Bilateral TKR SusieShoes' New Knees

SusieShoes

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I'm setting up a recovery thread. This is in part because I'm optimistic, and mostly because I hope my journey might inform and help others the way so many other recovery threads have helped me.

My surgery is Wednesday, May 10 at 7 a.m. Bright and early!

My journey to this point has been conventional. My knees are (were?) ordinary, older joints damaged by osteoarthritis and a sorry family history of bad knees. I'm overweight and have never been accused of overdoing exercise. My primary goal for this surgery is to get rid of my arthritis pain and regain the ability to walk around the block or through an airport without wishing someone would just shoot me already. I expect mine will be an ordinary journey to recovery. Crossing my fingers about that.

Until tomorrow, I'm going to cook up some chili (leftovers for Mr. Shoes) and enjoy some television while I can still follow a plot line. Thanks for any good wishes!
 
All the best tomorrow! See you on this side soon.

Here are your recovery articles - a bit of reading in case you can't sleep tonight.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary

2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this Activity progression for TKRs

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Best wishes for a speedy recovery!


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I had my bilateral knee replacements nine weeks ago. I am now starting to feel rather "normal". A new feeling to have pain free knees and be able to walk around the mall as much as I want to. I do have to build up my stamina but I do feel finally I am out of the dark! Good luck to you tomorrow and just rest all you can and don't try to hurry things. All good things come to those who wait!
 
Out of recovery and in my room. Still have two legs and the feet work, so everything is okay.

auploads.tapatalk_cdn.com_20170510_5844a8bede9b8966714c342e81ff821d.jpg



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Good luck! Please take it easy and follow the BS mantras! First week is tough but it gradually gets better. Take care!


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Welcome to the recovery side! Rest and take your meds.


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Day 0: New Knees

I'm a convert to the upsides of spinal anesthesia. It was disconcerting to not be able to move my legs upon waking up. It felt like I had pillows under my knees but there were none. When my thighs woke up first and I tried (successfully) to move them, my neighbor in recovery began a running announcement of my efforts. "She's wiggling her legs!" The entire recovery room was privy to my every move. "She's bending her knees!"

So yes, I tested the new knees right after surgery and they work very well!

Forward a few hours and the new knees are stiffer and bend less. The PT guy got me out of bed and onto a walker, then into a chair. Lots of pain, but bearable. Knees feel completely stable and trustworthy.

Nurses are great about pain control and icing. Knees get angry when called upon to move (also got up to use commode), but they settle down a lot once I am back in chair or bed.

Hoping for a restful night. Hospitals are bad for those.


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I actually slept well in the hospital bed until I woke up early to use the restroom, then it was all over. The nurses figured they get my vitals etc out of the way, so, I was up until my next nap.

Hope you have a good night! :sleep:
 
I'm on day 8 post of RTKR. Glad your surgery went well, and you are on the road to recovery. It will be slow, and when the pain blocks wear off be prepared for increased pain for several hours. That can be a shocker if you are not expecting it. Just give yourself time. Wishing you the best!


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Congratulations on a successful surgery. Remember the guidelines, live by them. I hope you have good pain management and get some rest! Keep us posted on your journey.
 
It will be slow, and when the pain blocks wear off be prepared for increased pain for several hours.
If you find your pain increases, ring the bell and ask for more pain relief medications.
 
Glad your surgery is over and that you are now on the road to recovery! So they got you out of bed on the same day as your surgery! Wow! I hope you had a good night's sleep and woke up refreshed. In exactly two weeks, I'll be out of surgery too! Can't wait!
 
Day 1: My First 24 Hours with New Knees

Well, the knees are swollen and stiff as expected. The spinal wore off, which kicked the pain up a notch, but the nurse gave me an early dose of oxy, which brought things back under control. Since then I haven't had to ask for early doses. The med schedule works: oxy, Tylenol, and something for the swelling. I'm not pain-free, just okay with 2 or 3 on my personal pain scale.

Just saw my OS and he's pleased with my progress. "Doesn't take much to impress you, doc." All I can do is stand up and take a few steps to the commode. Today I graduate to the bathroom, which is twice as far. Very good report, so I'm feeling good about that.

Slept in fits and starts during the night. Woke up for pain pills and to request ice. Lots of ice!

Today I will be walking a bit. That should be fun. Funny how OS got a little twinkle in his eye when he told me that. All progress is good!


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Just keep ahead of the pain because it's a bear if you get behind and have to play catch up.
 
Day 1: Physical Therapy

PT this afternoon was a trip. I kept getting yanked out of class for administrative stuff like assessment by the rehab doctor. The PT session though was very informative.

The PT stressed the importance of elevating and icing. The nurses in this hospital don't elevate, though they do ice. "The legs must be straight." Which is bogus, if legs are elevated properly. There's no winning that argument, however, so I look forward to going home.

I learned how to get into and out of a car. This is valuable because I'm getting booted in the morning, though I don't yet know if to rehab or home.

I'm walking in the hall and using the toilet very competently. My new knees hurt maybe at 8 or 9 upon standing and while walking, but calm down to a 2 when in bed or a recliner. I'm walking heel to toe, just not elegantly. My knees feel like "my" knees already. Very stable.

Time now to get a new IV. I don't know why they put them in the hand when I also need to use that hand to prop and push my body all the time. In any event, I blew out this one and need a new one for my Toradol.

Looking forward to a few hours of sleep.


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Let us know if you're going home or rehab. At least they're good about icing, that's not always the case. It's too bad your IV blew the night before you leave.
 
The nurses at my surgery center did the worst "elevating". They just put a rolled up sheet under my ankle, so it was an uncomfortable extension exercise and not at all an elevation. Lucky I got out of there a few hrs later.
 

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