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TKR Samps New Knee

newlybionic said:
I still have days when I elevate my knee with ice wrap on it when I go to sleep and I'm 5 months out. I definitely did it almost every night for at least the first three nights. I'm not sure if you should use liquid bandage on your knee incision. That might be something to ask your doctor especially if your incision isn't fully closed. You don't want to take chances of getting a knee infection.:merry christmas:
Click to expand...


great! so I'm not being overboard by continuing on. I still have what I think is considerable swelling and I think the overnight ice and elevation helps a ton

the incision is like closed up but hasn't had the scab fall off if that makes any sense. it's like closed but I can see skin. I'll add a photo. I've already done it now but if it's bad I'll stop lol.
[Bonesmart.org] Samps New Knee



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RTKR
08 Dec 15
|| 25 Years Young :) ||
 
I just let the scabs fall off when they did. If there's no oozing or bleeding you probably don't need to do anything else to it. You can always call the OS office or home nursing company for answers too. Ice has been my constant friend since this surgery. :ice:
 
Leave your scar alone from now on and let it heal by itself. If you put anything on it before it's completely healed, you run the risk of introducing infection.
 
haven't been messing with the scabs
--
the skin glue is what washed/fell off before my incision was scabbed up and off completely so i resealed it.

but it's not oozing or bleeding - so i won't add anymore



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RTKR
08 Dec 15
|| 25 Years Young :) ||
 
Celle said:
Leave your scar alone from now on and let it heal by itself.
Click to expand...



if you read my statement I haven't done anything with my scar except for reapplying the liquid bandage because I was afraid it came off way too quick for good since my incision was obviously not healed completely yet -
appreciate it.


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RTKR
08 Dec 15
|| 25 Years Young :) ||
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If you put anything on an open wound you risk introducing infection. That's why I said what I did. I didn't accuse you of picking at it or doing anything else.

As for the rest, all I advised is common sense. I've had three knee replacements myself and I've been around here long enough to have seen many examples of what happens if you over-stress a healing knee.

As a Forum Adviser, it is part of my job to give this advice. Take it or leave it - your choice.
 
samp said:
if you read my statement I haven't done anything with my scar except for reapplying the liquid bandage because I was afraid it came off way too quick for good since my incision was obviously not healed completely yet
Click to expand...
You may not realize it but liquid bandage you purchase off the shelf is most likely not the same product as the material your surgeon used to seal your wound. You're right that it's done now and it should be left alone to wear off. You just need to watch to be sure the application does not cause any problems with the incision like oozing or redness.

For others reading this thread, the proper thing to do if you find yourself concerned about your incision is to contact your surgeon's office and ask what they recommend. If there is a concern, they will ask you to come in for a visual check and they will take the needed action. Doctors rarely recommend a "do it yourself" approach when there is a problem.
 
very well.

17 days post op I believe --

did my at-home kneehab today and it was my first session being off the medicine third session of the week and it was successful.

no need for meds.
no pain
and my flexion and extension are seemingly improving.

quad is still puny which makes me sad but part of the stinky process. I'm only grateful I stuck out the pain before my surgery to get it as strong as I did since its been paying dividends from day one

swelling still going down
still have some around the scars of one of my prior 5 knee surgeries so hoping that removes itself soon, kinda concerns me but it's too soon to expect much from it

cooked Christmas steaks for my folks and had a few folks over so I was on my feet more than the last few days but didn't really suffer any adverse reactions

right now my biggest complaint is the weird clicking feeling that everyone talks about and the fact that i still need my cane and probably will for another few weeks. it's only advantage has been killing bugs and boarding the plane first. and people admiring my candy cane designs.

Merry Christmas
 
So nice to hear that you are having a good recovery. I know how you feel about the quad mine still won't work fully. Hopefully everything keeps going good for you.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
That's great that you had Christmas with some folks. It is nice to do something 'normal' again. I had a couple of spots with scabs that just took a bit longer to heal then the rest of the knee. In fact I can still see a small red dot from one of them. It will eventually go away. My quad on that leg has caught up with the other one but it took me quite a bit of time since I really was very limited before my surgery. As far as the clicking I'm not sure whether I'm having it less or I just don't seem to pay attention to it anymore. I was still using a cane at the point you are. You'll get here. In the meantime the bugs won't stand a chance!
 
