TKR Something isn’t right..

[sistersinhim]

Good luck!

 

[dotski]

My OS is going to phone me today. I told receptionist about concerns (bleeding, med reaction) so she booked me a phone appt. I really don’t want to have to go back to ED :(. It was a pretty awful experience mostly.

But it seems I am bleeding in my leg still

 

[mendogal]

I have a seemingly off the wall question for you... but quick and easy to answer: do you eat foods with vitamin C (citrus, tomato products, etc) or take a supplement with vitamin C? Decades ago a friend had severe odd bruising and I asked her... it turned out she never ate those foods and did indeed have a severe vitamin C deficiency.

 

[Mutti3]

@dotski
Has the OS contacted you for the consultation regarding medication and bruising?

 

[dotski]

I have a seemingly off the wall question for you... but quick and easy to answer: do you eat foods with vitamin C (citrus, tomato products, etc) or take a supplement with vitamin C? Decades ago a friend had severe odd bruising and I asked her... it turned out she never ate those foods and did indeed have a severe vitamin C deficiency.

Not an odd question at all! This bruising isn’t normal for me. I actually take a vitamin c supplement to help me absorb my iron supplement. And normally eat a lot of fresh fruit, berries, etc.

 

[dotski]

@dotski
Has the OS contacted you for the consultation regarding medication and bruising?

Yes and he wants to see me in his next clinic in a couple of days. He suggested tramadol before I could even ask, and my husband has just picked up the prescription (along with some docolax suppository-ugh- as the stool softener med wasn’t enough).
I’m scared the tramadol will do the same thing. I hate the feeling of mild numbness/swelling in my face. I also wonder if the Zoffran could cause this side effect too. My heartrate is about 20 beats above normal for me…but maybe that’s the bowels talking too?
I’ve organized a wheelchair with elevating legrest for my appointments. It’s agony to bend it or let it hang.
Yuck yuck yuck. Thank you for letting me vent here and listening!

 

[mendogal]

We're here for ya!!!!

 

[dotski]

Well, I ended up in emerg again after passing out and having a high heartrate for days. Had a concerning sign on ecg so they ordered a chest ct to rule out a lung blood clot. Still waiting for results and in lots of pain.

 

[Mutti3]

@dotski
Please update us on your emergency situation. Very concern, and sincerely care.

 

[Jockette]

I’m so sorry you're going through so much.

 

[Layla]

I'm very sorry to read your update. This can't be easy for you. Lifting a prayer for the best possible outcome and reminding you that we are always here here to listen. I hope you hear some encouraging news soon.
Best Wishes, dotski.
@dotski

 

[mendogal]

Hang in there. Hoping you get some good answers.

 

[dotski]

Thank you everyone for checking. Liver enzymes are elevated but lungs are OK. I’m kind of wondering if this is all just my body saying no to any drugs. I didn’t exceed any recommended doses. But preoperatively I didn’t take anything because NSAIDs irritated my gut too much and Tylenol didn’t do anything for arthritis. Tried the Voltaren gel’s extra strength and they didn’t do anything either. Anyway hoping for some answers soon. Thanks

 

[dotski]

For those of you who had a rough first week when did the pain finally turn around? I’d really like to get off the tramadol because it makes me ill also

 

[Jaycey]

@dotski Tylenol really does nothing pre-op. But it can be very effective for post op pain. Try it again - many of our member use it for post op pain.

 

[dotski]

@dotski Tylenol really does nothing pre-op. But it can be very effective for post op pain. Try it again - many of our member use it for post op pain.

Thank you but I’m afraid with my liver enzymes elevated I am no longer allowed to take Tylenol. I might just have to take the risk of GI irritation (I have colitis in remission) and do NSAIDs for a while.

 

[mendogal]

It may be prudent to check with your primary care or GI doc about if you might benefit from using an acid reducing med along with NSAID.

Some of us use opiate type prescription meds for a few weeks, along with OTC meds, slowly tapering off as we can.

 

[dotski]

Thanks everyone. POD8. Home again yesterday from emergency visit and just have to recheck the liver enzymes soon (ugh a trip out to a lab). No more Tylenol for me. But I also just read that the liver is stressed breaking down all the blood byproduct too (from blood loss into tissues, healing bruises) and surgery alone can elevate liver enzymes. None of the docs mentioned that.

Best sleep last night since surgery - exactly what needed. Thanks to gravol and Flexorol (muscle relaxant). Heart rate hasn’t come down a lot yet. Knee pain just barely manageable. Trying to ice and elevate as much as possible. I hate how drunk I feel on tramadol/gravol/flexorol but sleep is essential right now.

Did others find that increased elevation increased pain? I have it up a wall (in bed headboard) reasonably straight at about a 50-60 degree angle on pillows and wonder if it’s just the downward pressure of fluid making me hurt more. Putting it back down on 1 pillow with knee a bit higher than hip bit foot level with knee was a lot more comfortable. I’m well versed on positioning to reduce swelling, as I’m often positioning patient limbs at work to get swelling down and measure/fit for compression garments (I wear compression myself and swear by it for vein/lymphatic vessel health and believe just about everyone can benefit at some point from it’s help in aiding circulatory return).

Also wondering what others’ OS’s had to say about using NSAIDs like Aleve/ibuprofen, etc.? They can impair natural healing process (some inflammation is needed). But at the same time need that inflammation to subside so pain can get better and swelling down! I think the 2 times I have tried Aleve (naproxen) have helped a bit with swelling. More drug ugh!

Sorry for long wordy post and thank you to anyone who has read this far!

 

[Jockette]

Did others find that increased elevation increased pain?

I did, in the first couple of weeks, but as I healed, elevation felt better.

I have it up a wall (in bed headboard)

I never elevated like that. I used the foam wedge my hospital sent home with me, which allowed for a slight bend in my knee. In the early weeks I’d use the wedge for a while, then move my leg onto the bed, repeat. When I was sitting in the living room I only had my leg on an ottoman. All this worked for me.

 

[dotski]

Thanks, @Jockette good to know. I’m tempted to order one of those leg positioners because my left knee also isn’t far behind and I’m sure it will be useful for a long time. I’m 5’5” tall. Anyone around my size have one and can comment on the fit/size to get? (I need to check out the link and see if I can get one shipped to my home)

I hope I’m still in the window to prevent tissue shortening at POD8. I know the philosophy here is go slow to go fast so I’m trying hard to keep ROM to gentle. I’ve hired private PT (whom I trust and know already) to see me at home today to get going on a foot peddler. As much as I don’t want to obsess over ROM, it is very important to me to help get back to yoga, squatting, xc skiing, etc and I need a flexible knee to get up from a fall on skis.