Bilateral TKR Post Op recovery day #6

[Pumpkin]

SADD,
Normal for the pain to increase as all the hospital meds wear off, be sure to keep on top of your pain by taking your prescribed medication on schedule as prescribed.
Set your alarm clock so you do not sleep through a dose and wake up in great pain.

We do strange things in the middle of the night. Not too long after my revision, after using the bathroom, I could not find my cane, ACK I had walked there by myself . Cruised along the wall all the way back to bed .

 

[Jockette]

It was a week or more before I didn’t need help getting on and off the toilet. I was so miserable I didn’t even feel embarrassed! I had the raised seat but no arm rails.

 

[kizzie]

​

There's nothing like getting stuck on the toilet to remind you who or rather what is in charge right now (your knees)! I think you're doing great if you're already here posting. I don't know if I could have put together a coherent post 3 days after surgery

I'm about 6 weeks out from my second TKR and already life is opening back up for me so hang in there. It's rough now, but you will get your life back and it will all be worth it.

Be well, and remember to rest, rest, rest and rest some more , and of course, ice and elevate.

 

[shelli22]

Congratulations on being home. As everyone else has said, the best thing to do is rest, ice and elevate. You’re doing great. I remember the first time I went to the toilet. I didn’t even consider the toilet issue. I went and just sat down, completely forgetting about my knee for that split second. All I can say, it was a reeeally long way down and I felt like I had ripped my knee in two. First lesson, very first day. I took my time getting back up, that’s for sure!! There was no one to help me either so I had to just clench my teeth and get up.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[DebM]

Bilateral is really tough - you don’t have another leg to help you during those tricky times! I used my high toilet seat for a few months after my BTKR.
You will have many ups and down and wonder what the heck you have done, but it’s all worth it in the end. I am 1 year out and was, I think pretty slow in my recovery but now I can do most things with minimal/no discomfort. I am a little stiff for the first few minutes when I get out of bed in the morning.
I do find driving a manual car 8 hours a day (which I do on the 2 days I work ) makes my ‘clutch knee’ swell a little and is uncomfortable but I am working on changing my job.

 

[SherrieT]

Bilateral is really tough - you don’t have another leg to help you during those tricky times! I used my high toilet seat for a few months after my BTKR.
You will have many ups and down and wonder what the heck you have done, but it’s all worth it in the end. I am 1 year out and was, I think pretty slow in my recovery but now I can do most things with minimal/no discomfort. I am a little stiff for the first few minutes when I get out of bed in the morning.
I do find driving a manual car 8 hours a day (which I do on the 2 days I work ) makes my ‘clutch knee’ swell a little and is uncomfortable but I am working on changing my job.

I’m sorry you had issues with the pain. But I want to thank you for posting. I’ve had my new knees for about 9 hours now and am following your progress keenly

 

[SherrieT]

Bilateral is really tough - you don’t have another leg to help you during those tricky times! I used my high toilet seat for a few months after my BTKR.
You will have many ups and down and wonder what the heck you have done, but it’s all worth it in the end. I am 1 year out and was, I think pretty slow in my recovery but now I can do most things with minimal/no discomfort. I am a little stiff for the first few minutes when I get out of bed in the morning.
I do find driving a manual car 8 hours a day (which I do on the 2 days I work ) makes my ‘clutch knee’ swell a little and is uncomfortable but I am working on changing my job.

I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to quote.

 

[Rjack09]

I took 5 days in the hospital, with some drama (adjusting meds etc-I guess my heart monitor was all over the map though I didn’t feel like there was an issue. They did empty the entire medicine cabinet down my throat before things balanced out. I say this because you’re such a soldier getting home so soon AND doing stairs!!!!
I just couldn’t have gone home as soon as you did! Not surprised it was rocky. Hats off to you!!!!

 

[robhunt3]

Things are going to get so much better for you, the first few days are always going to be a bit rough as you get to a level of medication and routine, but it will gradually get better and better and before you know it you’ll have better knees and will think it never even happened. Take care, rest, ice, elevate, be pampered, and don’t go to the bathroom without telling your husband ;-). All the best.

 

[SherrieT]

Here is hoping you are going to have a good, pain free relaxing day today.

