading liam2015 recovery thread from the beginning, this site is keeping me sane feel so useless sitting in chair. I love to hear about everybody,s days.
 
You are not being useless sitting in a chair, you are working at healing! That's your #1 job!
 
Can someone help me. I can't seem to work the form like I did before it closed down for maintenance can't find people's threads anymore. Has that been stopped.
 
There have been a few glitches since the upgrade. Try doing this:
Log out of BoneSmart, then close your browser. Re-open the browser and log in to BoneSmart again. Does that help?
 
I guess I was trying to rush things.
Not many, my pet!
Doctor only gave me 10 tramadol the day before yesterday so decided to just take one at night don't know if they will give me more but I could ask
Well in my book that would be enough for about 2 days so I suggest you phone and ask that since they appear to be working for you, can you have another prescription.

Here's the schedule I used for my surgery.
aa Tramadol routine 1.JPG
 

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