TKR Thank Goodness I Only have Two Knees!

[mendogal]

Yes. Stiff and sore can persist many months. My over year old knee, fully functional in terms of what I expect it to do, still is intermittently stiff.

 

[Susie-Q]

Interestingly, a coworker knows someone getting Bilateral TKR - and the person was telling my coworker that she expects to be back at work in the office in 2 weeks.

Well, you know just where to send her if she needs help and support! Bonesmart!!

Seriously, 2 weeks???? There is a rude awakening coming!

 

[Layla]

Hello selketine,
I hope your first full week back to the office went well.
Happy Three Month Anniversary! Wishing you have a lovely Spring 2024!
@selketine

 

[Susie-Q]

Yes, let us know how it went!

 

[selketine]

Hello selketine,
I hope your first full week back to the office went well.
Happy Three Month Anniversary! Wishing you have a lovely Spring 2024!
@selketine

Yes, let us know how it went!

Hi Layla and Susie! Thanks so much for asking! Everything went very well - hard to believe I'm 3 months out already! My knee bend is better than my non-surgical knee -and at least as good as it was before surgery if not better. I'm still using the cane but I can walk around without it - especially indoors. My appointment with the surgeon went well and once I get another dental clearance they will schedule me for my left TKR. I need to have a crown put on that bothersome tooth that needed the root canal before the last surgery. I expect all that to be done by the end of April. He said he would fit me in if he gets a cancelation so I'm guessing that my next surgery may happen like the last one and I get a call from him to see if I want to take a slot when someone drops out.

I noticed a knot on the back of my surgical leg on the calf tonight. It's got a bit of purple so maybe I bumped into something but it's got a nice little knot there. I can squeeze the back of my calf and it isn't especially sore, doesn't hurt to walk. .....

**edited to say I gave it a good look over this morning and my leg is a normal color - not red there or hot and there's slight bruising purple around it so I think I just bumped it and don't remember. If it changes or gets painful I'll go in.

Hard to believe I may be back in here sooner than later with knee #2!

 

[sistersinhim]

I hope you are feeling better today. Many of us have bad reactions from different antibiotics. Be sure to remember that one that made you sick.

I think the knot is OK unless it starts to grow or gets painful. I bet you did bump it somehow.

 

[Layla]

You're doing great! It IS hard to believe you are three months post op already.
Thankfully you're getting those pesky dental issue addressed so you're free to move forward when you're ready.
Hopefully the knot disappears soon. I have every confidence you're monitoring it closely.

Let us know when you get, Lefty, scheduled and we will update your signature and cheer you on once again.
Thanks for the update. I hope you have a great week, selketine!
@selketine

 

[Susie-Q]

Glad your first week back at work went well. It IS hard to believe it's been 3 months already!

I see bruises on myself occasionally too and wonder how I got them, I don't remember! Hopefully that one will just heal fast and go away.

 

[selketine]

Coming up on 4 months tomorrow! I just got back from visiting my son who works at Disney World in Orlando. I used an ECV and took it easy but I was able to ride a few of my favorites without issue. My knee bend is great - IMHO - no idea what the number is - but it's better than old lefty that still needs to be replaced. I could barely walk after getting back for a day or so because of the left knee.

Speaking of that...I've turned in all my paperwork and did the tests and I'm cleared for surgery for the other knee. My surgeon said he'd call me if he gets an opening because someone drops out - so I guess it could happen at any time. Kinda hard to plan anything for the summer but I'm making sure I can cancel any plans! Hope everyone is doing well!

 

[benne68]

My knee bend is great - IMHO - no idea what the number is - but it's better than old lefty that still needs to be replaced.

I remember that feeling when we went on vacation after my first TKR. Wonderful, isn't it, to know that the knee really does get better!

Hope you receive a date for lefty soon. Keep us posted.

 

[Layla]

Happy Four Month Anniversary!
I hope surgery is scheduled soon so you’re able to get on with life, minus the pain! Best wishes and know that we’ll be here for you, selketine!
@selketine

 

[selketine]

I got a date for knee #2 (left knee) - September 11, 2024. It's 3 months away but at least it will still be warm out. I wouldn't bet a lot of money that will be the date since they still plan to call me if they get an opening because someone has to cancel. I'm happy to at least get on the schedule so it won't be any later than September - wish Kaiser would have let me get cleared for surgery earlier but I'll take what I can get at this point!

I'm coming up on my 5 month anniversary of the right TKR and it's going well. That leg is still weak and my left knee is worse so it's hard to build strength on the one side without aggravating the other - plus I'm working full time - but it's getting there. Bend is great - better than the left!

 

[mendogal]

Glad you have a date written in!

Yes, I had the same issue, while it was functional, building strength on my first knee was hampered by my need for the second knee!

