TKR What I did on my summer vacation

[dianehelen]

Why on earth did they let you do this outpatient and home the same day? Had Has anyone else every heard of this. That sounds nutso to me.

The more people that mention tramadol, the more it encourages me ;-). I have a stockpile of them rx by my previous OS along with 800mg ibu for my knee pain. The rx is 50mg 3x a day. I only take one evey few days, so I'll have plenty on hand if needed.

Have you looked into getting the elevation wedge, to elevate while in your recliner? This is the one @sistersinhim got and I just ordered one the other day myself

https://tinyurl.com/elevation2foam

I hope things keep getting better for you

 

[jmdearras]

broken link removed: Http://tinyurl.com/elevation2foam

Fixed ';' in URL, replaced with ':'
I bought one, very comfortable, but I have not had surgery again, yet. I would say it would depend on the recliner. I can see it fitting some.

 

[birdwatchr]

@jmdearras
Tramadol doesn't appear to be working that well, and I am taking it with tylenol. Then again, maybe nothing really helps throbbing pain. Come to think of it, they were also supposed to give me gabapentin, but didn't. I guess at this point, I'd just as well do without. Pain is not quite as bad as it was in the beginning, but it is still here more than I would like. I go to PT and do their exercises. I sure do "lose count" a lot!!, but at home I sit around and ice it, watching old shows on Antenna TV. Knee still wakes me up between 3AM and 5AM - just like before surgery. The CPM makes it feel stiffer, so I don't use it much.

@dianehelen
I don't have a recliner. I've used my son's beanbag chair with pillows on it. I've also used the CPM for elevation. In fact, I use it more for that than what it is supposed to be used for! I was for the outpatient option. Maybe pain could have been controlled better in a hospital, but then again, I would not have been able to stand the bed moving every 3 minutes. I would have moved to the floor! With it being a holiday weekend, I thought it better to be at home rather than with short staff at a hospital. Plus, PT didn't start until the following Tuesday, so no one to mess with my knee for a good 4 days. I did research the outpatient option. When my doctor said he did it that way and used glue instead of staples, I thought I'd go for it. Didn't like staples when I had them. It has worked out well. I was much more comfortable to be home immediately, and I thought it would be a good thing to write about for others to reference to. It's definitely not for everyone, but it is an option. I have used the surgery center before, and was familiar with it and the people there. The anesthesiologist did warn me I would have a LOT of pain, and I needed to be prepared for that. The only thing I can tell that has been different from hospital based surgery is that they apparently could not use an epidural, so I had to have general anesthesia, which I really didn't want, but in the end thought was a better option. The anesthesiologist knew of my problems with general anesthesia and knew to watch me closely. For anyone considering outpatient TKR I would suggest they read online about it and decide if it's for them or not. I did have some setbacks in pre-op testing, but in the end I found a doctor who expedited testing. I think I've had pretty much the same feelings as everyone else in regards to the pain and if it was worth it or not. I did tell my other knee it is on VERY STRICT orders to behave and stay healthy! LOL I truly believe this knee had problems due to a childhood injury of falling into an iron rake and then running as a young adult and tearing my meniscus back in the 80's. The scars from the rake are right where they said my bones had collapsed and were rubbing on each other.

My scar is only 4 inches long, and the surgery was done "minimally invasive". I'm pleased with the incision part of it all; just having a hard time like everyone else with the slowness of recovery. I was able to peddle on the bike at PT all the way around with little pain on Monday, although VERY slowly. They re-measured me at 110. So even though I haven't really seen too much improvement in the bending department, I did get some.

Although I still can't bend much, I do have the straightness. I think maybe some of the problems were from the CPM - it was straightening my leg TOO much, possibly the reason why the back of my knee has been hurting. So in addition to not using the machine much, I changed the setting. It goes back tomorrow- YAY!

Last night I was able to get out of the shower better. I still had to sit on the edge of the tub, but I got my leg over first. Bathroom is so tight, it has been hard to take showers. So there is improvement there too. My biggest thing is that I did not have anywhere near this much pain and limited movement before surgery. So it is very concerning and frustrating. I go back to the dr in July. I am definitely looking forward to having my limberness returned to my leg. The pocket where they had to keep draining fluid off still looks/feels like there is fluid in it. I'll have to ask about that. It is one of the most painful spots on my knee. I have three - that, where the bones had collapsed, and the top of the incision itself. There is also achiness that goes down my shinbone. Hopefully by August 1st, things will have calmed down a lot more.

