Become an Insider

PKR Raffs' Recovery Thread<'

@Raffs - Your list of "small things" is encouraging to me, being 2 weeks behind you. You are definitely coming along and I am sure it helps to enumerate what you can do now that you couldn't do before. Just think what you'll be able to do even just two weeks from now!! (Not sure about the tight band feeling.. but it will come in time, I'm sure!!):wink:
 
Oh, tight band definitely gets better over time. I mostly notice it in the morning now, and it's mild. (14 1/2 weeks for reference)
 
Oh I love your lists! Yes for sure the stiffness and the tight band so annoying! Yes, if I could just forget that the knee is not a new one and part of me now, sigh, I guess that will come with time.
 
Busier day today, hence the late update.

Had my hair cut and coloured this morning. My friend does it for me in her salon about 20 miles or so away. It's always great to see her and we gossip a lot! Knee was ok with all the sitting. Elevated it a little bit on the footrests they have by each chair.

Then had a quick pub lunch on the way home. Didn't stay for too long, probably less than a hour.

Have been icing and elevating pretty much continuously since. Did some PT then went out for a walk but knee hurt a little so I cut the walk a bit short. Guess it is complaining because of this morning.

Don't want to jinx things but I didn't feel the tight band until I'd been walking for a few mins.....progress?? We will see.

Hubby gone to get takeout for dinner - Greek - chicken souvlaki, pitta, salad and tzakiki - pretending I am someone hot and sunny!!

I guess I may be on the verge of joining the ODIC.....time will tell....
 
Couple of questions, knee friends:

(1) if you were told to wear TED stockings, how long for?

(2) if you had blood thinning drugs or shots, how long for?

I was told to wear the stockings for 6 weeks, day and night, only take them off when showering. However, my PT said that I can take them off now when I'm exercising/moving around but that I should still wear them when resting and at night. I was on blood thinning shots for the first 10 days.

I have a (probably irrational) fear of clots - my hubby got a DVT after a flight in 2009 and his brother got a pulmonary embolism after knee surgery last year. But the stockings are driving me nuts so I'd like to start wearing them less.

Thoughts, please? Thanks
 
No TEDs for me - surgeon didn't believe in them. Just told to move around a lot.

I had blood thinners for about 11 days in total - shots in hospital and 10 days supply of pills at home.

Glad to hear you are moving on so well.
 
No teds for me either. Had blood thinners for 2 weeks only on discharge and injections in hospital. Nice photo and great hair do.
 
Thanks @CATSMUM I'm not one for taking selfies but was messing around yesterday trying to take a photo for a conference pass when I took this. I've got a friend who posts loads of photos of herself in this pose on Facebook - I was being silly and copying her pose!! First time I've really felt like myself in over a month - make-up on and hair done!!
 
I was just looking at avatars (tend to recognize those & not always read names) this morning and thought who is this new person! When I was in the hospital/rehab for the second time I just felt so unlike myself. I put up a photo taken the summer before on FB because I just needed reassurance that I might look like that again someday. I was so sick and looked so bad that when I went back to take gifts three months later no one recognized me. You look adorable!
 
Love your picture @Raffs . I just hit the 3 month mark and still have some tight band feeling but it's definitely improved from what it was. I still find it annoying though.

I had to wear the TED hose for 4 weeks but only in the day. I did not have to take any heavy duty blood thinners but did have to take one regular strength aspirin morning and night to help prevent them.

Don't join the ODIC -- that club is overrated!

Roxie
 
I love the photo! I was supposed to do the same as you, teds day and night for 6 weeks only take off when showering, but I quit after 3 weeks. I am on 325mg of aspirin for 6 weeks, which ends next week. Didn't have to have the shots after I left the hospital. The Teds drove me crazy! Hated having something on my leg all the time, and it especially bothered at night.
I also moved around a lot, heal slides and pumps all the time when sitting!
 
