Knee Infection* Question about dizziness

[Catalien45]

Ours is 6,he’s truly my heart!. Our daughter is bringing him over for a little visit tomorrow. They live a little over an hour away. Our daughter & her husband both began working from home full-time during the pandemic, so we worked a deal where Dad brought little guy over here Tues. afternoon, then Mom picked him up Thurs. afternoon. They could get more work in those days, and we had him here. We had lots of fun, got to supervise his remote kindergarten.. He could be Mischievous!! It could be tough at times, he would miss them, then miss us when he was home; but he did fine, & we’d FaceTime them nightly. We were pretty tired by Friday, but would do it again in a second!
And yes, these little guys Do understand. They “ take care “ of us in their own way. Nothing like it. We’re fortunate.....that’s special you live so close. We still FaceTime most every night. Hope you’re seeing your little guy soon.

Back to work on getting this stomach back to normal , evidently a process getting the Tramadol out of my system....Have a good weekend!

 

[Booger]

I hope yours is good also.
Booger

 

[Catalien45]

Hi, and hope I’m on the right thread! I’ve had a little setback this past week. I was having constant nausea & no appetite, got advice from my Dr on how to gradually back down, then off the Tramadol, which we suspected the cause. Nausea is gone, thankfully. Some appetite is returning, although a lot of things still don’t taste good, or “right” I’ve lost 9 pounds. Since I can’t eat much, I guess my stomach is a bit shrunk? Currently, I am taking Tylenol, on a schedule. I can’t take the opioids, they make me sick & pass out. Also , I try to avoid nsaids, had a really bad experience with those aggravating 2 ulcers caused by h.pylori years ago. My pain is well controlled with the Tylenol & occasional ice. But I am feeling quite weak, and light-headed, sometimes my balance is off. So I’m using the cane more than I had been doing. No fever, all my vitals are fine ( our daughter got us an oximeter early on when Covid first hit “ use it, regularly”, she told us.). So it is handy now, too. Is this a common thing? It’s basically been going on for about a week, so we both Feel it’s not a virus.... and, we’ve really had no exposures. We just don’t get out. So I’m looking to you for some advice, ideas. Thank you so much.

 

[patriciad]

Hi @Catalien45 sorry to hear you have had a bit of a rough week. Congratulations on getting off of the strong pain medications and controlling your pain with Tylenol. As everything else is fine vitals wise I am wondering if the lightheadedness is related to periods of low blood sugar. You do say you have not been able to eat much and 9lbs is a fair amount of weight to lose quite rapidly. I lost my appetite in the first weeks due to the pain medications but ate those nice little rice pudding snacks and protein drinks when taking my meds. I continue with the protein drinks as protein is essential for healing. Some are chalky tasting but I like the Pure Protein Brand or Muscle Milk.
You might also try a glucose tablet when you do feel light headed to see if that would help. Best of luck this week - you have done so well with your recovery despite the added challenge of your existing gastric issues.

 

[Layla]

Hello Catalien,
I’m sorry you’re not feeling better at this point of your recovery. Thankfully the nausea has passed and your pain is well controlled. You mentioned that your appetite has returned, but that you’re not eating much due to food not tasting right. I’m wondering about your nutrition since you’re feeling weak and lightheaded. Also, your hydration. Do you feel you’re eating a healthy variety of foods and staying adequately hydrated? If meals feel overwhelming, concentrate on small plates / healthy snacks. Below are some ideas, hopefully a few sound appealing.

Turkey roll ups (cheese or veggies rolled inside the turkey)
Greek Yogurt
Cottage Cheese
Hard Boiled Eggs
Tuna
Veggies & Hummus
Peanut Butter and Apple
Peanut Butter on Celery
Cheese Slices
Protein Bars
Protein Shakes
Canned Salmon on Crackers
Edamame
Chicken Salad
No Bake Energy Bites (many online recipes)

You mentioned not getting out. At one month post op, you could be getting out a bit. At the very least to sit outside in the fresh air and sunshine on some of the warmer days, or take a short walk outdoors with someone walking along side you. If you think your diet and hydration is adequate and you continue to feel the way you do currently, consider touching base with your Primary Care Physician for further advice.
I hope you feel better soon!
@Catalein45

 

[Jockette]

@Catalien45
I merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread, as we prefer that members in recovery have only one thread.

This benefits you because all your information is in one place, easy to find, and maintains a nice journal for you.

This also benefits our staff, as your information is all in one place, and we often go back through your thread for previous details, so we know what you‘ve been through which helps us advise you better.

So, please keep all your posts in this thread. If you’d like a new title, let us know what you want, and we’ll change it for you.

Many members bookmark their thread in their computer browser, so they can find it when they log on.
How can I find my threads and posts?

Best wishes on your continuing recovery!

 

[Catalien45]

Thank you both So much for answering this so fast! I truly appreciate it. We do have both yogurt & cottage cheese, & at first , ate it fairly often for breakfast. Then the nausea kicked in, & I did good to get a little cereal down so I could take any medications & my multivitamin. Also, looking back, my water intake was probably not that good. We are now eating a small lunch & dinner, as well as breakfast. We’ve always been healthy eaters, I had frozen several favorite meals, but even those, I couldn’t eat. I’ve looked at your suggestions, & we’re coming up with a schedule for some high protein snacks between. We usually drink a high protein mix every morning, but I can’t really handle anything sweet right now. Hopefully that will change soon.
We do get outside some, in our backyard, But, we don’t get out where we are around a lot of people right now. I hope to try a short walk on our street with my husband this week - I’ve just felt too unsteady to do it yet. And I do walk around the house, & up & downstairs several times a day. So hopefully, this is just a hiccup. I do appreciate your advice, you’ve both given me some helpful tools. This forum truly Is a lifesaver, as I’ve seen others express.
Looks like kitty Felicity is here for her night rounds...hope you both sleep well

 

[Catalien45]

@hawk2go ...Ooh......your chicken & dumplings sound Good. I’m still gradually beginning to have Some appetite, but a lot of things don’t sound good. Sweets in particular, for some weird reason. Never thought I’d have a hard time eating. But chicken & dumplings.....
Question for you, Hawkie, SusieQ, & Bennie....you’re all 3 roughly 4-6 weeks ahead of me. I realize all rehabs are different, but just some input. I’m trying to increase my stamina, but it seems at times , I wipe out Super easy....like today, woke up feeling better than in a Looong time! Had breakfast, took a shower, brushed teeth, hair, little makeup ( my eyebrows are practically non-existent ), & I was exhausted! Rested til PT 30 mins later. My PT is good, but it is a Full 30 minute session. We sat outside for a bit, & I worked on a much-needed task, sitting down for an hour or so. And that sorta “dull nausea” is creeping back. Is that just the ODIC revenge? Really trying hard not to overdo, but is this just normal at 5 weeks ( tomorrow). Btw, I only take Tylenol 3 x day, & it basically handles the pain just fine. I finished the Tramadol last week, but could it be hanging on?it made me really nauseous.
One other thing.... I think I have a few years on everybody else - I’m 76 ( youngest of my 3 siblings, & they’re all very active, at 78, 80, and 86) But, maybe that enters in, active as I am, & ready to be in our garden, canning, baking, sewing, playing with our grandson... all of it - next year with my new knee. But, maybe my age , & the fact that I Did push my poor knee for so long, enters into the equation.
Anyway, I would appreciate any input. The Faclitators and Patriciad were very helpful last week when everything sorta hit me hard nausea wise, and I’ve been following their suggestions, & that has helped on the eating (/and, trying to rest). But thought I’d run this past you 3.......

 

[Jockette]

Question for you, Hawkie, SusieQ, & Bennie....

Anyway, I would appreciate any input. The Faclitators and Patriciad were very helpful last week when everything sorta hit me hard nausea wise, and I’ve been following their suggestions, & that has helped on the eating (/and, trying to rest). But thought I’d run this past you 3.......

@Catalien45 You are doing such a great job of interacting and supporting you fellow recovery members, and asking for their input is great.

I moved your question above to your own recovery thread, so that the answers would not take @hawk2go ’s thread off of her recovery. When you have a question about your recovery, please post it in your thread here, and you can tag the member(s) you’d like to hear from. (Please only tag 2 or 3 at a time)

Having all your questions answered in one place maintains a nice journal for you.

This also benefits our staff, as your information is all in one place, and we often go back through your thread for previous details, so we know what you‘ve been through which helps us advise you better.

So, please keep all your posts in this thread. If you’d like a new title, let us know what you want, and we’ll change it for you.

Many members bookmark their thread in their computer browser, so they can find it when they log on.
How can I find my threads and posts?

Best wishes on your continuing recovery!

 

[Jockette]

I forgot to add, we can change your thread title for you if you want, just let us know.

 

[Jamie]

@Catalien45 .... I've just read through your recovery thread and have really enjoyed your conversations as well as the updates on your progress.

