Bilateral TKR Sleepless in St. Louis

[Ditzzeechick]

Chris -

I waited 12wks to return to OS for post op visit. I am 0/110 and still have swelling. He told me one is beyond challenging doing both at once is BRUTAL. Ignore the naysayers, they will prolifigate as time goes by, u may be longer in recovery than u ever thought. The knees rule for the next 12 months at least.

 

[RestAssured]

Chris -

I waited 12wks to return to OS for post op visit. I am 0/110 and still have swelling. He told me one is beyond challenging doing both at once is BRUTAL. Ignore the naysayers, they will prolifigate as time goes by, u may be longer in recovery than u ever thought. The knees rule for the next 12 months at least.

Bev, I think some of our healing can be helped with a positive attitude! I have always noticed that Chris is positive, but keeps it real. Positive thinking has gotten me through four knee surgeries! I don't know where I would be if I thought that each knee would take 12 months! Remember, everyone heals at different rates according to different factors.

 

[BJ Mac]

Hello Chris??? Are you OK? Did all of those things that you took turn out to be helpful or make things even worse? Have you been able to nap today? How are you doing?

 

[ChrisO]

Hi everyone,

I drove the car today w/ both knees hurting. Even w/the discomfort everything seems to be functional. This is reassuring in case we have a need for me to drive when my husband is at work. I took a nap after I drove around for our errands. (we bought sweet corn from a roadside farmers stand) Even w the nausea today that corn was the best! OMG there is nothing better than fresh sweet corn or watermelon from a road side stand! I generally LOVE summer, mostly for the pool and the food. I haven't been allowed in the pool yet but corn on the cob this afternoon made it officially summer for me.

Bj, The oxycodone didn't help the pain much last night plus the nausea came back so....no more narcotics for me! The knees have sucked all day today. They are stll hurting and are hot. The poor ice machine just can't keep up w my demands for ice.

I sure wish I could figure out the magic balance between just enough activity and just enough rest to optimize my recovery. Every adventure seems to have a post adventure cost. Too bad for me that I tend to be inpatient and generally will ignore the potential pain for some immediate gain. This is the reason I am awake and uncomfortable again tonight.

One of my girlfriends stopped by today. It was good to have some new adult company. We are planning on catching that Mathew McConehey movie some time this week. I think I'll use the walker in the theater lobby because I can move faster w it and fold it up in the movie. I 'll let you know if it is any good but my standards sort of low. I think he is fun to look at and to listen to.

Zofran is making me sleepy....I'm gona try to catch some zzzzzzs.

Talk to y'all later.

Chris

 

[Jaycey]

Chris recovery is all about trying things and finding your limits. Then rest and try again another day. Please don't push this process. Impatience will only set you back. Your knees are in charge now.

 

[Dog Lover]

Hi Chris!
WELCOME! I'm sorry about the nausea. I have one of those stomachs, too. Temperamentally queasy! I will be asking the anesthesiologist at my pre-op for the scopolamine patch. It worked like a charm the last time that I used it. I put it on the morning of surgery and peeled it off 48 hours later. I do have a tip that works like a miracle for me...YOGURT. Maybe it will help you.
Glad you joined us. Congratulations!

I'm still using the scopolamine patch and it is awesome.

 

[Nyland]

How are you feeling, Dog Lover?

 

[BJ Mac]

Chris, I am sorry about the nausea, and the pain, that is just plain awful. I am glad to hear that you got to drive, take a nap and enjoy some fresh sweet corn. That makes me want to go out and get some today. Yum, yum!!!

 

[ChrisO]

Ok so I think that my continued nausea/vomiting is gastritis. :-( I'll be calling primary in the AM.

The likely culprits are stress from surgery, pain and NSAIDs. Looks like I'll have to be giving up ibuprofen now too. I don't know if I can manage w Tylenol alone but I'm out of ideas and almost out of Zofran.

I'm not looking forward to PT without anti inflammatory drugs to help w/ pain control after my work out. Mike and Julie might be disappointed in me tomorrow but I'm not going to try pushing it tomorrow. The last thing I need now is extra activity induced pain.

I suck at being a patient!

Chris

Here comes another night of

 

[Nyland]

I don't know how to tag someone, but maybe orthodoc can name some alternatives that you could discuss with your PCP? Maybe ask your OS or PCP if proteolytic enzymes can be used as an alternative to ibuprofen? Good luck!!!

