TKR Vickie's Knee Recovery

[clovergirl59]

3 weeks! LOL! She has no clue! I am at 4 months and still in therapy, still have swelling, still have pain, still have sleep issues. (not as much as in the begining) She needs to get on this forum and do some reading. You are doing great, just keep icing and resting when you can.

 

[Poof]

One week: PT came by yesterday and changed the bandage on my knee and had me do some exercises. I have had a pain level of 6-8 ever since he left at noon. I've been sitting in the chair with the cold circulating water and my knee up ever since he left. I'm taking 10-325 Percoset every 4-6 hours and 1 muscle relaxer every 8 hours. It takes the edge off for about 3 hours and then the pain will just hit me again. I guess that everyone has a lot of pain one week out, but I wasn't prepared for how acute it is. I feel like I've cried through the last 24 hours or held my breath because it hurts so much. I was walking really well yesterday in PT and now I can hardly limp across the room. I feel so bad for my husband and son. They can't figure out how to help me and I don't know what to do either. I'm going to call my doctors office this morning. Do any of you have any suggestions? Thanks so much, Vickie

 

[bottomshollow]

You're in pain. Maybe it was just too much PT. What did he have you doing? How did your knee feel while you were doing it? Was anything you did painful? You don't need anything right now except gentle stretches and bends and what walking you have to do around your house. You're just one week post op, and there's a ton of healing still going on. Doing things that aggravate those already "angry" soft tissues is counterproductive and slows recovery. Maybe you should just forego PT for the next week or two and do leg lifts and heel slides and your walking on your own, then call and have them come back.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[Poof]

The PT had me doing leg lifts, heel slides, quad knee extension, terminal knee extensions, sitting knee extension and knee flexion and walking. The heel slide hurt the most. He didn't physically push my knee, but kept encouraging me to do it more. I talked with the OS' nurse this morning and she told me I could increase the pain meds. She also said to do nothing today but elevate and ice.

 

[Spingirl]

Vickie, hang in there. I remember those crying jags too. It feels like it's never going to stop hurting, or ever going to heal. But I'm here to tell you, it does get better! I'm four months post-op and doing great. I was just discharged from outpatient physical therapy last week, although I still do all of my stretches and exercises. I've been back to my spinning classes since the second week of January. Sounds like you got good bonesmart advice from the nurse, take your meds, elevate, and ice. Maybe it would help your husband and son to read some of the forum posts, so that they know that what you are going through is normal and most importantly, TEMPORARY. Sending you hugs and positive vibes.

 

[Poof]

SpinGirl,
Thanks for the encouragement. I think that maybe I was living in "la-la land" and really had no idea what it was going to feel like immediately after the surgery. I guess that I thought I was going to be the brave person that held all of the pain in so well and that just did all of the rehab without a problem. Here I am though, with my crying jags and having to ask my family for help. My knee has a life all of its own and is definitely telling the rest of my body what will happen next. It's no wonder that the PT looked at me like I was nuts when I told him that I have a recumbent bike that I would like to start riding. I guess that he and my knee already knew that wasn't going to happen yet. At least it's somewhere in the next few months....

 

[Spingirl]

I don't know if anybody really knows what it's going to feel like unless they already had a knee done. I'm not sure I'd have gone through with it, had I known! But now, much farther along on the other side, I know it's worth it. I still have a pretty vivid recollection of the feelings you are describing going through. It feels almost miraculous to me to have that behind me. It will happen for you too! I did a lot of reading through the forum to help me during that time. Once I was able to cut back on the pain meds that were making me feel physically crummy, that helped my spirits a lot too. But don't cut back until you really don't need them anymore. BTW, I didn't get on a bike again until I started my outpatient PT, which was four weeks after my surgery. It was such a great feeling to pedal again! Who knows? You might be able to get on your recumbent sooner.

 

[Toothfairy]

Quote ['I think that maybe I was living in "la-la land" and really had no idea what it was going to feel like immediately after the surgery. I guess that I thought I was going to be the brave person that held all of the pain in so well and that just did all of the rehab without a problem. Here I am though, with my crying jags and having to ask my family for help. My knee has a life all of its own and is definitely telling the rest of my body what will happen next.]

Hi Poof, I have just caught up on your recovery posts. I think you are doing well. I think what you have said above is so true and probably sums up both what most people secretly think and what the reality is!

Take it gently and be very kind to yourself. Allow yourself to rest and recuperate after the major surgery you have had so recently.
It will get better, in a couple of weeks you can give me advice once I have reached the recovery side.

Hope you are having a good day,
Toothfairy

 

[pdx]

We've all been in la-la land. All. My poor husband also didn't know what to do when I burst into tears for no apparent reason. I was just. so. tired. And frustrated. My personal pain devil was lying on my stomach with my legs hanging over the bed. Screaming pain. It does get better. It does. I found a bit of dark chocolate helped, along with the icing/elevation.

 

[Coniglietta]

Oh dear haven't we all been there, crying, depression, the blues, tiredness, pain and stiffness and oh those endless nights where sleep seems a million miles away. I think I am one of many when I say that at times I wish I never had it done, this was in the first few weeks and its so natural to not to want to suffer with any of the above.
I am around 16 weeks out from my second TKR and I can honestly say that now I am getting my life back, I am glad I had it done
This is all part of the healing process and you will heal, things can only get better and no matter how you are feeling now it is not going to last forever and each day brings you more healing and nearer to your "normal" life again
Hang in there poof, we are right behind you all the way you need never be alone with your fears or your worries or concerns, bring 'em on !!
Much love

 

[Spingirl]

I found a bit of dark chocolate helped, along with the icing/elevation.

