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Bilateral TKR No Longer an April Fool

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I absolutely HATE PT. But I have to admit that I feel much better when it's over. I generally schedule for Monday, Wednesday and Friday so there is a break in between. This Wednesday my regular therapist returns. The interim one is good but not as gentle.

I'm not a member of a health club, and I tend to be lazy and self indulgent at home so I guess I need the discipline. Last PT was Friday morning so I had the afternoon and all weekend to recuperate, at least a bit.
 
Really two times a week will be fine for therapy as long as you are doing some walking around the house and gentle bends and stretches when you are home. The ordeal of getting ready, driving to and from, plus the therapy itself can be quite a drain on your energy levels. You know your body only has so much energy to give and you want as much as possible going towards your healing. Be sure you are spending lots of time resting with legs elevated (toes above the nose) and ice on fronts and backs of your knees.

I have to think that you needs some type of prescription pain medication as you are still very early in recovery. A BTKR is even more challenging that a single operation. Proper pain management is so critical. Talk to your doctor about your pain levels and see if you could try another medication. And...be sure to practice all the suggestions in the article on constipation. This is a real side effect of taking pain meds, but it can be minimized!
 
Thank you so much. I will definitely speak to my internist to see if she has any pain suggestions that might work for me. So far I'm doing ok, but if I could be rid of the night pain, I would be very happy.

Much as I dislike PT, I love the feeling when it's done. I'm lucky in that the center is only one mile from my home. It is a small facility, but they seem very good. I don't like the thought of going, I am tired when I am there, but inevitably I feel better afterward. Maybe it's psychological, but I feel more comfortable and less pain after therapy.
 
Forgot to mention--I'm off by two degrees on the straightening.
 
At the end, though, we'll all be where we should be.:thumb:

I followed everyone's advice and spoke to my internist. She advised me to begin taking Tramadol before bedtime. She said it is not a narcotic and should help control the night pain. Starting tonight. Here's hoping. :fingersx:
 
I changed the title of my thread to reflect more accurately where I am now. Week five has begun on a high note thanks to the many good people on this forum.

Thank you Jaycey, referee54, Jamie and many others who encouraged me to rethink my pain meds. I started Tramadol last night, and although I still woke frequently, it was so much easier getting back to sleep. I actually felt a bit refreshed this morning.

Thank you kneeper for reminding me to have an ice bag at night. I didn't need it often, but it was so refreshing to have it available the few times I did need it.

JustJeff, in your thread you suggested a way to relieve the heat in your knees and still keep the rest of your body warm. It works. Thank you.

I'm starting Week Five in a more optimistic frame of mind. (A decent night's sleep can do that:)). I took the dogs out this morning and fed them, chores my husband had taken over since my surgery. My ROM is good, and I'm getting closer and closer to straightening.

One thing I learned from my PI yesterday. I noticed that my left foot was toeing in a bit and asked him about it. He said my quads (I think--the muscle just above the knee) were very weak, and we worked on them yesterday. Sure enough after physical therapy, I was no longer toeing in. This morning, it's not quite as good, so clearly I still have much work to do.

Today I see my grandsons. What could be better. :loveshwr:
 
[Bonesmart.org] No Longer an April Fool
[Bonesmart.org] No Longer an April Fool
I highly encourage the use of these during the day. They help make up for the sleep we find so hard to get during the night. Also have plans for things to keep you occupied in the wee hours when you can't sleep. In another seven weeks or so, sleep may not be so elusive.
 
Wednesday you are doing amazing! I had my second knee done the day after you and am still hobbling around the house on crutches! I couldn't imagine taking dogs out....that's if I had any ;). My bend is only 80/85 but my leg is straight. I'm so discouraged at the moment as I have a lot of pain & swelling & sleep is VERY hit & miss. The physio mentioned yesterday that my inflammatory markers!?! might be high due to me having the second done soon after the first. Whatever it is, I just wish it was a bit easier at the moment. All the best.


Bernie UK
RTKR 22nd January 2014
LTKR 2nd April 2014
 
My PT tells me that straightening is harder and that ROM will come. Hang in there. It will happen.

Today my husband and I babysat for our four and two year old grandsons. We took them to a restaurant and I walked to get there carrying my cane (about 1/2 mile) YAY!!! Another bonus today. I needed to use the bathroom but didn't have the commode, AND I didn't need it. Today was a good day for me, and I'm trying to remember that progress does not always move in a straight line. I'll take the good days when they come. :)
 
Another fairly decent night, which makes me very happy. My regular PT returns from vacation today, and I am eager to work with him. I think he will be surprised by my progress. Today I walked down the steps almost like an adult. It's definitely more of a challenge than going up.

Sometime I think we can measure our progress by the things we can say goodbye to. Last week I said goodbye to the extra cushion that raised my seat on the couch. Yesterday, the walker, crutches and commode found a place in the basement.

