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Revision TKR Wberry knee is up<

Just thinking about walkers....I ditched mine for a stick (well 2) at day 6. I did not like the walker cause it interfered with standing straight and walking normally.
 
I hated the walker and only used it for my first walk in the hospital seemed like I was just picking it up and walking and setting it down and hated that hunched over feeling......I was fortunate that my OS greeted me when I woke up from the surgery he was putting the TEDs on me and said you cannot hurt these things so use them but do not fall..We tend to worry more about the implant but should realize that it is everything around it that has to heal and strengthen and not the implant....personal preference I guess some like the security of the walker.......as for icing I believe it is recommended for longer than 20 minutes to get the maximum benefit at least 40 is suggested...I had it on a lot during the first month and some say they sleep with one on..

Vinny
 
Icing as I type @vinny. @wberry moving to a stick will be a combination of how confident you feel on your legs and how good your balance is. The 2 sticks obviously give more security than just 1. Speak with your PT and discuss where you are up to and what you want to do. Maggie x
 
@wberry For what it's worth, like everyone here, I know exactly how you feel. I'm 9 weeks along, and my knees still don't want me to sleep on my side, and I still have lots of swelling and stiffness, especially when I first wake up. I've tried putting pillows between my knees; doesn't work. Sometimes I can manage, if I turn to my right, slightly bend my op knee, and cross my left non-op knee over it.

Participating in this forum has made it crystal clear to me that everyone's recovery is different! So tired of using my cane (outside only, in my carpeted apartment, I limp around) and frustrated by the nearly constant stiffness, I'm reminded that it's not necessarily more or less PT, or more aggressive PT or less aggressive PT that will make the difference. I think (hope!) it's just a matter of time.
 
Day 20 post op:

I agree and can see where you folks are coming from. I hope to go to the stick this week. As far as sleep, guess it's 3 hours, turn, ice, then sleep a little more. Percocets only lasted 4 hours, but I don't know if the swelling and stiffness woke me or pain. It's hard to separate the two. I have gone to sleep with mine on @vinny, and that has helped. The wedge pillow has helped the most when I need elevation during icing. I can't stay in that position all night and I end up turning, leg gets cropped up and hip complains and I end up pitching the wedge, stick a pillow between my legs and turn to one side or the other. I have found the left side to be best because the knee is higher and I can use a body pillow. The right tends to push the knee joint down and it gets swollen and stiff faster. Icing above and below and behind the knee is helping a lot. I am going to try icing and sleeping on it like @vinny mentioned. @September, try these things. On the pain meds, I have made it all day on just 2x Bayer back and body aspirin 500mg and 1x naproxen sodium (aleeve) 220mg (NSAID). Take both with food and never together, or your stomach will get upset. I made it all day, went to church, went to dinner for our 30th anniversary, came home took a nap, went back to church and I did okay. I plan to take the aleeve because it has the anti inflammatory in it. Hope it will decrease the swelling and stiffness.

I have also started what I call internal tightening exercises. Different internal tensing in the joint, the lower areas where the plate is and the back and upper quads. This is helping to release the stiffness I use to feel during the day and reducing my need for pain meds.

All in all not a bad day.


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Report on last night with no heavy narcotic pain meds.

Well I made it to 4:30 am. Woke up with knee stiff, iced and elevated for 30 min and went back to bed. Slept till 6:30. Got up and did my stretches PT. Still no pain, just tightness and some stiffness.
I will eat and get my Tylenol in a bit.

I honestly think if there was some way to keep the knee from getting stiff at night it wouldn't wake us up.

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wberry said:
I honestly think if there was some way to keep the knee from getting stiff at night it wouldn't wake us up.

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Click to expand...
Amen to that! Good report!

We had a similar night. I took a Percocet before bed but skipped my usual middle of the night dose. When I woke up at 3:30 am -- as usual -- I just shifted my legs around, went to the bathroom and then to the kitchen to get a cold drink and went back to bed. Slept off and on until 6 am. Woke up in pain-- as usual but 3 hours later, haven't taken meds yet. Just finished eating and will take meds shortly.
 
I have an additional item to report. The ever elusive poop is back.
Without the narcotics the switch is back on. What a relief.


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Great report! Happy to hear that you're doing your recovery now with no heavy painkillers. I'm starting to take ibuprofen today to help reduce my swelling as my PT recommended it. Due to this change in medication my OS recommended I cut back on my Norco so I'm going to skip my next dose and we'll see how it goes.


Brenda aka Bionic B
 
@September, @vinny, @ referee54, @kneeper, @Maggie94, @Josephine

I actually slept about an hour longer off the narcotic pain med than I did on it. Today I am operating on 2 500mg aspirin and will do Aleeve this afternoon, aspirin in the evening and Aleeve at night. I figure two doses of anti inflammatory in 24 hrs should work well.


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No more walker, on the stick. Now I haves new PT. Getting my knee massaged during ROM at the limits. She places until it's tight then rubs until it's loose. New measurements being taken during different exercises now. Didn't even do the standard flexion and extension measurements. So I don't have a report.

The stick is different, more helps with balance than anything else. PT was happy I'm off the narcotics.


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Well donev@wberry You will find that you will be able to walk more normally with a stick. Ive been carrying mine and only using it ocassionally for weeks now. Enjoy your new freedom. Maggie x

Maggie via Tapatalk
 
WTG on getting the stick. Like Maggie I just have it just in case. I am walking around the house without it, the only time I like to have it close by is when I first get out of bed, but this morning it was not bedside as I left it the kitchen and I did fine. When walking outside though I have it because when I get tired I really need it.

I agree with you on sleeping better without pain meds, I had a good night last night too.


Brenda aka Bionic B
 
I also walk around the apartment without my cane but always take it with me when I'm out and about. Too afraid of falling to leave it at home!

Getting ready to take an Aleve now (around 12 noon) instead of Percocet. Let's see how it goes....
 
I love the can, but maybe to much. I have walked way to much. My leg muscles are really mad at me and are knotting up. I think I was so excited to be walking without the walker I over did it. Had to cancel my PT because I ouchy to much from walking 4-5 blocks today.

Sleeping is nice, woke at 5:30 for bathroom, but no swelling and throbbing from stiffness. The aspirin, napersen and tramodol are doing the trick.

I need to ask my OS about the funny turn out on the operative leg. I know they align them when they do the knee. Hope it is not turned out to much.

Wberry

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@vinny, @skigirl, @referee54,

I noticed today that no matter how hard I try my operative leg and knee turns out. I notice it the most on stairs where it is easier to almost turn my foot out sideways than to go strait when using stairs. Also the knee tries to turn out and feels bound when I turn it in more less strait. Do I have an alignment problem appearing. How do I know? I know the model knee I got was not the floating one. Should I ask my OS now about this. If it turns out something is off, does it mean I'm in for a revision, this is scary.


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@wberry...sounds like you have been in the ODIC. 4 to 5 blocks....slow down they will atill be there next week/month. Remember its quality not quantity...you will do better with 1 block sliwly while focusing on your gait...just my opinion. And yes i do have one on most things. Take care. Maggie x

Maggie via Tapatalk
 
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