Bilateral TKR Today is the day..... Chibigirl
- Thread starter ChibiGirl
- Start date
- Status
Lmarshall
senior
Great news Chibi and Limpy! Keep up the good work 
Limpynomore
member
How'd the night go for you Chibigirl?
OP
OP
ChibiGirl
junior member
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2013
- Messages
- 46
- Age
- 70
- Gender
- Female
- Country
United States
Sorry, I have not been on in a long time, recovery has been tough.
August 6 will be starting my 7th week since my surgery. It has been a very painful recovery. I still have a lot of discomfort that I can't sleep at night. If I get two hours of sleep I am lucky. I am just so tired of not sleeping and just constantly in a lot of discomfort.
I have been going to PT three times a week. I have been working super hard in therapy and have been exercising a lot at home to try to work through this discomfort. My ROM has been 135 on both knees for two weeks. Right now my therapist for the past two weeks have been working on strengthening. I was off of pain meds for a week but now it seems that after PT I need to take it before bed. Since I live in Florida, it is hard to get our doctors to prescribe you pain pills because of the major crack down they are doing with doctors. After two weeks of surgery I have been pleading with them for another prescription. They gave me one more refill of just 40 pills. So I have been very careful to use them wisely.
All I ever do is ice.....ice and more ice. I feel a lot more comfortable in my bed then I do on the couch. Because I can elevate my legs better. I guess I should of invested in a nice lazy boy chair.
I am hoping this will stop soon......I have not been to work yet because I am so miserable at home I can't imagine trying to work at the same time.
My apologies not not keep a running log.......if you like I can post some.....
August 6 will be starting my 7th week since my surgery. It has been a very painful recovery. I still have a lot of discomfort that I can't sleep at night. If I get two hours of sleep I am lucky. I am just so tired of not sleeping and just constantly in a lot of discomfort.
I have been going to PT three times a week. I have been working super hard in therapy and have been exercising a lot at home to try to work through this discomfort. My ROM has been 135 on both knees for two weeks. Right now my therapist for the past two weeks have been working on strengthening. I was off of pain meds for a week but now it seems that after PT I need to take it before bed. Since I live in Florida, it is hard to get our doctors to prescribe you pain pills because of the major crack down they are doing with doctors. After two weeks of surgery I have been pleading with them for another prescription. They gave me one more refill of just 40 pills. So I have been very careful to use them wisely.
All I ever do is ice.....ice and more ice. I feel a lot more comfortable in my bed then I do on the couch. Because I can elevate my legs better. I guess I should of invested in a nice lazy boy chair.
I am hoping this will stop soon......I have not been to work yet because I am so miserable at home I can't imagine trying to work at the same time.
My apologies not not keep a running log.......if you like I can post some.....
Chickie
junior member
- Joined
- May 31, 2013
- Messages
- 65
- Age
- 81
- Location
- Fairfield Glade, TN
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United States
ChibiGirl, I think you are pushing too hard. Goodness two at the same time and a ROM of 135 in both. Why don't you just try not working so hard, just walk and ice and elevate? When we push so hard, we seem to do the exact opposite of what we want it to do. Take it easy on yourself and relax.
I am sorry you are having such a tough time, be good to yourself! You will get through this
I am sorry you are having such a tough time, be good to yourself! You will get through this
Pamx2
member
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2013
- Messages
- 113
- Age
- 65
- Gender
- Female
Dear Chibigirl...All I have to say is SLOW DOWN...EASE UP...TAKE IT EASY!!! I am now 5 months out from having BTKR and my knees still get tired easily...and they still get sore if I over do it...and they are still stiff when I first stand up and go to take a few steps. And you're only 7 weeks out!!! And both of your knees are at 135...that's crazy great!! I know my knees are not to 135 yet...I'm lucky if I'm even at 120! But my doctor insists I'll be to 130 in a year...IT JUST TAKES TIME!! I still can't walk down a flight of stairs one step after another...I hold on to the railing and take a step at a time...just because my knees aren't loose enough to do one step after another and I don't want to risk a fall. I can do an amazing amount of things now...went to a Broadway show on Saturday...went to see the Phillies play on Sunday. BUT...my knees are sorer than usual this morning just because I did so much...so I'm taking it a bit easier today. I found that it took months for me to be able to get some good sleep. AND...if I overdid it (which is sounds like you are doing) then I would have terrible nights trying to sleep. Even now when I overdo it...like I did this weekend...then I have trouble sleeping because my knees get this intense itchy feeling deep inside...and I want to bend them or straighten them to help the feeling go away. So take it easy...ease up on the PT!!! You should be working hard at not working too hard!!!!!!!!! That's the toughest part of this recovery. Taking it easy. Because overdoing it is not going to help you heal more quickly. I keep telling myself...I'm ONLY 5 months out...and if I'm still having issues at a year...then I'll get on Bonesmart and complain!! Hang in there!! 
MissJ
member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2013
- Messages
- 213
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United States
Chibigirl: Listen to Pamx2! Recovery is not a contest, nor is it training. It is recovery. "Working through" discomfort after a BTKR is not like working through a stiff neck. Your knees (your whole body) needs rest.
The sleep thing is more elusive for some of us than others. I am almost 5 months out and still have sleep problems. However, I can get through the day, so that's what I focus on.
And I too still have some discomfort - not much pain, really. I have 120 ROM and if that's all I ever get, it will be OK.
Like Pamx2 - I am waiting a year to worry about anything. A year ago today is when I had the first of several dreadful events that led me to finally have the BTKR - and I'm already better off than I was a year ago. I can wait another year--esp. since my knees are improving every minute of every day.
Take care
j
The sleep thing is more elusive for some of us than others. I am almost 5 months out and still have sleep problems. However, I can get through the day, so that's what I focus on.
And I too still have some discomfort - not much pain, really. I have 120 ROM and if that's all I ever get, it will be OK.
Like Pamx2 - I am waiting a year to worry about anything. A year ago today is when I had the first of several dreadful events that led me to finally have the BTKR - and I'm already better off than I was a year ago. I can wait another year--esp. since my knees are improving every minute of every day.
Take care
j
- Status
