TKR Weird Stuff In My Recovery

[Jamie]

The important thing is you've got the idea now. You're so right that you NEED the pain meds....maybe for quite a while, depending on your level of pain. Proper pain management makes everything else about recovery so much easier.

 

[mariaw0121]

It's 4 weeks today since my LTKR and this recovery could not be more different than that from my first surgery in February. I literally feel like half a person. I'm tired all the time and that's with taking a 2 hr. nap almost every afternoon. I had to take myself off hydrocodone because I was so constipated for almost 2 weeks and no stool softener, milk of magnesia, or dulcolax did the trick. I was so nauseous and couldn't even look at food. I'm getting by on Aleve and it isn't entirely satisfactory, but not nearly as bad as not going to the bathroom.

What concerns me is how wiped out I feel. I know 4 weeks isn't much time, but I don't recall feeling so weak and shaky last time. I had blood work today and will see my GP Friday (those damn midweek holidays). In the meantime, I'm a total dishrag to live with - I can barely keep my eyes open and have no interest in seeing anyone or socializing, and I'm cold all the time. No fever. I go to PT and do my exercises on off days and that's pretty much done for me.

Has anyone else had this kind of experience? Maybe I was spoiled the first time around, but this has taken me totally off guard.

 

[skigirl]

I was anemic after my first tkr. I was out of breath when climbing hills and extra tired all the time. Also, it could be thyroid malfunction too. Luckily you will soon know the results of your blood tests!!

 

[mariaw0121]

I was anemic after my first tkr. I was out of breath when climbing hills and extra tired all the time. Also, it could be thyroid malfunction too. Luckily you will soon know the results of your blood tests!!

I have no thyroid - I had a total thyroidectomy in 2002 due to Hashimoto's disease and take .112mcg levothyroxine every day. Thyroid panel was part of my bloodworm, so we'll see.

 

[bottomshollow]

Hope you and yours have had a wonderful Christmas holiday with lots of family fellowship and sharing of gifts and lots of good food to eat.


I’ll be looking for you at the BoneSmart annual New Year’s Party. It’s been a very eventful year for most of us---and will be a very eventful year coming up for others of us looking forward to surgery in the new year.


Remember to bring food and drink to share---and pictures are always appreciated and loads of fun to share.


SEE YOU AT THE PARTY!!!!!

bottomshollow

 

[skigirl]

I have a low functioning thyroid and I am often colder than everyone else---I am always bundled up at ski school, I have down coats in three different levels!!!!

Anemia is insidious--I went on a hike and almost passed out I was so out of breath---I was scared, thought I had heart disease! But, it was anemia. A month or two of iron pills and I was back in the game.

 

[kneeper]

Glad to hear you had bloodwork. I had anemia after my tkr too. Let us know what the GP says.

 

[Knitter4444]

I had 3 transfusions after my BTKR and 2 after my one hip. I so understand what you are feeling. And just trying to get dressed to go to PT is such a chore let alone the PT session. But I am always anemic..and not all anemia is an iron deficiency so be your best advocate and get your test results and ask questions.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[mariaw0121]

Glad to hear you had bloodwork. I had anemia after my tkr too. Let us know what the GP says.

Just minimally anemic - 11.5. GP thinks it's just tiredness from the surgery and not sleeping well. It has improved somewhat since my diet has improved; I'm eating more iron rich foods, since I cannot tolerate iron pills. I take a short (½ hr. or so) afternoon nap and that seems to help also. Thyroid panel in a few weeks should clarify any thyroid issues, but those numbers have been stable for a long time, so I'd be surprised. Maybe I shouldn't be; surgery changes everything sometimes.

 

[kneeper]

So maybe the mild anemia combined with the normal fatigue from the surgery is knocking you down more than you expected. When I had anemia and was taking iron pills they also had me take vitamin C to help absorb the iron. you might be sure you're getting both in your diet.
I love the naps.

 

[mariaw0121]

I had my 6 wk. checkup today and ortho was pleased - 0 deg extension and 123 flex. Will be discharged from PT at the end of this week. So happy and thankful for 2 functioning knees that continue to improve every day. My thanks to my surgeon and his wonderful staff, my nurses and PT's, and all my support crew - and not to forget United Healthcare, which paid the bills without blinking. It was worth paying health insurance premiums for 35 yrs.

 

[kneeper]

 

[icep707]

Wow! What a thread. Pat yourself on your back. You sure are a determined little one. I felt your pain and displeasure as I was reading your thread. Im pre op so all theses threads are valuable to us that read them. Note to self ! On my pre op make sure I ask about my medication resources. Also constipation which is by the way in the mantra reading ! You are brave and wish you the best!!

 

[mariaw0121]

Wow! What a thread. Pat yourself on your back. You sure are a determined little one. I felt your pain and displeasure as I was reading your thread. Im pre op so all theses threads are valuable to us that read them. Note to self ! On my pre op make sure I ask about my medication resources. Also constipation which is by the way in the mantra reading ! You are brave and wish you the best!!

Good luck on Feb. 10, I'm sure you'll do well. Please let us know how it goes. There's lots of great info and great people on this site who will encourage and support you.

 

[mariaw0121]

It doesn't end. Six weeks and 2 days after my LTKR , I had to have a root canal. The timing couldn't have been worse but my surgeon said to go ahead as long as I took 600 mg of clindamycin before and 600 mg each day for 4 days after. I guess the risk of infection spreading from the diseased tooth was worse than the risk of the procedure so soon after the TKR, but I admit I'm shaking in my boots right now.

 

[maryo52]

Maria, the fatique post surgery is hard to explain and can linger a long while. I know the feeling. I am always anemic (12 Hgl) and know I was even more so but even that didn't explain it. I think many of our body's systems take a dip in functioning during the length recovery process. It can seem endless, especially with other problems popping up. I have to say, it was a long time before I felt like me again. Hang in there!

 

[mariaw0121]

I have something of a dilemma. I had a tkr on my right knee 2/25/13 and on my left 12/2/13. They were both doing well; the left is still somewhat swollen and warm, but that's normal after 14 wks. - I had a lot of swelling with both. The right one, which is just 1 yr. old, seems a bit swollen to me and hurts a bit on the outside of the knee. 10 wks. after my left TKR, I went back to spinning class and did great, but this sweling in the right knee started soon after that. Am I just overdoing it with spinning - it's a pretty intense workout - or is it something I should have checked. Has something like this happened to anyone else? No fever or any other bad things, just swelling and occasional stiffness and a little pain on the outside of the knee.

 

[maryo52]

I went back to spinning class and did great, but this sweling in the right knee started soon after that

You answered your own question. The long answer is that these are what I call "cranky" tissues and remain so for a couple of years. Listen to them and limit your activities accordingly.