Waiting now to say goodbye to the cane--which I take with me whenever I leave the house--my tray of medication, and my nighttime leg cushion.

All and all, this has been quite a journey thus far. I find my knees are quite stiff in the mornings, probably the result of limited sleeping positions. I ice them as soon as I get up, and it helps a lot. Every day, though, I feel more and more normal. I'm no longer completely exhausted by standing, and I can do some limited household chores. It's a slow go, but at least it's going. :)
 
Can't tell you how informative this forum is, both terrifying and enlightening. I am 66yrs and due Double TKR on 8th of may. I live in Ireland and most folk I see on here comes from USA. If they can't get on top of pain over there with your choices what hope have I?? Lordy Lordy what am I letting myself in for. I keep the vision of being able to ride my horse and walk our beautiful mountains again!!!!
 
If you had written this only last week, I would have said "Noooooooo, don't do it." And here I am only four weeks out of surgery and beginning to feel somewhat normal, so now I'll say "Go for it. It will be ok."

You will be surprised at just how little the pain is. Those bionic implants are not feeling a thing. It's the muscle, tendons and nerves that complain. I've had very little sharp pain. In general, it's the achy feeling in my legs that keep me up at night. I couldn't believe how easy it was to stand, walk and climb stairs the day after surgery.

Just a few suggestions:

1. Be sure you have a comfortable place to sit, and that it is higher than a regular chair. My husband took a cushion from another part of the couch and placed it where I generally sit. The extra height makes it easy to get up and down.

2. Definitely get a commode, preferably one with handles on the side. After surgery, you will realize just how low our toilet seats are.

3. Get a little bag to hold essentials--medication, water, cell phone, reading material, etc. I brought this with me to keep by my bed at night.

4. Take an ice pack with you when you go to bed at night. If you waken during the night, and you probably will, you can ice your knees and they will feel a lot better.

I would be lying if I said it was easy; it's not. But I'm guessing it will not be as bad as you imagine. I don't think that at any time during this process, my pain level even approached a 10. On my worst days, I was probably at a 5, but mostly I would put the aches at about a 2 or 3. When you're trying to sleep, though, an achy 2 can make it difficult.

Follow the great advice of the experts here. Keep your legs elevated; keep them iced; and take your medication.

And the really good news is that once this is over, it is totally over. No need to go back and do it again.:yes: I honestly believe that bilateral is the only way to go.

Hang in there. It will be ok. :thumb:
 
Things are really looking up. :) Thanks to the Tramadol, I have had three consecutive nights of five plus hours of sleep, and it has made such a difference in my overall well being.

I think I'm one of the few bilaterals who does not sleep on my back. The backs of my knees bother me when I try. The only way I can sleep is on my side. I have a big, fluffy pillow that I place between my legs, but sometimes the "top" leg is really not on top of the other leg, just behind it.

From the time I came home from the hospital, I was only able to sleep on my right side. Since the Tramadol, I can sleep on both side. Progress comes slowly, but it comes. :chillpill:
 
Thank you Celle. I think I started feeling better when I started sleeping better. I used to dread going to bed each night because I knew I would be facing hours of tossing and turning. I was so tired but couldn't rest. Five hours is really not enough sleep for me, but it is a tremendous improvement. By 9:00 pm, my bed is calling for me, and now I'm eager to go. :sleep:
 
Another pretty good night. If I can get five hours of sleep at night, it is enough to get me through the day. My husband says I'm almost "me" again. This morning, I took out the summer clothes and put the winter stuff away. I'm now walking and feeding the dogs, washing clothes and doing the dishes. My husband still cooks the meals, but he did that even before surgery. He is a great cook.:thumb:

But it's the little things that make me smile--using the toilet without the raised commode, getting out of the car using only my legs and not my arms, etc. I don't need or use the cane any more, but I keep it by the door and take it with me so that people know to take more care around me. I didn't get a handicapped sticker because I think walking does me good, and so far it's been just fine.

All in all I'm in a different place than I was only a week ago. In the beginning it seems as though things will never get better, and then all of a sudden it does. I see my OS next week when I am certain he will give me the OK to drive. Looking forward to that.
 
[Bonesmart.org] No Longer an April Fool
@Wednesday, and don't get too carried away because you're feel so good and doing so well. Joining the Over Did It Club is never pleasant, but it's so easy to do.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.
 
Thank you. I needed that. :yes: I have to conserve some strength for my grandson's fourth birthday in a few weeks. :thumb:
 
It seems like when you get to the point when you're getting 5 hours solid sleep your outlook gets so much better. Like bottomshollow said, watch out for the overdid it club. ;) It's ok to try just a bit more and see how it goes but don't jump up in large increments. :bicycle2:
Wishing you continued :sleep:
 
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