TKR RTKR on 12/17/12 need advice

[horse lover]

Hi, I am new here and I am home after having a RTKR on 12/17/12. Not sure what to expect. I am in a good amount of pain, have swelling, and I believe some of the meds are making me sick. I am just having a hard time adjusting and am getting somewhat depressed. Is this normal? Sitting here now icing my knee while waiting for the pain meds to kick in so I can do my PT (dread). I just need to vent, so thanks for reading.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

... am getting somewhat depressed. Is this normal?

Yes, 100% normal. Do not worry, you are not alone, in fact we just about all go through exactly what you describe.

Sitting here now icing my knee while waiting for the pain meds to kick in so I can do my PT (dread).

1. If your PT hurts enough to take pain meds, don't do it.
2. If your PT hurts at all, don't do it.

Gentle stretches to the point of discomfort only are all you need.

 

[kneeper]

Yes, you are very early out, so very light exercises should be all you're doing. Ice, elevate and get lots of rest. Are you taking the pain meds with a little food, like some crackers or anything? Sometimes that can help.

 

[PhoenixS]

Oh, I remember those days.
You must get your pain under control. Pain causes depression which worsens pain, and... well, you see where this is going.
Ice, elevate, pain meds, gentle stretches and rest are all that you need.
I agree with the crackers, etc. Taking these big gun meds on an empty stomach can make you feel worse. I always liked tea and toast with butter and jam.
As for the PT, GENTLE is the way to go. But not if you are hurting.
Things will improve, but not right away.
Keep up the good fight.
Sandy

 

[Josephine]

Sounds like you had little or no advice from the ward staff which is pitiful. But never mind, we can make that up for you but it will require some reading from you.

First are the mantras ....
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!

And then the articles in order of importance .
Group A
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Progression of activity for TKRs

Group B
How Long Does Healing Take ......
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevating your leg to control swelling and pain
Using ice

Group C
Knee Replacement - Where Am I in Recovery?
So What Is It Going to Take? The Five “P’s” of Knee Recovery
Work “Smarter” and not “Harder”
About recovering a knee - from one who knows!
Some suggestions for home physio (PT) and activity progress
Myth busting: The "window of opportunity"

Group D
MUA (manipulation under anaesthetic) and adhesions
It's never too late to get more ROM!
It's Worth the Wait for ROM
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

 

[referee54]

Hello! Welcome to the forum! You have been given some great advice! We are very happy that you found us, and we will be able to help you out all the way through recovery and beyond!

You are just like many of us---we didn't quite know what to expect---and what you are feeling is actually quite normal.

Please make sure that you stay on top of the pain meds and ice/elevate/rest as often as possible.The depressed feeling that you are experiencing is also normal, too---due to the pain meds and the lack of mobility, as well as the possibility that you have to count on others to help you out.

Please take a look at the articles---they have great information and can be quite beneficial in helping you learn what recovery is like.

Please keep coming back---we can help you with any questions, concerns, rants, vents, or the like!

 

[Shubbles]

I say, go through and read several of the threads on here. You will quickly see that everyone goes through exactly what you described. I am 7 1/2 weeks Post op and remember those feelings very much as they still have not quite gone away. Be ready for a LONG recovery period but as long as you maintain the mantra and don't do anything that hurts you, you will do just fine! Come back often as this site is so helpful, whether you need info/advice or you need to vent or if you are wanting some cheer for hitting a milestone. It is a wonderful family on here!

 

[MombaBomba]

Oh, hun my heart aches for you .... I think it would be strange not to feel depressed! You've suffered the trauma of surgery, and now face a massive adjustment to dependence, restrictions, medication and more. So many here know just how hard that can be -- I sure do! Right now, your ONLY job is to find the formula of drug/ice/position/rest that controls your pain. Day by day, you will find your footing through this, I promise.

 

[horse lover]

Thank you everyone for the wonderful advice !! Getting a little better day by day. Still have a lot of stiffness and some swelling. Also, I am having pain when I try to bend my knee. It feels like the staples over my knee cap are trying to tear out !! So I bend as far as I can then stop.
Is it normal to feel this terrible achy feeling in my leg? Not sure if it is the cold, rainy weather we are having or part of the normal post-op process. It go so bad that I did put some heat on the achy places, I hope that this was not bad.
One more question, does anyone know why I have bruising on my foot? Inside and below the ankle, along side my foot. Again, thank you all so much for the encouragement. I had a feeling I had found a good place to go for advice and encouragement !! I hope all of you had a wonderful and safe holiday !!

 

[Pumpkin]

Your bruising is most likely from the knee surgery, gravity pulls the blood down to your foot and ankle. It will clear up in a few weeks.
Don't worry about the bending, you are in the early stages you need to rest ice evevate and medicate. They just wacked off the ends of your leg bones, let them heal, the range of motion will return as the swelling goes down. This is a marathon not a sprint.
You should be getting the staples out soon, it will be a relief to get them out.
All the best with your recovery, take it easy in these early weeks.

 

[Nanners]

Welcome to the other side. I too got really sick from the pain meds. Make sure you keep some crackers or something like that near you so you can eat a few when you take your pain meds. If it continues, you might want to call your doc and see if he can change you to another pain med. Getting the staples out is the best, it really makes a difference and it feels less tight once they are out. Hugs!

 

[referee54]

That depressed feeling also is, unfortunately, to be expected. Many of us have had to deal with some type of "down" feeling or depression. I would stand by my front window for quite some time and watch the world go by. Others have wept, and many have felt some level of depression.