Til next time... good healing to all!

 

[dianehelen]

Lot of info there, thanks for sharing you input and experience. Hope the time & healing start to move faster for you.

 

[birdwatchr]

PROGRESS! YAY! Today is 3 weeks after surgery. I was getting pretty worried about not being able to bend my knee, especially when therapist said dr would be bending my knee back when I go to see him again in July. Yesterday, although I could ride the bike and do a few full rotations, I was "cheating" by lifting my body up off the seat. Today I could do it without lifting up. I was told that if you could bend to 100, then technically, you could do the bike. She measured me doing the slides because she thought I was pulling further back, and it was 100. Doing the lean in exercises, she really saw improvement. Don't know if it helped any, but last night while in the shower with hot water running on my knee, I put my foot on the side of the tub and leaned in. Still woke up in pain around 3AM and got the ice pack out. So far, I have been able to lift my leg from the beginning, straighten it almost from the beginning, and now can bend it just a little bit more. And I overheard another therapist telling someone not to overdo it, if it hurts, stop, gentle is the way, etc. So.... I guess I am just really impatient! I also started the stretches again for my back last night, since I have not done them in 3 weeks. Some I just cannot do yet, but those that I could do, were comfortable. Have not gotten back on the treadmill yet. Thinking that might be overdoing it. Still falling asleep, especially on PT days. I get 3-4 hours of sleep at night. My husband got free Fitbits, so I will try to use that to help measure things. So far today I have walked a whole 609 steps! Seems like I cannot get the pain level low enough, but I do rest and take it easy. My goal for housework today is to clean the bathroom mirror! That's it! Well, I may include the sink. But nothing else. Course, I've been telling myself to do that all week! LOL

Weather is supposed to be a little cooler this weekend, so I may go outside for a little while. Don't really want to tackle the steps to fill the bird feeder, so might get someone else to do it. But I can water the plants on the deck. Hoping it will be cool enough to sit on the deck for a while and get some sunshine.

 

[uva55]

You are doing really well...it's funny how any little thing we do depletes our energy...I find myself dozing off while I'm reading the posts on this site or watching TV, and normally I never do that, but I also find myself doing many things that I thought I would need help doing after my surgery, I'm very independent and will not ask for help if there is a way for me to do it

 

[Suz]

So happy that things are improving for you! I love reading your 'stories', LOL! I know you said tramadol didn't work for you but it, along with tylenol and following Josephine's chart staying on schedule, has been a lifesaver for me.

As I'm sure you've read, my OS's nurse messed me up bad 2wks out from surgery. Because of her lack of proper communication I was left without any effective pain medication and pain so out of control I wanted to throw myself into a river- knowing I wouldn't be able to swim out, LOL! j/k. I just met with my OS for the first time post-op this past Tuesday and left him on his knees apologizing for leaving me out here w/o effective pain control. I left his office with a script for 60 10-325 hydrocodones and unfortunately it doesn't do anything for me.

I'm back on Josephines tramadol/tylenol regimen w/ swelling but no pain! We're all different and what works for one doesn't for the next. But for those reading your journey I thought I would throw my 2 cents worth in on what has saved me!

Keep writing when you feel up to it Sugar. You are an inspiration to me and all others here who visit your thread!
Oh, and on our farm we have 12 Martin houses to help keep the insects off of our livestock. I love sitting and watching them in flight! It's like a Martin airport here- : )

 

[tpellerin]

Hey Birdwatchr,
As a 3 day vet of a RTKR and 1 more to go early July, that also had lots of constipation issues, so much that I quit oxy at 36 hours postop..
I took all of the stuff to move things along with 0 luck and a wily nurse came along and suggested that I give myself a suppository of dulcolax, she guaranteed a movement in 1 hour and was off by 30 minutes, cause that's
how long it took. Piece of cake. Rubber gloves needed.
Tramadol is constipating too, so good luck!

