Revision TKR Third times the charm- hopefully

[Irish471]

@jboles, I hope nothing is wrong with the left knee. Maybe try the ice machine on that knee, too, and see if it calms down

It feels good to finally hit that 4 week milestone, doesn't it? We both had the same surgery date and we both but a low point around the same time too. I guess it's just per for the course. Does your physical therapist use those electrical stimulated pads on your quad? I think it helps a lot, both for strength and to reduce swelling.

I, too, want to try driving. If all things, my teenage son told me he thinks I should wait. Lol! Role reversal going on. He's very smart and protective of me

Sending you lots of good vibes and hope today brings good things your way

 

[jboles]

@sistersinhim I’m praying that it’s just complaining. It looks a little swollen, almost feels like I’ve twisted it or pulled it. The only thing that I can possibly think that I’ve done, other than asking it to take on a considerable load, is I had to use a toilet that was lower than the one I’m used to. We had tornado warnings Sunday night, so we slept in the bedroom in the basement and the toilet in the basement is not a handicapped one.

 

[jboles]

@Irish471 woo-hoo!! 4 weeks!! Weeks 3-4 seems to be the lowest for me. I looked back on my thread and it’s been that way in each recovery. I think this baby knee hits the pre-teen knee phase about this time. Not quite old enough to do “big-knee” stuff, but not a baby still, so it gets pouty!

I’ve iced my left knee today every time I’ve iced the right. Hopefully that will help.

On a brighter note, I got brave and drove up and down my driveway yesterday. It went fine, so I told my husband that I was going to PT by myself this morning. He stood in the driveway and watched me pull away, you would have thought I was his teenager leaving. It wasn’t on a motorcycle but it is a convertible!!! How sweet that your son is concerned about you, they surprise us sometimes don’t they?

 

[Jockette]

It went fine, so I told my husband that I was going to PT by myself this morning. He stood in the driveway and watched me pull away, you would have thought I was his teenager leaving.

My husband would have done the same thing!

Not quite old enough to do “big-knee” stuff, but not a baby still, so it gets pouty!

I love this description!

 

[Jockette]

I had to use a toilet that was lower than the one I’m used to.

That’s what caused me a major set back, at 4 months post op! We were visiting friends for the weekend. One would have thought I could handle that at 4 months. I could not. It took a month to start improving again. It’s what led me to buy the portable raised seat.

 

[jboles]

@Jockette which seat did you buy? I’ve been looking at some on Amazon. I can’t take any Advil or ibuprofen because I’m still taking Xarelto. It feels like it’s inflamed, like I’ve pulled something. I guess ice will have to do. I may try heat and ice to see if that will help.

 

[Jockette]

I got this one:

AquaSense Portable Raised Toilet Seat, white, 4”

I don’t think the Amazon link will show here. Just go to Amazon and do a search for it. It’s currently $16.99

Best purchase of my recovery!

 

[sistersinhim]

We had tornado warnings Sunday night, so we slept in the bedroom in the basement and the toilet in the basement is not a handicapped one.

I bet you that's what upset your knee. Low toilets are rough. We had those tornado warnings Sunday night, too. Being a NWS weather spotter, I was up from 1:45am to 4:00am keeping watch. We had some bad hail and one of the wind gusts blew my gas grill over on its side. Scary mess. It sounds like Friday going to be just as bad, if not worse. Let's pray the storms away!

On a brighter note, I got brave and drove up and down my driveway yesterday. It went fine, so I told my husband that I was going to PT by myself this morning. He stood in the driveway and watched me pull away,

Ah, freedom! Driving with a rtkr at 4 weeks is amazing! You are doing great!

 

[jboles]

@sistersinhim I hope it was the low toilet. Those were some nasty storms to blow over your gas grill. Let’s pray that the ones predicted for Friday aren’t as severe as the weather people are talking about, or at least not in the middle of the night.

Driving is a little uncomfortable, but it’s doable. I went to my daughters office and did a little bit of work this morning. I was really tired by lunch. Came home, put my feet up with an ice pack for an hour or so.

 

[sistersinhim]

Even going to work at 4 weeks is amazing. I wasn't driving until my 7th week out. OS said I could at my 6th week, but I wasn't secure enough to go it alone. I got a friend to ride me with the first time incase I couldn't do the whole thing, but I did. Then it was freedom again!

 

[jboles]

Happy Easter everyone. My first time back at church today. My granddaughters confirmation was today, so I wanted to be there. Then lunch at my daughters house. I just got home , been gone since 10:00 this morning. Needless to say I’m pooped!! Leg elevated and iced. I’m trying to ration my pain medicine and have just been taking a pill at night. As I’m getting more active I’ve noticed new sensations in my leg. It’s not so much pain in my knee, but it’s a stinging, burning sensation that goes from my thigh to my foot. I can’t hardly stand clothes to touch my leg and it’s hard to keep my leg still. I feel like I constantly need to move my leg. This is a new feeling for me. Is this just another form or pain or nerves??

