TKR On the other side
- Thread starter RMasano
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RMasano
senior
The fairy came Thursday and decided to take a vacation. @Red's Mom Hoping you are enjoying yourself. I posted I pic of my knee on this thread. I'm hoping it loaded. Took me a couple of days on how to figure it out. Just wondering if my knee looks too swollen. Also, I'm getting a couple of tiny blisters on the bruise on my knee.
mbrown
senior
My fairy only seems to come about once every 3 days.
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KarriB
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How often are you elevating and how high?
Mireille
graduate
@RMasano At 1 week my knee looked like yours and the OS determined it was due to my Ted hose. The hose was leaving an imprint on my leg. I stopped using it since I was walking around quite a bit. The swelling lessened considerably after that.
Hope you feel better soon and the swelling comes down!
Hope you feel better soon and the swelling comes down!
UACats70
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KarriB
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Swelling is normal, especially at this early point in recovery. Continue to elevate and ice the majority of your day and the swelling should go down. Of course talk to the nurse about it as well.
It's also very normal to be tired due to your body using so much energy to heal from the surgery. I always found this interesting.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/energy-drain-for-tkrs.11953/
It's also very normal to be tired due to your body using so much energy to heal from the surgery. I always found this interesting.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/energy-drain-for-tkrs.11953/
OUCH!
senior
Welcome to the other side. I'm sorry I'm late to the party.
You honestly sound like you are doing well. The swelling is normal. In the early days, I spent almost all day icing and elevating. I have a wedge pillow on my bed that I got from Amazon. Fairly comfortable way to elevate. You incision is really short. I'm impressed!
I want to thank you for posting. I was getting discouraged, but your posts of early days reminds me of how far I have come. Hopefully soon, you will be feeling more yourself.
I am still sleeping quite a bit during the day. Some of it is the meds and some is just the healing. It gets better.
You honestly sound like you are doing well. The swelling is normal. In the early days, I spent almost all day icing and elevating. I have a wedge pillow on my bed that I got from Amazon. Fairly comfortable way to elevate. You incision is really short. I'm impressed!
I want to thank you for posting. I was getting discouraged, but your posts of early days reminds me of how far I have come. Hopefully soon, you will be feeling more yourself.
I am still sleeping quite a bit during the day. Some of it is the meds and some is just the healing. It gets better.
OUCH!
senior
Came back to ask how the nausea is? Is it still bothering you?
I had quite a bit of nausea and little appetite for a couple of weeks
The biggest thing that helped was my husband packing a little snack bag for overnight for me. Applesauce or mellow easy to get down in order to take my meds. In the beginning, crackers alone were too dry. He would also put in a cheese stick or some cashews. Whatever seemed to strike my fancy. That way overnight and early AM, I wouldn't have to get up or bother him for snacks to take with my meds. Also, I often found my appetite was best overnight or early morning, so it was nice to have something easy by my side.
I had quite a bit of nausea and little appetite for a couple of weeks
The biggest thing that helped was my husband packing a little snack bag for overnight for me. Applesauce or mellow easy to get down in order to take my meds. In the beginning, crackers alone were too dry. He would also put in a cheese stick or some cashews. Whatever seemed to strike my fancy. That way overnight and early AM, I wouldn't have to get up or bother him for snacks to take with my meds. Also, I often found my appetite was best overnight or early morning, so it was nice to have something easy by my side.
Red's Mom
graduate
From the picture it's hard to really see the incision. The swelling looks pretty normal. Remember your OS said he had to really struggle to get your prosthetic in? I think your soft tissues are responding to that. As far as blisters I would make sure the OS is aware of ANY OPEN SORE don't pop the blisters or pick at them. Have someone take a picture of you in your normal position. Don't underestimate the need for almost constant elevation except when your up and about for ADLs. My swelling only went down if I was honestly toes above nose with no pressure on the back of my knee or major crease at the hip. I had to be flat on my back with the leg up at 45 degrees. It took a long time to master the elevation position that worked for me. Overall it sounds like your doing well for your first week!
mbrown
senior
How long did they tell you that you had to wear the hose? I wore these things on my feet that inflated during my hospital stay but was told that when I left the hospital that I didn't need to wear them any longer since I was walking around a bit. Wouldn't wearing those stockings prevent the swelling from going down? Again, not medical advice. Not advising you to remove stockings.
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The meds will make you feel tired and possibly a bit sleepy. That's a good thing at this stage, because it encourages you to spend most of your time resting - which is what your knee needs. Ice and elevate while you're resting. That will help reduce the swelling.
Also, almost all of your energy is being directed towards healing your knee, so there's very little energy left for anything else.
Did you read this article from the reading list you were given?
Energy drain for TKRs
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RMasano
senior
jaschembra
post-grad
I have 2 firm decorative bed pillows. One goes length wise from under my hip and the other lays cross ways under that one. Then to get extra height, we put a small firm 8x8 pillow between those. My leg is straight at times but then also comfortable at times like sleeping. PT saw it and thought it was good. Did you see the article in the library with the pictures?
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/pain-and-swelling-control-elevation-is-the-key.7602/
Sounds like you're doing well. It gets better. Day 11 for me and I have many things that have changed for the better. Have a good night
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/pain-and-swelling-control-elevation-is-the-key.7602/
Sounds like you're doing well. It gets better. Day 11 for me and I have many things that have changed for the better. Have a good night
L.I.T
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@RMasano, I, too, am going to question the Ted hose (stockings)... I got them after I had my stem cell treatment, and was swollen beyond belief - felt like I was going to burst my skin. I finally took them off and just made sure I did ankle pumps a LOT. It helped to redistribute some of the fluid and let it drain. That being said, I would make sure to get your OS's permission first. Hoping your swelling goes down, as those were the worst days. And let the meds make you drowsy/sleepy - helped pass the time and gave me some pain free hours of the day!
Hugs!
Hugs!
jaschembra
post-grad
Ha! I almost ditched mine last night too It seemed when I awoke to take meds my knee was more swollen than during the day and it was very uncomfortable around the top of the Ted hose. I'm wearing compression pumps anyway and pumpinganklea lots. I'm ditching mine tonight too.
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