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TKR ROUND 2: MotownGirl made it to the other side

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Too funny!!! You got both my carreers in one dream!
I cancelled PT yesterday. My last inspection was a two story house and my knee was already aching.
That was enough torture for one day.
Congrats on your ROM :wowspring:!!!
I hope you can get a girlfriend to go on that trip with you..
 
@kaw205 Crazy dream! I've reached out to a few friends about making the trip w/ me. They're still deciding. Here's my 2.5 week old knee being iced but look at me crossing my ankles!
 

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  • [Bonesmart.org] ROUND 2: MotownGirl made it to the other side
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I wonder if I will ever be brave enough to cross my ankles again. Before all this if I crossed them the knee would lock up and I would have to brave that agonizing unlocking pop. Horrible!

The wrap sounds promising! I have the wee hours of the morning cannot go back to sleep thing although knee feels good in the morning. Need to do the paper towel one though, there is a lot of stuff still going on in the scar yet. Did you put it on as needed or when you went to bed? I suspect I would get super tangled if I tried using plastic wrap when I was groggy.
 
KYata said:
I wonder if I will ever be brave enough to cross my ankles again. Before all this if I crossed them the knee would lock up and I would have to brave that agonizing unlocking pop. Horrible!

The wrap sounds promising! I have the wee hours of the morning cannot go back to sleep thing although knee feels good in the morning. Need to do the paper towel one though, there is a lot of stuff still going on in the scar yet. Did you put it on as needed or when you went to bed? I suspect I would get super tangled if I tried using plastic wrap when I was groggy.
Click to expand...

We are surgery buddies! I, too, find the middle of the nights the most troubling as well as the early evening hours. It just aches, burns, and throbs. My scar is still scabby.
 
Post Op Day 21 - 3 weeks since LTKR I am doing okay considering the issues I am still experiencing with my sciatica. I think it's because I am spending a lot of time laying down. Maybe I am aggravating it somehow. No real news here - I supposed I am experiencing the same as everyone else. The pain in my new knee is being moderately managed with 1) 5-325 Oxycodone every 4 hours. The swelling is better with icing and elevation. I am VERY uncomfortable sitting on stools of any height from countertop height to bar height. I think it's because the stools hits my sciatica in the wrong spot. I do my sciatica stretches as directed by my PT and I am taking Gabapentin but I am not getting any relief so I scheduled an appointment for my Chiropractor for tomorrow. I get an hour massage before the adjustment. The Chiropractor has to be very careful when he adjusts me because I have hardware in the lumbar area of my back and two hip replacements. Hopefully he can do something to relieve this sciatica pain. As of last Saturday my ROM was 122.
On a high point, my appetite is blah! That's new this go-around! I've gained about 35lbs. since all my surgeries started in 2012 and I really need to get this weight off. This was my last surgery! Woohoo!! It should be all good from here on out.
Have a great day!

Robyn
 
Sounds like your knee is right on track. Don't know what to tell you about the sciatica. Gabapentin was one of the drugs my doctor prescribed after my tkr. I think I took 3 a day for about 20 days. I think it helped my knee because I noticed a difference in my pain level when I finished it....
Have you found a companion for the road trip? It will be good for you to get out of the house!
I know that at about 3 weeks, I started to get cabin fever.
take care,
Karen
 
Do the wrap a couple of times and your scabs will fall off for sure. When I take it off my knee is nice and soft, feels like I just got out of the shower. It is flexible and not as swollen. Remember put on generous amounts of lotion before hand. Don't try to rub it in. Make sure you start wrap at knee then go below and above the knee. It does not need to be tight, but snugg enough so it doesn't fall off. The wrap does two things:
1: it shields your nerves around the knee from the sheets, fabrics and touching, thus your knee is not constantly feeding back it is uncomfortable.
2: it produces gentle heating to keep the muscles relaxed as well as the tendons and rest of the joint.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
I hope your chiropractor and massage appointment brings relief to your sciatica. I've had that issue off and on for a long time and it is truly a miserable thing. You may be right about the time spent prone irritating it, especially when the comfortable prone positions are so limited as well.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Robyn

I'm sorry to hear you're suffering from the Sciatica. It's so debilitating pain wise. I hope it goes away real soon.
Please take care. Is it through the knee and hip problems? Xxxx
 
Wow - I've missed tons, zero alerts! 5 of oxy at 3 weeks is great, I hated taking it but it's unquestionably effective. Are you taking anything else for inflammation? I was also on celebrex and it made a huge difference.
 
@BananasKnees Hi there! Thanks for inquiring! Went to chiropractor twice last week. The visits also include an hour massage so it felt great. The sciatica pain has diminished quite a bit actually. Had to go out of town last weekend. It was a 4 hour drive each way. Thought I'd be miserable but it was actually pretty good! Glad I got those two visits in beforehand!

@TexasTee I'm still taking painkillers every 4.5 hours. Today I had muscles aches from PT work-outs yesterday so I took ibuprofen a little while ago. I still like to nap during the day and sleep in late.
 
@kaw205 PT is going very well. I'm already doing wall squats and leg lifts w/ an ankle weight. He's got me doing exercises to strengthen my hip muscles, too.
@TexasTee LOL! My "naps" last 2-4 hours! I've never slept so much in my entire life. But I am healing from two back-to-back surgeries. I had that kidney one shout 3 weeks fire my knee. Both are labor intensive and quite serious so I imagine my body needs time to heal.
 
Post Op Week 5 -LTKR:
I had PT on Friday and all went well - they kick my much-needed butt in a good way with lots of progress. I felt well enough to take a shower, dress up, and go out with my husband to see friends later that evening. I lasted about 2 hours before I started to fidget and get uncomfortable. That's my sign that it's time to go back home. Usually I am overtired and just spend my non-PT time relaxing, icing, or napping. I like being a 'house mouse'.

Over the weekend, though, I felt like I had the flu - my body was either sweating or I was chilled and covered with a blanket. I had no appetite. I slept most of Saturday and Sunday. Sunday, I also had diarrhea so maybe I had a 24-hour bug or something? I woke up this morning (Monday) and felt like my old self. Went to PT again and did several strengthening exercises. My ROM isn't a issue anymore. I am almost at 0 with my leg totally straight out in front of me. My bent knee is well passed 122. I did wall squats with a large ball behind my back, I did leg lifts with an ankle weight on both legs, I did the bicycle for 9 minutes at level 3 with no issues, I did this exercise where I walk backwards up one step with my new knee (killer!) I tried it with my first new knee and it's amazing the difference! I thought that knee was weak but somehow, as time has passed, it has strengthened all on its own.

I still have mild-to-moderate swelling. I am religiously taking my pain meds every 4.5 hours. At night, though, since I toss and turn and nights seem to be the worse for me, I start the night with two painkillers and set my timer to wake me up at 5 hours for the next single pill. I still have a limp, but I think it is more "learned" than necessary. I concentrate when walking to not limp. Takes effort!

The scar is bright pink/red and is definitely going to be a keloid. I am susceptible to them and have several in different parts of my body. Interestingly enough, I don't have any from my hip replacements or my other knee replacement. Who knows what causes them to form? I will post a picture.
 
Okay, I tried two different sized pictures and I even cropped one and made it smaller but I still cannot upload it - will try again later.
 
Sorry you were ill over the weekend, but glad you are feeling better now. I know what you mean about having to concentrate to walk without a limp. It does take a lot of effort! I wonder how long it will take to become second nature again?


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:wowspring:What a great report! You are doing amazing at 5 weeks. Such a different recovery!
Have you ever thought of using silicone tape on your scars? It might help with the keloids.
There's a product called scar away, but I found a less expensive version that works just as well.
Have a great day, it's going to be a stormy one!
Karen
 
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