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Revision TKR Totally recovered at last!

I'm a bit late to the party, but happy birthday!

Also, th e pain of the first two weeks -- which I likened to childbirth without anesthesia while having a leg amputated on a Civil War battlefield with only a bullet between my teeth for pain control --- has faded from my memory. Everyone's recovery follows its own path, but we'll all get there in the end.
 
Somehow @SarahJane you haven't quite convinced me that you have forgotten the pain :snork:. My pain was very well controlled and it hasn't been too bad and for that very reason I am nervous about having the other knee done. I worry it won't go all that well.
 
@Glamg1979, there's a distance between where I am now and my visceral memories of the pain from the first two weeks, if that makes any sense to you. On a feeling level, right now it feels like it happened decades ago or in a nearby parallel universe. On an intellectual level, I can look back and remember the pain and tears you can find chronicled in the first pages of my thread.
 
@SarahJane I loved your description of the pain from TKR. I think it should become a new game in the social area for best descriptions! And thanks for the birthday wishes.

@Glamg1979 I would think that since you've done well with your pain meds you shouldn't expect that anything will make the second one worse. It seems like most of the problems (me included) had most of our problems because of the medications. They either made us sick , were ineffective or both. You know what works for you.
 
Hi,
My tkr was on 9/1 and I am having some of the same issues as you. I too have issues sleeping in my bed. Try pillow between my thighs, pillow under my knees, no pillow. I sometimes can get5-6 hours before I wake up very uncomfortable and move to the recliner.

I am retired and very grateful I don't have to return to a job. I am also grateful to have a very understanding and helpful husband. My adult sons treat this as a minor inconvenience and have no idea how difficult this recovery process is. Neither of them live close but when they call seem to think I should be back to normal. (Whatever that is). Lol

I wish you good luck. Hope your sleep improves


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@Blueslady It has been a real problem the last 2 weeks since I am back at work. I slept 3 hours then up for 1 and then another 3 and up for work. I have so many pillows and different shapes but nothing seems to help. Fortunately I have 3 dogs that I can let out in the yard to 'do their thing'. I'm so tired at the end of the day I don't even want to make myself any dinner. I should be losing weight but I just grab some junk food instead!! I even tried taking a sleep aid. I won't take prescription sleeping pills because I tried them once and I felt hungover all day.
 
I am sorry you are not getting good sleep. It must be difficult to work when you are not getting a good night sleep. I take Tylenol pm and it works for about four to five hours. I have found putting a firm pillow right under my knees and sleeping on my back helps the most. I'd sleep all the time in the recliner but my butt gets sore if I do. Lol

This surgery is certainly not for sissies. Do you live alone?


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I'm lucky as far as the recliner goes. It's nice and soft! The Benadryl in Tylenol PM has the opposite effect on me. It makes me hyper!! Meds and I just don't seem to get along well!!
 
@newlybionic , happy belated birthday. You have been so kind and giving on my thread, I had no idea you were struggling so. I am sorry you are having so much swelling and pain. Even though I have been complaining about these the new compression thigh highs I got today, I will say the knee feels better - although....they give new meaning to "lift and separate" and panty lines since they are so long! :rotfl::rotfl: I also would have thought the knee highs would have helped you. I am sorry. Perhaps the support pantyhose that @Thesoutherncook suggested would help? At the end of her life, my beloved mother was on dialysis. Those techs and nurses are angels. God bless you.

For sleeping, I finally HAD to get on my side. Although, the PA said I had to use the leg brace if I did so the leg would be straight. All worked out ok last night and should be even better tonight since PT helped me adjust the hard velcro thing that was sticking me in my crotch all night! :tantrum2::tantrum2::loll::loll:That was so funny trying to get my darling husband to understand. Gotta love a concerned husband! hahahaha!

I hope you rest well and your test results come back good. I also have a torn meniscus in my "good" knee and never in my wildest dreams could I imagine doing this again! Nope. Never. @SarahJane is correct. Although, I would have to add that the bullet was rusty and mudcaked.
 
Newlybionic, bummer you are still struggling with sleep. I still have an occasional sleepless night as well. I tried Tylenol pm once a few weeks ago, and like you with bendydril, I was up all night. Hopefully, you will sleep soundly soon.:sleep:
 
So here I am again. Achy knees. Ice on the bionic one. I'm exhausted. I've been up for 18 hours so far and I just can't comfortable enough to sleep. Just feeling a bit down right now. I'm on that roller coaster again wondering whether I am truly better off having had the surgery. Hopefully I'll fall asleep in a while. At least I'm off over the weekend.
 
@newlybionic , I hope you got some sleep last night. I know it sounds odd, but having the stabilizer on at night (while uncomfortable at first) seems to hold the operated leg in a postion so it doesn't get hit or jerked around and lets me sleep, It doesn't seem to wake me up as much. Now if my bladder were on a schedule......
 
I know how tough it is to try to sleep at night. And it seems like the minute you're really deep in sleep that alarm goes off and you have to get up and go to work. I am thrilled it is the weekend! I told my husband that if I had had to go to work today I would have called in sick. 5 days is all I can handle, & I am pushing it at that. I wish Tylenol PM would work for you, but if benadryl gets you hyper, it obviously won't. What about sleepy time tea? Or something like that?
 
I'm going have to try something else. I got some sleep last night but I never feel rested. I have so much housework to do and I just am feeling 'yucky' to use a medical term. :eeeuw: I also need to run some errands but where I live I need to drive at least 20 miles or more for each one. I'm just so worn out. I live alone and really don't have anyone here to help with anything so if I don't do it no one will. I'm just depressed that I feel so out of it. I never thought I would still be feeling like this so long after surgery. I really don't have any medical problems to speak of so I'm very happy for that. I know if I called one of my daughters I could get help but they all live over 2 hours away and they all have plans this weekend. It's not helping that I'm having pain in the other knee much more consistently today. Sorry about my ramblings. I guess my rollercoaster ride is stuck at the bottom of the hill!
 
newlybionic said:
I'm going have to try something else. I got some sleep last night but I never feel rested. I have so much housework to do and I just am feeling 'yucky' to use a medical term. :eeeuw: I also need to run some errands but where I live I need to drive at least 20 miles or more for each one. I'm just so worn out. I live alone and really don't have anyone here to help with anything so if I don't do it no one will. I'm just depressed that I feel so out of it.
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I'm sorry you're feeling like this. :console2:

Recovering when you live alone does impose more pressure on you, but it can be done.

Can you break up your housework into 15-minute jobs, with a big rest in between jobs? Try to do only the essentials for now.
Dust bunnies may annoy you but at this stage they're your friends. They remind you that you're giving yourself and your knee all the rest you deserve.
[Bonesmart.org] Totally recovered at last!
[Bonesmart.org] Totally recovered at last!


That worn out feeling is still being caused by the energy drain, even though it's four months since your TKR. Your knee is still healing and it's still taking some of your body's energy.
Energy drain for TKRs

Things will slowly improve, so hang in there!
 
I had a friend who helped and cleaned a lot for me, but I would dust at week 3 or 4 because I have a small living/dining room. Do you have a friend who could run your errands for you? My sister did my grocery shopping for me from Oct. until Feb. Things will get better.


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I hate to hear that you are struggling. No I am sure it doesn't help that your other knee is hurting. I know it is an unsettled feeling when you look around the house and see how much needs to be done. Could you possibly ask your daughter to plan a weekend with you so things that are too much for you will get taken care of?
Would a steroid injection in the bad knee maybe buy you some time?
 
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