Sitting Upright in a Chair...

[lgobrien]

OK - This might sound pretty basic, but should I be able to up at the table for dinner for any length of time with my leg in a proper position (no propping). I will be 3 weeks PO on Tuesday and it is very painful to just sit up for more than a couple minutes without having to prop, change positions, etc. Other than that I'm doing very good with my walking, PT and everything else I'm supposed to be doing, but just sitting in a normal position, with gravity pulling my leg into a "normal" position, it just trobs and I tend to get back to my recliner very soon afterwards.

Is there anything I can do to strengthen this position?

Laurie

 

[Josephine]

[FONT=&quot]Early days, lg. Very early days. Social niceties like sitting at the table are some of the things that go by the wayside after TKR! And will do for a few weeks yet.
[/FONT]

 

[lgobrien]

Just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something I should be doing to build up to that.

 

[1jt@atime]

Laurie, There probably isn't anything you can do for this sitting discomfort other then listen to your body. If it starts to hurt, then find a way to prop it up. My first knee last Oct was like this and it took months before I could comfortably sit in a chair. My new one isn't bothering me at all to sit at the dinner table though I don't like to keep it in the sitting prone for more then the time it takes to eat dinner. I've been told that's all you should allow at first.

I learned a lot having done this once before and I'm not only keeping it up in the recliner but I'm keeping a lot of extra pillows under the leg, not the knee where it would bend, but the leg, and icing as much as posssible. I have noticed slightly less swelling this go around but it's still not a pretty site and the leg is brightly colored from thigh to foot.

Keep at it and listen to what your body tells you.
Karen

 

[fisher]

hellolaurieI have just found this wonderful site and after reading some posts I feel so much better I was worried about sitting at the dining table but it is getting better. to hear other peoples stories is so helpful I will sleep better tonight knowing I have found this this site which lets you share your highs and lows take care all of you pauline

 

[1jt@atime]

Welcome Pauline! Be sure to post and read often and you will find that you are just about as normal as the rest of us, if there is such a thing! Let me know how that sleeping better thing works for you because it sure doesn't for me! Karen

 

[fisher]

hi karen I meant to say I hope to sleep better, the not sleeping is the worst thing for me . I am so tired in the daytime its 4 months since my op doing quite well with my exercises etc but I would love any advice on getting a better nights sleep, going to see my gp this week to ask her advise I don.t want to start taking sleeping tablets,I wish I could wave a magic wand so we could all get a good nights sleep make that many many good nights regards pauline

 

[JenniferG]

LG, My pt told me that sitting at the table "normal" 3x a day at meals was the only time i should sit that way in the beginning. Other wise I was walking or legs were propped up. Trust me pretty soon you'll want to sit normal, and will be able to.
Pauline, welcome aboard. So glad when we help more than we scare people off. (sometimes I wonder, lol)

 

[1jt@atime]

Pauline, With my first knee replacement, I stopped taking narcotics on a regular basis at the 8 week mark when I knew I had to go back to work. That solved the sleep problems. I have to get up at 4:30 AM for my job and was really worried about never getting any sleep but it all worked out for me. Are you still taking prescription pain killers at 4 months? That might be the sleep problem that others on here have also discovered.

Unfortunately for now, 6 days post-op on the second, it's take the pain meds and sleep whenever you can but I will get off the drugs before I have to go back to work. I've shyed away from the prescription sleep meds too as sleeping is usually not a problem for me. I have more trouble staying awake! Ha! Karen

 

[fisher]

hello karen I am on tramadol and paracetamol ,but only take a couple a day now when I go to bed. I now have started to get really bad pain in my spine, it is worse first thing in the morning. going to see my gp on thursday see what she says I expect she will send me for an xrayMy knee felt great today took my granddaughter in the park. she is always full of beans .so happy that I can do playtime with her again look after yourself pauline

 

[Rowdy66]

Glad To Know I Am Not The Only One Bothered By Sitting At The Table For Any Length Of Time And As For Sleeping At Night, Well, Let's Just Say Thank God I Can Take A Nap In The Daytime Or Two. I Am Trying To Transition Back Into Our King Size Bed With Husband And Four Little Dogs At Five Weeks Post Btkr And The Last Two Nights Have Been Hell, Although A Little Less Last Night Than The Night Before. I Know Though I Have To Get Back To Normal And Need To Keep Trying To Get Back Into Our Regular Sleep Patterns. I Bet In A Couple Of Weeks I Won't Even Remember Being So Uncomfortable At Night. Same Goes For Sitting At The Table, Although I Have To Admit I Am Still Eating In My Recliner, It Is Just Too Comfortable To Eat There. Rowdy

 

[Doug]

Trust me. A day will come when you are doing stuff and at the end of the day, you realize you never thought of any pains, limping or anything associated with your TKR.
For me that was today. Five months post op.

 

[beachcomber]

What a great day! Congrats! All that hard work and healing are really paying off for you, huh? You have worked as hard on your rehab as anyone here.

Do you think that if they told pre-TKR people how hard they will need to work after the surgery that it would scare people off? The OS says they can "fix" our knees---- but we are the ones who have to make them function properly.

 

[Josephine]

Trust me. A day will come when you are doing stuff and at the end of the day, you realize you never thought of any pains, limping or anything associated with your TKR.
For me that was today. Five months post op.

Doug!!

Fandabedoozy!

(in other words - I'm delighted for you!)

 

[Doug]

Well thank you all. It is weird, I changed my workouts around and I think it has made all of the difference.
As for knowing about the about the post op. efforts, I really wonder if the surgeons know. I will give mine credit, he sure managed the pain well for me.
My mother has her TKR scheduled for next week. I plan to go down and help out for a couple of weeks. I am concerned that she might not know the extent of commitment she has to have for doing P.T.
I got her on the phone today and told her to look down, then told her to look up. She got quiet and asked why. I told her because this time in a couple of weeks she wouldn't know down from up.....I don't recall her cussing like that!!
And I can already tell that me and my father are going to get in to it..

 

[Josephine]

Doh! Fancy having you for a son with jibes like that!

 

[Doug]

She knows I'll take care of her..I told her I'd do anything but bed pan duty. I added that if I had to do that, I was going to use a long handled mop.

 

[JenniferG]

mops are used for BBQ yes? shark steamer is for the floor. see I pay attention.

 

[Rowdy66]

Doug, Sounds Like You Came Into Your Own With The Knee Just In Time To Go Help Your Mom. One Request, Please, Please, Please, Take Your Laptop With You When You Go To Take Care Of Your Mom So You Can Post Blow By Blows. This Is Going To Be Better Than A Tv Show. I Know Your Mom And Dad Are Glad You Are Going To Be There And God Knows There Is Nothing Like Having Your Son(s) There With You When You Have Anything Going On, Especially A Surgery Of This Magnitude. Don't Know What I Would Have Done Without My Husband And My Two Sons, I Still Am Depending On Them, Probably Always Will, Just Can't Imagine Having To Be Without Them And They All Have Thier Opinions And Not All Like Mine, We Compromise. Hahahahaha Rowdy

 

[Doug]

I won't be able to take my laptop. My wife and son use it. I'll try and get to my sisters computer and give updates.
And yes, I ought to seek T.V. rights on this event.