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TKR Numbness and kneecap pain<<

What problems are you having with your insides? Nothing is off limits here! Ha! We can probably help you with that! Some of us have been through it all!
 
@Timetolive ... Oh my...Nothing off limits uh? Ok... Well I'm here to tell you that those opiate related commercials on TV are more than true. Since I've been home from surgery I've taken 3 Senecot laxatives and 4 Colase stool softners a day....if I manage to "go" once a week it's a plus...eating my prunes, Activia yogurt every morning and just can't seem to find relief... I've never been a regular girl so I'm not expecting miracles but is more than pebbles (that even then I have to fight to get out)once a week too much to expect...I know I haven't had much of an appetite and I'm sure that could have something to do with it. I tried Miralax tonight but threw it up....( as I always do wt that) ... Anybody have any other suggestions...it's usually by the 4th day that I'm miserable that way as well. Hope that's not TMI :dubious: ...
 
Miralax did it for me, but I really couldn't taste it at all when rehab mixed it with something. I can't drink yucky things either, but didn't taste the Miralax.
 
I used stool softeners---and I can commiserate with you. I saw those commercials on TV, too---and thought about those difficult days and what my lower GI track had to go through.
 
I thought that was what you were referring to! We old BoneSmarties have a name for it - The Poop Fairy! :chuckmarch:

Believe me, we ALL know about this problem! I took 2 stool softeners a day along with Miralax - every day! What did you mix the Miralax in? I used cranberry juice. You can put it in your food also. But if you aren't eating much, I understand. I was so sick, I would eat 8 almonds with my pills and thought I was doing good! Are you drinking plenty of water? Those stool softeners work by attracting the water to your colon, so if you are not hydrating well, that can be a problem. Be sure you take them EVERY day with a full glass of water. I took one in the morning and one at dinner. If your stool is so hard, you definitely need the softeners. See, this doesn't bother me to talk about. I developed diverticulitis 4 weeks out and had diarrhea for 3 months. Poop matters to me! :heehee: There are some that drink warm prune juice, but I could not manage that -at all. I also massaged my abdomen. An elderly friend told me about that. You make a circular motion applying medium pressure. I do wish you luck on this.

How are you feeling today? Still sore and swollen? Don't feel you have to do PT as many times as they want. Always remember YOU are in charge of your recovery and they are not the ones that have had surgery. You are in my prayers for a comfortable day and a visit from the Poop Fairy!
 
I do sympathise with you constipation problems, @bsassy .
Even after following all the advice in the article that is posted above and taking Senokot, I had to send my husband on an emergency trip to the urgent pharmacy for a mini-enema. I self-administered that, with success.
After that, I asked my own doctor to prescribe a laxative for me, which I had to take every day that I was taking pain medications, so that the Poop Fairy became a regular visitor.
 
Get some glycerine suppositories. You insert one, wait until you really feel you have to go, and it will help get things started. The ones I use are just glycerine, but I think there are medicated ones available too. I just prefer less medication whenever possible.


Pineapple
LTKR 2/2/16
RTKR Scheduled for approximately 5/15/16
 
bsassy said:
Thanks for the encouragement everyone... I spent a horrible night last night, actually the worst I've had since I've come home. At 3 in the morning I doubled my pain med dose to try to get some relief. I just could not get comfortable, the burning on my knee cap area and down my left side was pretty intense.... Are we just too anxious? It's a beautiful 70 degree day here in western Pa and I can't muster the energy to leave the bedroom. I know there are bound to be days like this but seems I'm going backwards...was I pushing too hard and messed myself up? I'm anxious for Monday to get her to see my OS...not sure why I had to wait 4 weeks although they said to call if need be...well just how do you know when need be?? I'm going to try the massage the scar method, I have some Eucerine cream as Karol723 said she uses...has anyone been told to put heat on the muscles to relax them...?? The home PT suggested that but frankly, she's the one that said nor to let my leg go to the side so what do I believe.... Everyone here is icing, which I did all morning ..... Boy, I knew I would hit a meltdown point and I believe I'm melting fast Please tell me this is only temporary and each day gets easier eventually. I'll work as hard as I need to get back in the land of the living!!
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I had PKR on both knees five weeks apart. First surgery went well i was home the next day, and up and about with the walker and doing in home therayp and after weeks using a cane and really doing well. Second surgery went well also, came home next day but spent the next three weeks in bed except for two visits to the ER, because things didnt go so well at home, my leg swelled so bad i started to blister around the incision, put of antibiotics for fear of infection. now 7 weeks later im doing better, but not where i expected to be considering how thing went the first time. i was on lots of pain meds for 5 weeks every three hours, and still was in pain. did alot of icing and elavation to try to get better. eventually time helped with the healing and going to out patient rehab. Getting out and driving has saved my sanity for sure. things will get better this site as you know helps alot good luck in your recovery
 
Celle said:
I do sympathise with you constipation problems,
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I also had this problem and had to send the wife out for suppositories, which wasnt fun for her to do or for me to ask. but after trying to have a bowl movement for three hours and nothing happening i needed the help. all caused by the Percoset and Oxycondone i was taking, and i was prescribed a stool softner to take as well that didnt seem to work to well
 
@pineapple @xyxex_kayn ...yes I think I'm going to have to resort to that. Nothing is working for me and I've taken the softners and laxatives daily. It's almost as bad as the knee pain in trying to get things moving.
 
As much as I hurt the day after my 1st outpatient PT session which was Monday, I decided to go back on Wednesday and tell them that I couldn't get out of bed etc... We cut back on a few things such as straight leg raises and heel slides but added the ball between the legs to strengthen the outside muscles and increased the bike to 6 mins. I thought oh boy, here we'll go again but surprisingly enough I slept straight thru the night and when I woke this morning, that first step actually seemed a little easier...I didn't have to double up on the pain meds and maybe it's wishful thinking but I think the scar massage she did this time really helped to loosen everything up.... We'll see as the day goes on but right now I plan on keeping my Friday appt as well. They are extremely gentle and consciences of what is going to work best on that day. On the other hand my other issue hasn't gotten any better and no visits yet from the poop fairy even tho I keep taking the softners and prunes.... I'm going to try to eat a little more today than I have been and increase my water intake...then resort to the suppositories as suggested if no "action".
 
Somehow I got really lucky on the constipation issue - definitely a little but never to the point of being uncomfortable. I only took stool softener once or twice after each surgery. But I think it's helpful to try to eat a normal amount including plenty of fiber and drink lots of water.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Yes, definitely drink a lot of fluids.
 
The bike could be the answer to your knee feeling loose. I rode my bike every day because it helped my knee feel loose and more "bendy". :heehee: Just love that word!
 
I have found for me i have a 55cm excersise ball, that i use to extend and bend my knee with. I find that it helps me to do both more effectively than some of the orther excersises.
 
Glycerine suppositories were the only thing that worked for me. Once I got going, laxatives worked OK
 
7 weeks post op today!! It's gone fast but not fast enough...at least the worst is behind me ...I think.

I'm in need of some advice on how to strengthen my quads. I've been doing outpatient PT for two weeks now and all is going well except I have absolutely no strength in my upper quad of my TLKR. We are working to get there but nothing so far...sigh. All else is going so smoothly.

Any suggestions on how to get my quad strength back? I'm afraid it won't come and I'll be limping forever...

(I'm also still having issues with the poop fairy as we all talked about before, can't seem to get much relief no matter what I try...may have to call my primary and see if she'll prescribe one of thos meds you see advertised on tv... Has anyone taken those? Pros vs cons??)
 
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