TKR My new knee journey
- Thread starter Majella
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Majella
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Today I'm at my 4 week post op mark and decided I was ready to drive....so I waited until my pain med wore off, got in my car with hubby...he asked me "where do you want to go?" The Dairy Queen of course! once I got my twist cone I was happy as a clam 
oh the little things that make my day!
oh the little things that make my day!
Yum, yum! There is nothing like ice cream!
newlybionic
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One twist cone please!! I wish that I had drive through ice cream. Another milestone hit along the road to recovery! Way to go!
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Majella
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Today was my 6 week post op check up with new knee #2, OS took xrays and said everything looks great 
however he wants to keep me in PT to improve my ROM and strengthen my quads which he thinks are still somewhat weak. My ROM is 106/0 which I'm not too concerned about because I know from previous experience with knee #1 that will improve with time. My goals in PT right now are: muscle strengthening, balance and stair climbing (no more pushing on the knee please)! we all know that just sets us back. My other issue is pain, which can jump up to a 6+ at times, this is the frustrating part for me along with the stiffness. OS said he would like to wean me off all pain meds except for Tylenol! I can't take tamanol or hydrocodone (makes me nauseated) so I'm taking a half of Oxy with Tylenol which does very little right now and I'll run out of that soon Yikes!
however he wants to keep me in PT to improve my ROM and strengthen my quads which he thinks are still somewhat weak. My ROM is 106/0 which I'm not too concerned about because I know from previous experience with knee #1 that will improve with time. My goals in PT right now are: muscle strengthening, balance and stair climbing (no more pushing on the knee please)! we all know that just sets us back. My other issue is pain, which can jump up to a 6+ at times, this is the frustrating part for me along with the stiffness. OS said he would like to wean me off all pain meds except for Tylenol! I can't take tamanol or hydrocodone (makes me nauseated) so I'm taking a half of Oxy with Tylenol which does very little right now and I'll run out of that soon Yikes!
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Sounds like a good plan. PT gave me such good exercises for strengthening the muscles on June knee that it has supported me well in the first two weeks of recovery with October knee. I wasn't ready to be totally off pain pills at 6 weeks with June knee. You may wish to consider asking your primary care doctor for help in controlling pain or get a referral to a pain specialist. It's hard to rehab without adequate pain control. Are you still icing and elevating most of the time?
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TML
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Yeah Cubbies - what a game! We used to live in Chicago and I was born there.
It's been quite a week. @Majella Are you doing okay with painkillers? OS wants me off oxy and gave me enough Norco for one more week but I don't think that will be enough. Your thoughts? You're a little ahead of me.
It's been quite a week. @Majella Are you doing okay with painkillers? OS wants me off oxy and gave me enough Norco for one more week but I don't think that will be enough. Your thoughts? You're a little ahead of me.
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Majella
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@TML
I'm still taking a small dose of Oxy with a Tylenol (only because hydrocodone and Tramadol make me nauseated) It helps somewhat and I don't think I can be without it, like you, my OS wants me off prescription pain meds all together but...don't think I'm ready yet,My new knee still throbs with shooting pain at times, especially during PT and at night
So when I run out and I'm still in pain I will probably call his office and ask for more, the worst they can say is
I'm still taking a small dose of Oxy with a Tylenol (only because hydrocodone and Tramadol make me nauseated) It helps somewhat and I don't think I can be without it, like you, my OS wants me off prescription pain meds all together but...don't think I'm ready yet,My new knee still throbs with shooting pain at times, especially during PT and at night
So when I run out and I'm still in pain I will probably call his office and ask for more, the worst they can say is
Ronsgirl
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I am in the same boat as you, only I take Tramadol and Tylenol. My OS took me off the hydrocodone which helped the most and switched me to the Tramadol. I also don't think I could be without it yet, especially at night. I am taking as little as possible and hoping my OS will give me another prescription if I still need it when this one is gone.
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Majella
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Hello everyone (or those of you who remember me) it's been awhile since i have posted. My Rt. total knee is now 9 months old and my Lt. total knee is a little over 3 months old. Rt. knee is just about normal (no pain or swelling) but stiffness continues with ROM at 120/0.
Lt. knee still has occasional pain especially at night, some swelling and stiffness with ROM of 115/0 (just finished PT with this knee) yay!
I do have bursitis of the Lt. hip from all the limping and odd walking gait over the last couple of years, so I have a scheduled cortisone injection for that next week.
It's been a long and not so easy recovery for me (especially my Rt. knee) as I had sooooo much long term post-op pain with that knee
Would I do this all again? YES of course! My knee replacements has been life changing! I can now walk without limping, ride my bike, and just last week-end I did a 2.5 mile hike through the woods (up and down hills)
something I have not been able to do in the past 5 years!
A big "THANK YOU" to the great folks here on Bone Smart, all the advice and words of encouragement helped me get through those "dark days" of recovery.
For all of you who are starting your journey, I wish you all the best
Lt. knee still has occasional pain especially at night, some swelling and stiffness with ROM of 115/0 (just finished PT with this knee) yay!
I do have bursitis of the Lt. hip from all the limping and odd walking gait over the last couple of years, so I have a scheduled cortisone injection for that next week.
It's been a long and not so easy recovery for me (especially my Rt. knee) as I had sooooo much long term post-op pain with that knee
Would I do this all again? YES of course! My knee replacements has been life changing! I can now walk without limping, ride my bike, and just last week-end I did a 2.5 mile hike through the woods (up and down hills)
something I have not been able to do in the past 5 years!A big "THANK YOU" to the great folks here on Bone Smart, all the advice and words of encouragement helped me get through those "dark days" of recovery.
For all of you who are starting your journey, I wish you all the best
Hey Majella! It sounds like you're doing really good! I, too, can finally say I'm glad I had this done! I wish I'd had both completed like you. I still have the left one to look forward to. BS has been a huge help to me, too. I believed in it's mantra before I even came here. It proved itself to me years ago. I hope 2017 will be a truly blessed year for you!
