Become an Insider

TKR The Knees and Me - staged

I remember that feeling all too well! In my opinion, I would think that rest trumps almost everything at this point. Rest well!:sleep::wink:
 
Knee #2, Day 5

I thought I would be posting all kinds of wonderful, informative stuff that would help/encourage any following stagers. But all I can get out is I'm sooo sleeepyyy...

One thing I won't do this time is try to come off of the drugs too early. Such a waste of time and temper.

This knee doesn't have the numb spot. I think I am thankful for that.

I am surprised at how little I remember about the early weeks of recovery last time. Intellectually, I know it hurt and that I complained a lot. Perhaps it is like childbirth, that you forget. Well, this time let me state This Sucker Hurts! The leg feels like a rod of iron. It bends, but not much. It is stiff and achy. When I use the walker it is like I'm trying to push the wheels through the floor. Thank God for my ever-patient husband!

Right now I am taking Percocet every 5 hours. Maybe next week it will drop to every 6 hours. And Miralax is with me always.

Knee #1 is not thrilled at being the 'good' knee. She improved once I was out of the hospital and she didn't have to lay in the bed all day. Slowly she is realizing that she is strong, but she still crabs at me now and then.

And I know all of this will pass. Been there and done that and not too long ago. DH thinks I will be raring to go by Thanksgiving. That would be gravy. I will be happy with New Years.
 
You're right, I think: memory gets fuzzy about pain. I've often wondered how people can do the second knee, as you have done, with the memory of their first one. I think it is like childbirth! Once you have that baby, the pain, discomfort, and other assorted tribulations of being pregnant fade into the background. Good thing they do! Otherwise, families would only ever have one child--and most of us would "fix" only one cranky joint!

Sorry that your knew knee hurts. It's good that you're keeping up those pain meds! It will pass, but not without some yucky days. At least, you know you can get through them!

I'm with you on New Years, but maybe to keep DH happy, you could aim for the difference? How about Christmas/Hanukkah?
 
@Polkadot, Christmas would be nice :yes: We learned from the last one that we can't predict anything. I'm still getting used to the idea that it is my left knee that needs attention, not the right.
 
rubyyarn said:
I am surprised at how little I remember about the early weeks of recovery last time.
Click to expand...

Yes, I know what you mean! Luckily I have my posts on here to keep me honest with myself.
Sorry to hear that you're having significant pain and stiffness this time around. Sounds like it might not be the best time to think about spacing out the pain meds more.

You might not be "rarin to go" by turkey day but you'll be well on your way. As you say, this will all pass.
 
@gertie, I just reviewed some of my earlier posts. I was about 2.5 weeks out and already thinking about dumping the Percocet. I hurt, but didn't say much about it here. I was still using the walker and had just gotten to the point of going to the bathroom without waking up DH.

I won't worry about dropping the Percocet anytime soon. Knee #2 is quite happy with the current schedule :)
 
Knee #2, Day 6

PATIENTS ESCAPE CAMP KNEERAH!
located by nursing staff in local gym!
News at 6

The Percocets have settled in and the silly is strong in this one!

Anyway, Knee #2 is much happier today, a bit more flexible and a bit less achy and twitchy. Life is good.

For a while there I thought this knee was NEVER gonna bend and then I would hear it from the doc and the PT people "See, we TOLD you to work that!" Looks like the BoneSmart way is going to work once again.

Today the sun is shining, the leaves are turning, and the hummingbirds have left for the Winter. We have a fire in the grate and all is cozy and warm :) :-) (:
 
It sounds as if Knee Number Two is doing well, Ruby. Great!

So you don't have to go all the way back to the start of your thread, I'll give you another copy of the post-op reading:
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. Here is a week-by-week guide for 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.
 
Thanks for the review, @Celle! I know I went looking for them as soon as I got home from the hospital. I really had forgotten how badly a knee replacement could hurt! So this time I will take it easy without indulging in a lot of worry. I've told the doc I'm not starting PT for 3 weeks. Last time I didn't need a lot, just some massage to release some knotted muscles. I can't imagine doing any now and trying to bend a swollen knee. Before surgery my knee measured 14". Now it measures 18.5" Think I'll let it blow down a bit before doing anything silly.
 
Good idea, Ruby! There's no point in doing PT until some of the swelling has gone down.
So, concentrate on doing heaps of rest, ice and elevation.
 
Knee #2, Day 7

Woke up today feeling as low as a load of whale droppings. Things didn't improve when my phone rang, causing me to fumble my tea and then knock my water bottle across the room while trying to grab the phone. I was able to answer before the last ring, all the while vowing doom and destruction if the call were spam. It wasn't. It was actually the hospital moving my follow-up appointment back a day.

DH came in, all flustered because laminate floors don't do well with liquids. Fortunately the top of the water bottle had stayed on and the tea was quickly cleaned up. He did fuss a bit about me being clumsey. Not a great start to the day. I got on BoneSmart before the gloom could take root.

There @Polkadot absolutely nailed the whole pain problem. With drugs on board, the pain isn't at the level of screaming hysteria, but it is always there. Nag, nag, nag. Grind, grind, grind. :censored::censored::censored: It never lets up, never goes away. This is the part I had repressed from last time. At least I know this time it will end.

In spite of it all, the knee improved a bit over the course of the day. I found I could pull my heel across the goal line on the bathroom floor. So I'm headed for a new goal in Throne Slides. Bend is coming!

Took a shower today. Am still using the shower bench...in the shower this time. Much easier than showering in the tub :) :-) (: It's good to be clean, and great to be free of those elastic stockings for a while.

Crossing my fingers for some more flexibility tomorrow!
 
Knee #2, Day 8

Kneeversary! Spent the morning bookmarking this thread so I could find Big Events like getting off of Percocet. I asked DH if I was this much trouble last time and he said yes. Sooo knee business as usual.

Yesterday I was feeling pretty good until evening. Then the pain set in and wouldn't quit. DH suggested extra Percocet; I settled for a couple of Tylenol. In the middle of the night I asked myself what was different when I was feeling good?

I wasn't wearing compression stockings!

Guess what I have dumped? So far, so good :fingersx:
 
I couldn't help but chuckle when you said DH suggested an extra Percocet. I remember something very similar, I believe the words my DH used were, "if you don't take your pain medicine, then I'm going to take them, and they will knock me out". I think he might have been tired of dealing with me! :loll:
 
Those first two weeks are the pits. I was just telling my dentist that those first weeks test both body and soul. He is thinking about knee replacement and asked how bad the pain was. It's bad. Really bad. But you get through it.

Spilling the tea, knocking over water bottles... don't you just love being bed/chair/recliner bound? "I can't get up that fast!" So many little things that rob us of our competence and capability. In a few weeks, you will look back and laugh. But for now...

You won't have to deal with this stage of the new you much longer. :wink:
 
Every time I groaned or moaned a little, my DH would try to stick more pain medicine in my mouth. They just can't bear to think we're in pain!

I too had spills and tangles that I couldn't take care of. You're right, Ruby--helpless doesn't feel good! It was when I remembered that my dear mother-in-law broke her leg getting tangled in the reclining chair that I decided that whoever was on the other end of the line could leave a message. I stopped answering the phone for a while unless I had the portable receiver right next to me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

  • Layla
    Layla
    Staff member since November 20, 2017

Members online

Total: 760 (members: 1, guests: 759)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom