TKR R TKR May 6

[mendogal]

A thought just occurred, my Doc gave me a prescription for a drug that makes it easier to tolerate the other drugs that we have to take and as soon as I can find the bottle I'll pass on the name. I don't have any nausea to speak of and can tolerate the drugs. This might help?
Pantoprazole. I'm not a Doc but try asking about this one?

Like all the meds with that suffix, it's a proton pump inhibitor for gastric reflux disease. It's often used as an adjunct to protect the stomach when long term anti-inflammatory meds are needed.
Nausea is its most common short term side effect.

 

[Wanderer123#]

Hi all. Yesterday was my first visit with a new physical therapy group. The compassion is very evident. No extreme pain. I'm so glad I switched, and this one is closer to our home. The therapist gave me four exercises to work on at home, after we went through a set of each. Basically quand strengthen exercises, leg lifts using a small roll under the leg. This morning I got around better with the walker, and was able to make our breakfast. I switched the pain med to what I use when my back spasms, very little nausea.
The leg lifter arrived in the mail today. Have you used this item?

 

[benne68]

first visit with a new physical therapy group. The compassion is very evident. No extreme pain. I'm so glad I switched

Yay! So happy to read that you found a PT group that understands how to help a recovery TKR patient. Good for you for switching!

 

[Jen53014]

The leg lifter arrived in the mail today. Have you used this item?

Perhaps my favorite accessory or tied for 1st with 3 items - with ice packs and walker. It just makes those early days so much easier to get into bed, move around the leg in bed or lounger, get in the car. I have 2 as I left one in my walker bag and one by my bedside.

 

[Wanderer123#]

Hi. I had a second PT session today, I've reached 90 degrees on flexion, and a zero on extension. doing the simple quads exercise, and lots of short walks inside, heel slides also. This sort of loosens up the joint. My new PT group is so encouraging.
I agree with you about the leg lifter. We started using it to get in and out of bed, and in and out of the car.

 

[benne68]

Slow and steady!

 

[Wanderer123#]

Good morning all. 23 days post op. Yesterday was my third pt session. I had been working on the heel slides and quads exercises at home. I could not believe when the therapist measured and apparently I reached a flexion of 100 degrees, coming from 90. I figured maybe I would have a degree of 91! It is great that with careful exercising, massaging the leg, walks around the house, can give that much return. Like you said earlier, "slow and steady."

The therapist showed me how to stand from chair sitting, by using my hands on the chair arms to push up to a standing position, with the walker just in front of me just in case. At first this was scary, but after about 10 of those, the confidence is returning.

I've lowered the pain meds to half doses, with more hours in between.

Using the leg lifter, I am able to get out of the bed and back in by myself. My husband uses it to help me get in and out of the car, mini coopers are tiny!

The difference between last week and this week, yippee. So thankful.

 

[mendogal]

What a great update!

 

[SnowHare]

@mendogal

Here's how I keep track of lengths in the pool - I swim 2 lengths chanting in my head "One, two, buckle my shoe." The next two lengths are "Three, four, shut the door." And so on. I keep going up to my plate's empty, then start the count again. I usually do about 36 laps.

When I do laps around the house, I time the first lap, then divide the total time, by one lap.

 

[Wanderer123#]

Good evening all. Well I've reached one month post op. PT is going well, I have a flexion of 104. The therapist reminded me of how far I have come since starting PT with them, so we all feel positive. I still have some nausea, and I'm able to lessen that with a bit of crystalized ginger, or ginger ale. I'm lowered the stronger pain meds even further by taking a dose before bedtime, and a couple of doses during the daytime.
At the beginning of recovery, during the first two weeks, it felt as if there was no light at the end of a very long tunnel. Sometime during the third week, that definitely changed. I can get into of bed without the leg lifter. I look forward to the twice weekly PT sessions, getting to do a bit more of daily life. Icing and elevation of a new joint, lots of walks around the house, daytime naps to even out the lack of sleep at night time. And I can use the shower!! My walker now has two wheels in the front! I'm still super stiff first thing in the morning, so once I've had my tea and toast, I work the joint to loosen it up. This may be slow, but we're all different, on our own individual journeys.

 

[mendogal]

That's truly an excellent one month progress report! Losing the leg lifter and showering are important milestones.

 

[Layla]

Great update Wanderer!
Thanks for taking the time to share. Happy One Month Anniversary!
@Wanderer123#

 

[Aydabunch]

Good morning, so sorry you’re having a rough time but know for most of this it’s normal. My surgery was May 8th. The exhaustion concerned me until I read the articles on this site addressing it. I finally stopped napping all the time about 3 weeks and now only about once a day. Still fatigue easily but it’s better. I found the pain meds did not help at all. Ice and leg elevation best. An NSAID for swelling and inflammation. I was swollen from my groin/hip to mid calf and bruised too. Brushing resolving by week 3, mostly. Using Arnica on my anterior shin where they gripped my leg and on remaining knee bruise, but not near incision. Also used Voltaren gel on my medial knee and lateral leg pain maybe twice a day. Bedtime seems to be rough still but wake up only stiff. This improves with moving around. PT is uncomfortable, but at this time you have to push a little at each session to get more ROM. You don’t want scar tissue forming, nor do you want pain. Soreness is normal. Good luck!!

 

[WFD]

Be careful - Voltaren is an NSAID and counts towards the maximum amount of NSAIDs you can take in a day.

 

[benne68]

we're all different, on our own individual journeys.

Exactly! Every knee is different, every recovery is different. You have a wonderful attitude!

 

[Jockette]

You do not have to push, even a little, to get more ROM. ROM will improve all on its own as your swelling goes down and as you heal. Gentle movements to keep your joint mobile are all you need to do to encourage that, and should not cause you pain.

Scar tissue is normal for healing, without it you would always have an open wound. It lessens over time as you heal.

 

[Wanderer123#]

Hi. This is a super short note. I truly appreciate all of the suggestions, and have found something that has been helping me with nausea. I take a hot cup of water, and add a couple of pieces of crystalized ginger. Sipping this seems to work for me. I had run out of ginger tea, so I tried this and it works!

 

[Layla]

Great idea, thanks for sharing! I love Ginger.
So glad you're feeling better Wanderer! I hope you sleep well tonight.
@Wanderer123#

 

[Wanderer123#]

Hi. This is week 6.5 from my RTKR on May 6. I thought I was doing great with a extension of zero, and a flexion of 107. I have starting going without the walker to practice balance, and using the exercise bike during the therapy sessions. I'm doing the exercises prescribed, the quads, heel slides, semi squats, etc. After a orthopedic appt today with the PA, I'm extremely discouraged. Apparently I'm supposed to have a flexion of 120? So the PA has written to the physical therapist for them to be aggressive during sessions. I have a great encouraging therapy group. Thoughts?

 

[Layla]

You are doing great, don't let them discourage you. You don't need to allow anyone to put you through aggressive, rigorous therapy sessions. Let your body heal at its own rate, you're doing just fine.

Here are some articles -

ROM: it's worth the wait for it

A lot of us struggle with ROM during our recovery. Many doctor's tell us that there is a "window" for ROM and that you have to push the knee, work hard and feel the pain to get ROM. Many doctors say if you don't get the ROM early, then you will not be able to gain anymore bend. I too struggled...

bonesmart.org

ROM: It's Never Too Late To Get More ROM!**

Everyone, please don't fret about your ROM. It's never too late! With my 1st TKR, I was at 80 degrees at 3 months, had an MUA which got it to 90. Then with a whole year's more physio eventually got it to 95. Then just 6 weeks ago, when I had my 2nd TKR done, I had another MUA and with physio...

bonesmart.org

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