It can come from a variety of sources---the pain meds, the loneliness, the lack of independence, all contribute to this feeling.

Your leg is achy, and that is normal, too--with my knees, my aches and pains would migrate around each leg! Everyday, it was something different each day. Just follow the mantra---ice, elevate, and rest. If you hurt doing something, stop doing it. You will be amazed at the aches and pains that will pop up, migrate, and then disappear as you recover.

Once you get those staples out, things will feel somewhat better----but as you work for increased ROM, just take it to the point of discomfort, and no further---this is a roller coaster ride you are on, and you will have some good days and some clunkers, too; just hang in there and you will reach your destination!

 

[RestAssured]

Yes depression is normal! Cabin fever as I called it caused depression after my first knee! I wanted to be out but was stuck in a hospital and the moved up to rehab. I spent 16 days in the hospital due to MRSA pneumonia, until I finally begged hard enough to go home! The feelings will as you get better and the pain starts to lessen. Keep posting! We care'

 

[maryo52]

Horse lover . . . welcome to the bewildering worth of TKR recovery. It's the kind of thing that, if you knew how it was going to be, you'd never do it! This is not a recovery of a few weeks, it's a recovery of a year with the hardest part being the first four months. In those four months we experience a wide range of discomforts, discouragements, worries, setbacks, depressions, etc. All normal!!! The overarching theme is this: there's no shortcuts, no strategies to make it go faster. The best thing we can do is ice and elevate, be patient (or fake being patient), resist the urge to push PT in order to accelerate our progress (which will have the opposite effect of setting us back and adding to our discouragement).

Are you getting the picture now? Less is more. Going slow gets you there faster. If it hurts don't do it. Pain pills are good (and my personal addition to "take your meds" is, as you need less pain medication, don't abandon them, just cut those pills in half). But that's a ways off for you.

 

[horse lover]

Hey !! I wanted to drop in and say I am still kicking !! Been sick with an awful cold ! Got the staples out on Monday Dec. 31st ! Ouch, that stung a little. Things are getting better, I had a 112 degree bend at my last PT appt. According to the docs and PTs I am doing amazingly well. I have not used the walker for almost 2 weeks now as a cane is doing the trick when I go outside. I still have this ache that I really wish would go away, but I know it is going to take time as it feels like it is down deep in my bones where the parts to my knee are. Other that the aches and a sharp pain once in a while I am pretty much pain free.
I have a friend who is 71 now and had his knee replaced several years ago. I talked with him the other day about when he was able to go back to riding horses. He said he was back competing in barrel racing in 2 1/2 months. I told him that gave me hope because all I wanted to do was go on a nice relaxing trail ride !! I can't wait, hopefully, my knee and good riding weather in the spring will meet at the same time !!!
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and that the new year brings great things to all of us !!

 

[MombaBomba]

Congratulations, horse lover, you're doing incredibly well! Hold tight to that dream of a nice relaxing trail ride, that's great motivation to help you through the tough days. Mine is to go canoeing with my kid again with both legs bent in the boat... I last ventured out in a kayak with my bad leg stretched atop... and yeah, I dumped!

 

[pdx]

Also a Dec. 17 TKR with basically the same ROM. Right now the idea of getting on a horse sounds both wonderful and terrifying -- a lot of weight to put on that leg. I'm still doing a bit of Vicodin at night, but if I take it during the day I'm a zombie so I've cut back. Look forward to keeping up with your recovery.

 

[bmxmama2]

Hi. I had mine on 12/17 as well, and I have been feeling just like you. The depression and weepiness has caught me off guard because I really never expected that. Congrats on the rest of it though! I'm hoping to be there soon! :0)

 

[horse lover]

Hi y'all, it has been awhile since I have been on here. Still healing, just not as fast as I want to. Got cleared to ride a couple of weeks ago and have ridden twice. We have been getting A LOT of rain here in GA this month.
I do have a question though. How long before I feel "normal" again? I have cut way down on pain meds but it is tough. Some days Tylenol just isn't enough. I still have pain if I do a lot of walking and still can't imagine trying to get a job, which I need really bad ! I just don't think I could stand or do anything productive for 8 hrs a day. Today we had a visit with the grandbaby and after following him around, then going on a slow trail ride I was in a good bit of pain. The pain feels like my "parts" are trying to come out of my leg, if that makes sense. I am having some hip pain also, seems like the way I am walking may be causing that.
I have come to realize that my expectations of this surgery were way too high. I really was not prepared for the pain, depression, and just the feeling of misery that has come with this. I really thought that after a couple of months I would be good to go and now I just find myself wishing I had never had the surgery at all.
Sorry about the complaining, I just needed to unload !!

 

[Buddhabear]

Unload! This is the place! Not too many other really understand. This is huge. I too had high expectations. And I was just sitting here writing in my journal- did the math and I am 25 weeks from my second surgery - and I am nowhere near where I thought I would be. I had a good weekend, but I have been feeling myself slowly slip into that down place again. You are still early in your recovery. And pain for this long is depressing. Particularly if you were in a great deal of pain before your surgery. Many here will encourage you to 'not' cut down on your pain meds if you are still in pain. In the beginning I dealt with the pain as something to be expected but after months, it gets a little hard to buck up. But I have learned here that if it hurts I don't do it. Even if it is something I really want to do. Hard to find the point at which you are doing too much. Hang in, and keep venting here. We understand. This is huge, and will take as long as it takes. Your knee is the boss.