Revision TKR Poly plate exchange

[sistersinhim]

Many of us never took PT or did exercises. I am one of them. I had 11 knee surgeries, 2 of them kneecap removals and 1 tkr. Even after those I never took PT. But, I didn't just sit around and do nothing. I took care of myself, my house and yard. This was enough therapy and would be for any tkr patient. All the awful pain of PT is so unnecessary. All you have to do is use it in your daily living! Your knee knows how to rehab itself and doesn't need anyone telling it how. Just use it and it will come back like new! Gentle walking is the best way for your knee to come back.

It's not the exercising that gets you your ROM, it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle and time to heal. Just doing your ADL, (activities of daily living), will rehab our knees.

 

[Josephine]

Lynne, you said this after my previous posts

Thank you very much for responding in such detail. This has been most helpful!

Have you so quickly forgotten all my advice?

This has been there now 2 days, later in day. I’m icing, elevating, walking some, doing PT exercises. So bad at times that walking with walker is very painful. This is new.

STOP doing exercises. They are causing your pain.

It doesn’t start right away but hours later.

And this is totally characteristic of exercise induce pain.

 

[kneeper]

Thank you both for your encouragement! Husband just advised do one exercise and wait, see how my pain level is after a period of time before trying another.

It doesn’t start right away but hours later. I just have been able to do a straight leg raise, not very high.

I think your husband is right.
Also you don't have to get your leg high for the straight leg raise. Some people can do one right away, for others it takes while.

 

[Lynne Cleveland]

Need to hear from others! I am 4 weeks post op. Took two rounds of Percocet 5/325 for 3
weeks, every 4 hours. There were a few times I could push to 5 hours, but not many. When I first started outside PT, I know they were pushing me to much and I put a stop to that!
Last week started on Hydrocodone 5/325.
1 every 4 to 6 hours. It’s not even getting me to 4 without taking 1 more at two hours or 2 tylenol after 2 hours. Called doctors office, nurse just stated that “I’m in the thick of it right now, take 2 If you really need to. After starting PT for 2 weeks and a step down pain med, your knee is just trying to adjust.” I’ve had 2 knee replacements on right and a revision, so have been through this before. But pain is so different this time and has been harder. Others experienced this type pain with this medicine not covering the pain? I’m frustrated!!!!

 

[Celle]

Yes, Lynne, you are right in the middle of the angry tissue stage. Things will get better soon, as long as you don't overdo the exercise. I hope that you took notice of Josephine's advice and stopped all formal exercises. Doing too much now is just going to irritate your wounded tissues still further.

It may be time to consider a different pain medication regime, such as Tramadol and Tylenol. That can be very effective if taken on schedule.
Here are a couple of schedules that Josephine devised. The first chart is for 4-hourly doses and the second one if for 6-hourly.
The safe daily dose of Tylenol is 4,000 mg in 24 hours, divided into 4 or 6 doses. You do need to check that none of your other medications contain Tylenol. If they do, factor that amount into your calculations and reduce your Tylenol doses, so you stay within the safe daily limits.

 

[Celle]

Hello again, Lynne,
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread.
This is the second time we have had to merge your threads. Please don't keep starting new threads.

For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one 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.
• If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• 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.
Don't worry that we won't see your new questions - between us the staff check all new posts every day.
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

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for 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.

 

[Celle]

By the way, I did ask you before, for the dates of your previous knee surgeries - on your right knee. Please will you tell us those, so they can be added to your signature. Thank you.

 

[Iloved3]

@Lynne Cleveland i am on my second knee replacement (left June 14 and right September 27) and have had several other surgeries in the past.

What I can tell you is that Hydrocodone and Oxycodone just don't work for me. Even though they say that those are 18xs stronger than Tramadol, I get a lot more relief from Tramadol and Tylenol combo!!! I spoke with my doctor's PA and she said lots of people tell her that!

I used Oxycodone for three days after coming home and I was miserable. I switched to two Tramadol plus two Tylenol every 6 hours and was much more comfortable! I gradually reduced that to one Trandol and two Tylenol, and now at 3 1/2 weeks I am using only Tylenol and adding one Tramadol only at night!

