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TKR TKR June 6,2018 right leg numb little toe

Saw my OS last Thursday who said the numbness in toe and foot was possibly due to either the tourniquet, the swelling or the spinal block. He said it should settle down but can take upto a year!! He said he didn’t need to see me again but I could get he was always
Yikes I think I can cope with my poor knee but combined with the nerve issues and upset tummy from the meds I feel I am struggling. Drowning in sadness for my ‘old’ knee.
I am trying so hard to keep focused and upbeat but it’s so so hard.
We travelling down to Cornwall this coming Friday and I am dreading it. Anyone any suggestions about how to travel in a car for the best part of 6 hours without screaming the roof rack off?
Tbh I thought about not going but this is the big family holiday. And what’s the alternative? Looking out of the same window or watching mindless TV?
I think once the journeys done I will enjoy being there and It should lift my mood.
Anyway thanks in advance for your suggestions tips ideas.
 
I will just be over the 7 week mark when all my family go on holiday. Due to me being naive and not being informed about realistic recovery time I thought I would be fine.
However it’s nearly here and I’m worried. It’s a 6 hour car journey and I’m not sure I can do it.
I will be laid on back seat leg elevated with ice packs on.
I’m so scared that it will be extremely uncomfortable but don’t want to worry anyone or put a downer on the holiday. All my children and grandchildren are going and they are so excited.
I do not have one of those I’ve machines and it’s too late and expensive to get one now.
Any ideas suggestions gratefully received.
Thanks
 
Sounds familiar. Looking back, I'm surprised at how little my Doc told me about recovery. I went on a 10 hour car trip at 4 months. I used lidocane patches. They made it tolerable.
Good luck.
 
Hi: I had to go on a 3 1/2 flight at 6 weeks. I got a bit stiff but the trip went ok even though leg room is always on issue for me. My OS just said to stand up periodically and do "calf pumps" to minimize swelling. You may need to make periodic stops during your travels to stretch.

Good luck
 
[Bonesmart.org] TKR June 6,2018 right leg numb little toe
@Kazmeraz, you may notice that I have merged your two threads. We like to keep our members' recovery posts all in a single thread. That way it's easy for us to go back and read your history before responding to a question or concern. In addition, the thread becomes a journal of your recovery for those who come along later and want to read about you. So, please post in this thread from now on when you want to give an update or ask a question. If you have questions or concerns that need an immediate answer, please tag an admin, a mod, or other members or all three.

If you decide you'd like a different thread title at any point, you can just post what you want here and we'll get it changed for you. THANKS!

If you are having a problem locating your thread, here is a link with how to do it: How can I find my threads and posts?
 
Thank you bottomshollow.

I opened a new thread wrongly thinking that was the way to go.
 
Yet another set back. Got the most awful stomach bug. Can’t keep anything down sat on the loo with a bowl.
Didn’t take any pain relief yesterday for fear of making it worse but not sure how I could.
Speaking to GP today to clarify how this impacts on my TKR. And if it’s ok to take tramadol
So all in all a very poor day yesterday compounded with no sleep last night.
Not sure how this impacts on my planned holiday. I think the fates are conspiring.
 
Sorry you seem to have caught a bug. For your 6 hour car ride can you alternate sitting in front with seat pushed back for a while then stop do few laps around the car to loosen it up and then do the back seat for a while with your leg right up etc and just Lee swapping around?
 
Oh no, a bug on top of healing is not good. Has someone around you been sick? Are you running a fever? Are you eating enough protein? That will help your healing. I hope you tummy straightens out really quickly.
 
Hi all I think it’s a 24/48 hour bug. My daughter son in law and grandson had it too.
Feeling slightly better and managed to keep a banana down. Wow.
Small steps. Tried some scrambled eggs for tea but left most probably not quite ready for them.
Knee got plenty of rest though as feeling so lousy I didn’t move all yesterday and not much today.
Still swelled and stiff but not overly painful. Was worried about taking the tramadol with the upset tummy but spoke GP this morning who said it was ok to continue with them.
This is taking all and any patience I had 7 weeks tomorrow but feels like 7 months and I’m never going to feel like my old self.
Snapping and snarling followed by copious crying and sobbing then feeling so so sorry for myself.
If I had my time again ..... or even prepared myself better.
 
You will soon be over that hump and starting to feel more hopeful. It was about 3 months before I was glad I had, had it done. Start to notice the things you can do today that you couldn't do last month or even last week. Look for the improvement over the arthritis pain. That pain would only have gotten worse. Your pain now will improve!
 
