TKR Swelling two years post op

[Honey007]

Going to try a shower today. Feel like I am preparing for Triathlon!
I am having terrible back pain in lower back. I have arthritis there as well. Have been using heating pad, stretching but it hurts almost as bad as knees. Any suggestions?

 

[Josephine]

Honey, you can see that I have moved this post of yours into your own thread (this one) because any responses to it risks derailing the other member's thread. You can tell when a thread is yours because

1. your posts will be grey/blue and everyone else's will be white
2. you will have a bar under your name saying "Thread Starter" like this

 

[FitGal]

@Honey007 - how are you feeling?

 

[Honey007]

@FitGal ,¡
omg good and bad, then worse, then better! I stopped posting because I got notice that I am not posting to do too isn’t that right.correct area. How hard can this be,! Thank you for asking! I went to two therapy appts and they are not kidding! It took me all day to recover from Monday’s, then I had today’s and will probably spend all day tomorrow icing. I got-a low grade fever last night and finally gave up and went to bed! Tell me how you are!my dr office still has not called to check on me.
Yes tell me everything- how is your appetite? Everything tastes like sawdust and glue - can hardly eat. I’m envisioning myself as a twig now and online shopping like a maniac! I have a 16yr old at home- u do to right? Love them both, but
Find myself annoyed that every time I need help with something, I’m told to wait “ I have to go to the bathroom, or I have to brush my teeth” Meanwhile, I am have an a electric ice pack stuck to a compression stocking, caught around a heating pad cord that I can’t quite reach....

 

[FitGal]

@Honey007 - I am with you on all!!! Ups and downs with pain, swelling, moods by the hour My doc hasn't called to follow-up either. Not sure why. I haven't seen a physical therapist yet either....really okay about that. I will start next week Thursday and by all accounts am very afraid!

I am using crutches and the walker, but haven't tried to do any solo stepping. I feel I am getting stronger, but ROM is terrible due to the swelling - with flexion and extension. I may start to just massage a little while I am in the recliner.

My temp has been all over the place since surgery (97-100.5) but I think it has to do with pain and swelling???... not sure.

I am eating ok - but for some reason just can't get enough ice water/ice tea. Unfortunately, this makes me get up every 30 minutes (could be a good thing, I guess). Overall, my taste buds have not returned, but that has not hampered my eating.

My husband and 16yo are getting a little better, but totally empathize with you on all!

 

[sistersinhim]

I am eating ok - but for some reason just can't get enough ice water/ice tea. Unfortunately, this makes me get up every 30 minutes (could be a good thing, I guess).

You are doing PT just by doing that, so you're ahead of the game!

@Honey007, when my appetite was horrible I could only get protein drinks down. Try to eat or drink high protein foods. Protein stays in your stomach longer to help with the pain meds side effects and aids in healing.

 

[Honey007]

FitGail - Yes, moods all over the place. Only thing getting me up was the thought of Blueberry muffin I had left over from day before. Unfortunately my husband ate it the night before.


sistersinhim : The protein drink is a good idea- i don’t think husband would touch it!

so yesterday was toughest day yet as I ended up in ER! I woke up with a very painful huge greenish brown blister on my big toe.Must have been from getting manicure before surgery. To me it looked like a terrible infection. I also had been in awful pain everywhere, to include every inch of my back,my other knee and leg, shoulders, etc. very weak as well
They did not seem concerned about toe, but were very concerned with possible blood clot as my blood pressure monitor they kept on finger was around 90 to 94. Also very dehydrated. Ended up with CT scan , neg thank goodness, a bag of fluid, and an antibiotic.

Exhausted by the time I got home.
Worried that this pain and exhaustion not typical - had to stop medicine for Psoriatric Arthritis taken weekly and worried I am in a PSA flair. Cant find any info on the reaction to patients with PSA Arthritis and the effects on patient with TKR.

Well I hope you are enjoying a lovely day and restful evening!
If you know of anyone with a PSA can you be so kind as to ask them to message me?

 

[sistersinhim]

What a terrifying, exhausting day you had yesterday. Thank God you didn't have a blood clot. What did they say about the blister? Are you better today?

 

[Celle]

Exhausted by the time I got home.
Worried that this pain and exhaustion not typical - had to stop medicine for Psoriatric Arthritis taken weekly and worried I am in a PSA flair.

At this very early stage of your recovery, pain and exhaustion are completely typical and normal. It's only 12 days since you had very major surgery. All your energy resources are being directed towards healing your wounded knee and there isn't much left for anything else, especially when you've had a trip to the ER. That would tire anyone out.
Energy drain for TKRs

Don't think PSA flair. Think major surgery + toe infection + probably hours getting treatment at the ER.

