Will new knees be good enough?
- Thread starter BigGene
- Start date
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RestAssured
alpha
Gene,
I am waiting to hear how your surgery went! I hope you are doing well and that you are feeling great!:biggrin:
I am waiting to hear how your surgery went! I hope you are doing well and that you are feeling great!:biggrin:
OP
OP
BigGene
graduate
OK, I'm back from surgery and the hospital and here is my report.(as best as memory serves)
Arrived at hosputal at 7:30 am on Tuesday the 12th to prep for surgery. The drill was changing to stylish hospital asttire,(In king size, of course) Makinsecure arrandements for teeth and glasses.Watching TV with driver/friend.People coming and going asking same questions over and over again. Alergies, which knee, your name, your doctors name etc. Visited by prep nurse,OR nurse, OS and anesthesiologist. Anesthesia seemed to be promoting GA + nerve block. I agreed. IV,s were set up(2 of them) and then off to surgery with a shot of "happy juice and a long acting Oxycotin dose. I have a vaugue recolection of discussion about feeling tingling in knee related to nerve blok.
Then I woke up!!!I I suppose it was a good thing but pain was off my chart, and I wanted to scratgch everthing off my body , starting with my nose but everywhere. I was moaning and scratching. Scrathching and moaning.
They gave me dilauden for breakthru pain and benedryl for the itch.
This was now about 12:30 to 1:00 pm..Pain and itching did not drop below 7-8 all pm and into the am. they tried Lortad, morphine peroset in various combinations and added Ataract for the itch.
Finally Wednesday morning the pained droped to levels in the 3-5 range. The nerve block apparently only bocked part of the knee over the kneecap. I discovered along the way the the pain was greatest in the quad ares not over the knee.
The nerve block did have the effect of preventing me from any attempt at a quad set or a leg lift'
Suddenly like a switch at at about 9 someone flipped the switch. I was able to do quad sets and move the leg. The PT showed up and I was off to the races. At this time my meds were Oxycontin 10 mg twice a day. Percocette 2 (10/325) asneeded. I took these every three hours without waiting for a breakthrough. Really never had pain above a 3-4 since. I also was taking Benedryl and ataract for the itch.
Went to PT in the afternoon of Wednesday and rocked the house. 111/ --3, 30 leg lifts held for 5 seconds, all no problem.
Rest of day and night were no problem at all'
Start of Thursday OS came by and hinted at release on that day if cleared by PT for stairs/car transfer. The day went very well , ROM 114/0 and at 2pm on Thursday I went home.
Things continued very well at home and went to out-patient thearapy on Friday. It was good ---no horror show.
Tried to cut back to a 4 hour cycle on Percosts and that worked. Overslept twice last night and went 6 hours twice. Definitely broke though. I am back to 4 hour cycle for now with 1-4 on pain scale.
That is more than enough for now. I will keep you up to date on progress.
Josephine, Can you move the whole thread to the other side?
Arrived at hosputal at 7:30 am on Tuesday the 12th to prep for surgery. The drill was changing to stylish hospital asttire,(In king size, of course) Makinsecure arrandements for teeth and glasses.Watching TV with driver/friend.People coming and going asking same questions over and over again. Alergies, which knee, your name, your doctors name etc. Visited by prep nurse,OR nurse, OS and anesthesiologist. Anesthesia seemed to be promoting GA + nerve block. I agreed. IV,s were set up(2 of them) and then off to surgery with a shot of "happy juice and a long acting Oxycotin dose. I have a vaugue recolection of discussion about feeling tingling in knee related to nerve blok.
Then I woke up!!!I I suppose it was a good thing but pain was off my chart, and I wanted to scratgch everthing off my body , starting with my nose but everywhere. I was moaning and scratching. Scrathching and moaning.
They gave me dilauden for breakthru pain and benedryl for the itch.
This was now about 12:30 to 1:00 pm..Pain and itching did not drop below 7-8 all pm and into the am. they tried Lortad, morphine peroset in various combinations and added Ataract for the itch.
Finally Wednesday morning the pained droped to levels in the 3-5 range. The nerve block apparently only bocked part of the knee over the kneecap. I discovered along the way the the pain was greatest in the quad ares not over the knee.
The nerve block did have the effect of preventing me from any attempt at a quad set or a leg lift'
Suddenly like a switch at at about 9 someone flipped the switch. I was able to do quad sets and move the leg. The PT showed up and I was off to the races. At this time my meds were Oxycontin 10 mg twice a day. Percocette 2 (10/325) asneeded. I took these every three hours without waiting for a breakthrough. Really never had pain above a 3-4 since. I also was taking Benedryl and ataract for the itch.
Went to PT in the afternoon of Wednesday and rocked the house. 111/ --3, 30 leg lifts held for 5 seconds, all no problem.
Rest of day and night were no problem at all'
Start of Thursday OS came by and hinted at release on that day if cleared by PT for stairs/car transfer. The day went very well , ROM 114/0 and at 2pm on Thursday I went home.
Things continued very well at home and went to out-patient thearapy on Friday. It was good ---no horror show.
Tried to cut back to a 4 hour cycle on Percosts and that worked. Overslept twice last night and went 6 hours twice. Definitely broke though. I am back to 4 hour cycle for now with 1-4 on pain scale.