:console2: I do hope you feel better soon.

Very few of us were prepared for this recovery.
 
Thanks for your very supportive messages. Stomach settling but still not 100%.
Is it normal for your whole leg to feel like it’s in plaster when walked for a bit?
It feels so heavy. But to be honest it’s the issue with my numb foot that gives me the most grief. Not sure if strapping it up would help. Any suggestions from my knowledgeable colleagues?
Thanks
 
In my early recovery after being on my leg more than usual, my whole leg would become wobbly. Your plaster feeling is probably swelling. The longer you're up on your leg, the more it'll swell.
I have no answer for your numb foot. Hopefully, someone with that knowledge will answer you.
 
Hi @Kazmeraz
Ever since my surgery (13 weeks tomorrow) I have had numb and painful fingers and thumb on the hand on the same side as my tkr. No idea why - I just woke up like that after surgery. I’m hoping that it will improve with time - I know damaged nerves can take a long time. I think it’s due to my positioning on the operating table.
I had an operation on my neck - to remove a large lump - some years ago. The surgeon cut through a nerve that went to the bottom half of my ear - it was excruciating! (I was awake) My ear was completely numb (just the bottom half) for 6 months and then the nerve grew back and it’s fine now!
So hopefully it’s the same with your foot (and my hand) and the nerves will regrow and reconnect.
My knee is also very swollen and I empathise completely with your ‘why did I do this’ thoughts. But what was the alternative really - I could barely walk and had a lot of pain. I’m sure given a little more time and healing we will be happy with our new knees. :loveshwr:PS I’m from across the Pennines in Lancashire.
 
Thank you ChrissiG.
When I spoke to the surgeon he said it can happen but rarely. He wasn’t concerned and didn’t suggest any action to take or meds but there again he’s not going through it.
I’m hoping it repairs on its own like the nerve going to your ear. Likewise for your hand.
I’m supposed to have surgery on my shoulder but going to reschedule as I can’t face it at the moment.
Feeling pretty low but supportive for messages from people on this forum keep shoring me up.
By the way we are virtually neighbours haha.
 
Jyst over 9 weeks since TKR and still very swelled. Not doing any PT jyst day to day activities including walking.
Leg still feels really stiff when walking and OH says i look like I’m walking with a false leg!
Is this usual? Surely the stiffness should be receding by now?
What are the signs the surgeon has fit the wrong size implant? Or is it too early to tell?
When I saw him at 6 weeks he was very happy with the result and suggested I didn’t need to see him again but how can I be sure it’s all ok?
I feel so low so worried so tired none of which is normal me. When will I feel more like me ?
GP reluctant to prescribe more tramadol and suggested naproxen. Wasn’t very sympathetic and said I should be pain free after ‘so’ long from the surgery.
If I didn’t have the stiffness and swelling I would be more confident that all was well but not sure if I’m not managing my expectations and being impatient.
Still got numbness in foot too which is getting me down too.
Thanks for reading and any advice appreciated.
 
Stiffness and swelling is not unusual at 2 months, actually quite normal in the process of healing. At almost 10 months, I still have a little stiffness, and areas of discomfort. This is a year long journey, you are fine!
 
Kazmeraz said:
Not doing any PT jyst day to day activities including walking.
Click to expand...
Excellent, just be sure not to walk to excess yet.
Kazmeraz said:
Surely the stiffness should be receding by now?
Click to expand...
Stiffness can last for months even if you can’t see any swelling. The fact that you do still have swelling means it’s going to feel stiff. The surgery caused a huge amount of trauma to your leg.

I wouldn’t worry about the surgeon using the wrong size implant. They know what they’re doing. It’s swelling that makes you think the implant is too big.

I think you are lucky your surgeon doesn’t need to see you again. You can always call him if you really feel the need to. He’s willing to let your knee recover at its own pace. My surgeon had me come in frequently for check ups and I was always so stressed about it, feeling I had to prove my progress each time. He was big on exercises, too, and I was following Bonesmart and didn’t want to tell him, so that was added stress.
Kazmeraz said:
I feel so low so worried so tired none of which is normal me. When will I feel more like me ?
Click to expand...
We have all felt this way, it’s part of the post op blues from a major surgery. :console2: In the list of reading you got there’s an article about it.

You are doing fine. Try to relax. Try to readjust your expectations. We often have to do that because we are not adequately prepared for this recovery. That’s where Bonesmart comes in! We’re here for you.
 
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