TKR New life with my new knee 8/11/15

[Gigi32]

@bdink21 - I had massive bruising with my 1st TKR and was left with an ugly brown spot under the back side of my knee called a hemosiderin that won't go away. With my second TKR, a dermatologist suggested Vitamin K cream as soon as the bruising appeared to prevent this. I started applying it as soon as I got home(only on my leg, not around the incision) and the bruises disappeared within a couple of days. I ordered it from Amazon. It was pretty cheap, like $5.

 

[bdink21]

@Gigi32 Thanks for this. I will look into ordering this.

 

[Raffs]

I just read your post on another thread. I too was amazed and delighted by the support I've received from this community. I would have lost my mind on a number of occasions without it. It truly showed me that there are some great people in this world and that the kindness of strangers is very special. I'm trying to help others for as long as I can once work and life starts to get in the way whilst still needing and appreciating the help I'm getting. It's a great feeling being able to say to someone "I get it" or "that happened to me too" when they need a little support.

 

[wings]

Bridget, thanks for the stair info. I have fallen down the stairs a couple of times recently. I mistakenly thought it was clumsiness and not knee malfunction. I now hang on to handrail. I think I'll just plan on living on first floor for a couple of weeks.

Your son preparing your dinner made me smile. That is so sweet! I have a couple of wonderful sons who live about 30 miles away. I have not discussed the upcoming surgery with them yet. I'm having lunch with them next week and discuss it then.

Hope your digestive tract settles down. Enjoy being "mothered".

 

[Slainte]

Sleep is elusive the first few weeks. I did the same as you and moved into aother room right at first, as I was up a lot at night. Was wonderful to move back to my own bed, though. I am 5 weeks out, and sleep is loads better, but still not perfect. My knee buckles occasionally, maybe twice a day, but I understand that decreases as your muscles come back. You are doing great. Just be a slacker and let your knee heal. That is your only job.

 

[bdink21]

@Raffs It is so comforting to know there are others who 'get it'. I wasn't sure I was going to even start a recovery thread but so glad I did. And it's great to go through it all with others.

@wings Haha I've been going down stairs sideways holding on with 2 hands for months now. Feels kinda weird to face forward to go down now.

@Slainte Yeah I just really don't feel tired during the day. I wish I could nap on and off, that would be nice. The knee buckling just started today, glad I have my walker. I take a couple laps around the house, do a few heel slides and quad sets but otherwise hang out in my recliner icing and elevating.

 

[bdink21]

My wonderful sister came over today. Made meatballs, sauce, and cooked up some macaroni for dinner tonight. All we have to do is heat and eat. We had lunch together and she waited until PT came. He was really quite gentle. Was impressed with my flexion and extension. Did a few easy exercises and that was all really. He will come twice weekly, said I don't need aggressive therapy. I'm afraid that if I didn't have such good flexion and extension that he would have pushed. I have my ice wrap on and I'm resting in my recliner. I love this wrap. I bought it from Amazon, it's A to P total knee wrap. Goes from mid thigh all around my leg down to mid calf and stays cold for a long time. Seems to be doing the trick because the swelling doesn't appear to be as bad as yesterday.

 

[Slainte]

Yep, oddly enough it's a good sign that your knee is buckling. Means the swelling has gone down!

 

[bdink21]

Well then that's great lol!!

 

[wings]

@bdink21 just checking in to see how you're doing. Hope you had restful night.

 

[bdink21]

Good morning!!! Slept on the couch again, fell asleep around midnight, woke up twice for meds then right back to sleep. Finally woke up at 830am! What a great nights sleep, makes you feel good in the morning. I didn't want to wake up the guys so I got up, made my coffee and was in my recliner icing and watching the news when my hubby got up. Took 1 oxy around 6 and feel pretty good right now. My swelling has gone down tremedously and the knee does not feel as tight (still is but not as bad). I was able to sleep part the night on my side with a pillow between my legs and part the night elevated on pillows. I always have to do a few heel slides at some point, the knee just wants to bend a little. Stomach feels much better but I'm sure I will need to start the senna again, this time I will only take 1x/day and see how it goes lol.