I like your photo! I was supposed to wear the Ted hose for a week or so, I think. But my pt lady came and saw how my leg was swelling above them, and pulled them right off. I did not miss them. I do give myself shots in the belly everyday. Last one today, in fact. Then I am to take 325 milligram aspirin 2 times a day for 30 days. Sounds like overkill to me, but I will do it.
 
What?! You're a redhead? I thought you were a tortoiseshell! :heehee:

I am not the best person to be taking advice on. I kept getting lumps and bumps from the teds--too-tight spots would create compression, and I had a hard time seeing how that would help with circulation. I dispensed with those in pretty short order. I took Zaralto (sp?) for the required 12 or such days, and then started in on aspirin twice a day for a month.

Somewhere in that month I had a dental procedure, for which I was given antibiotics. I was told to swallow all four capsules, on an empty stomach, and I had nausea and pain that lasted about three or four days. When I tried taking the aspirin again, it hurt, and my compliance with the aspirin never really got back on track after that.

I, too, tried to move around a fair bit, especially when I would worry about the risk of clots. It may not have helped with the risk, but it alleviated the worry, which was my main symptom. \ With the kind of walking you're doing, and since your avatar photo suggests you're just a little bit of a thing, (and since you've been shooting hoops since day 1), I'm guessing that your DVT risk isn't exactly high. Disclaimer: not a surgeon, a doctor, a medical care provider, and don't know what I'm talking about, really. Your results may vary. Contents may settle in shipping. Packed by weight, not volume. Etc.



 
@SuperSnapper thanks.

@KarriB thank you, what a lovely thing to say! I can assure you that I've not been very adorable these past few weeks....! Your photo is lovely, you look very happy.

@Kansas Teacher thanks, that's good to hear about the tight band.

@tigwy11 they are driving me crazy but as I'm not on any aspirin or similar I thinking that I may have to stick with them.....

@Slainte I think the TED is not helping with the swelling in my operated knee which is why I'd like to get rid of them but I'm a bit scared to because of the clot risk.

@snowleopard hmm, redhead...yes but out of a bottle....haven't seen my natural colour for years - been blonde, brunette and red and every shade inbetween! Not so much the little thing, around 25lbs over my ideal weight right now but working on that. Your advice, as always, is much appreciated.
 
Only had one stocking for a few days first time around. However - two for six weeks this time around. Except I took them off after two weeks - my physio said it was ok only because I was fairly active. I am taking one on holiday this week and will wear it on the flight just for comfort really.
You could chat to your surgeons office?
 
@Hopper yes, that's a good idea or I may ask my PT again when I next see him.
 
Probably did a bit too much yesterday - dusted the living room and both bedrooms, did my PT exercises three times, tidied up the garden for a few minutes, walked to the nearest coffee shop and back (20 mins) as well as general walking around the house living the life of a knee surgery patient. Add this onto Saturday - hair salon, 1 hour in the car, pub lunch - and I have a slightly more painful knee today.

There is one spot where I am getting a sharp pain every now and again. This pain also occurs when I do heel slides but weirdly only the first few slides then it stops and the slides where I am bending the most do not hurt.

I can also feel the patella moving up and down the implant when I bend my knee. It doesn't hurt at all, just feels very weird as I can tell it isn't part of me, anybody else had anything like this? It doesn't clunk or pop or stick or anything else worrying.

Taking it easy today. Been out for a 20 min walk which was ok, still need a crutch outside and still having tight band issues but I think my gait has improved a bit. Rest of the day is going to be spent icing and elevating and reading and watching rubbish on TV.
 
It's nice to be able to do normal things! I also did too much! House cleaning and walking so my knee was a little painful last night. Had to take 2 pain pills to sleep. But it did feel good to be doing normal housework again. Next, lawn mowing, but I do have a riding mower!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Corganics CBD

Staff online

Members online

Total: 558 (members: 2, guests: 556)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom