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Now what happens AFTER a TKR!

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Irishgirl359

Irishgirl359

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well i am home wow they dont keep you around for squat i have the surgery on tuesday and was home on thursday, im at a bad moment right now it hurts big time and stiff and hard to get around since i only had it 2 days ago, hard to walk with the walker carry all my body weight with my hands , i have lots to tell ya but on the verge of crying from the pain just wanted to let everyone know i came out alive from this fight just need to have a few more rounds and i pray it will get easier , i found out thru this adventure i am a big butt baby and have no threshhold for pain what so ever.
later guys lots of love to u all when i am up and about more i will post more,

god love all my new freinds i trully am blessed to stumble upon you guys, my heart is full of love for each and everyone of you guys..
 
Re: What happens during/after TKR

I moved your post into the after surgery forum, Collen. Welcome back and well done.

As for that pain - take your pills, max dose, on the spot of the hour whether you think you need them or not! And elevate. And rest. And Ice, ice, ice! Remember, ice is now your best friend!
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

Hey welcome back . You are far from a baby. Let me tell ya thats a big ole' surgery. I know the next I would say 2 weeks are the toughest. Each day will get better though. Yes ice ice ice cant say that enough. And just take it easy. LOL me too thought they were going to kick me out of the hosp. My nerve block fell out and it was all over...lol...Relax and post when you can....Glad your back...
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

Hi Irish!
Glad you've come over to the recovery side! It will get better--just more slowly than you wish. Follow the advice all our friends here have given you and be good to yourself.

Blessings,
Irene
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

This surgery is no joke! That's why I've said that anyone who has a joint replaced, whether he or she needs to use the prescription pain meds or not, is a bad a*&! Of course it hurts. Do you realize what they do to our joints to make us bionic? As my mother-in-law said when I was pregnant, "It's going to get worse before it gets better." In other words, you're going to have to suffer through the first few post-surgery weeks of pain before you begin to experience changes that are worth waiting for. You're not a baby. You just don't like pain. And really, who does? You got this surgery because you'd had enough of the osteoarthritis pain. Don't beat up on yourself, Collen. We promise it will get better.
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

Hi Colleen - I'm at 6 weeks post op with my second knee. Yep, I did this twice! As all has said, take your meds (full dose) and ice. You are not a baby at all. This recovery just HURTS like crazy, particularly the first few weeks. Use the walker as much as you need (I used it 4 weeks with my second knee). Don't even think of being BRAVE right now. I too felt like a baby and I did baby myself a lot. Your special and deserve it ...we all do.

For some good feelings please take a look at my post "twice blessed" and you will be feeling better soon - just give it about 6-8 weeks. And don't forget to post here whenever you are feeling blue. My best to you.

Hope
LTKR Feb 23, 2009
RTKR June 8, 2009
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

Hi, Colleen....welcome to the other side. Folks are sooooo right...pain meds on a regular schedule, elevating, ICE! All of that will help. Try not to over do the walking around either. You need to rest at this point to allow your body to heal. You have made it through so much...that proves you are NOT a wimp!!! But you should not be having big time hurt....take your meds and ice.
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

July 20th, 2009, 08:35 PM ((Colleen I had posted this to you this Morning 7:35 eastern time. But somehow it got left behind when your thread was moved.))


Colleen,
Wow you did not stay in the hospital long at all. Hon you are going to hurt but that is what the meds are for. Are you taking the meds every 3 or 4 hours??? You have to take pain pills as recommended on label. Do not wait till you hurt!!! Colleen if you wait till you hurt then you will not be able to stay on the edge of pain!!! You will be in th e middle of pain. Jo has a chart somewhere that explains it in Medical terms. I just know pain terms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wait to long to take pain meds and you will be in PAIN!!! Pain that will be hard to get rid of!!!! So you need to take it reg. I was taking it every 3 hours and it keep me on the edge of pain. Which was livable.
And you have to keep the leg up and the Ice machine running!!
Will you be having PT in your home to start with?? You take care and I will be here waiting to hear from you.
__________________
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

Hi

Wow, home after 2 days. :sct: I was in for 12 days
Belive me it does gets better. For me the first week was the worst
Try to keep positive. It does get better
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

Hi! You are not a baby! I was leaning so hard on my walker the first few days, I ended up with blisters on both hands! I actually took a pair of socks, and cut them to make 'gloves'. I put them on when I was using the walker because my hands hurt so much. Now, 4 1/2 weeks out, the blisters finally popped, and I have peeling skin on both palms. But, as the weeks went on, each day I felt better. So don't despair, just take it one day at a time. May I ask why they sent you directly home after only a few days? Didn't you have the chance to go to a rehad facility? Take care and best wishes! Paula
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

Walker...I never got blisters on my hands but wore calluses on them. I used the walker for 5 weeks post surgery. I am a very large woman and it was just secure. Surprisingly I still use my walker for some of my home exercises because it helps me to stand properly (I am a sloucher at heart).

What next....the first few weeks can be challenging. One thing that was really tough was having to be dependent on others. I suppose it was a kind of depression...but just be aware...it is not unusual to have periodic melt downs.

Here's to speedy uncomplicated recovery:thmb:
 
Re: What happens during/after TKR

Hey guys

today is better then yesterday, actually I am starting to use a cane instead of the walker. not too shabby since surgery was 7/21 and today is 7/25 and only 2 days in the hosptial.

Here goes the problem I had the Femerol block they gave
me that wasnt install right and i never actually had the block
all that medicine was going between my legs and i kept thinking i peed my self. I kept complaining to the nurse that I was in horrible pain they said the nerve block was working coz it was empty all the time they kept putting in new meds into it, not one listened to my complaints that my bed was wet they didnt put 2 and 2 together until the surgeon came to take it out and seen it was notin, that was my last day there so I did this whole operation with no block Like duh i told them i was in pain they treated me like a hypocrondriact.

Thats my story and Im sticking to it, but am feeling better and getting around more monday i have Therapy and got them to agree to 10.00 a visit instead on my 30.00 co pay. I made a deal with them, My usual wheelin and dealing new york style I made them an offer the Couldnt Refuse :p.
I am such a pushy Broad :evil:

I hope everyone is doing well

Hugs and more Hugs
 
Re: What happens during/after TKR

Bring on the Pushy Broads!!! Good for you, Colleen!

Wow, that is some story about the femoral block! I sure hope SOMEBODY was apologizing to you at some point!!! That supports the rationale that we all need a patient advocate there at times to speak for us the first few days after surgery. You just never know what is going to happen.

Hang in there, hon! You are over the worst and it will just get better from now on!
 
Re: What happens during/after TKR

Colleen,

Amazing! :shk: Didn't they notice it when you got up to go to the bathroom??? You'd think the nurses would have been more aware of what was happening and checked better.

I would make sure I didn't pay for that bogus block or the insurance either for that matter! Use that NY Pushy Broad to make sure of that!

Did they give you anything else for pain? I remember waking up after mine had wore off. :shk::shk: They gave me mine before surgery. Then after they revived me from overdose of pain med. that my body couldn't handle, my PT came in to have me stand and walk before any pain meds had taken effect. Don't even remember getting anything before PT came in. Talk about hurting, so yes, I have felt that pain!!!!

Glad to hear you are doing so well now. Keep icing and elevating as much as possible. Remember to time your pain meds to be present at it's fullest extend when therapy begins. Will they come to you? Usually they will call to give you warning. I made sure mine called at least one hour prior so I was ready when he got here and sufficiently dosed to benefit from the therapy without much pain.

Do you have a CPM machine? If so make sure you use it before therapy to get the leg limber enough to bend. Mine was so stiff in the mornings. I had a love/hate relationship with that machine. Loved the results, hated being still so long.

You are amazing! Hope you continue to progress well. Certainly gives your mom a first hand look at what to expect.
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

Colleen,

All of my pregnancies were long natural births, and this surgery was WORSE than anything I went through with childbirth. You are not being a baby! Give yourself some credit. TKR is a HUGE surgery. I didn't fully understand it until after my surgery (too late then :sigh:) and yet given time, you will look back and be grateful you made this decision.

Listen to everyone who has posted, we have been there and done that. Get your rest and stay of top of your meds. I didn't do a good job doing that. Stretched them to there limit and sometimes just didn't take them at all. Boy was that stupid. Then I found this forum and learned how to take care of myself and move forward. Hind sight is always 20/20.