I'm sorry that you keep having bouts of nausea. There could be many causes and most likely it's going to be something that you'll just need to wait out. I do have a couple of suggestions for you, though, some of which it sounds like you're doing:

* Eat small means that include a lot of protein. The drinks like Ensure or Glucerna are perfect if you can drink them.

* Be sure you are drinking at least 64-80 ounces of fluid (mostly water) a day. If you are dehydrated at all, it can affect your strength and balance.

* If you find yourself with that persistent nausea, ask your GP for something to counter it.

* You might try an antihistamine such as Benadryl for the nausea and balance issues. Sometimes it can help.

But probably the best thing you can do is try to find things to occupy yourself so you're not tempted to do too much too soon. Recovery takes an extra dose of patience and that's usually the hardest part for most people. You're barely a month out from this very major surgery and trauma to your body. When I was at your stage with my knees, I had to take a 2 hour nap every time I had a shower! So actually, you're doing better than you think you are. It takes a while for your body to adjust after the surgery. Most people say they don't really start to feel like themselves again until around 6 months out. Continue to listen to your body. It will let you know when you need to slow things down, take a nap and rest or do a little more activity. Your job is to recognize and follow the signals.

 

[hawk2go]

Question for you, Hawkie, SusieQ, & Bennie....you’re all 3 roughly 4-6 weeks ahead of me. I realize all rehabs are different, but just some input. I’m trying to increase my stamina, but it seems at times , I wipe out Super easy....like today, woke up feeling better than in a Looong time! Had breakfast, took a shower, brushed teeth, hair, little makeup ( my eyebrows are practically non-existent ), & I was exhausted!

I still have issues with stamina. I stopped needing to nap during the day right around the time I started sleeping through the night (sort of - I still wake but don't need to stay awake most nights) around 8 weeks. I'm lucky that my friends and family are not expecting me back to normal, so they make accommodations when it's 7pm and I have no more spoons for any other activity or even energy to even sit up or when I've stood for 15 mins and now have to take a lie down. Early on it was undress-break-shower-break-dress-nap-wake-exercise-nap-etc.

 

[benne68]

Question for you, Hawkie, SusieQ, & Bennie....you’re all 3 roughly 4-6 weeks ahead of me. I realize all rehabs are different, but just some input. I’m trying to increase my stamina, but it seems at times , I wipe out Super easy.

Hi @Catalien45 Yes, that was happening to me a lot until recently. Our bodies are doing heavy labor deep inside the leg to repair all the damage done during the TKR. And that saps our energy!

I really love @hawk2go's analogy to having a certain number of spoons available to us each day. Sometimes the healing takes more spoons than other and we have none left for things we'd like to do.

There are up days, down days, and days in between. I don't think you can do anything to speed up the body's healing. Be patient. It does get better (albeit, slowly....)

 

[Reader525]

@Catalien45 I completely get the wiped out feeling! It seemed to take forever to feel like myself. My energy level was nowhere near where I was before for at least 12 weeks.

Oddly enough, I, too, had the light-headed feeling and it's in my older posts. I wondered if itvwere from the Tylenol or Ibuprofen, I have as at a loss as to what it was. I also lost weight, and didn't need to, but as you said, nothing tasted great. So after posting here, it was suggested I contact my PCP, which I did. He's a lovely man, and I've known him for years. My blood pressure was pretty low, 104/64, and he thought maybe orthostatic hypotension was the cause but also ran what seemed to be every blood test known to modern medicine judging by the amount of tubes

My tests all came back normal, and I can tell you I still have moments here and there when I feel that weird wooziness. My doctor also told me about inner ear crystals causing this and gave me some exercises. Here is the link.

Home Exercises for Vertigo

Learn about home remedies and exercises for vertigo relief, including the Epley and Brandt-Daroff maneuvers, lifestyle adjustments, and natural care.

www.webmd.com

I just think we have been through the wars and everything can be affected. I'm just SO grateful you are here and we are are here for each other.

 

[Susie-Q]

I agree with everything these ladies said. It just takes TIME to get that stamina back. There's nothing you can do about it other than to rest, get your sleep (if possible) and wait for it to come back. You can't force it. It's very gradual too, at least it was for me. I'd get wiped out doing the simplest tasks and then all of a sudden I'd find I did a few more things and didn't feel as tired. Right around 4-5 weeks post-op I was trying to decorate for Fall/Halloween. I had my son get the boxes out of the garage for me and I'd try to do a little bit here and there and found it just wiped me out. It took me over a week to get things out and I had to take a LOT of breaks and rests. I was still taking a nap most afternoons on the reclining couch too even though I was sleeping pretty well at night. Your body needs a LOT of rest to heal and if it doesn't get it, you'll know it by your fatigue you're having. Hang in there! It will come!

