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PKR My recovery begins<

Also, I can't lift my operative leg straight up. Like when I'm going to get up or get back into bed, I have to use my other leg to assist moving it up and down. I have no control over the quadricep whatsoever! I try really hard but all I get is a very weak muscle contraction that's ineffective in lifting. At first I thought it was related to the nerve block but that should be completely worn off at this point.
 
Don't worry about the straight leg lift, took me 3 weeks before I could barely manage one!
 
Thanks! That makes me feel a little better!


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I was able to raise my leg right out of recovery and never had any problem. I had to be able to put it up into the CPM machine when getting in and out of bed. That must be a weird feeling. I know some people have a problem with that. I didn't have a nerve block so maybe that's why I was able to right away. I also had the long acting Bupivicaine injection in my incision so I had very little pain the first few days. Most surgeons are using that now and it really helps.
 
Tammy, sleep all you can. Your body needs the time to recover. Moving about and doing your ankle pumps is very important also. You are in the dark days after surgery - this too shall pass. Prayers for a peaceful night.
 
Thank you for addressing the sleeping! So how long does it typically last? I will wake up, move around to use the bathroom and get comfortable again and fall back to sleep. I might be awake for 30 min to an hour and then I start dozing off again.


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Hi again Tammy, @tdawgs
I'm afraid that sleep disturbances are part and parcel of this recovery journey and it can take several months for our sleep pattern to return to normal. Remember this article, from the reading list we gave you?
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

The thing to do is not to worry about it. Take naps. Sleep where you can, how you can, when you can.

Don't worry about not being able to do straight leg raises yet. Sometimes it takes a while, but there's no need to rush. One day, you'll just find that you can do it. It took me about a week.
 
Thank you again for the support and information. I'm sure a lot of my issues are normal. I appreciate all of the help from this forum. I'm a little annoyed at my own mother, who's had both knees replaced, telling me she can't believe I'm still in this much pain or that I can't do such and such yet because she could. I think she has a short memory! She went to a Rehab facility for 6 weeks each time! I came home to my family less than 24 hours after my surgery. My husband and son have been so good to me and I am feeling frustrated that I can't do more. My husband is very supportive and tells me to stop feeling guilty about it. He had a hip replacement in 2009 and spent a week in the hospital. So he gets it. Now I'm getting weepy. I'm sure that's normal too but doesn't make it any easier. Thanks for letting me vent here.
 
Tammy, I think a side effect of knee surgery is short term memory loss! :rotfl::rotfl: I have a friend at church who is the same way your mother is. If I had only done this, seen that Doctor, gone to that PT....if only. Well, guess what? "If only" never promises results and doesn't come to visit often! Hang in there. You are doing fine.
 
tdawgs said:
I'm a little annoyed at my own mother, who's had both knees replaced, telling me she can't believe I'm still in this much pain or that I can't do such and such yet because she could. I think she has a short memory! She went to a Rehab facility for 6 weeks each time! I came home to my family less than 24 hours after my surgery.
Click to expand...
It's true that we do seem to forget some of the pain. Also, it does seem to happen that some older people seem to experience less pain.

I remember when my own mother had her knee replacements. She took less pain medication than I needed and she seemed to mobilise much faster. She was a determined old lady, but I don't think that was the whole answer.

Just tell your Mum, "I'm getting there. It just takes a little while." Don't let it bother you.

Every knee recovery is different and we're all on our own journey to full recovery.
 
Maybe I will cut and paste your reply in an email and send it to her :heehee:
 
No. Try to ignore it. Don't give her details. Tell her you'r progressing according to your knee's schedule and you're doing OK.
 
I'm annoyed with OS office today. I placed a call at 8 am and left a message that I had post op concerns. Didn't hear anything by 10 am., called again and spoke to a receptionist who said she would pass the message along. It's now 4pm and still no call. I've been in a lot of pain all day. I'm having pain in my lower leg where it is all bruised and my upper thigh which is where they had the tourniquet. When I get up and put the partial weight on it, the leg throbs! It's not so much the joint, its the shin and surrounding tissue. I haven't been able to put the compression stocking on it for almost 48 hours. My husband and I came up with a very big ace wrap that he helped wrap snug but not tight around my leg. It hurt to do it but that's the compromise. Also, I've been really nauseated today. I ended up calling my PCP office and they prescribed some zofran. Every time I get up and move I get hot, sweaty and nauseous. Not sure what's going on with that. I'm drinking fluids well. My PCP thought maybe my BP is running low. She asked that I sit up slowly and take my time getting up. Which I've been doing. I've got a little bit of a headache brewing also. I would like to avoid a trip to the ER. All I need is some reassurance and advice, so a call back from the OS NP would be nice!
 
Tammy, I am sorry you are having this pain and no response from your OS. Bug the heck out of them. The weekend will be here before you know it. You are in my prayers.
 
Thank you Janis. I did finally get a call at 6:30! The NP is the one who does all the calling. She was apologetic about not calling sooner. However, she's worried about me having a hematoma. So I'm back to non weight bearing at all again. I'm laying flat with my leg elevated high up and ice at all times. She was okay with swapping out the compression stocking for the ace wrap. It still hurts but not as bad, I can control the amount of compression. She thinks I'm not eating enough before taking the Percocet and that I need to up the Percocet to 2 tabs for a few doses to get the pain under control. If I'm not feeling better by Friday then she wants me in clinic.
 
Sorry you're not feeling well and has to wait so long for a call back. I wound up putting ice on my lower leg and even my quads at times when different pains hit me. Hopefully pain meds, ice and the elevation will get you moving along in your recovery.
 
Thank you Marian! I have been putting the ice on my lower leg and quadricep. I move it up and down all day long. Decided to up the bedtime dose of pain reliever to 2 tablets. Hopefully sleep will come along soon!
 
HI Tammy,

Just read your thread. I have to tell you, I experienced everything you are describing. I was so reassured by people here. I hope you are feeling this as well.
I think I slept about 40 to 50 minutes out of every hour for the first three weeks after surgery. I also think we need it--our body has to spend a tremendous amount of energy healing our knees.
I started eating a few saltines every time I took my pain meds--that made a huge difference with the nausea. I found out just recently that I lost what my GP termed 4 to 5 units of blood during my surgery. I had very low blood pressure for a while and had to be cautious about getting up very slowly and making sure I had support when moving around. I think that was better by about 6 weeks.
I also had trouble being able to lift my leg for about two and a half weeks, and then miraculously, one day I could just do it! Before the miraculous return of the lifting leg, I discovered that pulling my leg up by the sock worked better for me than hooking my good leg under.
I wish you a better day every day going forward!
Jan
 
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