PKR partial knee replacement x2, swelling<<

[SuperSnapper]

Glad to hear that your surgery is over. Take it easy and I remember the need to give my rear end a break from lying down too! Remember slow and steady is the way forward. Best of luck.

 

[xyxex_kayn]

met all my requirement to go home, all i have to do is get dressed, receive my meds to take home and go home. This was about the same time on my firsts surgery, hope things end differently and i get to leave shortly and not sit around till 8:30 tonight to leave, like i did last time.

Knee is hurt a bit more than last one but expecting it to hurt so no big surprises. Going to be a long 2 hour plus drive depending on pit stops to take bathroom breaks and get something to eat and get out to strecth legs for a bit.

 

[Celle]

I hope your discharge goes well. Don't forget to make sure you are medicated for the journey. Elevate your leg, if possible.

 

[xyxex_kayn]

Received Percoset before i left, no way of elevating my leg at all. Just two hours 30 minutes just a long drive to get back home. Had a heck of a time getting up one small step, and then getting back to my room and onto bed. where at the moment im sitting. till pain eases a bit before i try to lay down and ice and elevate., once i get back on my schedule things should get better

 

[New England Librarian]

@xyxex_kayn congratulations on your second replacement and I am in awe of your courage! It's only been 6 weeks since the first one! It sounds like you know the drill and hopefully that will get you through the rough spots. Glad you were able to go home so soon. Very soon this will all be behind you!

 

[xyxex_kayn]

congratulations on your second replacement and I am in awe of your courage! It's only been 6 weeks since the first one! It sounds like you know the drill and hopefully that will get you through the rough spots. Glad you were able to go home so soon. Very soon this will all be behind you!

New England Librarian, yeah i know the drill, but this surgery didnt go as well, at least it seems to me. I am in a hell of a lot of pain that i wasnt with the first one. I cant fnd a position to either lay down, or sit down that helps eleviate any of the pain. Every four hours im doing percosets, every six hours im doing tramadol and im gong to have to use the oxycodone as well, which will be do on my next alarm. so this time i may not show as good of healing as i did on the left knee.

 

[referee54]

Have you called your OS or your GP about the pain---it is important to manage this pain now and get it taken care of---you should not have to be in this much pain.

Either your OS or your GP should make the appropriate adjustments to your pain meds so that you can minimize the pain.

so this time i may not show as good of healing as i did on the left knee.

Remember that each knee---and each surgery---is different. With my BTKR, my left knee was the "angel" and the right one was the "problem child", even though they were both done at the same time.

We will be here to help you get through all of this!

 

[referee54]

Going to be a long 2 hour plus drive

Just two hours 30 minutes just a long drive to get back home.

That is one, tough, long drive home. Again---get in contact with the OS and let him know what your pain levels are.

 

[xyxex_kayn]

Remember that each knee---and each surgery---is different. With my BTKR, my left knee was the "angel" and the right one was the "problem child", even though they were both done at the same time.

Thats definately the way this one is working out, my right knee is the problem child. cant fine a position laying down to help relieve any of the pain and but like before if i sit on edge of bed it will help curb the pain, which is good, but not good for trying to get any sleep. but finally got about an hour yahooo

That is one, tough, long drive home. Again---get in contact with the OS and let him know what your pain levels are.

Knowing that the drive was going to be long and going to increase my pain levels im going to give it a couple of days to see if i get on my pain med regime, have an alarm with note saying what i need to take at what time, some meds are every 6 hour others are every 4 hours. thank goodness i can have a lot of alarms on my phone

while in the office i would tell them that i am a member of one heck of a very supportive support group that i can get questions answered and get the support i need even if all im told is to keep my chin up, it makes a difference

 

[referee54]

My drive home after my BTKr was only 1/2 hour---and I was absolutely miserable! I could not imagine 2 1/2 hours!

thank goodness i can have a lot of alarms on my phone

That is great that you are using those smartphone apps!! Yeah!! Technology!!!

 

[xyxex_kayn]

That is great that you are using those smartphone apps!! Yeah!! Technology!!!

yeah because if i had to depend on my memory right now, i would be screwed big time, and i know i would miss a bunch of meds

 

[referee54]

yeah because if i had to depend on my memory right now, i would be screwed big time, and i know i would miss a bunch of meds

Honestly, many of us, myself included, felt the same way---"Brain fog" due to the meds...

 

[shrdlu]

Elevation can hurt if the leg is too swollen, as the leg burns as it drains. The key for me was to keep the leg elevated almost all the time during that first month. I also slept with the leg on a foam leg wedge that I purchased from my PT, and that made a big difference in my ability to sleep. With the first knee, I slept in my bed, and every time I moved, I woke myself up. With the 2nd knee, I slept in the recliner, using the wedge to elevate, and I stuffed pillows to keep the leg from rolling off of the wedge. The leg was much more comfortable and I was able to get at least 6 hour sleep. Icing also helps kill the pain (use a towel under the slushy packs) and can help you sleep. Good luck with your 2nd knee.

 

[xyxex_kayn]

I'm taking 5-325mg Percoset, two pills every four hours.
Taking 2 5mg Oxycodone tablets every six hours.
Also 50mg Tramadol tablet one tablet every four hours and 25 mg tabs Meloxicam x1 every twelve hours

With all these pain killers, same as when I had left knee done. I know each can turn out different but OMG unless I sit up on edge of bed and not move at all I'm in severe pain. I don't mean a steady dull ache, this will be severe sharp pain around the knee. I tried to stand up and go to bathroom it ain't going to happen. I can't put any weight on the right side. If I do I get a sharp stabbing pain.

I can rotate and flex my ankles and wiggle my toes, I can lift my leg straight up so I can get it on the bed from a seated position and has some pain. But if I try to bend the knee I get the sharp blinding pain and that's when I get worried. I'm having to try and sleep sitting up on edge of bed, no way I can make it recliner and when I do lay on bed and try to put a pillow under my leg to elevate, the leg shifts so that it is laying on its side and not have the toes and knee cap pointing up

 

[SuperSnapper]

I remember the sharp pain at first but take it slowly and it will get easier. I hope you get your pain under control soon as it is miserable when it is like this. If you can get your leg straight and do a leg lift at just a few days out, you are doing well. Remember extension is thought to be more important then flexion in the early days and the flexion will come but take it very slowly. Lots of and a few slight bends and wiggles will see you improving. You can ice the back of your knee as well as the front which may help you. You may also need to play around with pillow arrangements. I used to have a longish one under my whole leg ( have short legs!) and several more on both sides to keep my leg with the toes pointing up.

 

[Josephine]

Elevation can hurt if the leg is too swollen, as the leg burns as it drains.

@iamshrdlu Where on earth did you get that precious bit of nonsense from? How ridiculous!

 

[Josephine]

@xyxex_kayn In order to give you some pertinent advice, I'd like to ask you some questions if you don't mind, and it would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't compare this with the bone-on-bone pain you had before surgery! ) Also don't forget to include other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how often are you icing your knee and for how long?

4. are you elevating your leg, how often and for how long?

5. What is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

6. how swollen is your leg?

7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

8. what kind of PT exercises and exercises at home are you doing? How much and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example

Exercises done at home: 3 sessions a day
Heel slides x10 (reps)
Straight leg raises x10
Steps x10

At PT
Squats x5 (reps) x2 (sets)
Wall slides x5 x2
Clamshells X5 x2

 

[shrdlu]

Where on earth did you get that precious bit of nonsense from? How ridiculous!

@Josephine That is what my leg does. If my leg gets too swollen, when I elevate it, it has a painful burning sensation as the leg drains and the swelling goes down. It takes a minimum of twice as long to un-swell it as it did to swell it up (often longer). That is why I work very hard to make sure that the leg doesn't swell, as it means pain pills and lots of ice. If the leg doesn't swell, then my pain levels are about a 1 or 2 (not counting first week post op). So for me, swelling = pain and getting it un-swollen = burning pain that lasts twice as long

 

[Josephine]

It's not the swelling draining that burns, it doesn't work that way. It's just pain from angry tissues.
That's just making up a reason for it.

 

[xyxex_kayn]

. what are your pain levels right now?

1. Has been at 9 to 10 from around 4 pm Feb 4 till about 5 this morning, its now ranging from 4 to 6. plus alot more stiffness and swelling. i have a burning and stinging pain this time around the area of the drainage tube was.

2. Percoset 5-325 one totwo tablets every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain
Oxycodone 5 mg one to two tablets every 6 hours as needed for pain
Tramadol HCL 50 mg one tablet every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain
Meloxicam 7.5 mg twice daily as needed for pain

3 & 4. As before i with last surgery i would elevate about 3 to 4 hours at a time during the day, and elevate all night long if i can when the wife comes to bed. Each time I ice the machine works good for about 3 to 4 hours, with a two hour period between uses. Will do when i go to bed and take off half way during the night because of the pain im in and have to sit up on edge of bed. and as before when i elevate and ice my knee, the swelling gets worse, and will go down if i sit on edge of my bed or in recliner with my feet on the floor and ice pack on my knee. dont understand why this happens but it does.

5. Rehab at the hospital did not measure for extension or flexion. All she did was walk with the walker and said that my i was doing a good job and that both looked good for 24 hours out from surgery.

6. Swelling is moderate to huge, right around the knee and down the leg, and alot of swelling in both feet.

7. & 8. As of right now, im barely able to move, just proud of myself that i can lift my leg to get it up so i can lay down on my bed. I had trouble even getting into the house after two hour drive home from the hosp, and even when i got in the hosp, almost went down, and thats with using a walker, not able to bear weight on my right knee yet. so i havent started any excersises or normal house chores as of this moment

After finally getting to a point that i was able to get some sleep, with my sleep apnea mask on and pain level down enoungh to actually sleep im feeling a bit better. So hoping that i sleep well tonight, and if i do, i will start some excerises on sunday. to included straight leg raise, heel slid, march lift, and a few more laying down on the bed, will start with doing 3 reps ea and stopping till evening and repeat.

6