 

[Susie-Q]

My doctor also told me about inner ear crystals causing this and gave me some exercises.

I have this sometimes too when bending over repeatedly (laundry, loading things into the bottom of the garage fridge, anything with repeated bending over). I need to look into it. Thanks for posting that link. I used to think it had something to do with my blood pressure medicine but I take so little that it can't be that. I like to say it's the rocks in my head that are out of whack! Strange, but true!!!

 

[Beesknees70]

I really appreciate this thread as I have been going to bed at 7 and wondering what the heck. But w work, pt and other stuff I am wiped out. I have felt generally not 100% for a while now but all metrics are good so think it is just fatigue. I have been careful to eat well and drink water so hope it passes at some point. It is definitely not an easy or quick recovery

 

[hawk2go]

I like to say it's the rocks in my head that are out of whack! Strange, but true!!!

Me too, hahaha rocks. I have had BPPV and used the Epley maneuver to resolve it. The maneuver works consistently and is better than any drug they have prescribed for my occasional vertigo. I have had a bit of dizziness (vs. full vertigo) recently and do attribute that to higher BP readings requiring new meds. Maybe a few days of the maneuver will confirm.

I have been careful to eat well and drink water so hope it passes at some point.

This is good. For the 1st few days home, I was not drinking enough water because I didn't want to make my way down the hall to the bathroom and also didn't want to use the potty. Given the intensity of my constipation, I think I'd do that differently.

 

[Catalien45]

Thank you, thank you so much!! All four, and also Jamie... I had a feeling this may hang over a bit longer, as Jamie suggested. I am working in the small meals & high protein snacks, doing pretty well on that. Sweets really are not at All appealing. ( unusual for me). And, today, I re- read some of the basic guidelines to healing. Maybe I should do that a bit more often. Trying to work hard on water intake ( interestingly enough, water doesn’t taste that great either, but it’s getting better)
Hawkie, thanks for your input.....all that you do amazes me! But I see that you also have your limits. I love the “spoons”... makes such sense to me... I know I am my own worst enemy... my husband jokingly threatened to sit on me!
525... I think you sound a little like me, but with a little more sense in your head. Still, you also amaze me. And thanks for the info on dizziness. About 6 years ago, my husband had a severe attack of BPPV.....horrible dizziness & vertigo. He actually developed the crystals, & we had to see a PT who specialized in that. It was Awful!! I Do think I will look into those exercises you suggested, the thought of experiencing that...!
And, SusieQ, thank you for your input. I remember when you were doing your Halloween stuff up.I couldn’t even Think about that at the time. ( I Was kinda secretly planning to pull out a Few favorite things, but realized I just couldn’t. ) I just checked my BP, & it’s normal. Considering seeing about something OTC for the nausea. Our PCP recently left the practice, so we have a new one, & have back-to-back appointments Dec 3, not Too far off. Prefer not to go in earlier if I can avoid, as I figure it would use up my 1 “ big activity “ for the day. Benne, you were the one to make me first aware of the tramadol nausea. I thought I would escape it, wish I had Stopped it sooner, maybe the nausea wouldn’t still be hanging on. The fatigue... well, that’s another thing. I still fight it, I’ve just got to learn to be patient. This evening, once the strong winds we had earlier had died down, my husband & I took a 10 minute walk. We saw a young neighbor practicing on her trapeze in their backyard. She asked how I was doing, & I replied, “ better... slowly”. Her immediate response was...... “ well, it’s Major Surgery!”. OK. I’m going to work hard on listening to my body, even when I feel like, as someone a while back, described as “ a slug”..........

PS I hope I have this on my thread.....I am having a devil of a time getting onto my own thread to post. I apologize if I’m doing it wrong yet again.....

 

[hawk2go]

Looks like you're on your thread @Catalien45!

To clarify, I have been treated for hypertension for several years that was well controlled with 1 medicine. The day of surgery, my BP was high and I have had weird spikes of high BP during the recovery. Around week 3, my home PT cancelled our session because my BP was too high and exercise increases BP. He insisted that I call my PCP and get it sorted out. My doctor added a diuretic (which we had removed years ago). So that's the new med which I think may be responsible for my occasional dizziness but it could absolutely be something else.

well, it’s Major Surgery!

Indeed!