 

[Raffs]

You are doing really well, especially the side sleeping, I can only just about manage that now! Tightness will hang around for a while yet, as will stiffness and swelling, all part of the process. Doing a few slides now and then is the best way to exercise the knee without stressing it, much better than trying to do 10 all at once. I don't know what it's called in the US but I've had good results from lactulose solution, much, ahem, gentler than other types of laxative....

 

[wings]

Oh you are doing so well!

When GI doc put me on PPI's my digestive tract suffered. She recommended miralax, said its ok to use daily. It's flavorless and I just add to my coffee. No cramping. Works for me.

I will be doing some weeding. Since I can't kneel, I decided to mix up roundup with blue dye and spray the weeds.

Hope you have a fantastic day! Hope it's more fun than weeding.

 

[Slainte]

Yes, a good night's sleep makes all the difference in the world! @wings , I did a very little weeding early this morning. I take a lightweight chair so I can sit and weed. Didn't make it very far, but will have another stab at it tomorrow. Happy weekend friends!.

 

[bdink21]

To compensate for not being able to kneel I sit on the large exercise ball we have. Goes lower than a chair and was a great help when I was painting the baseboard woodwork. It would work for outside weeding too!!

Got in the shower today. I do not have a shower chair so I was a little nervous. Hubby helped me get in and out and I was able to get all of the essentials done and out in 1 piece. Felt so good to have a shower!! Just going to rest, ice, and elevate for the rest of today. That shower made me exhausted.

 

[Raffs]

I've got a cheap non slip rubber mat in the shower which helps a lot. First few times I showered I had to lay down and rest for an hour afterwards! That feeling of exhaustion will pass as the weeks go on.

 

[Poz222]

Sounds like your doing great! I am impressed with the side sleep, I am so stiff I can't imagine that day!! You are lucky that you have such an amazing initial ROM, I am still around 9/75 but it is soooo stiff... but I'm just happy to be home... My fever broke this morning so I am better but not feeling confident enough yet for a shower. Btw. How did you cover the wound? Plastic wrap? I might settle for just washing my hair in sink and spong bath until I am a bit better (a few days)

I had a bad experience this AM with the "nurse" from the home healthcare agency... But as long as I get PT! I get my CPM machine later today.

 

[bdink21]

@Poz222 I have a waterproof aquacel dressing that stays on until my 2 week appointment then I will finally get to see my incision. The dressing is about a foot long and when I first saw it I thought that was the length of my incision. OS told me it's only a 4 inch incision under there. Was pretty good in the shower, I turned my back toward the water. I sponge bathed until today and doubt I will take daily showers until I am stronger. If I sponge bathe the next few days I will be fine. Glad your fever broke and you are feeling better. Sorry to hear about your bad experience with your home care nurse. It's your home and your nurse should be good to you. Request another if she doesn't work out. I requested no nursing, just PT. Just keep icing and elevating that knee, ROM will come.

@Raffs We have those sticky non slip things on the tub floor and I planted my feet barely moving for the whole shower lol. I took a nice long nap afterward, I was exhausted. I think that was my first afternoon nap lol.

 

[Josephine]

a dermatologist suggested Vitamin K cream as soon as the bruising appeared to prevent this. I started applying it as soon as I got home(only on my leg, not around the incision) and the bruises disappeared within a couple of days. I ordered it from Amazon. It was pretty cheap, like $5.

Witch-hazel is even cheaper! See here Bruising after surgery

When GI doc put me on PPI's my digestive tract suffered. She recommended miralax,

You get constipation with PPIs? I've never heard of that before. Do tell me more.

 

[wings]

I was on high dose 40 mg twice daily. It is certainly a side effect for me, even at my current dose of 40mg once a day. The way it was explained to me was your food does not digest as well because of near total suppression of gastric acid.

I took a look at drugs.com, according to them:
Common Prevacid side effects may include:

• nausea, stomach pain;
  
  
• diarrhea, constipation; or
  
  
• headache.
  

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.