Become an Insider

TKR Post op RTKR

Sue,
I think you're doing too much for your knee. Going in to work (and earlier than we recommend) and then exercising is just too much.
In spite of what your PT may think, you truly don't need to exercise to improve your ROM. You need to let your poor knee have more rest, ice and elevation.
TKR: work “smarter” and not “harder”

Don't worry about your weight at this stage. Some of the extra will be due to swelling.
 
I have been trying to hint that to Sue for weeks, Celle. But she's having none it and ploughs on!
 
Yes we both have Kate, I think we deserve to celebrate Christmas in style I will toast us on Friday:beer::merryx:
 
Celle & Kate I will take note of your advice. I won't be doing anything over Christmas & not ot going into work next week, my boss has said I can work from home on my terms, I just have to pick up a laptop which my OH can do for me. Trust me I will not let myself go back to the ODIC at any stage.
 
I'm still on codeine and tramadol at night so no booze for me. However, I am balancing the pros and cons of missing my meds and downing a bottle of wine on Christmas Day instead! :rotfl:

Sadly, I think the meds will be my preferred poison still.:groan: How I would LOVE a glass of vino!
 
suemegane said:
Celle & Kate I will take note of your advice. I won't be doing anything over Christmas & not ot going into work next week, my boss has said I can work from home on my terms, I just have to pick up a laptop which my OH can do for me. Trust me I will not let myself go back to the ODIC at any stage.
Click to expand...

Good girl! We only nag because we worry about you. Do not be bullied or intimidated by the "threat" of MUA. you're doing just fine. :console2:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I only take paracetamol when i need to now & today have not needed any. I won't have alcohol don't really drink it ( see the little icon has mugs ) hehe...... take care xxx
 
8 weeks Post op - I have had an up & down holiday week. I was doing really well up until after physio on Thursday, my leg swelled in the afternoon so iced/elevated & rested it for Xmas day. She didn't over push me either so really don't know what happened?? We had a quiet Christmas & I did nothing as I promised I would, but on boxing day because I was at a friends I had my leg down for several hours.
I had a very restless saturday night & when i woke up i was really stiff & not able to bend my knee or extend it. I had to start taking codeine again because it was so painful. I think it must have been because I had my leg down & I did not elevate it. I had such a meltdown, emotions everywhere & I bit everyone's head off so just took myself to bed in the afternoon. I am feeling good today have been doing gentle exercises, the best one laying on my front with leg hanging to help with extension my flexion is at 90 that's without pushing myself. I have been walking without stick in the house, have a slight limp. No PT this week, going to work tomorrow to sort out laptop to bring home so that i can work from home in the New Year. This journey is like being on a roller coaster you just don't know how each day will turn out, the best thing to do is not to set your expectations too high otherwise you will be disappointed & this can lead to a meltdown, maybe that is what I did last week.
 
Just because it didn't hurt, doesn't mean it wasn't overdoing it. In all the times I've gone back to the ODIC, it never hurt at the time! It grabs you later. If your knee swells and hurts, you've overdone it. Simples.

I did the same on Xmas eve by icing the cake standing up. So it was no surprise to me when I had a horrid night.

Have you actually ever done what Bonesmart has advised and done NOTHING but ice and elevate for a few days because I think that doing what you're doing is slowing your recovery.
 
Hi Kate. I haven't done alot today just resting/icing & elevating & being lazy laying on stomach to straighten leg for about 2 minutes. I have no swelling, no pain & not needed to take any meds. I will be doing this all this week as no plans other than going to work to pick up laptop. I have just had a lovely soak in the bath it was so good much better than the shower. I will be honest, I think I have been worrying about the OS appointment & whether he wants me to have MUA. I am going to stop worrying & just see what happens & chill out.
 
After a TKR and infection I learned something very important...never let your leg down when it can be elevated. When going to a restaurant I made sure I sat in a booth sideways with my leg up, going to church I took several seats, but my leg was up, not with my foot on the floor. Anytime I sat with my leg down it swelled and ached. By month 3-4 this was over, but I definitely needed to keep my leg up as much as possible. It didn't keep me at home, but friends and family knew if I was included my leg was up.
At 10 or 11 weeks after my original TKR surgery I went to the theatre, (tickets to Wicked purchased before my 2nd surgery) knowing my leg would be down. By the time I got home my knee was so swollen I had to peel my trousers off and ice/elevate before I could even think about going to bed. I learned my lesson.
 
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the results once you stop pushing your knee and worrying.

These surgeons aren't Gods, they don't have the final say in what we have done. We do!

Listen to the experts on here, Sue. And be patient.
 
I think you are right @KarriB i will keep leg up as much as I can. Kate, I will try to be patient & keep to the bonesmart advice...I do know it makes sense to do this. :thankyou:
 
Went to bed early last night & had a really good nights sleep only waking once. I have been good today have rested/iced/elevated. This afternoon I popped into my work place for awhile to sort out paperwork & laptop then came back home to rest. Feeling really lazy now watching films & catching up with my 278 personal emails most of them being deleting into the spam bin! My knee is behaving with just alittle discomfort under & to the side of knee cap so I have taken some codine. No physio this week just a few days of rest & doing nothing:chillpill:
 
That sounds like a really good way to spend the holidays, Sue. I'm sure your knee will appreciate it - it's already shown approval, by giving you a good night's sleep. :yay:
 
I know this recovery is going to be a long trek & I previously was being impatient & getting myself into an emotional state. I didn't realise how this operation was going to affect me & I suppose none of us really did beforehand. I need to focus on the positives for the future on what this operation will give me & not worry about the what if's. I have just written down the positives/negatives & how I have progressed on this journey & it has helped me a great deal. When should I think about having my left knee done.... I will ask myself that question in a year's time. If anyone is struggling like I am, writing down how you feel is a good way to stop depression setting in.
 
With you all the way on this Sue. It's only in the last week or so that I've realised this is for the long haul. It's just year or two getting our knees fixed so that we can enjoy them for the rest of our lives. It's a huge privilege to have these knees and a small price to pay! This op costs nearly £8,000 if I'd had to pay for it and we're getting two!! Think of it as a rather gruelling period where we gain our "knee degrees" so we can be Bachelors of Good Knees! It's hard work but time well spent.

I also think of my knee as a needy, demanding child or a newborn baby. The knee's needs come first, every time, without question. The knee rules my life at the moment. The knee is the most important thing right now too. The knee needs me to take care of it and if I don't, it'll make my life a misery. If I nurture it now, it'll grow into wonderful knee that will support me for the rest of my life. :roseshwr:

If you love that knee and care for it now, there will be no "what if's.

Revisit the recovery chart again. I find it helps a lot!

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/chart-representation-of-tkr-recovery.12055/
 
You are so right Kate. I went into work today & did 3 hours work, my Boss has had second thoughts about me working from home! There are a few reasons why! No one has covered my job since I last worked at end of October!!! I am going to go in for a couple of hours on a couple of days a week from January, but I am sticking to my terms when this will be. He has decided to pay me by the hour.

My quad muscles have come back to life today & the swelling is down ( I can see the shape of my knee cap again ) when bending my knee I am getting a sharp stinging pain horizontal below my knee cap, can anyone tell me if this is another one of these strange things that happen on the journey? Going up the stairs new knee first has become second nature, but going down is one step at a time bad boy first! I cooked dinner today turkey, ham & leek pie & enjoyed being in the kitchen again. Time to relax, ice & elevate for the evening now hoping I haven't over done it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Corganics CBD

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 860 (members: 0, guests: 860)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom