Hi Fxguy, welcome! Sounds like you've gotten through your first week okay! I had bilateral tkr 5 weeks ago. My first week was pretty ugly, but I'm doing great now! Journey Continued June 4 2012 is my thread. You should start your own! Good luck with your recovery!
Bilateral TKR Sleepless in St. Louis
- Thread starter ChrisO
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karmigirl
post-grad
Chris,
Thanks for the bath tub story, it really gave me a chuckle and I really needed that tonight. Glad to hear you are coming along so well.
Thanks for the bath tub story, it really gave me a chuckle and I really needed that tonight. Glad to hear you are coming along so well.
kerri marie
new member
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- Jul 9, 2012
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- Female
Hi Fxguy
Good to hear from you. Congratulations on the start of a new life! One week down and many more interesting and sometimes frustrating weeks of discovery!
If you are writing w an iPad you may find it hard to make an Avitar or set your signature. I started my thread w the I pad but wasn't able to make an Avitar or set the signature till I got on my lap top. But the iPad is great for reading at night when sleep doesn't come.
Wow, you are using the CPM a lot! My ortho didn't send me home with one and I'm glad. It didn't take me too long before I felt trapped and tied down by my ice machines I think the CPM would have been even more confining. Glad to hear you have PT coming to check on you in the AM. Let them help you get better but don't let them push you. In the next few weeks, if your recovery is anything like mine you will be very surprised that you are NOT superman and that you CANNOT will yourself a speedy recovery. Your knees and your body will recover but there is no way to rush things.
It took me some time to be at peace with that idea, you have wonderful brand new baby knees. They are perfect but they are young. Like babies each knee is unique. Like babies your knees will " mature" at their own pace but in line with general time frames. Some kids walk at 6 mos some much later. Some knees recover w in a few months and some will take longer. My ortho said I would be at 85% of my potential in 6 months but it could take 1-2 years to achieve the maximum potential. I'll be glad for the 85%. Now that I'm on the up swing I can tell that pre operatively my leg muscles were very weak. I just didn't understand how limited I had become.
Oh you thread name will stay the same so think of one that might hold up to weeks of conversation.
ChrisO
Good to hear from you. Congratulations on the start of a new life! One week down and many more interesting and sometimes frustrating weeks of discovery!
If you are writing w an iPad you may find it hard to make an Avitar or set your signature. I started my thread w the I pad but wasn't able to make an Avitar or set the signature till I got on my lap top. But the iPad is great for reading at night when sleep doesn't come.
Wow, you are using the CPM a lot! My ortho didn't send me home with one and I'm glad. It didn't take me too long before I felt trapped and tied down by my ice machines I think the CPM would have been even more confining. Glad to hear you have PT coming to check on you in the AM. Let them help you get better but don't let them push you. In the next few weeks, if your recovery is anything like mine you will be very surprised that you are NOT superman and that you CANNOT will yourself a speedy recovery. Your knees and your body will recover but there is no way to rush things.
It took me some time to be at peace with that idea, you have wonderful brand new baby knees. They are perfect but they are young. Like babies each knee is unique. Like babies your knees will " mature" at their own pace but in line with general time frames. Some kids walk at 6 mos some much later. Some knees recover w in a few months and some will take longer. My ortho said I would be at 85% of my potential in 6 months but it could take 1-2 years to achieve the maximum potential. I'll be glad for the 85%. Now that I'm on the up swing I can tell that pre operatively my leg muscles were very weak. I just didn't understand how limited I had become.
Oh you thread name will stay the same so think of one that might hold up to weeks of conversation.
ChrisO
Hi everyone,
I had to buy some new shorts today because all my pre op pants keept falling down when I walk. The weight loss has been unintentional but welcome. I have lost 25 lbs since 5-22-12 which I think is good evidence of the energy needs and energy drain that having your knees replaced puts on one's body. I did have a lot of trouble with nausea from narcotics and NSAIDs that contributed to a diminnished appetite.
Has anyone noticed this? The "band" of muscle that ached in my quads has moved up into the belly of the muscle, it is no longer just above my knee instead it is higher in the meaty part of the thigh. I'm thinking it might be regular old muscle aches from overworking a muscle (PT was intense yesterday) I wondering if maybe the post op band has finally loosened. (I'm in post op week 7)
ChrisO
I had to buy some new shorts today because all my pre op pants keept falling down when I walk. The weight loss has been unintentional but welcome. I have lost 25 lbs since 5-22-12 which I think is good evidence of the energy needs and energy drain that having your knees replaced puts on one's body. I did have a lot of trouble with nausea from narcotics and NSAIDs that contributed to a diminnished appetite.
Has anyone noticed this? The "band" of muscle that ached in my quads has moved up into the belly of the muscle, it is no longer just above my knee instead it is higher in the meaty part of the thigh. I'm thinking it might be regular old muscle aches from overworking a muscle (PT was intense yesterday) I wondering if maybe the post op band has finally loosened. (I'm in post op week 7)
ChrisO
RestAssured
alpha
Chris, the muscle in my quad has been awake and running this time. For the first time yesterday, the non-existent muscle came to life. I experienced what you are talking about in my first two surgeries though. It gets better with time. 
The past week has left me nauseous and I can't keep food down even though I take an anti-emetic. Oh well, speeds up my progress that way, because I am down to eating one mini meal a day.
The past week has left me nauseous and I can't keep food down even though I take an anti-emetic. Oh well, speeds up my progress that way, because I am down to eating one mini meal a day.
I hope the nausea and vomiting improves for you ASAP Sonja...it is worse than pain in my book. C
Filled out my part of the return to work FMLA forms.. Rediculous, redundant questions. I bet MD offices just hate the paperwork, it must be unending...
Hope everyone sleeps well tonight.
ChrisO
Filled out my part of the return to work FMLA forms.. Rediculous, redundant questions. I bet MD offices just hate the paperwork, it must be unending...
Hope everyone sleeps well tonight.
ChrisO
RestAssured
alpha
Yep, I am going to contact the dr. And ask for something different for nausea as what I have isn't working! The doxicycline that I have to take is tearing me up! With 8 previous rounds of MRSA, they want me to stay on it, because it has always been effective. When I was off though during the 6 week period, my body got used to not taking it and now it is rebelling.
Morning Glory
senior
Hi Sonja,
Nausea is the worst! Have you tried Zofan? That worked wonders for me.
Nausea is the worst! Have you tried Zofan? That worked wonders for me.
RestAssured
alpha
No, I haven't but I will talk to my doctor today! Thanks! 
Hi everybody,
Today I am 52 years old and my knees are 52 days old, how about that?!
PT went well today, much more like a gym workout than PT. I rode on the bike or walked on the treadmill for almost the whole hour. I told Mike about how sore my quads were so we steered away from squats, leg lifts and stairs. He said i needed to work on stamina and speed. He also tied me to long rubber bands and had me practice pulling against them while walking forward and backward. I was surprised at how unbalanced I felt walking backwards. I was glad he was with me to occasionally put a steadying hand on my back. I'll need to practice walking backwards at home. But for now.... ice and elivation.....aaahhhhh.
I would love to take a cool whole body soak bath but y'all know what happened last time w/ that idea
so I think I'll hold off on that idea till I'm able to get up from the floor on my own.
We will be heading to the lake tomorrow to watch our nieces compete in slalom and trick ski. The oldest (18) even does jumps. Sunday they are taking my son tubing. I'd love to try but will wait till next summer. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to climb back into the boat.
Have a good weekend everyone.
ChrisO
Today I am 52 years old and my knees are 52 days old, how about that?!
PT went well today, much more like a gym workout than PT. I rode on the bike or walked on the treadmill for almost the whole hour. I told Mike about how sore my quads were so we steered away from squats, leg lifts and stairs. He said i needed to work on stamina and speed. He also tied me to long rubber bands and had me practice pulling against them while walking forward and backward. I was surprised at how unbalanced I felt walking backwards. I was glad he was with me to occasionally put a steadying hand on my back. I'll need to practice walking backwards at home. But for now.... ice and elivation.....aaahhhhh.
I would love to take a cool whole body soak bath but y'all know what happened last time w/ that idea
so I think I'll hold off on that idea till I'm able to get up from the floor on my own. We will be heading to the lake tomorrow to watch our nieces compete in slalom and trick ski. The oldest (18) even does jumps. Sunday they are taking my son tubing. I'd love to try but will wait till next summer. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to climb back into the boat.
Have a good weekend everyone.
ChrisO
juniper
senior
Oh, Chris, so many of us are impatient, sure that if we just push a little harder, we'll get better a little faster. A poet I love, William Stafford wrote a poem every morning. When his students complained that they couldn't write anything good, or that they had writer's block, he'd say, "Lower you standards." I wish I'd thought about that as I was recovering from knee replacement. I had so many people telling me that I was a wimp, had a low tolerance for pain, "should be" much farther along by now. Of course, the worst voice was my own. I was sure I'd be back to work after a month and actually did go back for the morning at five weeks post op. and then almost full days at 6 weeks. Bad idea. I feel as though I am still playing catch up. But now I say to myself. My knee is stiff and swollen, it's time to ice. Eventually, the idea gets through. There's a very funny exercise that Skyelark describes. Go to her thread and check it out. Do it yourself. You'll laugh. You'll heal faster if your pushing is gentle, not painful. I completely believe that now.
referee54
Former BoneSmart staff member
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United States
My PT had me do the same---forwards, backwards, left to right, and right to left---and over miniature hurdles, to boot! I must admit that while it was tiring, it did help out a great deal!
Hi everyone,
Today I feel like my knees have leather and metal braces on them. There is a tightness around the whole knee on both sides. We traveled 3hous to watch water ski completion on Saturday. The walk from parking to lake shore was a steep down hill treck 1/2 on gravel 1/2 on grass. I was glad we had chairs because I still haven't figured out how to get up off of the floor. We got to see all three of my nieces water ski. The tournament was over by 6 pm which gave us time to swim in hotel pool before a late meal. Boy was I glad to have these knees in the cool pool water. I forgot my ice packs and the plastic hotel waste bags leaked so no ice for knees
that night.
I visited w my parents the next day for a few hours. My mother is a true vexation to my spirit. Please God help me to not become her! She met me at the door wanting to know if I needed a walker.... Spent at least 20 minutes telling me that TKR was like an amputation....and she just couldn't see how I was going to manage going back to work. We made our escape as fast as possible, as I was leaving she suggested I not walk on the lawn ion case I might fall. Arran! Thank goodness she isn't close with her kind of help I'd be on perminsnt bed rest in less than a year.
After the parents visit we went to see my brother and his family. We went back to the
lake, the hill walk was a little shorter because we could park a little closer to the dock. The nieces and my son had a blast skiing and tubing. I wanted to ride in the boat but the step down into the boat from the dock was a little too far. ( the water level of the lake is ver low due to our Midwest US drought) however it was fun just to sit on the dock and watch the kids have fun.
I drove the three hours home and noticed a lot of ankle swelling and knee stiffness when we got home. I iced for a short wile but sleep seemed more important. Boy are the knees bound up today! But the ankles are normal again. All in all I'd do it all again just to see the kids have so much fun.
I need to get up and going, hopefully the knees will loosen up as I move around today.
ChrisO
Today I feel like my knees have leather and metal braces on them. There is a tightness around the whole knee on both sides. We traveled 3hous to watch water ski completion on Saturday. The walk from parking to lake shore was a steep down hill treck 1/2 on gravel 1/2 on grass. I was glad we had chairs because I still haven't figured out how to get up off of the floor. We got to see all three of my nieces water ski. The tournament was over by 6 pm which gave us time to swim in hotel pool before a late meal. Boy was I glad to have these knees in the cool pool water. I forgot my ice packs and the plastic hotel waste bags leaked so no ice for knees
that night.I visited w my parents the next day for a few hours. My mother is a true vexation to my spirit. Please God help me to not become her! She met me at the door wanting to know if I needed a walker.... Spent at least 20 minutes telling me that TKR was like an amputation....and she just couldn't see how I was going to manage going back to work. We made our escape as fast as possible, as I was leaving she suggested I not walk on the lawn ion case I might fall. Arran! Thank goodness she isn't close with her kind of help I'd be on perminsnt bed rest in less than a year.
After the parents visit we went to see my brother and his family. We went back to the
lake, the hill walk was a little shorter because we could park a little closer to the dock. The nieces and my son had a blast skiing and tubing. I wanted to ride in the boat but the step down into the boat from the dock was a little too far. ( the water level of the lake is ver low due to our Midwest US drought) however it was fun just to sit on the dock and watch the kids have fun.
I drove the three hours home and noticed a lot of ankle swelling and knee stiffness when we got home. I iced for a short wile but sleep seemed more important. Boy are the knees bound up today! But the ankles are normal again. All in all I'd do it all again just to see the kids have so much fun.
I need to get up and going, hopefully the knees will loosen up as I move around today.
ChrisO
bottomshollow
Former BoneSmart staff member
What you need is to elevate and ice, ice, ice!
![[Bonesmart.org] Sleepless in St. Louis](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/icecubesmiley-gif.2466/ "[Bonesmart.org] Sleepless in St. Louis")
But you will do what you will do,
I am happy that you had such a great week-end and that it was worth having knees with leather and brass braces on them.![[Bonesmart.org] Sleepless in St. Louis](https://data.bonesmart.org/attachments/2/2138-7c4ce4315c8ca35fb0acf81944cc0ccf.jpg?hash=fEzkMVyMo1 "[Bonesmart.org] Sleepless in St. Louis")
Sometimes we just need to do something "normal" to lift our spirits.
Take care of yourself---give those knees some TLC---we care
![[Bonesmart.org] Sleepless in St. Louis](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/addemoticons00916-gif.2470/ "[Bonesmart.org] Sleepless in St. Louis")
I am happy that you had such a great week-end and that it was worth having knees with leather and brass braces on them.
Sometimes we just need to do something "normal" to lift our spirits.Take care of yourself---give those knees some TLC---we care
RestAssured
alpha
Hmmm.... Chris. Was this the same person who was lecturing me about overdoing it? Well, I won't do that, cause you already know! I'm glad you had a good time! 
Well, I won't do that, cause you already know! I'm glad you had a good time! Judy and Sonja,
Yes I got the message BUT summer is short and kids are only young once.....
You should see the videos and pictures! They are all so cute. The oldest neice is going away to college in less than a month. Im so glad the 4 of them (my son and the girls) had a real chance to enjoy themselves. I have felt so guilty about my knees impacting my ability to go and do things with my son this summer. It was good to be able to watch him have fun.
It is amazing how challenging walking up or down a steep incline is but the world is not flat. I have been managing stairs (2 story house) since I got home but the incline I think was harder, especially walking down hill. Yep hills are harder than stairs. I guess that's why everything is tight. The knees don't hurt once I'm up and moving but I'm very aware of the tightness in the muscles and ligaments around the knee today.
Sometimes it seems the cold only makes things tighter. Anyone know when is a warm pack a better solution to tightness?
Thanks
ChrisO
Yes I got the message BUT summer is short and kids are only young once.....
You should see the videos and pictures! They are all so cute. The oldest neice is going away to college in less than a month. Im so glad the 4 of them (my son and the girls) had a real chance to enjoy themselves. I have felt so guilty about my knees impacting my ability to go and do things with my son this summer. It was good to be able to watch him have fun.
It is amazing how challenging walking up or down a steep incline is but the world is not flat. I have been managing stairs (2 story house) since I got home but the incline I think was harder, especially walking down hill. Yep hills are harder than stairs. I guess that's why everything is tight. The knees don't hurt once I'm up and moving but I'm very aware of the tightness in the muscles and ligaments around the knee today.
Sometimes it seems the cold only makes things tighter. Anyone know when is a warm pack a better solution to tightness?
Thanks
ChrisO
Hi Everyone,
Well last night was a bear and I hadn't really done anything all day. I had been icing and taking it easy after the weekend.
My knees have two issues...
One is heat from inside the joint. This issue is controlled with Tylenol, Ice, and Elevation and of all things riding my stationary bike. I think the bike moves stuff around and perhaps pumps swelling out of the knee capsule as my knees usually are cooler to touch when I finish the bike than before. I can almost take the temperature of my knee by feeling the temperature of my scar. If it is hot then the whole knee is hot and feels better w/ ice.
The second issue that got me last night is this growing tightness/numbness feeling. (My knees don't necessarily feel hot.) It feels like an internal brace is growing and tightening around my knee. The discomfort is most noticeable at night when I'm trying to sleep but is present during the day too. Some areas feel "stuck" to underlying tissue around the knee. Sometimes, my kneecap feels like it is slightly off track or that the metal post is not tracking on the metal knee but is instead tracking on tissue that can feel pain. The discomfort has been worsening over the past few weeks. At first I thought it was the muscles and ligaments tightening to protect my knee when I walked but now these feelings are becoming niggling and constant. I still have good bend and extension. My Roth guy told me he had to clean some osteophytes out of the surrounding tissues and muscles of the knee. I think I have several spots where I may have the overlying skin adhering to the underlying muscle and other tissues adhering to each other. I had a lot of pain (the kind that makes you not be able to bear weight on the joint) post op on the R lower outer portion of my knee. At the time my OS said it was probably an irritated bursa. Would that thing adhered to muscle to skin? Would this sort of issue cause this sort of discomfort?