 

[SADD]

Hi, had my BTKR on Monday and this morning will mark my fourth full day of recovery. It's been rough but I can now feel that each day gets a little better. My meds have finally been straightened out which was half of the battle. I am able to push myself up from my recliner onto my walker and walk to my bathroom. I get extremely winded doing this and want to know if anyone else has the same. Pain level just sitting is comfortable with it being around 3 or 4 but getting up and tryring to stand is still a 7 or 8. Got to do all of my excercises yesterday a good 2 times and got up walking 5 times, even pulled something out of freezer for dinner. Left knee is my problem for sure. Everytime I think I should be doing more I ccome back to this site where you encourage to me listen to my body and rest elevate and ice. My goal is to beable to get up off my recliner w/o help from husband to use the bathroom. Tiny goals I know but that is what I am going for. Have not heard anything from my other January Jackpots that were on the same day and after. Hope you are all doing well. I am questioning my decision on why I got both done but it's over and done with now and will probably embrace the decision at a later date. Monday I will be able to remove the bandages and wondering if that will be a help or a hinder because my knees are so tight right now. Any post op advice is always welcome. SADD

 

[SADD]

Sorry POST day 4

 

[amymj]

Good Morning, SADD! Good to hear from you! Sounds like you are doing well!!! Yes, if you had two knees to be done, that was a wise decision to do both at once. My two knees were four years apart. They were just not at the same point of deterioration. Had they been, I would have done two. My second was almost three weeks ago. The stiffness is very normal, as time goes by you will feel some pretty strange goings on, acute pain, zingers. Its all healing. Remember this is a huge surgery, its affects you emotionally as well. Don't be hard on yourself. Try to relax, let others help you, rest, elevate,ice, take your medications. Each day you may have questions, you may need support, just come here, someone will always help!!! Take Care!

 

[SherrieT]

@SADD I had my BTKR on Thursday and have the same issue with pain skyrocketing when I stand. Once I’m up then it goes down a bit. We have newborn knees and I’ve accepted the fact that discomfort and with doing some things there is going to be out and out pain. I’ve been lucky that the pain management I’ve received has been excellent from the beginning. So glad yours has been straightened out.
Little goals at the beginning are so important. This morning I am going to take a shower, only 1 PT session today so I want to walk the halls as much as possible. Discharge is set for tomorrow.

I hope you will soon be glad you had both knees done. Take care of yourself.

 

[Pumpkin]

@SADD ,
This is the third time I have merged your recovery thread, please bookmark your thread so you can find it easily. This thread is your diary of your recovery, and will help us answer your questions and concerns should have any challenges with your recovery.

You'll notice that I have merged your recent recovery thread with your original recovery thread. 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. 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.

 

[Pumpkin]

Sounds like you are doing well, with the normal ups and downs of the early days. That increase in pain and discomfort when you stand is normal and will go away as you heal.
Be sure to go back and read the recovery articles left for you in post #4, many of your questions will be answered.

 

[MSgirl]

@SADD, how wonderful that you are home! That tight feeling is swelling. Truly, keeping your knees elevated and icing will help so much. The swelling doesn't go down right away but in a few days, you will see a big difference. I think you were wise to get both done at the same time. Wish I could have too.

 

[kneeper]

Sound like you're dong ok. I'm glad the stomach has settled down. One thing I did was to be sure to have a couple of crackers or something with my pain meds.
Don't worry, you will be able to get up by yourself before you know it. Right now it is totally normal to need a little help as you have no "good" leg for the moment.

 

[Jockette]

Even with a good leg I needed help getting up and down for about a week!

 

[Rjack09]

Hi sadd
Sure sounds like your early days mirrored mine. I remember the stiffness feeling like trying to bend a ragged swollen tree branch that hurt!. The degree of stiffness is something only we know.
One thing that helped me was inadvertently watching a wounded warrior ad on TV. There was a courageous young man learning to walk on FULLY. Artificial legs.
This humbled me.
We have so little to endure (compared to these folks),and we end up with knees better than pre-op by far.
Yesterday I was so enjoying how great my legs felt, late in the day after working climbing ladders, up and down stairs, hanging light fixtures.
Your point about tiny goals made me laugh. I recall somewhere in my first week—-“if only I could bend forward in bed enough to un-scrunch the sheets behind my lower back”
You can do this! Don’t doubt yourself!
You’ve already kicked my butt with your progress compared to my first 5 days.
Remember the icing and elevating!!!!!
I hit the PT pretty hard (I felt) couldn’t tell you if it would’ve been better to have pulled back ( Wasn’t loco about it)
So whatever feels right-but tempered with the idea that HEALING the muscles and tissues etc is paramount!
Oh your question about being winded after small efforts, yes normal. I sure experienced it
Remember your body has been through real trauma!!
Your job is to assist that body in its healing,while gently persuading it to establish ROM in time, manage pain, experience some victories etc. this process is clunky at first, soon you’ll feel like an artist at it as you gradually move from “effect” to “cause” over the process