 

[kneeper]

Fatigue is a major part of this recovery and this early your "outing" to the ER was a major activity.

Sometimes people with RA or PSA feel they're more fatigued than others after tkr, but really everyone is wiped out as Celle says.

 

[Honey007]

sistersinhim
Fitgal
sorry I’ve been on an adventure taken by ambulance to hospital night before last as second trip to emergency room was worried about a possible infection.
Of course one of the ambulance drivers looked like he could be on TV so even in my haze of miserableness, I was trying to think who I could set him up with!
We decided that my inflammatory markers associated with Psoriatric Arthritis were so high between stopping meds, and trauma of surgery, that I would need to get the levels down so am taking 30 mg of prednisone for the time. The difference after 3-4 hours was nothing short of miraculous.
I am sure I will be able to leave today.

Thanks for asking about toe, The took care of me the second night in the ER. debr it which I guess means removing skin by clipping and such. Not painful but the result was a grossly swollen red blister that was very tender, I only mention this to say while in the hospital the next day with array of people coming in to check on me, one Dr. rubbed his finger back and forth over it roughly for what reason I will never know! When I winched turned away and said I think I’m going to vomit, he looked up and said, Does this bother you? Lol never want him as my Dr! .
I will get back to keeping up with you now that I am “ back from the dead and hope you are recovering nicely!

 

[kneeper]

Sorry to read you wound up back at the hospital but glad to see you you're getting things taken care of. I'm assuming your rheumatologist was in the loop on the pred & etc.?

 

[Honey007]

I will need to contact him today but think they contacted him as well. Thank you that’s the type of thing that can fall thu the cracks!

 

[Motherbone]

I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia about five months after my two surgeries. Taking a multivitamin with iron now, and noticing improvement in my energy level and less desire to sleep through the day. I think the impact of blood loss during these surgeries is underestimated so if you see your PCP anytime soon, consider asking to have a CBC done. Also, opiates suppress appetite, which could explain why nothing tastes particularly good. I had the same reaction. Unfortunately it didn't last, LOL.

 

[FitGal]

@Honey007 - Oh my! You have had a busy few days and but I'm glad to see you are feeling a bit better!

Of course one of the ambulance drivers looked like he could be on TV so even in my haze of miserableness, I was trying to think who I could set him up with!

I love this - too funny!

Your weekend/week sounds similar with regard to seeking medical assistance as mine. Between my Saturday visit to the on-call surgeon, to the next day visit to the ER, to my next day visit to my OS, and to yesterday's visit to my OS' PA. Mine has been all over the crazy allergic reaction from the adhesive that was holding my incision together. Finally the corticosteroid has gotten control of the rash (though I look like I have a reptile on my leg right now due to the scabbing, etc), but my skin, in general, is annoyed causing a weird prickly itchy hive rash. I am chalking it up to stress.

Hang in there surgery-day sista! We will get control of this and win!

 

[Honey007]

FitGal - oh my where has the time gone! Oh how miserable I hope the rash is getting better! What are the chances! We are supposed to be sipping tea and watching soaps and healing!
Now I have to take prednisone which messes with everything. I’m starving and wide awake at 9pm and no appetite and sleepy rest of the day!

How is therapy going? I was back yesterday and all went well. Felt good to get out of the house. Do you find you don’t know what day it is anymore?
Yes we are going to be just fine!

 

[Honey007]

specifically in right knee middle left- feeling a sharp tearing sensation during walking and sometimes with Physical Therapy. I also have the same searing, tearing feeling on the left side under ribs. It’s a very sharp, almost stabbing, tearing feeling. Any ideas?

 

[Pumpkin]

@Honey007
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:

• That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.

 

[Pumpkin]

Honey007
You probably have inflammation in those areas, your PT should be able to help you with the tearing sharp sensation. You are probably doing too much, you are less than a month out from your TKR. Suggest you slow down and let your knee heal.
Give your OS a call and let them know this is happening.

 

[FitGal]

@Honey007 - Hi! You and I seem to be feeling some of the same things! Total pain in same spot on my knee (right knee, left-middle) - seems to throb a lot at night mostly. PT is going ok, but my ROM is not the greatest. Knee is pretty stiff. Thought I would be much further along in the process than I am. Hoping to get back to work next week, so we will see. My nights are definitely the worst at the moment, and am hoping that subsides so I can be coherent during the day