TKR New Left Knee . . . Check!!

[carousel66]

Niki
you and I are at the same place on this issue!!! I am going to have to resort to Milk of mag also. It does not help that we are not moving around much!!!!
I am NOT looking fwd to what I KNOW is coming (argh,,,,,) sigh.
I am hoping for good results for BOTH of us SOON.

 

[kneeper]

Got the CPM up to 80 this morning. PT will be here in about an hour. I've been really pleased with my steady flexion progress. The numbers definitely don't look impressive, but I am making small gains every day. Can't ask for much more than that--especially since my PT is "hands off"--no forcing anything ever.
Niki

That's great. Slow and steady wins the race.

 

[Josephine]

Niki, if all else fails, do try either a glycerine suppository or one of those little home enemas.
It's perfectly okay if you've had no BMs for 4-5 days or more.

 

[editor98]

Jo,
I know it's okay to go a few days without going, but it does not feel okay! After about a day and a half or two at most, I am utterly miserable. I did use a Dulcolax suppository the other night (which worked), but it did involve cramps, etc. I will have my husband look for the glycerine type. Two doses of Milk of Magnesia didn't do much for me. Can't wait to be off all of these drugs so that my system can right itself! Guess I have a ways to go yet before that happens.
Niki

 

[carousel66]

Niki - I hope things get better for you, I agree this part of pain management is NO FUN.
I had a friend give me some sugar free candy that has xylitol - which I was aware had a laxative effect! BUT I'm happy to say it has done the trick. I am having a piece of candy after each of my meals lol I will see how this works.

 

[Josephine]

Jo,
I know it's okay to go a few days without going, but it does not feel okay!

I didn't mean that. I meant it's perfectly okay to use suppositories or an enema if you haven't been for 4 or 5 days.

I think you should use enemas, even if you have to use them on a daily basis until you get unclogged!

 

[editor98]

SUCCESS!!!!! :yes 4:

 

[Retsel]

 

[Mountain Kat]

SUCCESS!!!!! :yes 4:

 

[karmigirl]

 

[Jazyb]

good for you Niki

 

[editor98]

I have to laugh!! :hysterical: Who ever thought we'd be talking about THIS online and offering congratulations!! But I tell ya, it does feel like quite the accomplishment! Thanks for the congrats! :th_heehee: Niki

 

[karmigirl]

Niki,

I feel like this is deja vu (sp?) only my situation was with one of my dogs. She was very ill and we had been to the vet many times for her problems. The day things got better I had to take a sampe to the vet and he was proudly proclaiming "What pretty poop" to the entire office and everyone that was in there at the time.

 

[heyfly]

When I was in the hospital the second day, one of the nurses informed me that Friday was BM Friday. Most surgeries were Monday and Tuesday. I fulfilled the expectations but at home there are no designated BM days.

There should be some type of award, perhaps a tee-shirt or pins for fulfilling this basic function.

Is that the origin of "You go girl"?

 

[carousel66]

:th_heehee:
:yes 4::yes 4::yes 4::yes 4::yes 4::yes 4:

 

[MsHeidi]

Niki, another trick that always seems to work for me, is canned peaches. A bowl of Cheerios with lots of canned peaches seems to get me rolling. I learned not to have that for breakfast on a teaching morning! I tell you this because this will be a recurring theme in your life as long as you are on the narcotics.

 

[jerseychick]

:yes 4:

 

[Josephine]

Now I can tell my infamous and totally gross joke for which I make no apologies except that some of us really and truly understand it!

Q: what's a sign of stress?
A: teeth marks on the lavatory seat!

 

[referee54]

SUCCESS!!!!! :yes 4:

1. Glad that we all have a great sense of humor!
2. Who would have thunk it that all of us would be applauding---because all of us have been there, too!

 

[editor98]

:th_heehee: Very funny, Jo! I told my husband that I was glad to have my walker while on the commode to hang onto for some leverage!

On another note, I just went through a couple of days where I've had a lot more swelling than I've had since my surgery. My days pretty much consist of laying in bed with the CPM and icing and elevating--so swelling hasn't been much of an issue for me. But my husband was out of town this past week, and although my daughter-in-law was here to help me, I found myself up and about much more than usual cause I just didn't want to have to ask her to do all of the little things that my husband does for me. Then I jumped from like 65 to 80 degrees on the CPM in about a day, and also had PT that day. I think all of those factors combined led to some swelling and resulting pain. A different experience for me. We didn't measure during PT on Friday cause I think it would have been a step backward since with the swelling I could hardly bend at all. Makes me wonder how it's going to go once I'm able to be up and walking. But maybe walking will be different than hobbling around on one leg. At any rate, my husband is home now and once again taking good care of me. The PT told me to take it easy over the weekend and just ice and elevate and we will measure on Monday. So that's the plan. The swelling is already better than it has been in the last couple of days.

The doc kept my hydrocodone at 7.5/325 when I refilled this week. So I have 10 days worth if I take the full dose (two every four hours) each time. I would like to try taking less, but I'm not sure I'm ready. Makes me kind of nervous to try cause trying to catch up after the pain gets away from me is not fun.

I did decide that I'm not going to attempt church tomorrow. After thinking about it and also with the swelling and pain I've had in the last couple of days, I decided I should probably wait another week or two.

Well, I am about halfway through my 6 weeks of no weight bearing--3 weeks down, 3 to go! Can't imagine what it's going to feel like to be able to walk!
Niki