TKR Twinkletoes' Recovery

[Twinkletoes]

Karmigirl ~ I am a 'lightweight' when it comes to meds. I get sleepy simply from taking two Extra Strength Tylenol. The only other pain medicine I can take is the Tramadol because we discovered that I am allergic to Percocet and any other meds with Codeine. I broke out in itchy spots all over my body in the hospital, but they figured that since I needed the heavy pain meds, they'd give me something for the itching, and continue the Percocet. I was miserable! When I got to the rehabilitation hospital, I was told that they would switch me to Tramadol because it doesn't contain Codeine, but they had to put some kind of anti-itching cream on me every day until I finally got the Percocet out of my body. So, there isn't anything else that I can take for the pain. Naturally, it's worse at night becaue I cannot find a comfortable place for my leg, and I have to get up almost every two hours to go potty.

As for the MUA, I will try to find EDITOR 98 thread and read it. I have read many other members' posts about having the MUA and some were successful and others were not so successful. I am against it for the main reason that I do not want to go back to the hospital, have an anesthesia and go home with possibly more pain. I am a baby when it comes to pain, and I've gotten this far. Yes, even though I feel as if I'm going backwards right now with the ROM, I really, truly want to avoid the MUA. I have a couple weeks yet before I see the surgeon and hopefully, with the therapists' help, I will finally be at the 90 degrees. I have until April 20th to get there or make the decision whether or not to go for the MUA...

Guitaristmom ~ Thank you for your information, but I not long ago purchased a stationary bike which I can only push my right foot back and forth...cannot possibly go all around yet! So a recumbent bike is out of the question for my dance studio. As for the hot tub, we do have a Spa tub and a steam shower, but am not sure that I could handle getting in or out of the tub myself at this point. I'm not a tub kind of gal either. I do have a moist heating pad and wonder if that might help. I also have a Tens Unit which I've been using when I have my leg up and resting.

Jamie ~ I am taking the Tramadol more regularly now and I think it helps. I take Tylenol when I have to drive myself to PT because I don't think I should take Tramadol and drive. My pharmacist knows me well, and told me not to take Tramadol and drive. Like I said above, I am a baby about pain and I think that I have NO 'threshold for pain'!

 

[Twinkletoes]

I am at 8 weeks today, Monday, April 2nd. I'm still very stiff and cannot get the ROM. I am working very hard at not stressing out. I am doing only gentle stretching and bending and lots of resting, elevating and Tens Unit. I have been roaming around the forum and reading some others' posts about their successes and/or trials and tribulations. I agree 100% - this forum has saved my sanity (what little is left of it).

I am going to PT tomorrow and have kept in touch via email with my therapist who offers encouragement and never suggests that I push myself. She said that if we can make little gains and progress we will be doing great. She also said that she believes that we can do it without the MUA but it will be a slower process.

 

[Twinkletoes]

I am here at 8 weeks and 3 days post op and am completely miserable and so discouraged! Friday (April 6th) will be two months and I seem to be going backwards with my flexion (ROM). My extension is almost perfect and has been from the beginning, but it's the bending that is not moving (no pun intended). I've tried moist heat for 15 minutes, then gentle exercises, ice and elevating.
Help!

Also, Real Life has given us a jolt today. Long story very short: we have a three story house and found that we possibly have a pin hole leak in the walls starting on the third floor and going to the second floor and has caused quite a bit of damage. So between trips to PT, I will have to deal with construction men coming and going and tearing the house up!

I've been checking in daily, but no one has responded to my previous two posts... Should I be looking elsewhere?

 

[bottomshollow]

@Josephine: I think Twinkletoes needs your help.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Thank you Judy! I just came back to edit my post and add that we went to have a quick dinner at our favorite sushi place and one of our favorite waiters asked me how I was doing. I gave him such a cranky look and he put his arm around me and said that he hopes when he sees me next time, I'll be feeling much better. I said that I hope so too, but today I wish I'd never had the surgery!

 

[Jamie]

Twink....I'm sorry that you are still struggling and also that no one responded to your posts. That happens sometimes just because we have so many people active on the forum. It most CERTAINLY does not mean that your BoneSmart family doesn't care about you!!!

I read back through your entire thread. You know, you just started with the BoneSmart approach to therapy a couple of weeks ago. Prior to that, you were pushing pretty hard and had a lot of angry tissue going on. It takes a while to get that resolved. I agree with your therapist that you need to allow yourself a bit more time.

I'm guessing that you still have swelling. Keep up with the constant ice, elevation and resting whenever you're not doing those gentle stretches. Don't be running errands or doing things around the house (but...you knew that, didn't you!). And...MOST importantly....take your Tramadol and Tylenol on a set schedule....not just when you have pain.

