TKR Recovery the Clipless Way

[jmdearras]

The thought of staple removal made me want to throw up.

Painless and easier than stitches. They have a special "staple puller". The metal is actually pretty soft.

 

[skigirl]

But wait, the stitches don't have to be removed at all. They just dissolve themselves!! Clipless you are dong great this time. I hated the CPM and also just hung out for the first two weeks after surgery---elevating and icing. When I got to Pt, most of the swelling was gone.

 

[numbzee]

Hi, Congratulations on your new right knee! Here you go again but let's hope for a much smoother recovery. I had severe nausea with the pain medicine too They finally found an anti nausea medication that worked so I was able to go home after four days. I was very disappointed in the physical therapist who came to my home and start exercises the next week after. I actually think she did more harm than good. If I have to go and have my right knee replaced I am going to follow you and wait awhile for the swelling to go down and for the usual at home exercises that we all know how to do. Of course ice and more ice! I will be checking in to see how you are progressing and wish you a smooth recovery.

 

[kaw205]

Hi Diana,
I like your plan to wait 2 weeks befor pt.
I plan on doing the same in Jan.
I will have a week of in home pt. I just hope I don't have the same therapist. The last one was way too aggressive!
Best of luck with your recovery


Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

[webbie73]

You are doing so well. I like the idea of no Home PT and nurse. When I had my hips replaced I thought the home nurse and OT were the biggest waste of money.

Chill, relax and heal!

 

[Clipless]

Just accomplished my first straight leg raise four days post op. Wow, I'm happy!!! For reference it took 21 days to reach this milestone with my other leg.

 

[Denmother]

@Clipless I hope that works for you!

 

[numbzee]

Way to go girl You're going to recover much faster and easier than the last one Keep up the good work!

 

[Wanttobebiking]

Nice to hear you are ahead of the curve compared to your first surgery. I did a 10-mile urban ride today. I have some photos that I plan to post later today or tomorrow on the cycling thread. I am trying to remember how many days until I could do a leg lift. I think it was about day 10 or so. And I remember how much of a relief that was. I still do leg lifts today, mostly just to see my straight leg up close. Get some rest.

 

[theresav]

Hey, check this out. Incision is closed by a bunch of tiny zip ties! Has anyone seen anything like this? Last time the same surgeon used skin glue.

Wow.

Theresa 9/21/15 left knee

 

[nomoreski]

@Clipless
I am jealous of yoir ice bag at the hospital. I am a t a suburban Boston rehab of some renown, and this is what they have for me. Note that is my iphone 4S for comparisio ...not an oversized 6!

 

[Clipless]

@Clipless
I am jealous of yoir ice bag at the hospital...

First off, Congratulations on your new knee!!! I hope you are having a pleasant recovery so far. On ice bags: It IS a nice one, but the hospital did not supply it- I brought it from home! I ordered it from Amazon a week or so before my surgery. I learned a few things the first TKR and went in better prepared this time. If you are interested in an ice bag like mine, search for 11" Fytto. It's not too late, as you'll use it for months to come. I highly recommend it!

 

[Ellejay]

@Clipless - Congratulations on your new knee! I totally agree with your proposed regimen, here in the UK we get very little PT and certainly it worked for me with both TKRs. I did exercises at home at my own pace and to suit how I felt at the time, not when some PT thought I ought to be doing them. You will soon be cycling and horse riding again, but do take it easy before then.
I hope that you are comfortable right now, I wish you all the best.

 

[wberry]

Those look a little like mine, I was told not to worry. They would dissolve on their own in two weeks. They put sterol strips over mine today, said they would fall off on there own also.


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[Clipless]

Hi all! I survived my first weekend home. I developed one ginormous bruise from ankle to upper thigh. I did not expect this. I understand bruising is fairly common post TKR, but I didn't have it with my first one. Also, the bruising developed quite dramatically and rapidly on day 4- causing some concern that the blood thinner was working a little TOO well. My daughter panicked and tried to take me to the ER but I refused to go. It would have been nice if ANYONE from my OS' office had bothered to return our anxious calls . Eventually I called the charge nurse of the orthopedic floor at my hospital. She reassured me and together we reasoned out that I was probably not dangerously over-thinned. Nevertheless I decided to hold the next dose of blood thinner, since it's one of the newer class of anti-coagulant drugs for which there is no antidote.

 

[Clipless]

...more about my first few days at home: we have been in the grip of a terribly oppressive heat wave- so strange for this time of year. Weird weather for me invariably spells MIGRAINE, and indeed I got whacked. This was no fun at all. My head finally feels clear today. It's about time!

I sorted out my pain med situation and am sitting pretty for now. Today (exactly 1 week post op) my son spotted me as I got on the stationary bike. I surprised both of us by easily making complete pedal rotations! I went round both directions 10x and decided that was enough for now. With my other knee it was WEEKS to one complete rotation. I had home PT and a home rental CPM machine then, and none of those things this time. Every knee and every recovery is different- it's so true!!!

 

[Wanttobebiking]

Wow! You are clipping along Clipless! Except for that bruise. Hope it resolves soon. Pretty soon you are going to be logging longer rides than me!!

 

[Timetolive]

It is nice to hear positive things in a recovery thread! You are doing great!

 

[Denmother]

My bruising also took several days to surface. I'm using Topricin cream on them several times a day.

 

[Clipless]

Here is my leg shiner- ain't she a beaut? Extends from my upper thigh (must've had a bleeder under the tourniquet) down to almost the sole of my foot, and wraps ~3/4 around my leg. Lovely.