 

[birdwatchr]

So tomorrow is my one month mark. Don't really feel like I've made any more progress. This week the pain has been worse, especially the sensitive skin pain. When I was doing PT yesterday, I really felt it on the top of my thigh. They told me it meant I was working my quad and that was what I was supposed to feel. But it ached the rest of the day, and today is still aching. My whole entire leg has been throbbing all the way down to my foot. Still haven't had the energy to tackle the bathroom either, although I did prepare some fresh fruit before it goes bad and made my homemade mixed fruit cup. Up until last night, I was able to sleep about 4 hours. Last night I didn't get to sleep until after 4AM. Scar has a stitch that hasn't dissolved yet and it really itches, which nothing will get rid of that pain except ice. Have had a couple of blisters develop too. Knee basically still feels twisted.

@Suz
Thank you for your "2 cents worth"! Can't imagine not having ANY pain relief. I really want to start my aspirin again. Just don't think I should since I am on a lower dose for blood clot reasons - I think for another 2 weeks. I will be finished with the iron tablets tomorrow. I think I will start back on my coq10 and magnesium on Saturday, as the cramping in my toes has started back. That is another thing that wakes me up - cramping in feet and legs. I still do the tramadol/tylenol 3 times a day, but I am calling the doctor's office today to see if something else will work better. I'm so used to being in pain, I don't know that something is working until I stop it. I have pinched nerves in my lower back and neck, plus a bone growing out of the top of my foot and now they think I have hip problems. Arthritis has totally taken over my whole body.... and back in October 1989, a specialist told me I in no way, shape, or form had arthritis. Told everyone the first doctor that tells me I have arthritis is going to hear me scream in his ear! (because I could have been treated for all those years and wasn't) The ortho dr that went with me to get the results told me he didn't understand - he was so sure I had arthritis, and he could treat arthritis, but since the specialist said I didn't, he couldn't treat me for what I didn't have. So he sent me home. So many future drs I went to did the same thing. (Gee, don't know why you should be having any pain!) The last straw was the ortho doc who laughed and told me it wasn't THAT bad, what was I whining about? That's when I found this group of drs. This group has been watching - as I've had a frozen neck, and the pressure on the nerves is apparently making me lose some strength and causing atrophy. But I can only fix one thing at a time, and it costs money. I've had to pick and choose what to work on first. Only thing with them, I have to see a different one for each individual body part.

@uva55
I know what you're saying - I have learned to do everything for myself. Hubby wants to know how long I'm going to "milk" this knee. And no one has noticed the bathroom needs some attention. Course, after 30 years, I guess I should've known no one else was going to clean it up. I have to do it today for sure. But I feel so lethargic. I have to keep re-watching my recorded shows due to falling asleep! Normally I fall asleep a couple hours after coming home from PT, but yesterday I couldn't get comfortable. Getting comfortable has been a big problem. PT likes my progression, but hasn't measured anything in a while. I don't think the straightness has ever been measured, only the bend. It's between 100 and 110 last time they measured. One of the exercises really hurt yesterday, so they told me not to do that one anymore. She said it was a weird place for me to have pain for that particular exercise, but the pain was excruciating - right where the bones had been collapsed. That is the worst area of pain, with the second worse being the pocket of fluid they had to drain several times before surgery. It feels like there is still fluid in there and it gets worse with exercise, causing swelling. When it got so I couldn't bend my knee as well, I knew it was time to be drained. I don't know if they will drain it in July or not. I couldn't get it drained before surgery that last time because they said it was too close to surgery time and it was an infection risk. He did say the surgery would take care of it, but I don't think it did.

Well, guess that's it for today. I probably sound a little on the depressed side today, but reading that it is "normal" helps. Sometimes I have to re-read the articles. Hopefully July won't be so bad pain wise and I'll see/feel some more improvement. I did start using my cane instead of the walker and PT was glad to see that. Didn't know if I was supposed to wait until someone told me to switch, so I just did it. I don't really use anything in the house since the walls are so close by! The past 2 days I even went out to the mailbox to collect the mail. I'll have to get that clump of grass out of the driveway seam. It attacks my cane every time I hit it coming back into the house!

 

[Tabbycat]

Hi birdwatchr
Just catching up with your thread. I bet it seems ages since the surgery but one month is not much, you are right in the middle of the 'angry tissues' stage. I am learning that it doesn't take much to aggravate my knee, even at nine weeks. Even sitting at my dining table last night trying to tackle a pile of junk mail for about 15 minutes was enough to make it more painful this morning. I've cut right back on exercise and activity. Unfortunately this is a long process, but it is good when you can celebrate little victories
Love and hugs.
Tabby xxx

 

[uva55]

@birdwatchr I'm so sorry you are having such a hard time with pain, not just your knees but other areas...I can relate a little, I have degenerative disc disease and have chronic pain in my lower back, I see a pain management physician for this, so I know how miserable you can feel at times...forget about the bathroom, ask hubby to do it, I find that sometimes you actually have to draw a picture for them, haha...for some reason men don't find things to be as dirty as we do, and he may not clean it to your standards but right now you have to turn a blind to it and concentrate on getting better, maybe you should consider using your cane in the house, please don't take a chance on loosing your balance and falling.

I hope you feel better soon

 

[Tabbycat]

I agree with Clara about using the cane in the house for a while longer. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Tabby xxx

 

[newlybionic]

You are stuck in the hardest period of recovery. You start to think enough is enough and why am I not feeling better yet. It doesn't help if your husband is saying that too. You will not notice changes by the day but by the month. Talk to your OS about pain control. You might also want to ask about a muscle relaxer too. My OS prescribed one for me and that helped the cramping in my thigh. You have made some improvements. You have started using your cane and you also have gotten the mail too. These are little steps but they do show you are moving forward.

 

[birdwatchr]

Thanks all for the well wishes! Open question: Would anyone know why the area in my knee that had the collapsed bones is the most painful? The pain is excruciating and comes without warning. Whereas before surgery the spot was swollen looking, now it looks like it's an indentation. I can't figure it out. Maybe if I understood what is going on, I could tolerate the pain better. Did they actually cut the bones there? Or stretch them out? (I'm comparing this to when I hear an annoying sound - if I investigate the sound and what it is, it doesn't bother me as much.) I know before surgery, I was told I would be given gabapentin, but that was not prescribed. PT was cancelled today due to the therapist being out sick, and not scheduled again til Tuesday, so I am taking a break and resting my leg, in case the thigh pain is a result of overdoing it.

@uva55 @Tabbycat
I have started using the walker again in the house as I feel steadier with it. Knee still gives at times and that does not feel good. Plus I walk more normal with it. As long as I can get a scooter, I can use my cane on outings. Hubby wants to go out to eat, so I'm thinking about this weekend, but might wait til next weekend. I DON'T want his favorite though - which is fried seafood!

@newlybionic
It's hard to think that this is the hardest part of recovery! I would have thought the hardest was the first week or two. I do remember after having my hysterectomy, the doctor told me I would start feeling good, but if I overdid it, I would crash on the 10th day. Sure enough, I crashed on the 10th day! That has stuck in my mind all these years. So even though I'm trying to take it easy and not do too much, the back pain of sitting/laying around and the boredom factor are driving me to do things. And yes, the bathroom mirror and sink are clean! Couldn't take it anymore, so cleaned them yesterday. Will tackle other areas as I get tired of seeing them, I guess!

Next time I get the mail, I guess I'll tackle that piece of grass growing out of the driveway crack before it trips me. Didn't go out yesterday - heat was too much. I don't take the heat or cold very well anymore. I used to always like cold weather better. But now it makes me feel so stiff and sore, especially my neck. But the heat has always given me bad headaches and wipes me out. Makes it hard to know what season/place I would want to live and retire in. My parents/brothers moved to Florida; I thought Georgia was bad enough. I'm originally from New Jersey, but I wouldn't want to live there either. It was too damp and I was always sick with colds, etc. When I was a teenager, I always dreamed of living in Vermont! And before anyone asks how I got to Georgia, here's the story: my mother wanted me in Florida, living with my aunt and uncle, but Florida didn't want me. I had cousins in Texas who agreed to take me in, but Texas never told me if I was actually accepted. My brother convinced my mother she would get more for her money if I lived in a dorm in Georgia. My mother finally said to keep it in the south, as she was tired of paying application fees, and Georgia didn't require one! I was hoping Georgia would not accept me, so I could go to Connecticut with my best friend, as my mother finally agreed I could apply after Georgia rejected me. Guess you know where I got accepted! Good old college life! I liked the mild winters of south Georgia, but until a couple years later, I had not experienced a Georgia summer! And that's when I learned my headaches were migraines! Fortunately I don't get them very often. They used to be 1-2 per year, but I think they have tapered off since I know to stay out of the heat. North Georgia winters are harder on my arthritis though. They are not quite as mild as south Georgia.

Pain in knee has leveled out since sitting down to vent with all of you. Still feeling very stiff and tight, but very tolerable. Time to get up and move around a bit!

 

[Tabbycat]

I'm glad your knee had a little rest while you were writing your last post, which I did enjoy reading. Thinking of Atlanta takes be back forty years to when my mum took me to see Gone with the Wind in the pictures. She bought me the book for Christmas that year and I devoured it in practically one (long) sitting. I still have it. My mum passed away in 1981 and it's the only thing I have that she gave me. It prompted a life long interest in the American Civil War, so I love hearing about all those places mentioned in the book.

I'm relieved you are using the cane around the house. These new knees can feel a bit unsteady until the muscles strengthen.
I know just what you mean about being able to cope with a certain type of pain if you had an explanation for it. Can your OS or GP help figure it out? It sounds like it's causing you a lot of distress.
Feel better soon,
Tabby

 

[birdwatchr]

@Tabbycat
I'll have to see if I can ask when I go back on Tuesday. The PA, even though she assisted in surgery, didn't seem to know much when I asked her. I have a lot of questions for the dr when I go back.

I have always been interested in the Revolutionary War period up to the Cold War period of history. In doing my father's side of genealogy, I discovered one of the great great uncles was a prisoner in Andersonville. However, he may not be my line. One cousin has one man as our great grandfather, and another cousin has another man as our great grandfather. I researched on my own and discovered that the second man is more probable, and he is not the one associated with the Civil War. But I am reluctant to take the first man out of the files. I feel very strongly that they are both related to each other, therefore in my line somehow.

I'm glad you have something from your mom. When mine died, my younger brother was so mad at her he declared he wanted nothing of hers. Later he came back and asked if he could have a few things. I told him to get whatever he wanted. I knew he would want something eventually. I just recently re-read Gone With the Wind. I had forgotten some things that are not in the movie version. The books are usually much better than the movies!

 

[Tabbycat]

I have Gone with the Wind on cassette (unabridged) narrated by Liza Ross who reads it beautifully. Might be nice to listen again while I am recuperating.
Let us know how you get on with the doctor on Tuesday

 

[birdwatchr]

Going out to eat after all today. Hubby decided to work an OT Saturday and won't be home til late. We will see how it goes. Think I'll tackle that piece of grass and get the mail too. Don't need to be tripping walking in the driveway. Til next time!

 

[blissful]

Excellent! Hope I am where u r at 4 weeks


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[birdwatchr]

Went to Folks Saturday night. It went well. Used a booth, which I normally don't like due to back problems, but I had my leg up and it wasn't so bad. Went to church Sunday morning. It also went well. Had space to put my leg up, but it was kind of awkward, so didn't. Didn't stand for the singing though. Thunderstorm kept us from going to Bed Bath & Beyond afterward, so maybe that was a good thing! Been driving to PT for the past 2 weeks, no problems there. Can get out of the car easier now. Still not so much bending in knee, but it's comfortable enough walking. Looks to be about 90 degrees or so. PT was cancelled last week until tomorrow due to PT being out sick, so resting for 5 days. Requested a refill on the tramadol this morning - waiting to hear back. Don't go to dr until the 12th and tramadol will be gone Thursday. Lost 10-15 pounds, but I think 3-5 have come back. Got my appetite back after about 3.5 weeks, so am trying to watch the snacking. I am a boredom eater! I pretty much cut out sweets/sodas this past year, and don't seem to tolerate sugar very well now. The good thing about that is.... I am no longer pre-diabetic! A1C is now inside the normal range! Sleep seems to be sporadic. Sometimes I can get 4-5 hours worth; sometimes I can't even get to sleep. But then, that is pretty normal for me.

After eating Saturday, went to Michaels and Joann. Made it through Joann to get what I needed. Hubby wanted to go to Home Depot - thought I'd be staying in car, but he had me go in. No scooter available this time, so didn't make it back to where he wanted to go. Went back to front door and waited. Michaels had coloring books on sale, found them, but had hubby go to checkout. Then they wouldn't let us have them for sale price, so he told them to keep them! Wasted trip! We have problems with Micheals honoring coupons and emails here. Didn't feel up to going to Hobby Lobby. Will do that another time.

Guess it's time to go watch some TV and use some ice!