TKR Ny grandma's Knee Replacement Nov 10th

[Ny grandma]

Surgery went great. Only problem was I can’t take OxyContin, puked all over everyone for about 4 hours. Home now. I can walk with walker. Doing exercises ,can bend my knee a lot. What I have problem with is raising leg straight. I didn’t know the knee and leg would swell up so much and turn black and blue. Going to doctor today. Thanks to everyone who gave me all the pre op info.

 

[Cococay]

Congrats on your new knee!

 

[Pumpkln]

@Ny grandma
You'll notice that I have moved your newest post and started your recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you have your own recovery thread:

• That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• With your own recovery thread, you will see the posts and advice others have left for you.
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts?Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.

 

[Pumpkln]

Sounds like everything you are experiencing is normal, let us know what your surgeon says tomorrow.

Here is your copy of the Knee Recovery Guidelines, the articles are short and will not take long to read.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

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rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

don't overwork.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

​

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​

b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

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the BoneSmart view on exercise​

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

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Activity progression for TKRs​

6. Access these pages on the website

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Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds


We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.

 

[Bikeknit]

Had the same reaction to Oxycontin. Filled 2 puke bags in the hospital physical therapy room. The physical therapist kept saying, "You're doing great - well, except for the nausea." Hope they either give you something for the nausea or find an alternative med.

I also had to learn that controlling the swelling sometimes took precedence over my exercises.

Welcome to this side.

 

[Ny grandma]

Went to surgeon today. He removed bandage. my God it’s ugly! Was told everything is good. Last night I had really bad pain for first time. I think that I normally sleep on my side and when I turned on my side my knee was very painful. Took a shower and washed hair today. p/t came today and practiced working with cane. Thanks again for all the information available on this site.
question... I have a sharp pain on incision. It feel like there is something sharp poking it. I told the visiting nurse I wanted to take a tweezer and pull it out. She told me how crazy that was. She thinks it’s a scab ? Any ideas?

 

[Sun catcher]

Welcome home! Could it be an internal stitch? Could it be swelling.? I had that feeling when I was a little more swollen. I had surgery on the 9 th my hew best friend is ice and elevating. I would not pull on anything. I hope you are resting well!

 

[TassieDiva]

Sharp pain is sometimes due to nerve "zingers". Ice is your best friend. If it is due to a retained stitch it might work its way out. Get the nurse to check it again next time she visits. As Sun catcher said, please don't pull on anything. You could cause bleeding or infection.

 

[Ny grandma]

Hi All. Well it’s 4 weeks and things are going well but there have been several bumps on the road to recovery.
I still can’t find the right pain killer , Tylenol just isn’t cutting it. Some one said to try to combo it with Motrin or alleve. Any suggestions on that. Am starting to move around the house with out the cane. Sleeping has been impossible. The pain at night is intense. Last night was unbearable. Went for my 4 week check up to day and spoke to doctor. He thinks that the p.t. Was too much . Anyway, starting to get frustrates about sleeping. My daughter is bringing over her recliner that she used when her baby was small. Hope that helps.

 

[Jockette]

Went for my 4 week check up to day and spoke to doctor. He thinks that the p.t. Was too much .

I’m glad your surgeon considered this, it’s very possible. If you find that you have more pain and swelling after PT, and it takes a day or more to recover, they you have done more than your particular knee was ready for, and that is counterproductive. I had PT sessions that took up to 3 days to recover from.

Back off on that kind of intensity and give your knee a chance to rest, and just do gentle movements and some walking. You are recovering/healing from a very major surgery, not training for an athletic event.

Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[sistersinhim]

Nighttime pain is an indication that you are doing too much during the day. Your knee is not in training it is healing. Doing too much too soon is bad PT and sets back your recovery. You have to recover from the PT before you can get back to where you were before that bad PT.

I'd sleep part of the night in the bed and part of the night in the recliner. Sometimes getting up and walking a little bit would help to lower my nighttime pain. I hope you find that the recliner helps you out, too.

 

[Ny grandma]

Hi All.. 5 weeks in. Almost without cane.. going up stairs normally, just almost able to go down stairs normally.
pain is minimal but at night... it’s a horror!
still can’t sleep.
my question. The pain at night is from the outside of the knee down the lower leg. Did anyone else have this?
I took tramedol and had a bad reaction to it. Still can’t find pain med for night time.

 

[Pumpkln]

Many people have night pain, here is a link to a video for that may help with your night pain.
Night pain solutions using moist heat and clingfilm

Glad you are doing well with walking and stairs.

 

[Ny grandma]

Thanks for the info.. will definitely try it

 

[Ny grandma]

Welcome home! Could it be an internal stitch? Could it be swelling.? I had that feeling when I was a little more swollen. I had surgery on the 9 th my hew best friend is ice and elevating. I would not pull on anything. I hope you are resting well!

 

[Ny grandma]

Hi.. how are you doing?

 

[Sun catcher]

I am still having pain, I ice and elevate a lot. I am walking well. I find the same thing nights are hard. I am taking extra strength Tylenol every 6 hours and celebrex 200 mg daily. Could you ask your Doctor if it could be your peroneal nerve causing pain and would gabapentin at night help? Could the swelling be pushing on it? I get “ nervy” pain around my knee. It might be tolerated better than the others. I have had a hip replacement and lumbar fusion surgery which to me were a cake walk compared to this. I find I have to be careful how much I am on my feet or I cannot catch up on the pain. I really thought that would be better by now. I am going to try the warm moist heat to see if that helps. I am slowly getting better which that is promising. I see you are a Grandma me too. They bring me such joy which I want to be able to still be active for them. Praying we are feeling better soon.

 

[Ny grandma]

Many people have night pain, here is a link to a video for that may help with your night pain.
Night pain solutions using moist heat and clingfilm

Glad you are doing well with walking and stairs.

Hi... thank you,thank you ,thank you.. I used a heating pad last night and it worked! I got 6 hours sleep before I had to put the heating pad on again.. you made my Christmas. Best present yet!

 

[Pumpkln]

Sounds like you are being careful with the heating pad, falling asleep on a heating pad can lead to severe burns.

When my knee gets cold in the winter I pin a piece of fleece in my pants, that may help you doing the day.

 

[Ny grandma]

I am still having pain, I ice and elevate a lot. I am walking well. I find the same thing nights are hard. I am taking extra strength Tylenol every 6 hours and celebrex 200 mg daily. Could you ask your Doctor if it could be your peroneal nerve causing pain and would gabapentin at night help? Could the swelling be pushing on it? I get “ nervy” pain around my knee. It might be tolerated better than the others. I have had a hip replacement and lumbar fusion surgery which to me were a cake walk compared to this. I find I have to be careful how much I am on my feet or I cannot catch up on the pain. I really thought that would be better by now. I am going to try the warm moist heat to see if that helps. I am slowly getting better which that is promising. I see you are a Grandma me too. They bring me such joy which I want to be able to still be active for them. Praying we are feeling better soo

its nice to know I’m not alone. I am seeing two physical therapists(on different days of course). One tells me she thinks I’m doing to much and the Guy thinks that’s not the reason.I will ask the doctor about the nerve.. I think mine is a muscle. We have 14 inches of snow so I’m nervous going out. Grandkids are the best and I’m sad I can’t take them sleigh riding. Stay self and healthy.