Ice and elevate. This will help you the most. Your leg probably feels like it weighs a ton, but in time you will be amazed how much better it feels.

I had huge calluses on my hands from the walker and crutches. They will go away with time and lotion. Try to stay down as much as possible only getting up when necessary. I had a bedside commode that I hated, (so did everyone else) but it was a Godsend the first couple of weeks. Especially with the reactions I had to medicine when my BP would drop 50-60 pts when standing. It wasn't safe for me to be up much. Except during therapy and necessary times.

My daughter told me today, Mom you used to limp for a long time after you got up, now it's just a couple of steps and you're okay. So see, it does get better.

This too shall pass. Keep focused on recovery. It will get better! :wub:
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

Rose, I could not agree with you more ---childbirth was my former benchmark of pain!! But now, the tka takes the stage---it was much worse and longer than childbirth!! And there is no cute baby either.

15 years ago, I broke my ankle while skiing and had to come down in a sled. Every time we hit a bump, I would scream---finally the ski patroller stopped the sled and told me that I had to be brave. I said, listen, I had three children with natural childbirth---I am SICK of being brave--I intend to scream. He thought I was crazy!!!
 
Re: What happens during/after TKR

I didnt get out of bed the first day they nurses had to use a bed pan on me with all those fluids they put in me i peed about once an hour for those 2 days in the hospital
I complained i was wet and they said i must of peed my self i complained i wasnt getting any pain relief from that machine that gave you the block i complained and cried 20 hours straight never slepts never ate they gave me anti anziety pills thinking i was taking panic attacks so when they called the surgeon back to me they started giving me stuff in my IV which the doctor said was 10X stronger then Morphine and he couldnt believe i was still awake no less crying on pain they thought it was me i was a nutzo instead of being in actual pain. they tried to doped me up with sleeping meds everything and all i did was cry un controllable my mother was besides her self my scare on my leg is 14 inches long as if they put in more than just a knee The doc did say that he never ever seen a knee so bad on a person who actually walked in to his office

Well needless to say after this event my mother has decided not to get a replacment she will live with knee pain
she said she is an old women and feels she dosnt need to be in pain like i was.

I had my first PT that friday and they PT told me that i have no mucles in my Quads everything else if tone but the quads are what we need the most so she and I have a lot of work to do , i go to them 3 times a week its close by mom house and when i am able to drive after staples are removed i can go by moms golf cart there.

Is 18 Staples alot for this type of surgery ???
i will try and get a photo on my black berry and download to my computer if you guys want to take a gander of my nice war wound.

I went home with only 3 meds
oxicodone
norco
Celebrex
thats it
I wonder why i wasnt sent home with any kind on antibotics

Ok i chewd yall ears off enought in one post

Hugs N More Hugs
 
Re: What happens during/after TKR

Oye, Colleen! Well! I'm a NY broad,too....pushy when I've gotta be! Thank heavens you're so tough!!! What a bunch of idiots, right? Shows you intelligence....or lack of in your case, can be lacking anyywhere! It's your spunky attitude that's going into overdrive now to let you heal even more quickly! Feel GOOD!!! You certainly deserve it, Girl!!! :)
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

The surgery was a lot rougher than I ever imagined. I had surgery in a beautiful new small hospital. You could order anything from the wonderful menu anytime you cared to. I'd planned to do my hair and makeup and eat steak and shrimp. Reality was the third day I washed my hair with a bar of soap while sitting on the potty with the hand-held shower and didn't dry it before creeping back into bed.

But, recovery is amazing. Every day you'll be amazed at how much better you can do your exercises than the day before. It sounds like you're already doing great!

Pat
 
Re: Now what happends AFTER a TKR!

Forgot to mention.....for several weeks, I'd be up for a couple hours in the night while waiting for the pain pills to kick in. My poor hubby slept on the couch for the first couple months (but he could sleep on the floor and not mind it). I kept my pills next to the bed, the icing machine next to the bed and my laptop on the bed so it was easy to get to everything. The bed was my headquarters for the first several weeks and I'd return several times a day. When you wake all stiff and sore, it helps to walk a bit though. Even when you can use just a cane, be sure to keep the walker handy for nighttime.

Pat
 
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