I've been a stink bug killing machine.

Ceiling, walls and anything on the floor.

thanks for the encouragement y'all. quad control for the new year.


RTKR - 08DEC15
 
When did you guys start using the restroom regularly?

and did anyone else experience a drop in appetite? may be because I didn't go lift these last 8 days and travelled? but it was before too.

embarrassing poop question but yeah. it's an issue.


RTKR - 08DEC15
 
That elusive 'poop' fairy as she is widely known around here just can't seem to get her schedule straight. My appetite did decrease and also I no longer wanted foods that I used to really love. If you are still taking pain meds they slow down your intestines making you a bit 'backed' up. I took stool softeners twice a day and at one point I had to take a laxative. You can try prunes or prune juice too. I also wasn't drinking enough water too.
Hopefully she will make a visit to your house soon.
 
I did Miralax for seven days and it helped and have had to hit the liquid laxative mixed with Gatorade and it super helped but I'm off of the pain meds this is the fourth day.

Poop fairy...I want to fight her. she's really hit or miss. I AM DEFINITELY NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER. my poor body is probably so confused. Committing to it tomorrow. I was a gallon a day kind of gal pre-op. Maybe that'll help get the body tempo back


RTKR - 08DEC15
 
Hi Samp! Glad you had a nice Christmas and got to grill your steaks. I managed to get the rib eye roast in before the hubby and kids took over. Drink your water!!! I'm looking forward to the HEALTHY New Year:) I may have to skip the pain meds and have a nice cocktail to bring it in!
 
Pain meds weren't the only issue for my bathroom problems, iron pills caused me to have irregular bathroom problems. Once I stopped those, things got more normal. My OS prescribed iron pills for a few weeks after surgery. But Miralax and lots of water helped. Weird, but I craved water after both surgeries.
Also the drop in appetite seems to happen with almost any surgery. My dad had an emergency hip replacement 5 weeks ago. He said Christmas dinner was the first time he felt like eating. He's lost 25lbs in 5 weeks.
 
I'm definitely not eating well. I'm eating nutritious but only once because I feel full rest of the day. I thought that was from the poop fairy floating everywhere but to me, but today she was present and still only ate breakfast and a cup of teddy Graham's and a banana over the next 13 hours.

Definitely going to go workout tomorrow and see if that puts me back good since when I was working out I felt fine.

I've lost weight in the struggle for hunger. Just not the right kind. Need my hard earned muscle mass.

Tomorrow is 3 weeks post-op

YIPPEE




RTKR - 08DEC15
 
at 3 weeks post op I am:

pain free and off narcotics

past 90 degrees of flexion but not sure how far because I don't have access to a goniometer until Friday

have a little post op swelling left but seeing features of my knee

can do a bunch of cool stuff I couldn't do last week like drive and stay up without naps and work a full day without brain fog and even went to the park this weekend :)

still using the cane but I do walk around the house during the day without using it and only need it around the house in the evening after I'm super stiff and tired

more or less sleeping through the night, save potty breaks, and can sleep on both sides but not on my tummy. it's becoming so uncomfortable to sleep on my bed wedge even though I did it for two weeks

icing and elevating for sleep almost all night/every night

best way to describe my knee is stiff and metal-y but with time comes good things hopefully

I wish I could:

walk without the cane more

not take meds

be less swollen and stiff (don't we all :))

and eat/poop like normal


CHEERS TO THE UPCOMING NEW YEARS. may we all be less stiff and as pain free as can be


RTKR - 08DEC15
 
samp said:
I wish I could:
walk without the cane more
not take meds
be less swollen and stiff (don't we all :))
and eat/poop like normal
Click to expand...
Good grief woman! You're only 3 weeks out yet! Try and have a little patience, why don't you!
Remember the tale of the tortoise and the hare? Which would you prefer to be?
 
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