Get your doctor to prescribe something else. Narcs just don't do it for everybody!

Hoping the best for you!!!

 

[Lynne Cleveland]

I think it is time for a change! I will be calling my doctor Monday, thank you!

 

[Lynne Cleveland]

TRK-2009- failed
TRK- 4/2012
TRK -revision 6/2013
TLK 9/2017

 

[Celle]

Thank you, Lynne, but please will you tell us which surgeries were on your left knee and which were on the right knee? Otherwise, it's very confusing.
I'm guessing that "TRK" mean Total Right Knee, but we write it like this "Right TKR". It's easier to read that way.

Also, the full dates if you know them, not just the month and year.

 

[Lynne Cleveland]

First TRK- 2009 then it failed so second TRK- 4/2012,
Then had revision of TRK- 6/2013
TLK-9/29/2017

 

[Lynne Cleveland]

Total knee replacements - when I abbreviated
TRK, guess it should be TKR

 

[Josephine]

Even though they say that those are 18xs stronger than Tramadol

I think that comment had just a little exaggeration in it! According to the charts, Tramadol is actually one tenth the strength of oxycodone! But since these drugs work differently on different people, that doesn't always mean it has 10 times the pain killing power. I found Tramadol and acetaminophen was much more effective than oxycodone which actually made me violently nauseous!

 

[Lynne Cleveland]

5 weeks as of today. Went to surgeon today to discuss a new pain control. He gave me another script for Percoset and one for Tramadol. Said to alternate every four hours and see if this regimen works. I took Percocet for almost 4 weeks which eventually starting making me nauseated so they gave me a script for Phenergan. He said with alternating them it might be different. He assured me that some people have pain like mine has been. It has just been so hard to keep controlled. I have iced and elevated quite a bit. Just ready for this pain to let up!!

 

[Texaslady]

I don’t know if this is anything I should get involved with this. But this last Tuesday was my 7th week post op.

I am headed to see my OS this morning, this is not the OS that did the left TKR, he did right THR last year. He is head of OS dept. I was having so much trouble with one of his other surgeons hat did my left TKR I could get not get help for my pain. She did not want to give you pain pills.

I have no idea why I am still in so much pain. I really thought by now things would be getting better not!!!! I do everything that has been suggested by you: ice, elevate, rest and walk. Yesterday I went to a short market run with my husband. I cannot walk through the store because I start swelling and the pain is too much.

You are pretty lucky at least your doctors are trying to find a solution for you. The last time I talked to the OS’s PA which was early this week he suggested for me to take Tylenol during the day and pain pills at night so I could sleep. This was the straw that broke the camel's back!! That is when I called my original OS this is who I am seeing this morning.

I said in another post a hip replacement is a complete cake walk. No PT just walk take pain meds as prescribed and in about 4 weeks I was doing great. Not so much with this like I said I am still home bound and in a lot of pain.

Hang in there I know I am. I will not give up for every problem there is an answer. Good luck keep icing, elevate, take meds as prescribed and lots of rest. Listen to people like Josephine and there are several others.

So much for my ramblings at 5:30 in the morning but what else can you do at that hour when you're icing, elevating and getting ready for another day.

 

[KarriB]

Try the Tramadol/Tylenol combination first if the Percocet makes you ill. Many have had success with it.

 

[SusieShoes]

I hope they find a good combo of medications for your pain, Lynne. Meanwhile keep up your spirits. You are getting out and about, and that’s a good thing. Yes, you will have energy drain and feel wiped out a lot, but also you are getting better and will soon start being able to do more.

 

[jaschembra]

I agree with Karri. I was on the Percocet in the beginning because I needed strong pain meds. Had other stuff too... Eventually, I alternated Percocet and Tramadol. Around week 4, I was Tramadol and Tylenol, very much like routine #2 above on Josephine's chart. Tramadol was so much easier to live with.

 

[Lynne Cleveland]

Yes, I have Josephine’s schedule and am going to start with Tramadal first this morning, just getting up. That way in rotation I will only be taking Percocet twice during the day. Praying this will work!