You must try not to keep worrying about numbers for the next couple of weeks while you give your body a chance to get over this rough patch.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

I do flexion stretches every day. At the end of each day, flexion has improved -- the next morning, it's almost back to where it was the previous day. The elastic band snaps back.

But, very gradually, flexion improves.

I don't know what regime you now have; for me, gentle stretches and doing nothing else, especially no training, worked.

 

[Campervan]

Hi Twinkletoes, sorry you're having negative thoughts about your recovery. It happens to most of us and is part of our recovery I believe. Hang in there, it will pass. Like you I am struggling to get flex. I left hospital at 95, measured 105 at 3 weeks later and again at 3 months. From around 10 weeks I know I can do more, bend it more when I do exercises, but it never measures better - very frustrating. The stiffness hangs around for a while, eases sometimes, never fully, and then comes back. Patience patience patience..... but I ain't got much of that.

 

[Josephine]

At 8 weeks, I think most of us felt like that. My surgeon never sees his patients until about 12 weeks and I asked him why, when everyone else seemed to be seen at 6-8 weeks. His reply was that they were always in the worst possible place at that stage, always full of woe and hating having had it done. He knew (as we who have been there know) that it will get better but, he said, the patients don't want to hear that because they are in pain. So he sees them later when they feel better and more positive about things. I told him he was a wuss!

However, it is normal, so please don't beat yourself up about it.

As for this ROM issue, I have, just for you, just created a new article in the Library which should help explain the whole situation for you - I hope it helps Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

 

[kneeper]

Hang in there twinkletoes. :console:

 

[Izzy0608]

Hi Twinkletoes,
Our TKR ops were about the same time, please be patient, and positive, things will improve. I came back from seeing my physio (PT) on tuesday feeling really happy with how things were progressing, but within 30 mins ended up going to bed feeling really unwell, sore knee, stiffness, nauseous and really miserable. I stayed there the rest of the day, sorry for myself. I followed the forum Mantra, rest, ice, elevate, pain meds, I realise that it won't last forever, things can only get better, and they will.
Today I feel much better, still have they dreaded elastic band feeling around my knee, two steps forward, one step back seems to be the norm, but those one steps will soon add up and the end of the road will come soon enough.
Keep your chin up, take care.:biggrin:
Sheila.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Thank you, ALL of you... My Bonesmart family!

I went to my PT appointment feeling pretty depressed. Becky (therapist) did a lot of gentle bending and massaging. I keep her updated to the Bonesmart way. She really enjoys hearing it. She eased up my knee and then did some measurements. I reached 80 today! I'm sure that it will be stiff again in the morning, but since I cannot measure it, I won't stress out. I came home and did the Bonesmart mantra...rest, ice, elevate, pain meds, and repeat. I also used the Tens Unit and some gentle bending. I'm still not sure where I am in the tunnel and haven't yet seen the light, but I believe all of you that it IS there...

I came home to the chaotic mess with the construction guys running around beginning to fix the water leak in the walls... but I stayed on the sofa with my ice, etc. and let my hubby handle it.

Sheila ~ I don't think I ever had the elastic band feeling. I feel like I have a steel rod or band, and that seems to be unyielding. You are right...it WILL get better! We have to keep repeating that, don't we?

Kneeper ~ Thank you! I'll keep hanging in there!

Josephine ~ Thank you for your wise words! I think your surgeon may not be such a wuss after all... but mine has such high expectations and I should tell him to join Bonesmart to see how the majority of knee replacement patients really feel! But, with your advice and everyone else's in the forum, I now know that when I see the surgeon and he tries to push the MUA on me, I can tell him that I do not want it and can wait for the ROM when my knee is ready, not when HE is. I won't dance as soon as I'd hoped, but I WILL dance!

Margaret ~ I wish I knew where to obtain some Patience! Have you found any yet?

Roy ~ I will try to read your mantra everyday: "Exercise: don't hurt those knees, less is more, rest is best, no pain - more gain!"

Jamie ~ I am struggling with the fact that I'm only a few weeks into the Bonesmart approach when tomorrow will be two months from my surgery. But, I understand what you're saying. Too bad I hadn't stumbled onto this forum sooner. I hardly go anywhere except for PT, and certainly don't think about errands. Well, I think about them, but those things can wait.

OK, so tomorrow (April 6th) will be two months...wouldn't it be nice if my new knee knew to celebrate the day?

 

[Campervan]

Hi Twinkletoes, it was at exactly 2 months that I went back to see surgeon for a review. I walked with crutches through the airport (he's 1600km away). I could walk unaided but only around the house. He measured my ROM at 92 and didn't even mention MUA. He said some people gain ROM and recover slower than overs and that I'm one of them. At that time I was also still taking naps during the day, maybe an hour each afternoon. Now at almost 4 months, I don't need naps, I never use crutches or walking sticks, I can walk up and down stairs (holding the rail to be safe), I can walk over 2 kms including inclines. I can overdo it if I stay in work too long. Still gets stiff, swollen and warm, but soon abates.