However at 4.5 months my first knee held up beautifully when it became my main support after the second knee was done.

 

[benne68]

Good news, @selketine! I had my first knee done in September and the temps were still warm enough that I didn't mind icing all day!

You are now officially a pro at TKR recovery so know what to do. Just remember: every knee is different, even two knees in the same person. I found my second was a bit easier because I knew what to expect and wasn't as worried about all the zingers and pangs.

Keep us posted.

 

[Layla]

Great news you have a date, even though it may get moved up, the ball is rolling!
Happy Five Month Anniversary, a couple days early. Have a lovely weekend, selketine!
@selketine

 

[selketine]

I'm about at the end of my rope with my left knee (the one needing surgery) because it is so painful. I've gone from being able to take walks and go to the store, etc. to pretty much being homebound other than dragging myself to work (office job).

My old problem of sciatica pain on the left side also came back this past week - maybe that's making my left knee worse as well?

My sleep has gotten horrible - no idea why and it's not from knee pain at night. My surgery is 1 month from today I hope!

Would you just keep taking a half or whole pill up until I have to go off everything before surgery? I think asking my primary doctor for any other type of sleep med will take forever but I could try that. Melatonin doesn't seem to work - at least at 3mg and I don't know about upping it. I could try other things like Valerian root but it's killer trying things and then they don't work - I've read it can take a couple of weeks for that to kick in.

I have no gas left in the tank and if I can't sleep- along with the terrible pain from the left knee - I am just miserable trying to get up and go to work. I really wish I could've had this other knee done back in May when I still felt good.

 

[mendogal]

I'm so sorry!!!!
I suspect it's likely that your markedly worsening L knee is throwing your structure out of whack, leading to sciatic pain.

You don't say what specific med you're asking for advice on. I assume it's a prescription sleep med. If so, using nightly and then abruptly stopping is definitely not a good idea.

Personally the first good night of sleep I got after my second knee replacement was a combo:
A sleep tea blend including valerian (any time I needed it it worked right away; it's considered very safe up to four weeks so I can't imagine it not taking effect promptly)
Plus
3 mg sustained release melatonin
Then
Resting quietly in dim light/no electronic devices - this is a must in order to activate the melstonin

 

[selketine]

You don't say what specific med you're asking for advice on. I assume it's a prescription sleep med. If so, using nightly and then abruptly stopping is definitely not a good idea.

Oh duh @mendogal I totally didn't make any sense did I? - it's not a prescription med it is Tylenol PM. It works very well for me to take 1 tablet at bedtime. I'm tempted just to keep doing that up until I have to stop it before my surgery. The bottle says I can take 2 but 1 works. I'm going to experiment with a half. The "sleep" med in it is like an antihistamine. I have generally been taking 1 Tylenol and 1 Advil before bed so I replaced the Tylenol with this. I only started taking it regularly about 2 weeks ago because my sleep got so bad.

I was reading about valerian root because I went and looked at one of your posts about what worked for you. I guess I read somewhere that it may take 3 weeks to work (!) so I figured it had to build up in your system. But you're right - if it's safe to take for 4 weeks then it wouldn't make sense it to have a long build up and it wouldn't be worth it. I have a couple of days off this week to make a long weekend so I might try the valerian root and see if it works.

I actually didn't sleep at all one night last week - I've never had that happen before. I didn't even sleep all that well the next night. I wouldn't care so much except I work full time and I'm barely functional anyway haha!

 

[mendogal]

Tylenol PM does use a low dose of the OTC antihistamine diphenhydramine that causes drowsiness.
In my own personal experience, I need 50 mg of diphenhydramine and it loses effectiveness if taken nightly - but I suspect I'm an outlier as many people swear by Tylenol PM!

 

[selketine]

Yesterday I had my pre-op appointment and met with the surgeon for my surgery on Sept. 11th. Went well I guess. They repeated lab work and my potassium was literally .2 over the normal limit so they are asking me to repeat it next week. Not sure if that's a deal breaker for surgery if it doesn't come down?

I'm also having some issues with a tooth - this happened before my last surgery and I had a root canal just before it. The dentist didn't see anything on the x-ray but referred me to the endodontist - I go there Wednesday (1 week before surgery). The surgeon seemed way more concerned about the possible problem with this tooth - I think because (he said) he still had time to slot in someone else and make me wait. I'm like...c'mon man! He said he can't afford any cancellations. It's stuff like that which makes people not want to tell their doctor stuff I guess. I am being overly proactive I think...just in case. The dentist couldn't find a problem and is only going by what I told him that it is sensitive to heat but not cold and not when I eat (as long as it isn't hot food!). It's not infected and looked fine on the x-ray.

Wasn't sure where to post this. My January knee is all good as far as I can tell - I sure cannot walk much at this point and it is carrying the load when I do!