TKR Still Riding the TKR Wave

Hi Everyone,
I am nearly six weeks out from surgery. When is it time to start dropping some medication? I am sleeping okay, I wouldn't say I am fantastically comfortable I did drop one of my SR pain tablets during the day and I am doing ok with that.
Advice please?
thanks from Deb :)
 
"Not fantastically comfortable" is not good enough. I was taking my pain meds to the hilt for 3 full months. I started missing out doses when I found I'd forgotten to take my midday dose or my 4pm dose. I'd perhaps just leave it till I was aware I needed it and then resent the schedule. So if I missed the 4pm dose and ended up taking it as 7pm instead, next dose would be due at 11pm instead of 8pm and so on. Small adjustments here and there. But 6 weeks is no time start that.
 
Thanks Josephine, I will happily keep taking my meds. I didn't feel as if I wanted to stop yet, just a few words here and there by the GP I see put a few seeds of doubt into my mind.
Thanks for the wonderful service you give here.
Regards Deb
 
Hi :)
I saw my OS yesterday. He was well pleased with my knee. I'm at 90 bend but I've just started to be able to go right around with the bike. He noticed my leg is still swollen but said it's quite normal. He said I will continue to get more bend if I keep up the physio and bike. He agreed that I will need to continue with my painkillers for some time. I am also to continue with my crutches until I feel confident.
The best thing is I don't have to wear my teds anymore. ;)
Feeling good but a way to go yet!
I have another appt in 3 months where I will have my knee xrayed.
Cheers
Deb
 
He said I will continue to get more bend if I keep up the physio and bike.
He's right of course but he doesn't mean you to go mad with the physio! Nice and easy does it, yes?
 
Yay for getting rid of the teds! I did not like them at all. Great update with your OS. Listen to Josephine. Her advice is right on.
 
Thanks Josephine and Jozilla,
One important thing I forgot to mention. My tkr knee gives way. It's only happened 3 times and always in the evening. The physio and dr said its because I'm tired and I'm not holding my knee braced with my thigh muscles. Is this a common thing???
Thank you for your continued help it is really appreciated.
Regards,
Deb
 
Ps - yes I will not overdo my physio Josephine. Thanks, I will listen to my knee, easy does it ;)
 
My tkr knee gives way. It's only happened 3 times and always in the evening. The physio and dr said its because I'm tired and I'm not holding my knee braced with my thigh muscles. Is this a common thing???
Very common but most people don't tend to worry about it. I suggest you don't either. Over time your muscles with regain their strength and tone.
 
Thank you for the reply Josephine, you are honestly a godsend to me at this pretty tricky time.

Thank you from Deb
 
I had that with my first knee too. I was concerned but sure enough it went away as I regained my leg strength. (And as Josephine said not by "going mad" with PT :) )
 
Hi guys :) hope everyone is doing well today! I have noticed my new knee popping and cracking. No pain though!
Is this normal?
Also my knew knee wakes me up at night when I have to move it from bent to straight. How long until I can sleep on my side comfortably?

Thanks everyone
 
snap, crackle, and pop.jpg
@happymum, the popping and cracking are perfectly normal. As you knee heals and the muscles, tendons, and ligaments strengthen and tighten, all that noise will go away. With my knees, in the beginning I could hear the popping, but after a while I realized that I felt it more than heard it. Eventually it just went away.

Being able to sleep comfortably on your side is a very individual thing. You just have to keep trying it out until you find you can do it. It's "normal" for the leg to stiffen during sleep and be a bit painful to shift to another position. Probably will go on at least another couple of months.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.
 
Thanks for the info Bottomshollow. Very comforting to hear all is normal. You guys do a great job. Thanks so much.
Cheers from Deb
 
Good evening everyone!
Happymums not that happy tonight :(
I'm 7 weeks out and my ROM is only 95. I left hospital at 65 and that was four weeks ago! I'm doing my exercises
As much as I can.
I hope my knee gets more bend.
Enough about me, sending wishes that everyone at B S has a good recovery day today.
Cheers from Deb
 
@happymum my ROM is only 80 and I am 5 weeks out, honestly if your knee is swollen it just won't bend you can only do so much and I really need to heed my own advice as I did to much yesterday and my knee is swollen and aching good luck with your recovery
 
@happymum
Hi Deb,
I am exactly 5 weeks post-op LTKR and yesterday at PT measured at 90% and -15extension.
The PT told me that sometimes it can be slower with some post TKRs and not to compare myself with others.

What and when will be, will be,...

Take care,
Cathie :flwrysmile:
 
Hi @vallee and @marmora thank you for the comforting words. Yes I know that everyone's different etc
And we need to be patient it's just very frustrating!! As I get further away in weeks I find myself expecting more ;)
It certainly is a big op and a slow road!
Thank you both
 
Yes it can be frustrating. Sometimes you seem to stall for a while and then make gains.
 
I have Sjogrens , but also have osteoarthritis. I think I may have RA, but it hasn't shown up on blood work. Both of my knees were also deformed. The knee I had replaced is now straight. My other knee is not. My bend is actually really good, I can bend it like I did before surgery.

It's the swelling and pain that I have since I had the surgery a little over 2 years ago. I also have a lot of swelling on my inner thigh, it bulges out in the middle of my inner thigh down to my knee and I get a lot of pain there along with pain on the inside of my knee, the outside and back side. The back of my knee also swells. The dr. wasn't sure if the swelling of my thigh was coming from my knee or I was maybe having some tendon problems. He said this about a year ago on my last visit with him. I have another app. with him next Thursday and had another x-ray taken, not sure if he saw something new on x-ray or not.
 

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