So hang in there - you will see improvements over the coming couple of months.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Thank you Margaret! I can also walk without aids, but do take a cane (walking stick) when I go out, just for security. Maybe a little to let people know not to crowd me... I worry about being bumped into and/or falling. I can walk stairs, but one step at a time, not foot over foot. We have a three-story house with an elevator so I've been using the elevator almost exclusively. I would be so relieved if when I see the surgeon, he would tell me what yours told you...not mentioning the MUA and that everyone is different and some get to their goals faster than others. I try not to take naps during the day, but some days I just fall asleep while watching TV. Also, I keep thinking that if I don't take afternoon naps, I'd sleep longer at night. I get up almost every two hours at night to go potty and that's exhausting! Thankfully, I do feel some better, but still am uncomfortable especially sleeping. I cannot find a comfortable place for me and my knee. But, I will hang in there!

 

[davrunner]

Twinkletoes
Just read your thread, you are doing wonderful, and you are right to let your husband follow after the construction workers. But do be careful about shouting the bonesmart mantra of "toes above your nose" with the handymen there, they might get the wrong (or right) idea...
There is a point when you are too tired to sleep/get adequate rest. Take the opportunity to sleep when your body tells you it is needed. If you fight off the naps during the day you could end up not getting the restful sleep you need.

 

[bottomshollow]

:wow2: So many positive vibes in your last few posts!!! :biggrin: Makes me smile.

Keep that "can do" and "won't be pushed around" attitude going, and I think you'll find yourself improving over the next four weeks in ways you can see and feel.:wink1:

The really amazing thing is that by the time you're 3 to 4 months out, you will not remember in detail all the pain and misery of the first month. It kinda fades into the distance. Thank goodness!

Keep up your pain med schedule, rest, ice, elevate and keeping telling yourself "I am getting better and better everyday in everyway!"

Take care, keep us posted, we care. :cat-kittyandsmiley:Judy

 

[Twinkletoes]

Thank you Davrunner ~ I promise you, I do not lay around in skimpy little outfits when doing the 'toes above the nose'

but wear sweats or surgical scrubs (no, I'm not in the medical field, but am very comfortable in them while around the house). The construction guys give me some sympathy and get on with their work.

My problem with getting adequate or restful sleep is my falling bladder.

I cannot sleep for more than two hours when I have to get up to go potty. I've had three bladder lift surgieries through the years, but I'm not going back for another. I NEED restful sleep during the nights, but my bladder isn't listening.
Stupid bladder!

Judy ~ Yes, I do talk positive, but it's quite another thing when faced with the surgeon. He's so gung-ho and tough! Yesterday, when I got to 80 degrees ROM, I did feel that I "can do" but when I've been sitting for too long, and try to get up, it's more, "uh oh!" I'm going back downstairs to do the ice/elevate, be nice to my knee...

 

[bottomshollow]

Truth to tell, Twinkletoes, when I've been sitting for a while, I too am stiff and I can assure you my bend is not as good as it gets after I've been moving around and doing for a while. And this is after 23 weeks. So give yourself a break!!!!!

Its amazing how intimidated by doctors we are. They are not GOD--your doc puts his pants on just like your hubby and has to do all the necessary things nature requires the rest of us to do. Try to think about him being naked when you talk to him, maybe that will help.

Keep your chin up, I care. Judy

 

[karmigirl]

Twink,

Just remember you have the right to call what your care will be. If your surgeon suggests the MUA and you really don't wat it,tell him you are not going to do it or not going to do it right now. You have the final say on what he does he can not force you to have it done. From what I have read on the forum no reason to have an MUA for at least 3 mos out they don't do any good done earlier than that, and some have been done very late down the line and those seem to be the ones that work quite well.

Tough surgeon or not YOU call the shots on what will be done to YOUR body. Please keep this in mind.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Judy ~ Thank you! I seem to get stiffer and feel more pain when I've been to PT. I suppose it's understandable after being worked on, but it does get a little disappointing when you reach a little more ROM and then feel worse. I was just downstairs watching TV while icing and elevating, I fell asleep for about an hour. I think I sleep better during the day than I do at night. That's very funny about thinking of my doctor naked. He's about six years younger than I and in pretty good shape, so that doesn't really help and reminds me that I need to get back in shape as soon as I'm feeling better. I call my 96 year old mother every morning and when I tell her that I'm still at the cranky stage, she tells me to keep my chin up...I say, "yes, both of them!"

Rose ~ Thank you! I will try to keep what you said in mind and hopefully be able to tell my surgeon what I want or don't want!