That is more than enough for now. I will keep you up to date on progress.
Josephine, Can you move the whole thread to the other side?
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Sure - consider it done!
You had a rough first few hours. I bet that initial pain you had was a tourniquet pain. I had it too and it was awful.
Glad you're doing so well now though.
You had a rough first few hours. I bet that initial pain you had was a tourniquet pain. I had it too and it was awful.
Glad you're doing so well now though.
OP
OP
BigGene
graduate
Whole different world from this side, Still waiting, but now waiting for time to go by, to improve, to assess information to move step by step to a better place.
ruppbike
senior
Gene - sounds like a rough start but after that you are handling and doing things very well indeed. Off to the races - you bet! You have a good handle on what to do and not to do from being an avid Bonesmart reader. You will do great. Congratulations on getting your life back; its been enlightening following you from decision process to recovery - thanks for being an active poster.
Kurt
Kurt
brs0660
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Gene..welcome to the "all done" side. You are going to have discomfort, expect it. Sounds like you are being smart. Don't give up those pain pills for awhile....there is no valor in enduring pain
Hi BigGene, It sounds like you are on the road to a good recovery and a better life. Congratulations. I have to be at the hospital at 6 a.m. for an 8 a.m. surgery tomorrow morning so soon I will be joining everyone on this side. Hope I don't have the same first 24 hours that you had post-op!
RestAssured
alpha
Gene,
I am keeping track of you buddy!:biggrin:
I was supposed to have my knee revision the day after your surgery but the doctor said I was doing "much too well to invade my knee!" I will continue with rehab for 6 more weeks and then see the doctor again to assess the situation. I am not worried though! My PT has isolated the ligament that is causing my kneecap to pop out and we are going to focus on getting it to behave!:th_heehee:
I will continue to follow your posts and look forward to your recovery!:biggrin:
I am keeping track of you buddy!:biggrin:
I was supposed to have my knee revision the day after your surgery but the doctor said I was doing "much too well to invade my knee!" I will continue with rehab for 6 more weeks and then see the doctor again to assess the situation. I am not worried though! My PT has isolated the ligament that is causing my kneecap to pop out and we are going to focus on getting it to behave!:th_heehee:
I will continue to follow your posts and look forward to your recovery!:biggrin:
OP
OP
BigGene
graduate
Good Luck Jennyl, I don't even remember those first 24 anymore. Just a blur. Just sat down after my fisrt walk 0.5 miles. Not a problem. Amazing.
See you when you are able to gey back online.
See you when you are able to gey back online.
OP
OP
BigGene
graduate
referee54
Former BoneSmart staff member
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Welcome to the other side of TKR life! Yes, right now, things do tend to move a little more slowly. I am sorry that your journey to this side began so painfully; it does sound like things are finally settling down and you are beginning to move forward. I agree with the others; there will be pain from the surgical trauma, so do not try to gut through it---take the pain meds as necessary.
Your therapy sounds like you are doing great---you know the drill---ice, elevate and rest when you are not doing your exercises and therapy sessions.
You are en route to a great new way of life! Keep us posted as to how you're doing, please!
Your therapy sounds like you are doing great---you know the drill---ice, elevate and rest when you are not doing your exercises and therapy sessions.
You are en route to a great new way of life! Keep us posted as to how you're doing, please!
OP
OP
BigGene
graduate
Time for me to start asking recovery questions, so here goes
i have a tight painful hard lpainine down the right outside the knee. What gives. I thouhgt I have heard as smartie name it, but it/s nog coming thriugh the fog..
i have a tight painful hard lpainine down the right outside the knee. What gives. I thouhgt I have heard as smartie name it, but it/s nog coming thriugh the fog..
RestAssured
alpha
That is the truth!:biggrin: I have had my share of surgeries and I am ready to move on towards getting this knee whipped into shape! :wink1:
This morning I found out that all of my blood work is in the normal range! No infection!
First time I have heard that in 4 years!
ruppbike
senior
I had that in each of my legs. I think the lateral collateral ligament and the fibal nerve get tangled with each other. On my left leg it worked itself out with some self massage; on the right leg it took awhile and with the help of my chiropractor. This may or may not be what you are experiencing this early. It may also be bone pain if it is localized to the knee area.
BigGene....you are fresh from surgery and you are going to have some pain in various parts of your knee at different times. If this is bothering you, then it means you are not taking enough pain meds. Ice the area too and be sure you're not trying to do too much at this early stage.
Hi, BigGene. I'm so happy to see you on the recovery side of things. It feels so great to finally be here, doesn't it?
Listen to what all these fine folks are telling you about taking your pain meds. Sounds like the road is smoothing out for you and I hope it continues to get better and better each day. Some days there will be bumps in the road, but I found if I just looked for something positive each day, I handled the ups and downs so much better.
Take care and get lots and lots of rest. So glad for you!
Maggie
Listen to what all these fine folks are telling you about taking your pain meds. Sounds like the road is smoothing out for you and I hope it continues to get better and better each day. Some days there will be bumps in the road, but I found if I just looked for something positive each day, I handled the ups and downs so much better.
Take care and get lots and lots of rest. So glad for you!
Maggie
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