TKR Navyblue's Recovery

Navyblue

new member
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Sep 4, 2019
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I found this site after a Right TKR on 7 August 2019. I was looking for any comment re a rash and spotted FitGal's entry where she says she developed one about 10 days after surgery. I have the same situation, a red lumpy rash just started up and the itch drives me crazy. GP says it is Grover disease, a heat rash and there's not much other than apply the Tricortone cream 3 times a day.

There are some who say is could be an allergic reaction to the dressing, mine is a type of gauze with glue. Did Fitgal's disappear after the dressing fell away, I am 4 weeks post surgery and can walk and do most stuff but the itch is driving me to drink. I must admit I did have the blues at about 1 week post but things have improved. I reckon there is a lot of good advice on this forum.
 
Hello @Navyblue - and :welome:

I've started this thread for you so we can talk about your knee without taking FitGal's thread off track.

Is this rash just localised to your knee? If so, it's unlikely to be Grover's disease, which usually starts with a rash on your trunk, not your knee. It's more likely to be a reaction to the dressing or the adhesive that was used,

Can you post a photo of your rash? That might help.
Uploading a Picture in a Post

Since the itching is driving you crazy, can you ask your GP for anti-histamine tablets ? They should be better than taking to the drink.
 
Here's your copy of the recovery guidelines and reading list - everyone gets this, because it contains lots of useful information and advice:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
6. Access to these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Energy drain for TKRs

Elevation is the key

Ice to control pain and swelling

Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery

Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
No drama. You can see in the pic, it has spread to left leg. I have antihistamines, Tricortone cream and Phernergen to assist sleep. I am doing OK for 4 weeks and have taken up a lot of the advice in this site. Advised post surgery to let the dressing fall off by itself which could take up to 35 days. The itchiness is intermittent, good for a while then hits. Being driven to drink is just a figure of speech, I reckon it would be the worst thing I could do. I am doing pretty good other than the itch.
 

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Navyblue,
At 4 weeks most of us just have a few steristrips on our incision.
Is there a reason your surgeon is leaving it on so long?
If it was my incision, I would be helping it along a little bit at a time.
 
Your incision should be healed by now, @Navyblue .
It's time that dressing came off. It looks like a health hazard.
Does your surgeon actually know it's still on? It sounds to me as if whoever told you it should fall off by itself misunderstood and thought you were talking about steristrips.
 
@Navyblue .... normally it's not a good idea to leave such a soiled dressing on a wound for extended periods of time. If you haven't done so, why not make an appointment with your regular doctor to have them take a look and help you get the dressing off. At a month out, you shouldn't need a full dressing on your wound. If it's not completely healed, some steri-strips can do the job.
 
Most of it is lifting anyway so peeled it off. It is healed. Going to GP for another look this arvo.
 
Good move, Navyblue. :thumb:

I had to look up to see what "arvo" meant! I've learned something today....a new Aussie word for "afternoon." :)
 
Thanks Jamie. Yes most words are abbreviated in Aus, but the context usually gives the meaning. The visit to the GP was worth it. He has me on a course of antibiotics to treat infected hair follicles. The hair shaved from the knee starting to regrow: so hopefully the medication will sort it out. The urge to scratch myself to shreds has slightly reduced. It was driving me insane, fair dinkum. ( translates as Absolutely really and truly).
 
I can imagine that I'd be fair dinkum too! :heehee: I'm glad your GP helped.
 
I had some trouble with a rash around my dressing area after the first surgery, and I swear I am about to lose my mind over the itching I'm currently having *underneath* my new dressing. I can't even imagine what is going on under there to cause so much itching. The dressing can come off at 7 days, so I'll just have to make it to Tuesday. I should see home health that day.

I got an infected hair follicle too. I guess it's all part and parcel of the healing journey.
 
@Navyblue - glad you removed that dressing a were seen by your GP! Yes, I had a terrible reaction and had to use a topical corticosteroid for my reaction for about a week. Since I itched around the knee so much, I also had some folliculitis type issues that took some time to clear up. Hoping you heal quickly!

@luvcats - you may be having a similar reaction....hoping Tuesday comes fast for you :)
 
Wishing you quick resolution on the rash. Glad you are getting docs on top of things.
 

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