I'm about 2.5 weeks into TKR recovery, which has been challenging without being able to take NSAIDs (or aspirin) to say the least. I did Lovenox injections instead of aspirin the first 10 days, so the risk of clotting has been mitigated with that and the compression stockings & calf massager thingys. I bought an "ice therapy machine" at my surgeon's recommendation to try to help with inflammation (and it just makes icing easier).
Basically, the first 3 days post-op were fine - but on day 4 after PT, my leg just blew up with swelling - especially my knee of course, but also my ankles and foot. The doc adjusted my meds several times to deal with the extra pain due to the level of inflammation, and PT barely did anything with me other than measure ROM (which of course wasn't great). That bought me a round of medrol dose pack - which helped, but I seem to be stuck in groundhog day anyways. Feels good in the morning, I try to work on ROM straight and bent, and by midafternoon I'm miserable with swelling again. THEN the doc's office screwed up my pain med scripts as I entered week 2, cutting me short so I didn't have oxycodone for almost two days. That set me back even further.
So now I'm about 2.5 weeks post-op, still on a walker, still fighting the swelling to some degree daily, pain is pretty well managed - but I'm already back to work full time this week. Even though I work from home - the one week the doc said I'd need off from work was not enough, I wound up taking a second week after attempting a couple of half days, but would have preferred at least 3 or 4 weeks. Since I didn't have the opportunity to plan for that, more time off is not an option for me.
Anyways - I feel like I'm stuck on Groundhog Day. 1 step forward, 2 steps back DAILY, which is incredibly frustrating. Feels like I make good progress on stretching and working on ROM the first half of the day, but by late afternoon I'm stiff as heck, swollen and really freaking tired. Start over the next day, still stiff but slightly less swollen. Doc is already talking about knocking me out and "making it bend" if I don't have better ROM by the end of week 4. Based on what I've read here - there's not much benefit from that.
Anyways - I keep reminding myself that this is all temporary, I'll get there - just slower than "normal". But I'm just getting soooo frustrated... :(
Basically, the first 3 days post-op were fine - but on day 4 after PT, my leg just blew up with swelling - especially my knee of course, but also my ankles and foot. The doc adjusted my meds several times to deal with the extra pain due to the level of inflammation, and PT barely did anything with me other than measure ROM (which of course wasn't great). That bought me a round of medrol dose pack - which helped, but I seem to be stuck in groundhog day anyways. Feels good in the morning, I try to work on ROM straight and bent, and by midafternoon I'm miserable with swelling again. THEN the doc's office screwed up my pain med scripts as I entered week 2, cutting me short so I didn't have oxycodone for almost two days. That set me back even further.
So now I'm about 2.5 weeks post-op, still on a walker, still fighting the swelling to some degree daily, pain is pretty well managed - but I'm already back to work full time this week. Even though I work from home - the one week the doc said I'd need off from work was not enough, I wound up taking a second week after attempting a couple of half days, but would have preferred at least 3 or 4 weeks. Since I didn't have the opportunity to plan for that, more time off is not an option for me.
Anyways - I feel like I'm stuck on Groundhog Day. 1 step forward, 2 steps back DAILY, which is incredibly frustrating. Feels like I make good progress on stretching and working on ROM the first half of the day, but by late afternoon I'm stiff as heck, swollen and really freaking tired. Start over the next day, still stiff but slightly less swollen. Doc is already talking about knocking me out and "making it bend" if I don't have better ROM by the end of week 4. Based on what I've read here - there's not much benefit from that.
Anyways - I keep reminding myself that this is all temporary, I'll get there - just slower than "normal". But I'm just getting soooo frustrated... :(
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