PKR UACats Navio Robotics PKR - Jan 4

[IAPILOT]

@UACats70, glad to hear eveywent well. Keep ahead of the pain and don't push your rehab this week.
Keep us up to speed on how you're doing.
Cheers

 

[UACats70]

I'm on oxycodone 5/325 (Tylenol) and two 325 buffered aspirin a day. I don't think any of them are helping with swelling. Can I add 200mg of ibuprofen for swelling?

 

[Celle]

Can I add 200mg of ibuprofen for swelling?

No.
Keep on resting, icing and elevating. Ice and elevate all the time you're resting. As long as you have some material between your skin and the ice (to prevent frost bite) you can ice all day long without doing any harm. I used to ice all night long.

The swelling is a normal reaction to the trauma of surgery.

What's more, Ibuprofen can't be taken in combination with the Aspirin you're taking to prevent blood clots, because it also increases your tendency to bleed.

Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). All those NSAIDS are relatively poor pain relievers, they can cause catastrophic bleeding from your gastro-intestinal tract and they pre-dispose towards heart disease. They aren't the harmless little medications the manufacturers would have you believe.

 

[UACats70]

I'm thinking I need to get different ice packs. The one the doc recommended is heavy and actually hurts my kneecap. Anytime I'm on my butt, I'm icing and elevating leg above the heart.

 

[IAPILOT]

I used this company for their cold machine https://www.kinexmedical.com/thermocomp-cold-therapy
I know they have offices all over. This might be a good place to contact if they don't supply them in your area I'm
sure they would help you out. I still use mine all the time.

Are you using a CPM machine? Another unit I use all the time. https://www.kinexmedical.com/

 

[KarriB]

You may be able to find an ice machine on Craig's List, or Amazon has those and large gel packs. When my dad had an emergency THR I couldn't find the large gel packs ina brick and mortar store, so I ended up making him a homemade ice pack with water alchohol.

 

[UACats70]

Thanks KarriB and IAPILOT. No CPM machine. I just ordered an ice machine from Amazon. Will be here Saturday. I had a don joy iceman years ago. Worked great.

 

[Celle]

I bought gel packs from my local pharmacy. They're about 9 inches long and 5 inches wide. I used two at a time (one at the front and one at the back of my knee) and I kept 4 spares in the freezer. So, I always had 2 in use, 2 frozen ready for use, and 2 freezing again.

 

[KarriB]

When you get the ice machine, don't forget you can use frozen water bottles along with ice/water and change them out. It keeps the water colder and is much easier to use.

 

[mbrown]

@IAPILOT I also have a unit from Kinex. I have the compression/cool therapy. Is that what you have? I borrowed a Gameready unit from a friend but I have to give it back in a week. I'm also using the kinex CPM Machine.

@UACats70 how you doing so far?

 

[UACats70]

Ugh. So you know the saying "if it hurts don't do it"? Well yesterday nothing hurt so I did a bunch. 2000+ steps according to my fitness tracker, all pretty much full weight bearing. Got yelled at by husband for not taking it easy. Slept only 3 hours. Today, I'm going to be completely lazy. Only getting up to go to the bathroom. Today I'm supposed to shower (if wound is dry), redress and apply ace bandages. We'll see if I am up for it late this afternoon.

Now everyone can tell me, I told you so. I'm now part of the ODIC.

 

[Jaycey]

Got yelled at by husband for not taking it easy.

At only days out of PKR listen to your husband. That's way too much activity for so early out. Slow and steady is the best approach. Or plan one day of activity followed by a rest day.

 

[UACats70]

Today will definitely be my day of rest.

 

[KarriB]

It really does work to follow the activity progression chart, it helps to not go backward and progress smoothly. We don't always hear what our body is telling us until it's too late.

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/activity-progression-for-tkrs.14334/

 

[UACats70]

Got to shower today and change bandages. Here's the knee. Lots of doodling. I expected the incision to be less centered and more to the lateral side.

 

[IAPILOT]

Yep I know what you mean, been there done that before. Just stay ahead of you pain and get the swelling under control. Baby steps the first few days.

 

[RMasano]

Very small incision. Looks good.

 

[UACats70]

Thanks @RMasano

 

[Celle]

Got to shower today and change bandages. Here's the knee. Lots of doodling.

Your incision looks good.

All the lines on it are to help the surgeons line up your skin correctly when they're stitching you up again.

 

[RMasano]

@UACats70 Any advice on the ball of anxiety I'm feeling now?!!!!