If all of this discomfort is due to minor adhesions would heat and stretching of the muscles and overlying skin help? I work the skin incision scar to keep it soft but I'm not sure how to approach underlying tissue issues. I know that ICE makes everything feel numb but it sometimes seems to make things tighter. Sometimes numb is good but sometimes numb and tight hurts. Did anyone use heat at 8 weeks to loosen things up with any success?
Thanks,
ChrisO
Well last night was a bear and I hadn't really done anything all day. I had been icing and taking it easy after the weekend.
My knees have two issues...
One is heat from inside the joint. This issue is controlled with Tylenol, Ice, and Elevation and of all things riding my stationary bike. I think the bike moves stuff around and perhaps pumps swelling out of the knee capsule as my knees usually are cooler to touch when I finish the bike than before. I can almost take the temperature of my knee by feeling the temperature of my scar. If it is hot then the whole knee is hot and feels better w/ ice.
The second issue that got me last night is this growing tightness/numbness feeling. (My knees don't necessarily feel hot.) It feels like an internal brace is growing and tightening around my knee. The discomfort is most noticeable at night when I'm trying to sleep but is present during the day too. Some areas feel "stuck" to underlying tissue around the knee. Sometimes, my kneecap feels like it is slightly off track or that the metal post is not tracking on the metal knee but is instead tracking on tissue that can feel pain. The discomfort has been worsening over the past few weeks. At first I thought it was the muscles and ligaments tightening to protect my knee when I walked but now these feelings are becoming niggling and constant. I still have good bend and extension. My Roth guy told me he had to clean some osteophytes out of the surrounding tissues and muscles of the knee. I think I have several spots where I may have the overlying skin adhering to the underlying muscle and other tissues adhering to each other. I had a lot of pain (the kind that makes you not be able to bear weight on the joint) post op on the R lower outer portion of my knee. At the time my OS said it was probably an irritated bursa. Would that thing adhered to muscle to skin? Would this sort of issue cause this sort of discomfort?
If all of this discomfort is due to minor adhesions would heat and stretching of the muscles and overlying skin help? I work the skin incision scar to keep it soft but I'm not sure how to approach underlying tissue issues. I know that ICE makes everything feel numb but it sometimes seems to make things tighter. Sometimes numb is good but sometimes numb and tight hurts. Did anyone use heat at 8 weeks to loosen things up with any success?
Thanks,
ChrisO
bottomshollow
Former BoneSmart staff member
You just have to have the patience to let these two things resolve themselves on their own, and they will. The "tight band" feeling can last for 2 to 4 months, but will gradually fade away. Just all part of the recovery package you ordered with your new knees; and you are still early days--not quite 2 months post op. It's that TIME & PATIENCE thing we beat you over the head with here. But all will be well.
Take care and keep us posted. We care.
Hi everyone,
It looks like I forgot to request the rapid recovery pain free knee implant....
Judy and all my "experienced" friends. Did you still feel pain and like your feet wanted to stay stuck to the ground each time you stood up at 8 weeks post op? When I get moving (I can make myself move but it takes real effort ) the first 5 or 6 steps are doozies. Ice, elivation and Tylenol + Celebrex don't seem to impact this at all.
Reality is coming at me like a train. I've got two more weeks till I'm back to work, got any ideas for coping? I've got a backpack and I'll take the walker but there is no way I'll be able to elevate my legs. Any useful of helpful hints for making it at work w knees that seem just as useless as the old ones were? Sitting is tolerable but standing up is a (4 letter word) and my walking speed is glacial. I feel embarrassed to be going back to work in worse shape than when I left.
ChrisO
It looks like I forgot to request the rapid recovery pain free knee implant....
Judy and all my "experienced" friends. Did you still feel pain and like your feet wanted to stay stuck to the ground each time you stood up at 8 weeks post op? When I get moving (I can make myself move but it takes real effort ) the first 5 or 6 steps are doozies. Ice, elivation and Tylenol + Celebrex don't seem to impact this at all.
Reality is coming at me like a train. I've got two more weeks till I'm back to work, got any ideas for coping? I've got a backpack and I'll take the walker but there is no way I'll be able to elevate my legs. Any useful of helpful hints for making it at work w knees that seem just as useless as the old ones were? Sitting is tolerable but standing up is a (4 letter word) and my walking speed is glacial. I feel embarrassed to be going back to work in worse shape than when I left.
ChrisO
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