YES! Absolutely.

 

[Poof]

Day 8: The physical therapist just left the house. He changed the bandages and put me through the exercises. My knee continues to have a red area that concerns him. I'm supposed to take my temperature several times a day. If it reaches 100 degrees, then I'm supposed to call the Dr. to let him look at it. It took about 36 hrs to get the pain under a 6. I'm hoping that it will stay that way. So, I do the exercises 2x daily, walk around my "track" (LR, DR and kitchen) ice it for 30 min. 3x and then the rest of the time, I'm supposed to stay off of the knee......I was a little nervous when he thought that the red area could indicate an infection. We drew a mark around the red area so that we could determine if it changes any. I also took some pics on my phone..(what did we ever do without camera phones?). I feel so much better with the pain under control. My knee is pretty stiff, but I need to get the swelling down before I push it too much....I'm sure that this info is probably pretty boring to nearly everyone, but maybe it will help to have it to look back on and see the progress. I'm open to any suggestions, comments or even knee jokes if you have any! I really enjoy hearing from all if you. It brightens the day a lot when you are chained to the recliner. Vickie.

 

[Spingirl]

Vickie, your info isn't boring in the least. It's good that you are posting what is going on. I'm sure there are folks who will be able to shed some light on what might be an infection. Here's hoping its not! Before my surgery, I had to go through about five days worth of Pre-op infection prevention, including washing with those surgical sponges daily, using some Muciporin in each nostril, and rinsing my mouth with something called chlorhexidine gluconate. I honestly had forgotten all about that until just now. are you on a blood thinner? I had to inject myself twice daily with that for several weeks. My goodness!

I'm glad your pain is under better control. Keep icing. Things are going to keep progressing.

 

[Poof]

The doc has me taking Xaletro. The script was for 12 tablets after leaving the hospital. They also told me not to eat dark green leafy veggies to avoid Vitamin K while on the thinner. Two days before the surgery, I washed the surgery site with something they sent home from the Pre-op class. On surgery day I took a shower with another cleanser. I don't remember the names of them right now.....now that I'm worried about the ominous red place, I've been taking my temperature every hour. (Twice a day is all the PT requested). I'm sticking at 99.1 F. I hate worrying about all of the things that might happen. I'm looking forward to looking back at these posts and realizing what a worry wart I was. It's just hard to keep your mind off of your knee when you're lying on the couch and sick of tv. I'm listening to music right now and that helps....it's very kind if you to reassure me. I'll be glad when I'm 4 Mths out from surgery like you are.

 

[Spingirl]

I know, worrying doesn't make it any better, does it? I'm glad you found some music to listen to that is soothing. I also liked listening t podcasts and doing word puzzles on my iPad to take my mind off of feeling so sick.

When I was in the hospital, I ran a bit of a temp one night, probably around 100ish. The nurses gave me one of those spirometers (I think that's what it was called) to do deep breathing in and out (you have to make the little ball rise inside the thing). They said it would help reduce the fever that might be related to reduced pulmonary function as a result of the surgery. It was helpful. Do you have a visiting nurse whom you could ask about this? Maybe that is the reason for your slightly elevated temp.

 

[bottomshollow]

So try Vicki to dwell on other things---positive things, fun things, silly things. And sweetie, follow the mantra--- take those pain meds on a schedule, get lots of rest, elevate that operated leg (toes above nose), and ice, ice, and ice some more.
You cannot rest too much, elevate too much, or ice too much. So do lots of all three and take those pain meds on time every time. You will feel so much better. Also it is very common for folks to run a low grade fever after this surgery. As long as it does not go over 101 you are okay. If the reddish area of your incision is not unduly sore, not puffy, not oozing anything liquid---I think you can relax. But if it really really bothers you----go and see your doctor!

Take deep, deep breaths, sweetie, and R E L A X! You're going to be fine. Please take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[clovergirl59]

The first few weeks are not a lot of fun. Your job is to rest and let that knee start to heal. If you don't like TV, try reading to take your mind off of things. I couldn't concentrate enough to read the first couple of weeks, but I am a TV junkie so I was content to sit in my chair and watch TV between dozing. Read the library here, there is lots of good info. You will have lots of ups and downs, but it will get better!

 

[pdx]

Oh, there's nothing like daytime TV to make you nuts, nuts, nuts. You could download one of those fun apps on your phone that will allow you to do special effects on those knee photos. That could be fun. Or stick to HGTV and plan crazy remodeling projects? You'll do fine!

 

[Poof]

Day 9: the same thing happened again as it did after PT on Monday. About an hour after PT, I could no longer walk on my leg. I was having shooting pains/spasms in the knee that shot the pain level back up to an 8-9 for the rest of the evening. I remember looking at the clock and it was around 1a.m. when the last pain hit. I kept my knee elevated all night long. This morning the pain is about a 6-7 when I walk (using the walker). For the first time since I've had this replacement, I dread walking on it, even to go to the restroom. I put it off as long as possible. The PT just called to check on me. Temperature has never made it to 100, swelling looks better, the red spots are still there, but just feel warm to the touch. It appears that the top few stitches are still draining some. He wants the OS to look at it. My doc is doing Surgery today, but I can see him first thing in the morning. I also had the choice of going to the Ortho Emerg Ctr, but I just want to see my own doctor. The nurse told me to keep the leg elevated today and stay off of it as much as possible. I'm sure this is all going to work out.

 

[kjsomsun]

Poof...it sounds like you are doing very well...I am learning from you...and all the others on Bonesmart!!!! When the time comes for me I hope I will be a good patient and well informed one like you! Keep up the positive attitude !! Keep posting...I will be checking in.