TKR Mom2Lucy's Recovery Thread

[sistersinhim]

You are less than 3 months into a year long surgery. That means you're less than 1/4 of the way through it. Swelling and pain, unfortunately, is pretty normal at this stage of your recovery. When you hurt and swell, your knee needs ice and elevation. It's still a child and will react like one. Try slowing down and listening to your knee. When it says to stop, then stop. Those stopping times will decrease and your action times will increase. But, it takes time!

 

[Mom2Lucy]

I feel as if I’ll never make it back to work next month.... I try to be patient , but I am concerned. My employers have been great, but I don’t want to be “the weakest link in the chain”.
I’ve stopped the medical style acupuncture, stopped the pool exercises, and am limiting using my car. And I elevate and ice several times a day.
Has anyone tried wearing a brace at work, does that help at all?

 

[kmak81230]

I wore a ted sock or a thigh high compression sock when I went back to work and it felt good to me. I found that I was very tired when I got home so iced and elevated much of the evening and recovered ok by the next day. The first week back was the hardest for me.

 

[Mom2Lucy]

Is there any reason to avoid the use of regular aspirin.? I’ve been following the Tylenol protocol, but this morning I decided to try Aspirin instead, in hopes that it will help as an anti-inflammatory. I feel like it is helping...

 

[Celle]

Well, Aspirin is an anti-inflammatory as well as a pain reliever. However, it's much harder on your stomach than Tylenol and ti could cause stomach bleeding. It can also enhance any tendency you have to bleeding, so you shouldn't take it if you're still taking anticoagulants.

 

[Motherbone]

I have taken Ecotrin aspirin without problems, it's coated so it dissolves further down past your stomach. That being said, I have also avoided taking aspirin on an empty stomach in order to avoid any burning. I forgot to ask how much longer I need to stay off anti inflammatory medicines when I saw my doctor last week. Right now I am still just on Tylenol, with an occasional Tramadol if the arthritis is particularly bad. But I am also taking low dose aspirin for cardio protection. As far as I can tell from what literature I could find, the low dose doesn't interfere significantly with bone repair but I think the usual therapeutic dose of 650 mg might. What I wouldn't give for the go-ahead to take 500 mg of naproxen once in a while! It has always provided the most relief.

 

[Motherbone]

And I agree that aspirin has an anticoagulant effect that has to be taken into account.

 

[Mom2Lucy]

I tried the aspirin for three days, actually the third day I only took it once. Decided to return to Tylenol as the aspirin was giving me a bit of a stomach ache. All good now.
I’m concerned most about pain on the outer side of my knee. It just doesn’t seem to change. I could swear something is out of place there, although my common sense says unlikely. It’s worse when getting up after sitting. When I’m lying down, I’m seldom aware of it.
Any ideas on what’s happening, and what I can do to get rid of it?

 

[Jockette]

I had a lot of discomfort on the lateral side of my knee. Just for fun I requested a copy of my operative report at my one year check up. When I read it I learned that I’d also had a lateral release done during my replacement. Well that was a surprise, you’d think my surgeon might have mentioned it at some point. So I wondered how much that had to do with my lingering discomfort.

 

[sistersinhim]

I found out I had a medial release from my surgical report, not my OS either. I think everyone should request their surgical report. It really helps to know what's going on with our knees.

 

[Mom2Lucy]

I see my OS on Jan 17, I’m going to ask for my surgical report.

 

[kmak81230]

My PCP read over and gave me a copy of my surgical report as I saw her first. I shared it with my PT.

 

[sistersinhim]

My PCP read over and gave me a copy of my surgical report as I saw her first.

Any surprises in it?

 

[kmak81230]

No / not really @sistersinhim. It was interesting that at the hospital they gave me the model or jig for my knee that the implant company used to customize the implant and sent to the surgeon.

 

[sistersinhim]

When I read mine I found out I had had a medial release. My OS never told me this. I was having a lot of medial pain, and this explained it.

 

[Mom2Lucy]

Today the pain on the outer side of my knee changed, it got worse
I had an appointment about a 15 min drive each way. (For a cortisone shot in my non-operative knee) As soon as I maneuvered my legs into car the pain became apparent and ramped up as I drove. Even moving from gas pedal to the brake was cringeworthy. By the time I left my appt and drove home I could barely move my leg from calf down, it was horrendous. I was so glad to get out of the car. Ironically straight walking wasn’t bad. Anything requiring bending hurts and even sitting in a chair and bending forward from the waist to reach for my foot, also was terribly painful. Can this be IT Band, I have the slightest of pain tonight going up to my hip. That wasn’t there until my driving episode. Help!

 

[sistersinhim]

I bet you twisted your knee the wrong way getting into the car. I've done that. I am going to tag @Josephine, our forum director and nurse, to see if she has any suggestions for you.

 

[Mom2Lucy]

I’ve used my tens a few times last evening and have been icing and elevating non stop, trading a thawed out gel pak for a fresh one. Seems to have helped but as soon as I’m up and thinking it’s better my knee complains.
I’d go down to the parkade and try getting in my car but I’m afraid I’ll set the pain into high gear again. Guess it’s a quiet day for me today.
Thank you @sistersinhim , I hate to bother Josephine, I see folks on here with much more severe concerns, but I hope she has some insight.

 

[beachy]

Keep icing. It happened to me last week.

 

[Mom2Lucy]

@beachy , Happy New Year!
When this happened to you I remember the posts all seem to indicate ITBand . Did you have pain up the thigh and hip, because I see that in so many articles about IT Band, yet mine is all knee down to ankle.
Have you seen good improvement in a week? I’m ready to pull my hair out, I’m so frustrated with this knee. I lost bend and extension yesterday, so I’m sure hoping this episode ends soon. I’m expected back at work in two or three weeks, after seeing my surgeon on Jan 17.