TKR TKR surprised at my progress<

[Josephine]

My pain meds I take tramadol at 8am 12pm 4pm and 8pm regular. Paracetamol I take at 6pm 12am 8am and 12 pm

Try taking them together. They enhance each other very well. Here are the two routines I worked out for knees 1 & 2 which you might find useful.

I'm not back at work, sorry, I had my knee replaced a week ago today

Oh phew! Glad about that!

I managed 3½ hours sleep

At one week out, that's pretty good. I watched an awful lot of night time TV during my first few weeks!

Because I used a different hospital to my local one I don't have any support or help post op

Well that's not right. Your help is supposed to be arranged by your GP's surgery. I had aids supplied by local social services both times and a nurse by mu GP surgery. And my first knee was done out of area but no problem.

 

[Sparky87]

Thanks for your advice, I'm on a similar medication programme with the same amount of meds. I came home with two walking aids a pair of sticks or canes, other than that I'm left to my own devices.
The best help is using the ice cuff I'm on it most of the time but it really helps with pain, swellings gone down, the knee gets warm when I don't use it, not hot just warm, the bruising a coming out now, looks horrendous. Soon be better

 

[OldFootballInjury]

I remember when the bruising started showing itself on my leg, I have to say I was freaked out by it at first. I thought I had done something wrong It took about a week and a half to subside, and then from time to time I would get a small spot bruise on my calf/shin from overdoing things, but nothing like after the surgery... Glad your feeling better! The best part about this surgery is that every day you get better, stronger and less pain! Only upward from here!

 

[Sparky87]

12 days post op, so far a good day, up and feeling fine. Breakfast downstairs for a change, good bends when exercising. All in all. A good day. May it continue.

 

[Josephine]

good bends when exercising.

When exercising? Ahem - remember this advice of mine?

You're back at work? Gosh, then you don't need the exercises, my friend. Not at all! If you're a tradesman, the activity you have is quite sufficient. Do stop them all. Completely!

 

[Sparky87]

Hi all, I thought I would give you all an update on my progress, first off, a big thanks to everyone on the forum and their advice, secondly, I've learnt that everyone's journey is different, take a little advice from everyone and see what works for you, I had a RTKR on 12th April. One overnight stay in hospital , no rehab, 1 private visit to a physio last week, I'm walking around the house with no aids, I'm walking half a mile every day with one cane, I'm exercising when I feel like it, I stop when I've had enough or completed them, I can go upstairs normally one after the other but come down one at a time, I've got nearly 100 degrees of flex, I am amazed at my progress when I hear how you guys are struggling and suffering for which I am truly sorry.

If I can help you by telling you my routine then use it, I rest on the sofa and ice for 20 mins every two hours, while I ice I flex my foot and ankle 100 times, after ice I move my knee cap 10 x with a hold of three and then straight leg lift every ten times. I get up and walk about, change sitting positions regularly straight leg or bend knee.i do my knee bends which are getting further and further under the chair, yay.

Night times are as bad as you guys, I have spread my meds out every 3 hours, paracetamol 12am and 6am, Tramadol 9pm and 3am, with ice when I wake which is getting less frequent.

My knee joint is fine, but does clunk with every step, the pain is muscle ache and wound occasionally sore.

Sorry for the long post. I have good days and bad days the same as you guys, my mantra is the more you put in the more you get out, that and being self employed and needing to earn a living to pay for 4 kids and two dogs. Keep up the good work guys, best wishes Rob

 

[birdwatchr]

@Sparky87
Glad to see your progress. I am having outpatient TKR and hope it goes as well. Of course, right this minute it's not hurting at all and I question having surgery, but the very second the pain shoots through I will want the surgery NOW! Keep us posted on your recovery. It will be ineresting to me to follow.

 

[Sparky87]

Hi Birdwatcher, I've had three arthroscopies on my right knee in the last ten years, I then went on to steroid injections,these worked great for 18 months until last September. My surgeon kept putting off a TKR as I'm only 47 but I had had enough of being in pain so I had my knee replaced, I went for a different surgeon with a better prosthetic than I could get locally, there's times I feel perfectly ok, there's times when I regret having it done but I know the pain is only short term now and my life will improve. Yours will too. Good luck with your journey.

 

[Josephine]

Hi @Sparky87 You can see that I have merged your threads as per this request One thread for your recovery please?

It is so much easier to be able to help you and give you the advice you need when we are able to easily see when your surgery was, what other issues you may have had, and what has been going on in your recovery just by looking at one thread instead of bouncing back and forth between two or more other threads.

 

[Josephine]

I rest on the sofa and ice for 20 mins every two hours,

You actaully accomplish little or nothing in 20 minutes. I suggest you ice longer and less frequently.

I flex my foot and ankle 100 times

These are just anti-clot exercises that are needed when you are in bed in hospital! Since you are not only fully mobile but working now, there is no need for you to do them. They contribute nothing to your recovery! Unless, of course, you enjoy doing them!

 

[Sparky87]

Hi Josephine, thanks for sorting my thread. My physio explained that moving my foot exercises the muscles that run up the front of my lower leg which helps with the knee cap, it was to help me strengthen up for walking up the stairs, so much advice"....... At the end of the day it's all exercise and it's all helping me to recover which is great. I appreciate your support and the advice you have given me so far has really helped my progress many many thanks. Im now chilling out on the sofa with an ice pack on.. Again. My next step is to gradually reduce my meds. I'm sleeping better at night following your meds timetable. Thanks again. Rob

 

[kneeper]