 

[jboles]

5 weeks today. Right knee is coming along, albeit slowly. Walking correctly is a slow process. So much to think about. Stand tall, make sure hips are lined up, heel to toe, proper stride length.... Geez, who knew we were so smart as a toddler when we learned to walk I have some aches and pain. Usually Tylenol during the day and ice is sufficient however I still take an oxy at night. I’ll occasionally take a half an oxy during the day. My left almost 2 year old knee started hurting last week. I iced and really tired to watch it last week and by Saturday it was 90% better. Well I guess church was too much for it yesterday. I never realized how many times we stood up during the service. The pews are close together and church was packed so my left leg got a workout doing most of the “heavy lifting “and it told me about it too!

 

[jboles]

@Josephine here’s a couple pictures of my left knee. I’m pushing slightly where the swelling is.
Can you give me any insight as to what this might be??

 

[Josephine]

That's swelling and joint effusion.

I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?

 

[jboles]

@Josephine ask away, I would appreciate any help you might can offer me

 

[Irish471]

@jboles, wow, you had a busy Easter! And your poor left knee looks awfully mad at you, too!!! Keep icing! I hope it settles down. Maybe try an ace wrap or something to see if compression might help?

I have that same stinging, burning sensation on the medial side and super sensitive, as well. Bad enough to take a pain med at night. I was thinking it could be from nerves, too. I will be interested to hear what Josephine thinks about it. When is your next check up? Mine is one May 1. I need to stop writing down my list of questions. I tend to have a lot

 

[jboles]

@Irish471 my appointment is on May 1st too. I’m going to have a ton of questions also. Probably more about my left knee than the right. Poor left knee is tired of not getting enough attention and has decided to throw a temper tantrum! It actually got much better last week and by the weekend it wasn’t painful at all, just a little bit of swelling, then my granddaughter was here Saturday and church on Sunday just was more than it could take. Feels a little better this morning.
That burning stinging feeling is not fun. It’s some sort of pain, Tylenol doesn’t make it go away but a pain pill and ice will get rid of it. My husband gets mad because I won’t take pain pills during the day, just Tylenol, but I’m trying to make sure I have some to take at night so I can get some sleep. I’m not one to wish my life away, but I’ll be glad when a few more weeks have passed.

 

[Irish471]

@jboles , I hear ya! Wish I could fast forward, too. And I do the same thing with the pain meds. I only reserve them for use at night or when I really need them. I am always afraid they won’t refill the prescription. It’s probably an unrealistic fear being that we’re just at 5 weeks. Hope your left knee is still behaving

 

[Josephine]

Here y'go then!

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how swollen is your leg compared to these?

4. what is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

5. are you icing your knee at all? If so, how often and for how long?

6. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

8. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

 

[jboles]

@Josephine

1- actual knee pain 2 aching in calf and thigh add 2 more - so probably a 4. It’s usually just stiff in the morning, gets more pain in the evening. Left knee usually no pain- but last 2 weeks it feels tight and I’d say pain of a 1

2- 5 mg oxycodone 1 - 2 every 4-6 hours
I’m only taking 1 before bed and I take 2 500
mg Tylenol every 6 hours during the day.
Usually 3 doses of Tylenol in a day.

3- between slight to moderate- probably closer to slight.
Left knee has 2 swollen pockets- mostly medial side, beside the patella- just happened last 2 weeks

4- it hasn’t been measured in 2 weeks but 2 weeks ago it was 110/0 right knee
My left knee was 125/0 last time it was measured

5- probably 3 times during the day. Elevated at same time for at least an hour. Use ice machine all night with legs elevated.
Last 2 weeks I’ve been icing and elevating left knee too

6- elevate whenever I ice, sometimes even when not icing. Except when I go to my daughters office for a half day twice a week. Then I usually only get to elevate 2 times a day. I’ve only done this 2 days so far.

7- most of the cooking- just simple meals though
Husband usually cleans up after if I cook. Sometimes I load dishwasher and he will unload it.
Wash clothes, make bed, put away groceries, I went to grocery store one time, that was too much though. Haven’t vacuumed yet- worried about balance

8- try to walk outside each day for about 10 minutes
Inside walk for 10 minutes
Quad sets 10 x 2-3 times a day
Glute squeezes- not sure if that’s correct name
10x - 2-3 times a day
Not really much more than that

Go to PT 2 times a week- 1 hour session
10 minutes on Nu-step level 1
Straight leg raise- 2 sets x10
Heel slides -laying down and sitting-2 sets x 10
Laying down with wedge under knees-lift knee- 2 different sizes of wedges- 2 sets x 10
Sitting- straight leg raises -2 sets x 10
After exercises- 2 laps walking track to work on gait