TKR Round 2

[Texan]

@71Beetle, Thanks for the advise. The few things that do appeal to me are carbs and I know I should be eating more protein. I will try the protein shakes. I lost 11 lbs. with the first TKR and have lost 6 with this one so far. I have felt a little better this evening but dinner did not taste good to me so I didn't eat much. (I made homemade spaghetti sauce before I went in for surgery and froze it. It is something that I normally love!)

 

[71Beetle]

Hi @Texan. We had the same meal tonight. My oldest son and I went to my parents for spaghetti dinner. My mom makes the best sauce. Even her spaghetti tastes better than anyone else makes (even though it is just boiling pasta). She is such a good cook she could make worms taste good. Not that I would try them if she made them

Hope you can get your appetite in check. You need your energy to heal. Of course you crave the carbs...most people do!

Have a great night.

 

[kneeper]

The handout I got from the home health nurse said that carbs are good b/c your body needs energy to heal, but also the protein is important for tissue healing. The irony of being given "permission" to eat sweet rolls and not really wanting them.
My appetite is coming back more so now, though I still don't eat large amounts at a time. I bet yours will start coming back in a week or two.
Just keep eating bits throughout the day.

 

[Caloparker]

Just checking in on you, Texan. Hope you celebrated 4 July with some of that spaghetti! I sure do miss my mom's cooking. Wish I had paid attention more.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum caloparker4/21/14

 

[Texan]

@Caloparker, No spaghetti for 4th of July. I started craving seafood so my husband and I went out to dinner. I propped my leg up on an extra chair and it worked out pretty well. The only negative was we were seated next to the lobster tank and a waiter dropped a lobster in and splashed me! I didn't think it was so funny at the time, but looking back, it is pretty funny. I was feeling sorry for myself yesterday since my knee was so stiff. Thought I was going backward. Today, much better! TKR is truly a roller coaster ride! It is a surprise every morning when I wake up!

I notice you posted your message REALLY early. Not sleeping?

 

[Second Time Around]

Hello Texan, I was just catching up on BoneSmart this morning and read your thread. I too am on my second TKR (left was in 2012 and right was 6 days after yours). I can relate to your issues with medications, I found out I was allergic to oxycodone with my first TKR and developed hives and blisters. They switched me to Tramadol (with tylenol and ibuprofen when needed), and I tolerated that really well. This time the OS started me on hydrocodone coming home from the hospital and I had nausea, dizziness and lack of appetite as you did. After day 7, I asked to be switched to Tramadol again and voila, I am able to eat, don't have to take anti-nausea medication and have no constipation! Hang in there, the right combination of medication is there for you. Hoping you are feeling better and healing!

 

[Texan]

@Second Time Around, I took Hydrocodone with the first TKR. It controlled the pain really well but made me so sick. Second TKR I took oxycodone and Tramadol. That started out pretty good but then I started getting light headed when I would stand up and stomach issues. I might try the Tramadol and Tylenol and see how I do. I found that just Tylenol all day isn't cutting it. How is your recovery going?

 

[Second Time Around]

My recovery for this knee feels slower than my other knee and they were 2 years apart. For this knee, I am not working so I have as much time as I need without pushing myself. This time I really think I am feeling more pain and tire more easily. I am not sleeping well yet either but it will happen over time. I have a hard time being a patient healer though!

I find that if I am even a little late taking my meds on time that I pay for it too. So, my knee is in charge and I just have to do what it tells me!

 

[Texan]

@Second Time Around, I take 5 mg. of melatonin every night about 2 hours before going to bed. I try to take it at the same time every night to get me back on a schedule. Maybe it will help you.

I go to the surgeon Tuesday and I am hoping to be released to drive. I need to try and see how my reflexes are from the gas to the break. It will be nice to be more independent.

 

[Second Time Around]

Texan, I am going to see the OS too on Tuesday! I am still having some pain on the inside of my knee that occurred last Friday when I tried to get up from the couch without my cane (left it in the kitchen) so I am not sure if I can drive with the pain. The pain occurs when I push off on my foot, so I am not sure I could even drive yet with that. I haven't tried melatonin before, maybe I will give that a try and see if it helps.

Let me know how you do on Tuesday, fingers crossed you will be able to drive!

 

[Texan]

@Second Time Around, You can buy melatonin over the counter at pharmacies or grocery stores. It really helps me. Occasionally, I have to take a Lunesta which is prescription, but usually the melatonin does the trick.

Hope your doctor has some answers for you about the pain in your knee. I feel like I have a tight band around my knee but my p/t is working on that and I know from experience that it isn't permanent. My surgeon just tells me he doesn't know whenever I ask him anything. I was beginning to think I was being too sensitive, but I asked my husband and he thinks he is a jerk, too.

 

[Second Time Around]

I'm sorry your doctor isn't helpful. Does he only do replacements or does he also take care of other orthopedic issues? I think that once a doctor starts specializing they forget all of the other pieces and parts that help that new joint!

The doctor I have is really a nice guy with a good bedside manner. I think he is going to tell me the new joint is just fine, and all the other aches and pains I have are soft tissue that has to heal. I had a really good experience with him with the last knee and as soon as this one started to go, he was so good about trying to fit me in for surgery as soon as he could (within 3 weeks of my consultation appt.) so I could begin healing.

 

[Texan]

@Second Time Around, My surgeon takes care of other orthopedic issues and not just replacements. He doesn't want to deal with any medications or problems after surgery. He pretty much cuts and saws and after that he wants his patients to go to their GP. The only problem with that is that my GP switched practices on July 1st and they don't accept my insurance. Now I have to find another doctor. You are lucky to have a surgeon with good bedside manner!

 

[Second Time Around]

I hope you can find a new GP soon so you can get the help you need. It must be frustrating to have to find someone in the middle of all of this.

I think I am very lucky and blessed to have good PTs and a great OS. My OS also has a designated nurse/assistant that takes calls from his patients. I can just leave a message with my concern, medication need or whatever and she usually gets back to me within 3-4 hours.

 

[Texan]

@Second Time Around, You are lucky to have such a good surgeon with support staff. I am thankful for my physical therapist! He is great.

I had my appt. with the surgeon this afternoon. He is happy with my progress and released me to drive. I will do a test drive around the block before getting into much traffic.

 

[Second Time Around]

Congratulations! That really is good news. I saw my OS today too! I got the green light to drive and to go to the gym (with a stern warning not to overdo). I drove to physical therapy this afternoon and now I am sooo tired! Too much for one day. Icing and elevating now. I hope I sleep well tonight after all of the activity.

 

[Texan]

@Second Time Around, Congratulations to you! How was it driving? I just told my husband I needed to drive around the block before I try to drive to physical therapy tomorrow. After hearing you drove, I want to go out and see if I can do it! Good luck sleeping tonight.

 

[referee54]

I have felt a little better this evening but dinner did not taste good to me so I didn't eat much. (I made homemade spaghetti sauce before I went in for surgery and froze it. It is something that I normally love!)

Nothing tasted good to me after my BTKR---I can certainly commiserate with you---nothing excited me---even my alltime favorite best pizza in the world from my favorite pizza shop---nothing tasted good, and I also lost 15 pounds.

Thought I was going backward. Today, much better! TKR is truly a roller coaster ride! It is a surprise every morning when I wake up!

Yep, it is indeed a roller coaster ride and is so very unpredictable. Some days are good days, and then, for some unknown reason, you wake up to a real stinker of a day.

Just take everyday as it comes, do not worry about what may be "wrong"---knowing that you will, in the end, reach your destination of being fully recovered.

Eventually, those "low" days of the roller coaster ride will become fewer and farther between!

 

[Texan]

I ate pizza one day last week and I could have eaten the whole pizza by myself. Not much tastes good, but when I find something that does....look out! And leftovers, forget it. I usually like leftovers, but for some reason they taste awful to me now.

 

[Second Time Around]

Hi Texan! Driving was wonderful. I was a little tentative at first, but the trip was about 10 minutes there and back with no highway driving. My biggest fear was getting into the car. Our driveway is on a hill, but once I was in, I was fine. Try a spin around the block like you said, I think you will acclimate quickly. It's a step toward normal to be able to do it again and not be totally dependent on my husband.