 

[ChrisO]

Hi everyone,

I need a good dose of "Hang in there, it will be alright,."... I'm misty eyed, feeling down and hurting. If i were alone i think i'd be having a good pitty party cry. However, my husband and son just wouldn't understand. This is week 6 and I'm moving back to the walker due to pain and swelling. My ROM seems less and I am sure it is because my knees seem more swollen. I feel sad and frustrated.

I can't do the pain without the NSAIDs, , my Knees are the most swollen since I came home. I rummaged through my meds and found some pre op Celebrex. According to some Internet sourcers the gastritis issues are less w Celebrex than other meds, so I took one this am. I hope it helps. I have not had any vomiting since I stopped the NSAIDS night before last but I'm not managing the pain well. Parts of my knees that haven't hurt for weeks are on fire now. I feel like I'm at day 6 not week 6 .

I see my OS next Tuesday, I was hoping for return to work status. Now I'm dreading the idea. I'm dreading the idea of walking, which was the whole point of the surgery in the first place.

Any helpful tricks for pain control? Does Aspercream work? Icy hot? Any ideas from the "herbal" or "alternative" or "homeopathic" worlds?

Anyone?

Thanks,

Chris

 

[bassplayer]

I cannot comment on the meds - your doc should be the one to help you with that.

But regarding the swelling and pain, you are only at week 6 and that is still very early in the game and these things are to be expected! You need to stay off your feet more and ice and elevate more. And please call your doc and work out some kind of pain management that works for you. This time around it took my doc a couple of weeks to get it sorted and I was calling him almost every day until he prescribed something that works.

Rest rest rest! (Really!) I hope you're feeling better soon!

 

[bassplayer]

Oh yeah - almost forgot:

Hang in there! It will be all right!

 

[ChrisO]

sorry guys I was having a moment.....

I pressed my reset button got up and showered, which made me feel better. I tend to see things in a more poistive light when I'm upright. So far no nausea or abd. pain w/ Celebrex. I hope it works and doesn't PO the MD that I started an old med.

Oh well, I am very motivated to sleep, stand and walk without pain, if Celebrex works and OS is POd sorry....

Hope you all have a great day, and for all of us USA people have a happy and safe 4th. We will be having a St Louis regional favorite, BBQ pork steaks w/ sweet corn, tater tots, cucumber salad and garden picked tomatoes AND fresh peaches. No fireworks at home or at the Moose Lodge this year. We are all afraid we would catch something on fire. My heart just breaks for those families out west who have lost their homes and even more so for the fire fighters families who have loved ones in harms way trying to protect other people's homes and fight those fires.

ChrisO

 

[speccybecky]

Happy 4th July! For me weeks 6 to 8 were when I was at my lowest. It will get better

 

[Janet2012]

Just make sure you take the Celebrex with food. My doc said a couple of crackers isn't enough, but take with a substantial meal, and it can be taken at any time of the day, as long as that time is consistent from day to day. There is a freeze and go type spray or rub on that is being advertised. They have this, and sell it at my Pt, but it is now available at drug stores. You might try it.

 

[Dog Lover]

How are you feeling, Dog Lover?

Hi Nyland

I'm doing pretty good! Just came back from a road trip to the local Lowes to ambulate with my crutches in the AC. MUCH TOO HOT outside. Now I will rest with some ice in them. Going to OS tomorrow. Want to be in good shape. How are you doing?

 

[RestAssured]

Hi Chris!

I don't know if you remember me or not, the one who didn't know about Celebrex and Motriin interacting!
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I have not touched Motrin but am still using the Celebrex. It has helped me for a long time. I hope it benefits you! By the way, I have not done anything else to jeopardize my healing, like laundry, running or anything crazy! I appreciate all that you said and I sent my Hubby and Mom off to Kansas without me! I was thinking of you when I did it! (Well I was also thinking about an aching knee also.)

 

[ChrisO]

Sonja,
I'm glad you stayed I was worried about safe travel in a bed in the back of a SUV, without a seat belt. while you are at home alone PLEASE use your common sense and keep yourself safe from mishaps. ( After28+ years as a nurse I can assure you "common sense" isn't all that common. )
Many, most, ALL of us at one time or another make decisions for ourselves that we would never advise to someone else to do.
Chris

 

[BJ Mac]

That's for sure. I do many things that I would not advise others to do. It would be good if we would stop and ask ourselves if we would advise our friend or child to do this before we go ahead and do it...